Chapter 707: Chapter 5: The Cannon Fodder Best Friend of the Tragic Romance Heroine (5)

After getting pregnant, Wang Lili quit her job and stayed home to take care of herself.

The car was given to her parents to drive.

The house bought for investment is now occupied by her brother’s family.

And the car and housing loans are covered by Cai Xian.

Nearly ten thousand a month.

She has been covering these expenses for more than two years.

It felt like the entire extended family, apart from her own parents-in-law and husband, also included raising someone else’s parents and younger brother.

Jiang Lai couldn’t help but admire Cai Xian when thinking of all this.

"Mom, you really are the reincarnation of a Bodhisattva."

This is akin to cutting off flesh to feed an eagle.

Cai Xian still had a bit of rationality and clarity. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

When she realized her son was truly an ungrateful wretch, she immediately stopped the card meant for loan repayments.

She also transferred out all the money in it.

After a meal, Jiang Lai received a transfer of more than three hundred thousand.

She looked at Cai Xian, who just smiled.

"I’ve indeed been biased towards your brother over the years... After all, if he wanted to get married but had no house or car, no girl would be willing to marry him.

But now, he’s settled down and has a family, I’ve given all I could, and I won’t make any more efforts to consider their whole family."

With that, Cai Xian handed Jiang Lai a set of keys.

"These are the keys to the house we’re living in now, keep them. The house is yours, do whatever you want with it."

Jiang Lai took the keys.

"Mom, you don’t want to return to that house, right?"

"It’s not about wanting or not wanting to return, so many years have passed. Once you’re settled, I’ll be at ease."

Jiang Lai nodded.

"So you don’t want to go back, fine, if we’re just idle, let’s go out shopping."

The mother and daughter first went to the nearby mall and bought several outfits.

Even though Cai Xian kept saying, "Too expensive, not worth it..." and "Don’t buy, don’t buy," she was still smiling when trying them on.

Having their fill of food, drink, and enjoyment, and with it nearing four o’clock, Cai Xian sighed.

"It’s about time to go back, buy groceries, and cook dinner."

"We’re not going back tonight. Doesn’t a house full of people tire you out? Let’s enjoy the time, then stay in a hotel."

Cai Xian instinctively wanted to shake her head, but then Jiang Lai casually added.

"Mom, when was the last time you stayed in a hotel?"

"Ever since I had your brother... well, times have changed."

Jiang Lai waved her hand.

"Let’s not talk about the past or the present. How about we stay at a riverside scenic hotel tonight? There’s even a light show."

"...The whole family’s waiting."

Cai Xian began to waver.

"Do any of them treat you like family? If you don’t love yourself, how can you expect others to love you?"

"Alright, we’ll stay in a hotel tonight!"

——

Throughout the entire day of shopping, a smile never left Cai Xian’s face.

That night, the mother and daughter stayed in a scenic hotel by the river. Each with a glass of red wine, they sat on the balcony after bathing, overlooking the river illuminated by neon lights.

"When I was young, I traveled alone to Tibet for a hike, self-drove around the country, experienced temperatures of minus forty to fifty degrees in the farthest north, and also visited the scorching equator to experience African culture.

Alas... thinking back now, it feels like a dream."

Cai Xian leaned against the window, talking to Jiang Lai, or perhaps just to herself.

But one sentiment was clear on her face: she deeply missed her past life.

The marriage of Cai Xian and Jiang Dao Hai could only be described as surreal.

Cai Xian’s parents threatened her with their deaths if she didn’t come home for an arranged marriage. In her helplessness and pain, Cai Xian completely followed her parents’ arrangements and married Jiang Dao Hai from her hometown.

The man, when they first got married, had some ambition, quitting his job to study for the civil service exam, but three years passed by each time, and when he was over thirty-five and ineligible, he finally gave up.

After turning thirty-five, he contemplated doing business, ended up heavily in debt, and even sold their hometown house to pay it off.

During this period, Cai Xian, through her business efforts, had already bought two houses in Sea City and was earning a considerable income.

With a successful wife, Jiang Dao Hai completely gave up, casually joining a newspaper as a security guard, where his entire monthly salary of 2800 was spent on cigarettes.

After Cai Xian’s parents passed away, Jiang Dao Hai brought his parents directly to Sea City to live, saying it was convenient to take care of them.

Later, when the newspaper closed, Jiang Dao Hai became entirely jobless, telling others he was retired with enough pension for drinking and meals.

In reality, everything depended on Cai Xian.

And so, a woman who always wanted to be strong ended up supporting two kids, two elderly people, and an incapable man.

Thinking about all this, a deep fatigue showed in Cai Xian’s eyes.

She listened to her parents, got married, had kids, but compared to before, her current life was like the difference between heaven and hell.

So she didn’t dare to think, simply burying her head in hard work, wholeheartedly bearing the responsibilities others expected of her.

She provided for the children’s education, bought her son a house and car for his marriage, took care of and respected the elders.

In others’ eyes, she had no faults and finally became the most qualified woman her parents had ever hoped for.

"Alas, whether you marry in the future or not is up to you, I won’t care."

"Aren’t you busy enough already to worry about so many things."

Cai Xian was immersed in her past memories while Jiang Lai sat beside her for a while, then excused herself to the bathroom before going back to her own room.

"Did you get it?"

"I got it. Your biological father is named Lu Jinxing, the richest man in this city, and he’s the CEO of the Maihui Group, responsible for many prominent high-end real estate developments here.

Your mother is Zhou Huaiyu.

Aside from them, you also have a brother named Lu Zhixing, who is currently the general manager of Maihui.

I also got your brother’s private number for you, so figure out what you want to do next."

After saying that, Little Buding reminded her again.

"Over the years, the Lu Family has been searching for you. Many impostors have tried to claim your identity, so it’s best not to call him directly, just to be careful of..."

"Beep—beep—"

The long dial tone had already started ringing.

Little Buding: "..."

"Hello, Lu Zhixing? I’m Jiang Lai... Uh, of course you don’t recognize me, an elderly lady gave me your number and told me to call you.

Let me get straight to the point. I have a half-centimeter scar on my left leg, and I don’t remember how I got it.

Additionally, I have three small moles behind my ear, and I also always carry a small tiger-head necklace with me.

You can suspect I’m a fraud, but a paternity test should clear things up."

She directly stated her purpose, not giving Lu Zhixing a chance to hang up.

There was hesitation on the other end for a few seconds before he asked.

"Where are you right now?"

"Lakefront No.1 Hotel."

"I’ll send someone to pick you up right away."

——

With the Lu Family’s connections, the blood sample results were available in five hours.

Lu Zhixing sat across from Jiang Lai, while Jiang Lai still pressed a cotton ball against her arm’s vein.

He quietly observed Jiang Lai opposite him, his gaze under the glasses calm yet piercing, using his business acumen to assess her.