⌈”He said your mother is a vixen.”⌋
Illegitimate Child.
If it weren’t for Lin Yi shouting it out, Lu Ran would have long forgotten about this matter.
After all, even if others thought that way, they wouldn’t say it to his face.
In his previous life, Lu Ran was very surprised by why he was inexplicably rejected by others.
It was also Lin Yi who pointed at him and cursed him, accusing him of being an illegitimate child with malicious intent, scheming to usurp the Shen family’s wealth.
Lu Ran was shocked; he never expected his background to be twisted into such a narrative.
He had tried to explain that he wasn’t one.
But he was met with the retort, “If you’re not an illegitimate child, then what are you to the Shen family?”
Indeed.
He had never been acknowledged by the Shen family.
What was the difference between his existence and that of an illegitimate child?
Later, Lu Ran stopped participating in social interactions within those circles.
He had thought about clarifying things with Madam Shen.
But he was afraid she might think he was complaining about Shen Xingran, so he could only keep it bottled up inside.
And now…
Sitting next to Lu Ran, Shen Xingzhuo’s face was ashen.
Lin Yi was still fiercely pointing at everyone, proclaiming, “Chen Sheng, what do you mean? Have you all been bewitched by this illegitimate child too?”
Chen Sheng: “…”
Sorry, we are actually scared.
“Lin Yi!”
That voice belonged to Shen Xingran.
He quickly pulled Lin Yi back, saying, “You better stop talking.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Yi’s voice shot up, “Why can’t I say it? It’s because you are usually too weak that this illegitimate child can ride on your head!”
Shen Xingran: “…”
Although he usually enjoyed provoking trouble in this way, right now!
He really wasn’t!
Shen Xingran didn’t want to hear the words “illegitimate child” at all during this time.
Lin Yi kept bringing it up, almost making Shen Xingran break out in a cold sweat.
“Lin Yi! Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
Shen Xingzhuo shouted.
Lin Yi was taken aback by the shout.
Then, a look of disbelief crossed his face as he looked at Shen Xingzhuo like he was an idiot, saying, “I’m just speaking up for you two brothers and you’re scolding me?”
Shen Xingzhuo clenched his fists, not daring to look at Lu Ran beside him.
He obviously knew that this rumor had been spread by Shen Xingran.
Moreover, he had given it his tacit approval.
Just a few days ago, under Madam Shen’s questioning, he even helped Shen Xingran cover up a lie.
Lin Yi glanced at Shen Xingzhuo and then at Lu Ran.
It seemed like he suddenly understood something: “Oh, I get it now; you’ve been bewitched too, haven’t you?”
As he spoke, he pointed his finger at Lu Ran, “As expected, you’re just like your vixen mother who broke up other people’s families!”
This remark left both Shen Xingzhuo and Shen Xingran dumbfounded.
The entire venue fell silent for a second.
In that silence, Lu Ran couldn’t help but chuckle, “Pfft.”
Only then did Shen Xingzhuo react.
He stepped forward, grabbing Lin Yi by the collar and lifting him up, saying, “What the hell are you talking about?”
Lu Ran, on the side, subtly stirred the pot, “He said your mom is a vixen.”
Shen Xingzhuo: “…”
Shen Xingran: “…”
Lu Ran’s voice was not loud.
The people, including Chen Sheng, who were busy trying to mediate, didn’t hear it.
Lin Yi, who was being held up by Shen Xingzhuo, heard it but didn’t immediately react.
Inside, the argument continued.
Outside the club, a taxi pulled up.
The back door opened, and a woman, completely wrapped up, wearing a wide-brimmed sun hat, a mask, and sunglasses, stepped out.
She held her phone tightly and slowly walked toward the club’s entrance.
At this moment, Madam Shen felt a bit nervous. Sweat began to bead in her palms.
During this time, she hadn’t been able to go out at all.
Every time she stepped outside, it felt as though everyone was looking at her with a gaze that said, “Your husband has already cheated on you”.
Just like now, she was eager to catch that illegitimate child.
Yet, she was also afraid of letting others know that the lady of the Shen family had personally come to catch an illegitimate child.
Every time she met someone’s gaze.
Every time she saw Shen Xingran and Shen Hongyuan’s concealment, Madam Shen’s heart felt as if it was being slowly tormented!
Now, it was finally time for things to settle.
Madam Shen went to find the club’s manager.
When she was led to the area just outside the wooden fence, she felt remarkably calm inside.
Good.
Let her meet this illegitimate child!
Once she caught this child, she wanted to see how Shen Hongyuan and the two sons, who had kept this secret for him, would explain themselves!
Madam Shen composedly nodded at the manager.
As soon as the manager left, she leaned over to listen at the fence.
This was an outdoor club, with only wooden fences to provide a simple visual barrier, completely lacking any soundproofing.
So, as soon as Madam Shen got close, she heard someone inside talking about an illegitimate child.
With determination, Madam Shen kicked open the fence and exclaimed.
“Where is the illegitimate child!”
The familiar voice echoed.
Standing on the lawn, Shen Xingran was so anxious that he froze in place.
Shen Xingzhuo was also taken aback.
Only Lu Ran’s eyes lit up.
Lu “Looking for Fun” Ran pointed at Madam Shen by the fence.
He lightly coughed and formally announced, “The final guest has made her grand entrance! Here she is! The mother of the illegitimate child, the vixen who disrupts other families!”
“Honest and straightforward! She couldn’t be more of a mother!”
Madam Shen was bundled up tightly.
Among those present, besides Shen Xingran, Shen Xingzhuo, and Lu Ran—three people familiar with her voice—no one recognized her.
Lin Yi didn’t recognize her at all.
Upon hearing Lu Ran’s words, he became even more enraged.
Taking advantage of Shen Xingzhuo’s momentary freeze, he broke free from his grip and rushed toward the woman by the fence.
“Wow! The mistress dares to show up!”
“All covered up like that—are you embarrassed to show your face? Let me see what kind of person you really are!”
It seemed he had inherited Madam Lin’s skills in dealing with mistresses.
Lin Yi moved quickly, charging at Madam Shen to claw and hit her.
While attacking, he turned back to call out to Shen Xingran, “Stop dawdling! Come help me! Let’s give her a beating and quickly send her off to your mom!”
Shen Xingran and Shen Xingzhuo were already petrified.
Mom? Whose mom?
“Ah! What on earth are you doing?”
Madam Shen was being attacked from all sides and struggled to break free from Lin Yi.
At the moment she broke free, her hat, mask, and sunglasses all fell off.
Lin Yi was still turning to shout at others.
When he turned back and saw her, he froze, “A-a-auntie?”
The crowd was in an uproar!
It turned out to be Madam Shen herself?
They had actually revealed the legitimate wife while trying to beat up the mistress?
Everyone’s eyes were wide open in shock.
Even the Border Collie, who was running around with a frisbee in its mouth, was dumbfounded, frozen in place as it watched this group of unruly bipeds.
Among Chen Sheng’s group, there were some who quickly caught on.
Seeing Madam Shen and recalling what Lu Ran had just said, their mouths gradually fell open.
But Lin Yi’s mind wasn’t as agile.
He had just been furious and now he was so embarrassed that he felt like he could explode. He hurriedly picked up Madam Shen’s hat and mask.
“Hey, Aunt Shen, I’m sorry! I mistook you for that mistress. It’s all that illegitimate child’s fault.”
As he said this, he turned to blame Shen Xingran, “Why didn’t you say anything when Auntie came? I didn’t recognize her; you didn’t recognize her either?”
Lu Ran was holding a handful of nuts, moving around aimlessly.
Hearing this, he couldn’t help but mutter, “Who knows? Maybe it’s because you’re not her biological son?”
Those words pinned Shen Xingran firmly to the spot.
“What nonsense are you spouting, you illegitimate child!” Lin Yi scolded.
Madam Shen’s hair was disheveled from Lin Yi’s attack and she was dizzy, barely able to stand.
But she still remembered the purpose of her visit!
Hearing the words “illegitimate child”, she mustered her strength and raised her head, “Illegitimate child! Where is the illegitimate child!”
Shen Xingran quickly said, “Mom, you’re misunderstanding! There’s no illegitimate child here!”
However, Madam Shen didn’t let him persuade her as usual.
She pointed at him and said sharply, “You think you can trick me! Do you really think I’d let you two play me for a fool?”
Lin Yi chimed in, “Yeah, exactly, Xingran! That illegitimate child is right here! Why are you still hiding it from Auntie?”
Lu Ran couldn’t hold it in anymore, laughing and shaking.
Is Lin Yi a monkey sent as a savior?
Madam Shen was very pleased with Lin Yi’s words.
She didn’t care that Lin Yi had just attacked her and grabbed his hand, “Good boy, tell Auntie, which one is your Uncle Shen’s illegitimate child?”
Lin Yi’s eyes lit up as he pointed at Lu Ran, who was munching on seeds and sipping a cup of cola in the back.
“It’s him!”
Madam Shen angrily turned to look, only to find nothing there.
She was confused, “Where is he?”
The people standing over there were all juniors who were familiar with the Shen family and could even recite their family backgrounds.
“It’s that one!” Lin Yi stamped his foot in frustration.
Madam Shen’s expression remained bewildered.
Then, suddenly, her face went pale.
Could it be?!
The mistress was actually someone else’s wife!
Had Shen Hongyuan been cuckolded by another family’s head?
Could it be that this illegitimate child was masquerading as a child from a well-known family and frequently visited their Shen family?
This was a major issue for both families!
Lin Yi pointed twice, but Madam Shen repeatedly overlooked Lu Ran.
The surrounding Chen Sheng and others had roughly understood the situation and turned their eyes away in horror.
Lin Yi was relentless, pointing more accurately, “It’s that one, the one eating seeds and holding a cola!”
Madam Shen paused, her gaze slowly meeting Lu Ran’s.
Lu Ran waved at her with a smile, “Hi, Madam Shen. Oh no, I should be calling you Fox Spirit today.”
“Dear Fox Spirit Mama, I’m the illegitimate son.”
“Who?” Madam Shen seemed somewhat taken aback.
She even turned to Lin Yi for confirmation, “Lu Ran?”
“Yes, it’s him…”
At this moment, Lin Yi’s tone was also a bit uncertain.
“Lu Ran… huh?”
Madam Shen couldn’t help but laugh, “What kind of joke is this? How could it possibly be Lu Ran?”
To put it bluntly, any boy in the world, including Shen Xingyu, Shen Xingzhuo, and Shen Xingran, could potentially be Shen Hongyuan’s illegitimate child.
Only Lu Ran could not be.
Because when the paternity test was done, it was Madam Shen herself who took Lu Ran to undergo the DNA testing.
Moreover, she had no desire to acknowledge this seemingly unpresentable orphan, so she incredulously visited five or six institutions.
In the end, she received an unequivocally certain result.
Lu Ran was absolutely her biological son.
Undeniably, upon learning that the illegitimate child mentioned in the rumors was Lu Ran, Madam Shen felt a solid sense of relief.
Good.
There was no illegitimate child who would fight for the family fortune.
But the next moment, Madam Shen felt a profound absurdity.
She recalled the various whispers she had recently heard.
She also recalled the gossiping glances that others frequently cast in her direction.
If Lu Ran was an illegitimate child, then what was she?
A mistress?
She, a legitimate wife, was inexplicably labeled a mistress?
Madam Shen’s expression gradually darkened.
Her gaze sharpened as she fixed it on Lin Yi and asked, “Who told you he was an illegitimate child?”
Lin Yi, now flustered, quickly deflected, “It wasn’t me… it was Shen Xingran who said it! If he said it, how could I not believe him?”
Madam Shen looked at Shen Xingran in disbelief.
“No, Mom, I didn’t, I…”
Shen Xingran hurriedly explained.
He first looked at Shen Xingzhuo.
But this time, Shen Xingzhuo turned his head away and ignored him.
Shen Xingran quickly countered Lin Yi, “Lin Yi, don’t spout nonsense! When did I ever say that?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Madam Shen had already slowly approached him, “Was it you who said that?”
“It wasn’t me, Mom…”
Shen Xingran’s hands and feet turned weak with panic.
He turned to look at the others present.
Everyone was looking at him with a peculiar expression.
As if they had suddenly realized what kind of person he was.
Shen Xingran had always presented himself as gentle and pure.
He seemed like a little prince living in a fairy tale, oblivious to the ways of the world.
Everything dark and sinister in the world seemed unrelated to him.
But now, he had intentionally mischaracterized someone’s legitimate biological son as an unpresentable illegitimate child.
What was his motive?
“Look at me! Was it you who said it?” Madam Shen demanded sharply.
Shen Xingran began to show weakness, “Mom, I was just too scared. You know my… I just…”
Smack!
A slap landed on Shen Xingran’s face.
Madam Shen was genuinely heartbroken.
She asked, “Haven’t I treated you well? You go out and say Lu Ran is an illegitimate child. Do you know how those people outside will look at me?”
“No, Mom, how could I?”
“Don’t call me Mom! I don’t have a son like you!”
Madam Shen turned and left the venue.
The farce gradually came to a close.
Lu Ran stood by, calmly eating sunflower seeds,
As if everything was none of his business.
The others present were filled with shock,
And felt a bit awkward and ashamed.
They had always thought Lu Ran was an illegitimate child.
Even if they didn’t actively make things difficult for him, there was still some degree of cold violence and exclusion.
Someone whispered, “Damn, what’s up with Shen Xingran?”
“Didn’t realize he was like this usually…”
“Wait, Lu Ran is her biological son?”
…
“Biological son?”
The typically cold and composed voice lost its calm for the first time.
Ji Min turned his wheelchair around.
His tie hadn’t even been properly fastened as he frowned, looking almost incredulous at Butler Chen behind him.
“Lu Ran is the biological son of Shen Hongyuan and Madam Shen?”
