Li Chen got out of the car slowly and stood by the door, waiting. Soon, the driver’s door opened in the other car parked right in front of him, and a young man in his 30s emerged, addressing Li Chen.

"Li Chen," the man greeted.

Li Chen’s face remained indifferent and cold. "Do we know each other?" he inquired.

The man replied, "Not yet. Please come this way. Someone would like to have a talk with you."

Li Chen arched an eyebrow. "And who might that be?" he questioned.

"Please don’t be alarmed. We mean no harm. She wants to have a talk with you about your parents," the man explained.

Li Chen was beyond shocked. He scrutinized the man in front of him and responded, "My parents died 24 years ago."

The man insisted, "More reason why I think you should meet the person in the car."

Curiosity and caution warred within Li Chen as he contemplated whether to follow the mysterious man to the waiting car. The mention of his long-deceased parents had stirred emotions he thought were buried deep in the past. Nevertheless, the man’s assurance that there was no harm intended left Li Chen conflicted yet intrigued. With a measured exhale, he took a step forward, deciding to see what awaited him in the car.

The man opened the backseat door, revealing a woman who appeared to be in her 50s. Li Chen sized her up, attempting to discern if he had met her before, but nothing seemed familiar. Intrigued yet cautious, he got inside the car, and the woman also examined him. Li Chen could see her eyes tearing up, and he cut to the chase.

"You said you wanted to talk," Li Chen stated.

The woman nodded in acknowledgment. She turned to the driver and requested, "Please give us some privacy."

The driver complied, exiting the car. Once they were alone, the woman took a deep breath and began, "You look a lot like your father."

Li Chen’s attention was fully captured. "How did you know my father?" he inquired.

The woman chuckled, playing with the ring on her left finger. "I married him, of course. I should know him."

Li Chen was more confused than ever. "What do you mean?" he pressed.

The woman smiled gently and introduced herself, "My name is Wang Mengying."

Li Chen’s mind exploded with shock. He might not have known much about his parents, but their names were etched in his memory. Stunned, he stammered, "What... but... no, my mother died."

Wang Mengying urged, "Give me time to explain, please." The air inside the car hung heavy with unspoken revelations.

Wang Mengying began her tale, her voice carrying the weight of memories from two decades ago. "Twenty-four years ago, your father and I worked for a certain organization in Beijing. When I fell pregnant, we requested that I stay outside the base, and they happily agreed. We knew the people we worked for were dangerous, but we just turned a blind eye."

Li Chen listened intently, the revelations slowly unfolding before him.

"On the day that you were born, I remember it like it was yesterday..." Wang Mengying’s voice trailed off, caught up in vivid recollections playing in her mind. Li Chen remained silent, absorbing the gravity of her words.

She continued, "Everything seemed normal. Your father drove me to the nearest hospital, happiness and worry etched on his face. We didn’t know your gender then, but he was just happy to be a father and getting to finally meet you."

The scenes painted by Wang Mengying’s words painted a picture of a past that Li Chen had never known. The clandestine nature of their work, the dangerous organization they were involved with—all shrouded in secrecy.

Wang Mengying, her eyes reflecting a mix of nostalgia and regret, delved deeper into the narrative, unlocking the doors to a hidden Chapter in Li Chen’s life.

Li Chen, still processing the shocking revelations, asked, "Then what happened?"

Wang Mengying continued her narrative, her gaze distant as she relived the past. "Your father didn’t feel well when he saw the whole birth process, and he walked out of the delivery room. After the doctors told me the child was a boy, I saw them taking you to the baby ward to clean you up, and I fell asleep. It was a long labor."

A faint smile appeared on Wang Mengying’s face as she reminisced, "You gave me a really hard time, I give you that." However, Li Chen couldn’t reciprocate the smile; doubts lingered in his mind.

Wang Mengying’s expression then shifted. "When I woke up, your father was beside me with you in his hands, but you kept crying non-stop. We didn’t know what was going on. After a few days, we took you to a former colleague who ran tests, and that’s when we found out something devastating."

The weight of her words hung in the air, and Li Chen’s mind raced with questions. The mention of the organization’s involvement and their actions on him added more layers to the mystery of his past. The truth, long concealed, was unraveling before him, and Li Chen couldn’t fathom the implications.

Wang Mengying’s voice carried the weight of years of untold stories as she continued, "They injected you with something, but I can’t go into details. Your father and I had to protect you; they wanted to make you their lab rat, and we couldn’t allow that. When you were two months old, we left you with your father’s sister, who raised you until you were seven."

Li Chen, though struggling to comprehend the avalanche of revelations, urged her to continue. Wang Mengying acknowledged his skepticism, saying, "I know you don’t believe anything coming out of my mouth right now, but it’s all true."

Li Chen, still wrestling with the shattered image of his past, pointed out, "According to me, both my parents died in a car crash."

Wang Mengying confirmed his understanding, "Yes, there was a car crash. Both your father and I had found some secrets about the organization we worked for, and we planned on taking them down. They tried everything to kill us, and that accident, even though I have no proof, I know they did something about it."

She paused, her gaze distant, reliving the painful memories. "Your father lost his life. As for me, I can say I died that day with him because from that day on, I felt like everything was taken away from me. Your aunt helped me to fake my death and took me to a secret place to get better. It took me about ten years to fully recover, and when I did, I remembered I had a son. I started searching for you when I found out that your aunt had left you with my cousin. I searched without informing her and later found out you were in an orphanage. I was too scared to reach out, scared that those people would find you. I had to make sure that you were strong, that you could protect yourself before I could reach out."

Wang Mengying continued her revelation, "That was when, years later, I found out you knew Old Madam Gu." Li Chen, further confused at the mention of Old Madame Gu, inquired, "You knew her?" Wang Mengying disclosed, "I contacted her after your second meeting. I always had people watching you everywhere you go, so they had informed me about her. I reached out and told her a bit of everything, and she happily agreed to keep you close to her to protect you."

Li Chen processed the information, realizing the extent to which his life had been orchestrated. He then questioned, "And the marriage to Gu Liang, was that also your idea?" Wang Mengying clarified, "No, that was Old Madame Gu’s idea of keeping you close without people questioning her about you and your identity." The layers of deception were slowly unraveling, revealing a complex tapestry of hidden truths.

Li Chen, grappling with the revelations and the sudden reappearance of a mother he thought was long gone, expressed his skepticism. "As much as you claim to be my mother, I don’t fully believe you since I know nothing about my parents, and the picture I have was taken years ago, and my mother was... younger." Wang Mengying, understanding his hesitation, suggested, "I know, but we can conduct tests to prove it." Li Chen responded, "That is the best idea."

Wang Mengying attempted to approach him, but Li Chen, still processing the shock, shifted in his seat, maintaining a distance. "Let’s conduct DNA tests first," he insisted. Wang Mengying, though heartbroken by his rejection, understood the magnitude of the revelation. Li Chen had grown up believing both his parents were deceased, only to discover now that his mother was alive. The emotional whirlwind was understandably overwhelming for him.