Chapter 43 Are You My Sister-in-Law?

"Missing?"

Though not fully recovered from her illness, Yu Zao forced Yang Chen to help her complete the discharge procedures.

When they rushed back to the manor, several cars bearing special embassy license plates were lined up along the roadside.

"Are you telling the truth?"

"Your Highness, Her Royal Highness the Princess saw it with her own eyes. How could this possibly be false?"

"So you mean... my little niece was... was murdered by that homewrecking mistress?"

The woman, dressed in a vintage European-style gown with pure black hair, spoke fluent Beijing dialect.

Beside her, the blonde, blue-eyed butler kept bowing, his attitude respectful and cautious.

"That's correct. The Yu family sent word an hour ago."

"And Mr. Yu said it was precisely because the mistress's daughter was afraid her true identity would be exposed."

"That's why she had people try to burn down the testing center, trapping Princess Luria inside to create the illusion of an accident!"

The more the butler spoke, the more indignant he became.

The wealthy middle-aged woman gnashed her teeth in fury.

She commanded, "Have her seized! Arrest that damned mistress's daughter immediately! No matter who protects her here in Beijing, that murderer must die!"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Yu Zao heard every single word of the conversation clearly from inside Yang Chen's car.

It seemed that the mastermind behind Luria's disappearance was definitely Yu Yue!

Taking a deep breath, she instructed Yang Chen not to get involved, then quickly stepped out of the car and walked toward Luria's royal mother.

"Your Highness, I..."

Before she could finish her sentence, the butler delivered a vicious, heavy slap across her face.

"...?!"

Suddenly, Fu Shiyong's car also pulled up outside the manor.

Hand in hand with Yu Yue, accompanied by Yu's father and Zhao Yueyao, he stepped out of the vehicle.

Yu Zao's cheek was so numb she couldn't feel a thing.

Her body had lost its last vestige of warmth due to sheer weakness.

Thud!

The butler picked up a thick, crude wooden club and struck her shin with merciless force.

Fresh blood trickled down her pale skin.

She lost control and collapsed miserably to the ground!

All around her, familiar sounds of mockery rose and fell.

"Tsk tsk tsk, Yu Zao, just a moment ago in the car, you were even telling Yang Chen—"

"That Luria is your own niece, your family."

"That you would sacrifice everything and give your all for your family."

"And now what? Luria's mother is practically your sister-in-law? Hahaha, the sister-in-law is beating people up~"

"Shut up!" she growled.

Yet Yu Yue, who had just stood still, wore a triumphant gleam barely concealed in her eyes.

Feigning a cowardly, frightened shudder, she buried herself trembling into Fu Shiyong's arms.

The Princess was boiling with rage.

She personally kicked Yu Zao in the stomach, then stepped on her back, which was arched in excruciating pain, and eagerly went to greet the eldest daughter of the Yu family!

"My dear sister, this is wonderful! Ever since Luria's father was diagnosed with stomach cancer and his days became numbered—"

"That child has searched all over the world just to find you and your mother. That was my husband's greatest wish in this lifetime!"

The Princess hugged Yu Yue tightly, tears streaming down her face.

Fu Shiyong handed over a gold medallion engraved with a special pattern.

"This is a keepsake left by Yu Yue's biological mother. Please verify it, just in case."

The dazzling sunlight beat down fiercely, reflecting off the pure gold medallion.

Crouched in a pool of blood, Yu Zao stared with despairing, bloodshot eyes that threatened to split open, gazing at the very gold medallion she had personally handed to him.

"Darling, starting a business takes capital. This is what my mother left me before she passed away—pure gold, it must be worth a lot."

"Oh my, why is our handsome and sunny Mr. Fu crying?"

"Alright, alright. Once you earn lots and lots of money in the future, you can help me redeem this medallion."

Her words still lingered in her ears.

But why?

Why was he the one who personally stripped away her last remaining attachment to familial love?

"That's right! That's right! Mr. Fu, Madam Yu, I am so grateful to you both for taking care of Yu Yue all these years."

"Especially Madam Yu, if you hadn't treated her like your own flesh and blood—"

"That mistress's cheap daughter of a mother would have surely harmed my dear sister!"

The Princess wept bitterly, even attempting to kneel in gratitude.

Zhao Yueyao smiled faintly, stepping forward to support her with a righteous air. "This child has been by my side for over twenty years. When all is said and done, she's no different from my own daughter. Please don't stand on ceremony. If you want to thank someone, thank Shiyong for producing that medallion to prove Yu Yue's identity!"

"Yes, yes, indeed! Besides, when Luria was in danger at the testing center, it was Yu Yue who risked her life to save her!"

The sight of that family acting in such warm harmony during this flawless family reunion felt like ten thousand poisonous scorpions crawling over Yu Zao, devouring her alive.

She stared straight at the "lover" she had once willingly given everything for.

Her withered, cracked lips moved with immense difficulty.

"Why?"

Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

No matter how hard her frail body struggled, she couldn't lift herself off the ground.

And Yang Chen had already been forced away by her earlier!

"Fu Shiyong, that medallion... belongs to me! It clearly belongs to me!"

How she had longed to be the one held in the Princess's arms.

She wouldn't have minded having nothing, seeing her life fall completely to ruins, or even being sick and frail, dying at any moment.

Ever since she was driven out of her home in her teens, the desperate need for familial affection was the dream Fu Shiyong knew better than anyone else!

"It's mine, that medallion is mi—"

"Get lost! Filthy, vile mistress's daughter, stay away from our Yu Yue!"

Gritting her teeth, Yu Zao tried to crawl forward, wanting to tell the Princess that the medallion was hers—a treasure left behind by her own mother.

Yet the moment she stretched out a hand to clutch the hem of a gown made of expensive fabric, the Princess kicked her away in disgust, firmly shielding the "sister" who shared no blood relation with her whatsoever.

As for Fu Shiyong,

He gently adjusted the Hermès silk scarf around Yu Yue's neck, refusing to spare even a flicker of his peripheral vision for Yu Zao!

"Shall we go inside? Your health is delicate, and the wind outside is strong."

"Yes, yes, Luria is still unconscious, but she must be dying to see her savior!"

Filled with excitement, the Princess acted as though she wanted to cradle this newly found "sister" in the palm of her hand.

Outside the manor, the biting cold wind whipped up dust across the ground.

Once again, Yu Zao was cast aside like garbage by everyone who shared blood ties with her.

Because their eyes and hearts were always completely occupied by Yu Yue, the true mistress's daughter!

Rumble—

Just like the night her mother jumped to her death from the building,

Lightning flashed, thunder roared, and dark clouds filled the sky!

The manor's butler bound her tightly from head to toe, tossing her into a wild beast cage brought by the circus.

The Princess kissed the back of Yu Yue's hand as she sat in the seat of honor.

Smiling, she said, "My dear sister, your sister-in-law has prepared a unique family-reunion show for you. I guarantee it will bring you great satisfaction!"

The red cloth covering the cage was yanked away.

Like a madwoman, Yu Zao slammed her arms against the iron bars, while her left leg was already clamped in the jaws of a howling wild wolf.

She could not cry; not a single tear fell.

Only her pair of bloodshot, beautiful apricot eyes remained hollow, radiating a dead, terrifying chill at everything they saw.

"Shiyong!"

Yu Yue grabbed Fu Shiyong as he abruptly stood up, making as if to charge onto the stage.

Frowning as well, the Princess said, "Shiyong, Yu澡 almost killed Luria and Yu Yue. Are you actually pitying a murderer?"