Chapter 47: Switched at Birth Exposed on Trending Topics
The setting sun was a residual red, the breeze gentle.
The painter seemed to be showing off his skills, smearing the sky with his brush. The colors of azure, orange-gold, and deep black merged wonderfully on the horizon.
By the time Chi Xiasheng got out of the car, the vast blackness of the sky had become the mainstream. The other colorful colors had been swallowed up and disappeared without a trace.
Wen Nian bounced out of the car behind him and followed him to the door.
Just as he was about to open the door, he caught a glimpse of a tall figure walking out of the small villa of the neighbor on the left.
Sheng Sheng was wearing a light gray trench coat, his figure tall and straight. When he saw Chi Xiasheng looking his way, his handsome brow couldn’t help but raise.
He’s looking at me!!
Although he almost howled in his heart, Sheng Sheng’s expression remained calm, and he even nodded at Chi Xiasheng with considerable grace.
Chi Xiasheng was poked by Wen Nian and only then came back to his senses, smiling at Sheng Sheng. “CEO Sheng, you live here too? What a coincidence.”
Sheng Sheng’s voice seemed to come from afar, with a hint of ancient, low rhythm, which made Chi Xiasheng’s ears itch a little.
“Yes, very coincidental.”
Chi Xiasheng didn’t know why, but the moment he saw Sheng Sheng, his chest inexplicably began to burn. It was as if something inside was burning, and he couldn’t control it at all.
Sheng Sheng also noticed it. His Demon Core was spinning wildly in Chi Xiasheng’s body, resonating with the other half of his own Demon Core, wanting to struggle and merge, but was too infatuated with Chi Xiasheng’s scent to move.
Before, when he was in his original form and stayed by Chi Xiasheng’s side, this situation didn’t seem to happen.
Sheng Sheng thought for a moment and understood. He had always hidden his identity before, so his Demon Core probably couldn’t identify him. Only when he needed some magic to maintain his human form would it attract the attention of his Demon Core.
Chi Xiasheng clutched his chest, feeling the burning sensation like little ants gnawing at his chest. It didn’t hurt, but it was a bit torturous.
It’s strange. Why is my chest so uncomfortable all of a sudden? he wondered.
Seeing Chi Xiasheng’s condition, Sheng Sheng quickly restrained his aura. “I’ll be going now.”
With that, he stepped into the black car parked in the yard.
After he left, Chi Xiasheng felt his chest suddenly clear up. When he came to his senses, he realized he had forgotten to thank him again.
The last time he had taken him to the hospital, he hadn’t had time to thank him. He couldn’t forget next time, he reminded himself.
“Xiaxia? Are we going in?”
Wen Nian pressed his face against Chi Xiasheng’s, almost scaring him.
“Alright, alright.”
Chi Xiasheng calmed down and opened the door, went in to wash his hands and change his clothes, and then made dinner.
His cooking skills were decent. He had always helped in the kitchen at the orphanage before, and because mermen had a strong natural sense for water, his control of the heat for soup was excellent, and the dishes he made were both delicious and beautiful.
Wen Nian followed him around like a little tail, sometimes running to wash a couple of peppers, sometimes taking out the plates and setting them. He was running around, looking more like a busy person than Chi Xiasheng.
After the two of them finished cooking, Pei Zhixuan had also finally finished his schedule for the day and rushed back from the film set.
Seeing the dishes already on the table, he couldn’t help but smile.
He had thought before about what it would be like if his mother and younger brother came to land and lived with him.
Wen Shu was a lady. Even though she had raised two sons, if she couldn’t cook, she still couldn’t cook. She was like a pampered peony flower in high society, graceful, noble, gentle, and affectionate. So, the thought of her cooking was out of the question.
And Wen Nian, needless to say, was just a silly boy. He didn’t even have enough time to go out and play every day.
When they were living at the bottom of the sea before, Pei Zhixuan had been struggling to survive with the two of them. It was not only difficult but also often on the verge of a breakdown.
But after Chi Xiasheng came, the situation seemed to have completely changed.
Some of the qualities in him made people want to get close to him. He was like an adhesive, easily and firmly sticking this family together.
He looked cold and distant on the surface, but in fact, the heart that wanted to get close to his family was hotter than anyone else’s.
It was easy to feel his warmth, to gather around him, and to become a real family.
Pei Zhixuan smiled and rolled up his sleeves, walked over, and brought the last dish out to the table.
Just as he went out, he saw the radiant Wen Shu standing at the entrance, holding large and small bags of spoils, and waving at them happily. “I’m back! Isn’t it a surprise!”
Pei Zhixuan had a headache over Wen Shu’s often un-elderly behavior.
“Mother, did you forget that you were going to pick up Xiaxia from the hospital?”
Wen Shu stiffly lowered her hand and shyly smoothed her hair. “I was too busy shopping at the time. I thought it was a rare trip to a big mall, so I bought gifts for each of you! I chose them carefully!”
Wen Nian was very big-hearted and immediately shouted, “Gifts, do I have any?!”
A gentle smile appeared in Wen Shu’s eyes. “Of course, you do. I even bought matching clothes for you three brothers! When you wear them out, it will look so loving!”
Except for the clueless Wen Nian, both Chi Xiasheng and Pei Zhixuan felt a chill run down their spines.
“What… matching clothes?” Pei Zhixuan couldn’t help but ask.
Wen Shu slapped her head and quickly went to rummage through the shopping bags on the floor. “Let me see, I bought a lot!”
After searching for a while, she took out a piece of clothing from a bag and showed it to them. “Ta-da! It’s this kind!”
Chi Xiasheng looked at the green dinosaur pajamas with a tail that Wen Shu had taken out, his expression a little stiff. “Auntie Wen, I don’t need it. Just let Brother Pei and Niannian wear it.”
Wen Shu’s willow-like eyebrows stood on end. She put her hands on her hips and said in a soft voice, “How can that be? I didn’t miss any of you three brothers! Xiaxia, are you unwilling to accept me as your godmother? Well, it’s my fault too. I didn’t even bother to ask for your opinion. Sigh… I was just thinking that it’s not easy for a little merman to survive, and I’m the only one of my kind left. It’s only natural for me to be your godmother, but…”
Seeing Wen Shu lower her head sadly, Chi Xiasheng was a little at a loss and quickly said, “No, I’m also very happy to be your… um, what godson.”
When he said this, a faint blush appeared on his cheeks, and his watery eyes blinked, which made Wen Shu’s heart soften.
Ah, as expected, our merman cubs are the most beautiful!
Look at this face, look at this cute expression!
Wen Shu pursed her lips and, feigning sadness, wiped a tear. “That’s good. Then don’t refuse your elder’s kindness. Wear it with Wen Nian and the others and make me happy.”
Chi Xiasheng tilted his head and looked at the dinosaur pajamas. For some reason, he felt as if he had jumped into a wolf’s den.
“Then… alright. How about… we eat first?”
Thinking of something, Chi Xiasheng quickly pointed to the dishes on the table and said, “The food will get cold later and won’t be delicious.”
Wen Shu had also been shopping until now and was starving. Hearing this, she naturally clapped her hands and smiled happily. “Alright! Then let’s eat while it’s hot!”
Wen Nian was still looking at the dinosaur pajamas, touching the soft material, his eyes sparkling.
Chi Xiasheng suddenly had a bad feeling and turned his head to look at him. “Niannian?”
Wen Nian said, “Oh,” and lifted his little head, his eyes still shining with a bright light. “Xiaxia, let’s wear it together later! It’s so beautiful!”
Chi Xiasheng’s face instantly turned cold, and he refused three times in a row. “No, I don’t have time. Let’s eat first.”
Pei Zhixuan, who was standing on the side, coughed and held back his laughter, calling everyone to sit down and eat.
After eating a couple of bites to fill her stomach, Wen Shu said in a gentle tone, “I bought most of these for you guys. There are also various other clothes. Not just pajamas, but also suits. Since you’re all in the entertainment industry, you can wear them together when you attend shows. The effect would be so shocking!”
Seeing Wen Shu still fantasizing about the beautiful scene, Chi Xiasheng couldn’t help but press his forehead.
If they really wore them out, it wouldn’t just be shocking, it would probably be a sensation.
At that time, the headline of the night would definitely be #ThreePopularTrafficStarsClashOutfitsOnTheRedCarpet?!#
Pei Zhixuan thought about the scene Wen Shu had described. Although he knew it was unrealistic, but…
It would be nice to wear the same clothes with his brothers, he couldn’t help but think, resting his chin on his hand.
Just as he was thinking about which events he could wear matching clothes to, his phone rang, pulling him back to reality.
“Hello?”
“Brother Pei, have you seen the trending topics? It’s exploded!”
Pei Zhixuan didn’t think of anything else for a moment, still thinking it was something that had happened during his filming today. He asked unhurriedly, “What trending topic?”
Could it be another press release from that female celebrity who was deliberately trying to create buzz?
The female agent on the other end said, “Oh no! It’s not yours, it’s Chi Xiasheng’s!”
Pei Zhixuan’s hand, which was drinking soup, paused. He quickly put the spoon back in its original place, his tone inevitably becoming a little serious. “Xiaxia’s? What’s going on?”
Chi Xiasheng, who was sitting on the side eating, also heard the phone call. He vaguely knew what would happen and was not very flustered. He wiped his mouth and then slowly opened his phone.
The first and second places on the trending topics were now occupied by him and the Su family.
Including the secretly taken paternity test, and the matter of being switched at birth that he had revealed at the hospital, were all released by the marketing account.
The netizens had just gotten off work and were eating when they saw such an explosive topic. They naturally couldn’t control their itching hands and clicked on it without hesitation.
Orange Heart Entertainment had not hidden anything at all. And with Shengshi Group backing them, they had confidently released everything they had.
The revelation was well-reasoned, with pictures and the truth, and even a secretly recorded audio, which left no room for the melon-eating crowd to think much and threw them all into the vortex of public opinion.
[Su Chimian is not the Su family’s son, and he and Chi Xiasheng were switched at birth?!]
[Didn’t Chi Xiasheng and the Su family have a falling out just a few months ago? Wasn’t the Su family quite protective of Su Chimian at that time? I’m a little confused.]
[I get it now. No wonder Chi Xiasheng didn’t give Su Chimian a good look before. If I were taken back home and found that someone had already occupied the nest, I would have beaten them up!]
[Let me sort this out. In the audio, Chi Xiasheng said he had only found out recently, so the Su family had been hiding the truth that Su Chimian was not their son all along?]
[Damn, my fists are clenched!]
The netizens roughly understood this melon and were all shocked and confused, completely unable to understand why the Su family would protect a fake son.
Is the affection for an adopted son really stronger than for a biological son?
Combined with Chi Xiasheng’s sudden break with Su Chimian a few months ago and his cold attitude, the netizens roughly understood the truth of the matter.
Many of the melon-eating crowd, after recovering from the shock of eating a big melon, thought to themselves, No wonder Chi Xiasheng didn’t give Su Chimian any face in the show before. Before this, their relationship was still okay, and they looked quite like brothers.
Su Chimian had also always mentioned his older brother in interviews, and Chi Xiasheng had often visited his film set.
The netizens thought about it and couldn’t help but sigh.
The Su family’s actions are a bit too immoral, right?
Putting themselves in Chi Xiasheng’s shoes for a moment, they couldn’t help but feel sorry for him at that time.
His newly-found biological parents not only hid the truth about the real and fake young masters but also deceived their biological son into accepting the fake young master as his biological brother…
[Damn, I want to curse someone. I can’t stand such a disgusting thing!]
[I used to often use the Su family’s building materials for decoration. Now, hehe!]
[I used to always think Chi Xiasheng was being dramatic. He and Su Chimian were brothers, yet they had such a big falling out. I felt he was a bit lacking in emotional intelligence. Now, looking at it, sigh, what a poor little thing.]
[Isn’t that right? It’s only been exposed after so long. You can see how powerful the Su family is!]
Perhaps disgusting things happened every year, but this year’s was particularly prominent. Seeing this revelation, the netizens couldn’t help but feel their blood boil, wanting to go up and punch the Su family.
The trending topic was not only on Weibo but also quickly topped the charts on various other apps.
Chi Xiasheng looked at this effect and let out a slow breath.
He had been holding it in for too long. He really wanted to slap the Su family, including Su Chimian, and then leave in a huff.
But when he really did it, he found that he, a powerless orphan, was really overestimating himself to be fighting with a family like the Su family.
Even after awakening his merman talent, he didn’t dare to easily use his abilities in modern society.
There were surveillance cameras everywhere now. If he made a mistake, he would probably be sent to a laboratory for dissection and research.
Today’s situation was caused by a series of coincidences.
But so what, Chi Xiasheng thought. As long as the Su family was not having a good time, he felt refreshed.
Pei Zhixuan now also roughly understood what had happened on the trending topics. He opened his mouth and looked at the boy who was drinking soup next to him, a dense, stinging pain in his heart.
Perhaps Chi Xiasheng didn’t need sympathy. His expression was very calm, as if the matter on the trending topics had nothing to do with him.
But whether as a jiaoren who protected mermen or as Chi Xiasheng’s nominal elder, he could not turn a blind eye to his situation.
Putting down his phone, Pei Zhixuan fell silent, his brow furrowed, his eyes lowered in thought.
“Brother Pei, let’s eat.”
Chi Xiasheng gave him a piece of fish-flavored shredded pork and smiled. “You don’t have to think too much. I’m actually quite happy.”
The misunderstanding on the variety show before, the malice that the netizens had shown towards him while siding with Su Chimian, was finally explained today.
So Chi Xiasheng was really in a good mood, and even a little bit of the pleasure of revenge.
When he knew that the little nurse was problematic, he was also skeptical about whether the matter could be exposed. After all, that was the Su family. An ordinary marketing account probably wouldn’t be so reckless as to go against them, right?
Thinking of this, Chi Xiasheng could only temporarily suppress his doubts and relax and continue to eat.
Pei Zhixuan wanted to say something, but the tremor in his voice made him close his mouth again.
He’s an elder. How can he lose face in front of a merman cub?
Pei Zhixuan picked up his chopsticks and quietly and silently finished his meal.
Wen Nian was happily holding his chopsticks and picking at a large crab. Seeing the strange atmosphere between Pei Zhixuan and Chi Xiasheng, he scratched his head in confusion.
“Brother Pei, what’s wrong with you and Xiaxia? Are you having a fight?”
Wen Shu was drinking a cup of flower tea. Hearing this, she quickly looked back and forth between Chi Xiasheng and Pei Zhixuan.
“What’s wrong? Brothers can’t hold a grudge overnight. It’s better to talk it out.”
Wen Shu very understandingly and considerately took their hands and patted them gently.
“When my father was alive, he often taught me a word called ‘brotherly love and respect.’ Although we are fish, the human way is still very reasonable.”
Wen Shu had her own set of values. She was slightly conservative in her thinking, but in some aspects, due to her race, she was very crazy.
She was a contradictory composite, full of complex charm.
Chi Xiasheng saw that they were thinking of other things and could only smile helplessly. “It’s nothing. It’s just a small matter online. Brother Pei is probably just not in a good mood.”
Pei Zhixuan also nodded, a hint of coldness in his eyes. “I just feel sorry for Xiaxia, for running into a family of beasts that eat people without spitting out the bones.”
Chi Xiasheng was amused by this description. His heart warmed slightly, and he smiled and nodded. “I think so too. Thank you, Brother Pei.”
This “brother” was called much more intimately.
In the past, he had only seen Pei Zhixuan as Wen Shu’s son and Wen Nian’s older brother. But when they really got along, it was always a little uncomfortable.
Perhaps it was because he had heard of his title as a film emperor before he met him. Chi Xiasheng inevitably had some labels for him and was unconsciously a little distant.
But Pei Zhixuan’s protection and care for him had far exceeded his expectations, making him feel that the person in front of him was a brother he could truly rely on and be close to.
He would be angry for his younger brother’s injustice, and he would also consider his family’s feelings, hiding all his sad emotions in his heart.
Once upon a time, the older brother in Chi Xiasheng’s fantasies was probably like Pei Zhixuan.
Blinking, he managed to suppress the sour feeling in his heart.
Wen Nian wiped his oily little mouth and tilted his head to look at the two of them, giving one of his crabs to Pei Zhixuan. “Don’t be sad, brother. You’ll be happy after eating a crab!”
Chi Xiasheng looked at Wen Nian’s carefree appearance and shook his head, unable to help but feel envious.
How can he have such a good mentality?
Wen Nian looked at Chi Xiasheng’s eyes and felt a strange chill on his arm. “Xiaxia, why are you looking at me with such a strange expression?”
Chi Xiasheng sighed and rubbed his head. “It’s nothing. You should eat quickly. You can’t stay up late after the live stream today. Be careful of your hair.”
At this, Wen Nian started to cry out loudly, telling everyone about how he was going bald.
Wen Shu couldn’t stand his wailing and elegantly rolled her eyes, continuing to drink her beauty tea.
On the other hand, Pei Zhixuan also comforted Wen Nian with a headache, even feeling that the online matter was nothing compared to Wen Nian’s wailing.
It’s so strange.
Wen Shu was not a person who liked to look at her phone and had no idea about the series of bloody storms that had happened online. She was the type of person who enjoyed a slow life. After finishing her meal, she put on a face mask and called the three of them to try on clothes.
Seeing that there was no escape, Chi Xiasheng had to put on the dinosaur pajamas with a stiff face and sat on the sofa like a large doll, motionless.
Wen Shu saw the three of them dressed neatly and couldn’t help but take a few photos. She then went up to sleep her beauty sleep in a good mood.
After she got close to Bai Ranran, she found that she had lived too roughly before, so now she was not willing to miss out on any beauty and skin care.
Seeing her leave, Chi Xiasheng stiffly stood up, ready to change out of his clothes.
But Wen Nian refused. He was as happy as a little bird, chattering and not letting Chi Xiasheng take it off.
“Let’s just wear the same thing. This way, we can prove that we are good brothers! We won’t let that Su Chimian squeeze in and be your younger brother!”
Hearing the name “Su Chimian,” Pei Zhixuan’s hand, which was taking off the dinosaur suit, paused. He turned his head and asked, “Niannian, did you go to the hospital with Xiaxia today?”
Wen Nian nodded. “Yes, we did a paternity test! It turns out Su Chimian is not Xiaxia’s younger brother. Haha, that’s great!”
Pei Zhixuan took off his clothes and folded them on the side. He thought for a while and asked, “Xiaxia, is that hospital formal?”
When he saw this revelation, he could guess that something had happened inside the hospital.
The other party’s behavior was very disrespectful of the customer’s privacy. Not only did they expose the private test results, but they even recorded the audio.
A storm gathered in Pei Zhixuan’s eyes. He felt he had to do something, otherwise it would be too easy for that hospital.
Chi Xiasheng naturally knew that there was a problem with that hospital. He hesitated for a moment and still told him about the little nurse’s strange behavior. “…The recording should have been recorded by her. The test report might also have been leaked by that nurse. As for whether there is a problem with the test results… I think… maybe there is.”
Chi Xiasheng didn’t want to have anything to do with the Su family anymore. When he saw the result today, a hint of disbelief had even welled up in his heart.
It’s really a case of being switched at birth?
Su Chimian and Father Su really have no blood relation?
But with Father Su’s shrewdness, he shouldn’t be so protective of a fake son, right?
Father Su was a businessman. He naturally had a scale in his heart, repeatedly weighing the importance of his family members. Chi Xiasheng was naturally not as important as Su Chimian in it.
This was what Chi Xiasheng couldn’t understand at all.
Mother Su could still be explained by the fact that she had raised Su Chimian for so long and had invested her heart and emotions. A woman’s feelings were naturally more delicate and sensitive. Chi Xiasheng could understand her reluctance, but he had no intention of forgiving her.
But Father Su was a completely different person from her. He was truly rational and would not be so protective of Su Chimian for no reason.
“…So I think, that paternity test might also have a problem.”
Chi Xiasheng didn’t know which part had gone wrong, but he no longer trusted this hospital.
Pei Zhixuan nodded. “I see. I’ll ask my agent to help you with this. You don’t have to say anything for now. The current situation is in your favor. We just need to watch quietly and see what the Su family will do.”
Pei Zhixuan had been in the entertainment industry for so many years and still had many connections and relationships, which were much stronger than Chi Xiasheng’s small, shabby agency.
Before Chi Xiasheng’s agent could react, he had already started to act quickly, trying to get the most benefit for him from this matter.
And then to slander the Su family to death!
Chi Xiasheng had thought he would have to stay up all night and fight a hard battle. But Pei Zhixuan had taken it all upon himself, telling him not to worry about anything and just to sleep well.
“You’re not yet an adult, so you naturally need enough sleep. Or you can play games with Niannian for a while.”
Pei Zhixuan looked at the still-wanting-to-stay Chi Xiasheng with a disapproving expression and took his agent’s phone number.
“I’ll contact your agent. Niannian, you can take Xiaxia to play for a while and then go to sleep.”
Wen Nian was happily wearing his dinosaur pajamas and made a “got it” gesture, giggling as he led Chi Xiasheng away.
Chi Xiasheng looked at Pei Zhixuan, who was busy dealing with this matter downstairs, and his expression couldn’t help but be a little dazed.
It feels really good to have a family to protect you.
Chi Xiasheng finally understood where Su Chimian’s confidence had come from before.
No matter how much trouble you got into, you had the confidence and courage of your family to back you up. This was the source of your eternal confidence.
No wonder Su Chimian was so afraid that I would snatch away the Su family, Chi Xiasheng thought. After all, family is different from other things. It can’t be shared at all.
Once it’s snatched away, it’s really desperate enough to make people collapse.
