Volume One, Chapter 73: Chi Yueyao’s Mother

The next day, the Chemistry Department had a full schedule, and the other three roommates were gone nearly the entire day. Chi Xingwan, carrying the cake, decided to celebrate Daidai’s birthday right there in the dormitory.

She lit the candle, then suddenly realized and asked, “Can a bird’s beak blow out a candle?”

Xiao Yue lifted his wing, gesturing that he could fan out the flame with it.

Chi Xingwan laughed, “You really have grown a year older—so clever! Come on, make a wish.”

Xiao Yue obediently closed his eyes and made a wish in his heart. When he was done, he raised one wing and with a gentle flap, extinguished the candle.

While cutting the cake, Chi Xingwan asked casually, “What did you wish for, Daidai?”

Xiao Yue replied earnestly, “I wished to always be with you, Sister.”

Chi Xingwan’s hand froze; she didn’t know how to respond. She had looked it up—parrots like the one Daidai inhabited lived at most a dozen or so years. Once the parrot’s body died, Daidai’s soul would have to report to the underworld.

“Eat your cake,” Chi Xingwan said.

Unaware of her thoughts, Xiao Yue happily ate the cake.

After the small birthday celebration, Chi Xingwan took Daidai out for a walk. From a distance, she spotted Chi Yueyao.

Her first instinct was to avoid her, but then she remembered that troublesome bit of bad luck and decided to approach instead.

“Chi Yueyao, what have you been up to lately?”

Chi Yueyao was startled. Turning and seeing it was Chi Xingwan, a flash of resentment crossed her eyes, but even more prominent was her wariness.

“Why do you care what I’ve been doing?”

Chi Xingwan replied, “I don’t really want to get involved, but Xiao Jin keeps saying he can’t find you, and that you seem to be dating someone. He asked me to check in with you if I saw you.”

At the mention of Xiao Jin, Chi Yueyao’s heart tightened, and her resentment towards Chi Xingwan grew. She had indeed been neglecting Xiao Jin lately because of Tong Shijia, but she hadn’t expected Xiao Jin to be won over by Chi Xingwan in such a short time.

“Xiao Jin and I are good friends. There’s no need for you to meddle in our affairs.”

Chi Xingwan was indifferent. In the brief encounter, she had already taken a good look at Chi Yueyao’s face.

The streak of bad luck was practically glowing purple.

Knowing she was partly responsible for Chi Yueyao’s misfortune, Chi Xingwan offered a reminder, “You should be careful about whom you trust.”

Chi Yueyao’s guard shot up. “What do you mean by that?”

Did Chi Xingwan know about Tong Shijia and want to steal him away? Absolutely not. In the past six months, she’d met many wealthy heirs, but Tong Shijia was the first she’d actually wanted to pursue.

Tong Shijia not only came from a good family but was also refined and cultured. Chi Yueyao had decided to keep him as a backup plan—if she didn’t find someone better, she’d settle for him.

“I’m warning you, mind your own business.” Chi Yueyao’s tone was icy, gone was the gentle, understanding facade she used to show.

Chi Xingwan shrugged. “Who wants to meddle in your life? You’re so full of yourself.”

Since Chi Yueyao wouldn’t listen to anyone, Chi Xingwan let it go. After all, if she got swindled out of money and affection, it was only fitting—Chi Yueyao herself had deceived plenty of wealthy heirs before. Let her taste what it was like to be on the losing end.

As she watched Chi Xingwan walk away, Chi Yueyao felt uneasy. She thought she should contact Xiao Jin soon, or else he might completely side with Chi Xingwan.

But for now, there were more important matters to attend to.

Chi Yueyao drove to the airport, waiting nearly an hour for the plane to land.

A woman emerged, well-kept, wearing a hat and sunglasses, and pulling a suitcase.

“Mom, over here!” Chi Yueyao waved.

Pan Shuyun’s face lit up at the sight of her daughter. She hurried over, pulling her suitcase, and enveloped Chi Yueyao in a hug.

“Yueyao, all these years I haven’t been by your side, you must have suffered.”

Chi Yueyao hugged her back and smiled. “Mom, I haven’t suffered at all. Dad treats me very well, and the others—they don’t know my true identity, but they’re good to me too.”

As she spoke, she thought of Chi Boyu.

He knew her background, and at first, she’d worried for a long time, but as time passed and he never exposed her, she gradually relaxed.

“Mom, it’s so crowded here. Let me take you to the hotel. We can talk once we get there.”

“Alright.” Pan Shuyun looped her arm through Chi Yueyao’s, and together they left the airport.

At the hotel, barely taking time to unpack, Pan Shuyun immediately asked, “Yueyao, why did you call me back so urgently?”

Chi Yueyao pulled her to sit down. “Mom, have you been following the news about Yang Jing?”

“Of course. She’s such a famous diva, and she even has a lot of fans abroad.”

Even after all these years, Pan Shuyun’s voice soured when she mentioned Yang Jing.

Chi Yueyao picked up on it at once. “Mom, you still can’t let it go?”

“How could I? I should have been Mrs. Chi, and you should have been your father’s legitimate daughter, not just the adopted daughter of the family.”

Back then, Pan Shuyun had been Chi Zhenghua’s official girlfriend. After an argument, she left the country in a fit of pique.

While abroad, she discovered she was pregnant and thought she could afford to play hard to get, planning to return after having the child and let Chi Zhenghua know. She imagined painting herself as a pitiful woman who’d gone through childbirth alone in a foreign land—how could Chi Zhenghua not be moved?

But she hadn’t expected that during her absence, Yang Jing would seize the opportunity, seduce Chi Zhenghua, and marry him by getting pregnant. By the time Pan Shuyun returned with her child, she was stunned.

Yang Jing was a famous singer and had been found to be carrying twins. Chi Zhenghua, who favored sons over daughters, didn’t hesitate to choose Yang Jing over Pan Shuyun.

And so, Pan Shuyun and Chi Yueyao were left to endure injustice.

More than twenty years had passed, but every time Pan Shuyun thought of it, she was nearly beside herself with anger.

Learning the truth had left Chi Yueyao bitter as well.

She blamed Pan Shuyun for being stubborn back then; if she’d told Chi Zhenghua about the pregnancy right away, none of this would have happened—she wouldn’t be an illegitimate child.

She also hated Yang Jing for taking Pan Shuyun’s place, and resented Chi Boyu and Chi Qianyu.

Why should they get to be the legitimate heirs of the Chi family, while she, Chi Yueyao—the firstborn—had to bear the label of an illegitimate daughter?

Suppressing her anger, Chi Yueyao said to Pan Shuyun, “Mom, now is our chance.”

“What chance?” Pan Shuyun asked eagerly.

Chi Yueyao smiled. “With such a scandal around Yang Jing, Dad has long been dissatisfied with her. Don’t you think this is our opportunity?”