Chapter 196: Biological Mother
Jin Shi Yue said, “Promise me first, you won’t keep it to yourself after reading it.”
Lian Li nodded.
Jin Shi Yue carefully examined her expression, confirming she wasn’t forcing calmness, before handing the documents to her.
Lian Li’s fingers were fair and slender, her nails round like soap nuts, with no trace of adornment. Holding the documents, though the material was light, she felt a heaviness, as if a thousand-pound stone pressed down on the paper, and also on her heart, making her breathing gradually become difficult.
She took a deep breath before opening and reading.
The core content of a paternity test report mainly includes the conclusion, the paternity index, and gene locus comparison, among other key information.
Lian Li didn’t have the patience to read through it line by line; she directly looked at the conclusion, which clearly stated:
【 Based on the available information and DNA analysis results, it does not support Zhong Yingyi as Lian Li’s biological mother. 】
Lian Li stared blankly at the black and white text, her wildly beating heart suddenly stopped, like a roller coaster that had been winding and climbing suddenly coming to a halt.
Not Zhong Yingyi.
Then who?
She continued to look at the next report.
Lian Li’s movements were extremely slow when she flipped through the first paternity test report, but now, when flipping through the second report, her hand movements were unusually swift, showing visible panic.
The vast study room was incredibly quiet, the faint sound of paper rustling amplified infinitely, like the frantic honking of a horn, piercing her ears and continuously stimulating the sensitive nerve endings.
Due to her rapid and fearful movements, the previous paternity report fell to the carpet. Lian Li had no time to attend to it and quickly flipped to the conclusion.
【 Based on the available information and DNA analysis results, it supports Ji Tan as Lian Li’s biological mother. 】
A string in Lian Li’s mind suddenly snapped with pain, her skin breaking out in a layer of coldness, then another layer of heat, causing her heart to tremble violently in an instant.
Ji Tan?
Who is Ji Tan?
“Who is Ji Tan?” Lian Li turned to look at Jin Shi Yue, her voice choked and hoarse.
Jin Shi Yue held her waist and turned her around, making her sit in his lap facing him.
The man’s warm and broad palms cupped her face, his thumb gently stroking the slightly red corners of her eyes, “Lu Hansheng’s aunt.”
Lu Hansheng’s aunt?
Madam Lu Ji Xuan’s younger sister?
Lian Li’s neck felt as if it were tightly gripped by an invisible hand. She had countless questions in her heart, but due to her choked throat, it felt like a wad of cotton was blocking it, preventing her from speaking.
Jin Shi Yue saw through her confusion, “After Ji Xuan and Ji Tan’s parents divorced, Ji Xuan followed her father to Taipei, while Ji Tan returned to her maternal family, the Zhong family, with her mother and changed her surname to Zhong. She only changed it back to Ji when she left the Zhong family.”
Lian Li vaguely remembered Madam Lu mentioning that she had stayed in Taipei with her father for a period.
Pei Qingji’s information also stated that Zhong Tan was the third young lady of the Zhong family.
The marriage alliance with the Duan family was originally for Ji Tan; it was only after Ji Tan broke off the engagement that it became Zhong Yingyi.
“Zhong Yingyi helped Ji Tan break off the engagement,” Jin Shi Yue said, his eyes calm as he gazed at Lian Li, “The red jade pendant was given by her to Ji Tan.”
His words were like stones and sound waves exploding and scattering during a blast, colliding and flying, overwhelming and completely engulfing Lian Li.
Ji Tan is her mother.
Over the years, Lian Li had visited the Lu family a few times and seen Madam Lu.
So they were so close, yet so far.
Lian Li’s mood was extremely complex, unsure how to react, and simply stared blankly at the distant desk.
The long-awaited event was before her, yet the confusion in her heart did not dissipate at all; instead, it grew more profound, like a thick fog descending, making her unable to see herself, nor the path she had taken or the path ahead.
Jin Shi Yue cupped her face, his thumb gently rubbing the skin under her lower eyelids, “Only the person involved knows the more detailed content. Do you want to see her?”
Now she only knew who her mother was, but not why her mother didn’t want them, father and daughter. More than who her mother was, why she didn’t want them was what Lian Li wanted to know most, and what she wanted to tell Lian Jingcheng.
Lian Li looked at him, her voice hoarse, “Can we?”
“As long as you want,” Jin Shi Yue also looked at her seriously, his tone unusually solemn, as if saying that as long as she wished, he would do it for her no matter how difficult.
Lian Li met his gaze for a moment, and without needing words, Jin Shi Yue already knew the answer.
“Can you stand up?” he asked.
Lian Li nodded.
But as she moved her foot to step on the ground, her leg felt somewhat swollen. Stepping on the ground, she couldn’t exert any strength, staggering and nearly falling.
Her strong, solitary heart could temporarily bear this earth-shattering news, but her body could not withstand it.
Jin Shi Yue quickly put his arm around Lian Li’s waist to prevent her from falling.
“I’m fine,” Lian Li gripped his firm arm, balancing her weight, and stood up straight.
Jin Shi Yue’s gaze scanned her up and down. Seeing that she was indeed alright, he took her hand and walked out.
Lian Li’s emotions were in turmoil, like a boat adrift on the vast sea, lost and without support, she could only tightly hold his hand.
Those smoky memories, the figures rising and falling within those mists, intertwined and tangled in the light and shadow of her waking and sleeping moments, no matter how hard she tried to reach out, she couldn’t grasp even a sliver of them.
Now that it was about to be revealed, the warmth from his palm was melting her unease bit by bit.
Lian Li had walked alone in this world for many years. It wasn’t until last night, leaning in Jin Shi Yue’s arms, that she realized:
There were still people in the world who were on the same frequency as her.
She was like a top spinning at high speed, her mother the whip shadow whistling above her, keeping her heart constantly taut.
Only Jin Shi Yue could make her relax.
Lian Li was unclear what kind of feelings these were.
She only knew that these feelings, to a certain extent, gave her strength, made her want to tell him she liked him, and allowed her to face the mother she had waited twenty-two years for more calmly than she had imagined.
Li Ye was already waiting at the main gate. Seeing Jin Shi Yue leading Lian Li down the white jade steps, he immediately opened the back door of the Hongqi car.
Lian Li settled into the comfortable seat and heard Li Ye say that the flight route and plane were all arranged.
She realized belatedly that when Jin Shi Yue showed her the paternity test reports, he had already considered everything and planned it out in every aspect.
However, her mind was now entirely focused on the fact that she was finally going to see her mother, leaving no extra emotional capacity to ponder other matters.
The private jet was managed by Capital International Airport. All the staff on board today were on high alert. Some people personally witnessed the usually aloof and composed noble young master carefully escorting a young woman onto the plane.
Every movement, every glance cast upon the young woman, was as if he were cherishing an incredibly expensive, unique, and rare treasure.
Lian Li and Jin Shi Yue woke up and ate at the Tai’an Restaurant. They returned to Xi Shang Yuan and stayed in the study for less than an hour before boarding the plane to Shanghai during the day.
The plane soared through the sky like a massive falcon.
Lian Li sat on the sofa in the room, holding a water cup in her hands, looking down at the entire ancient capital through the airplane window.
The bright red sun high in the sky shone coldly on the city.
She suddenly wanted to use it to temper and refine herself until she became as thin and resilient as a blade’s edge, leaving only sharpness.
