Shen Ju frowned as he looked at the family of three standing before him.
Though he had been very young when Jian Zhan Guo left, and had long since forgotten the man’s exact appearance, he could tell something was off about Xu Ru and Jian Yi’s reactions.
And those words Jian Yi had said earlier…
So that’s what he meant.
So what were these people trying to do now?
Guan Mulin and Qin Soxi exchanged a glance nearby, confusion flickering in their eyes.
They didn’t know Wei Jing or Jian Zhan Guo, so naturally they were unaware of Xu Ru’s family’s past.
But they did know Jian Yi came from a single-parent household.
So who were these two…?
“Who are you…”
“Shen Ju?”
Wei Jing and Jian Zhan Guo spoke almost in unison.
Jian Zhan Guo had spotted the student name tag hanging on Shen Ju’s chest…
“You’re the son of Shen Sheng An and Xu Ning!”
Jian Zhan Guo glanced again at Xu Ru and the Jian Yi standing beside her—his son.
He paused for a moment when he saw Xu Ru.
And Jian Yi standing next to her… It had been over a decade since he’d last seen the boy, and Jian Zhan Guo wasn’t sure what emotions stirred in him, but he quickly looked away. Only then did he realize that the son of Shen Sheng An and Xu Ning was also at this school.
Had Xu Ru struck it rich somehow? How had she gotten someone into Qichen?
The thought filled Jian Zhan Guo with a mix of complicated feelings.
Getting into Qichen International High School wasn’t easy, after all.
Even Wei Jing had pulled strings to get Wei Tianxi in.
Before that, he remembered Wei Tianxi cramming hard for a while.
Of course, the tutoring never really stopped even now.
Otherwise, he couldn’t keep up with the pace of the Elite Class at Qichen.
But Jian Yi and Shen Ju…
If he remembered right, this meeting room was for the parent-teacher conferences of the Elite Class and Experimental Class. How had Xu Ru not only gotten someone into Qichen but into the Elite Class or Experimental Class?!
Never mind Shen Ju—Jian Yi… his son. Did he really have that kind of talent?!
And thinking about how he still hadn’t had a son with Wei Jing after all these years…
Jian Zhan Guo couldn’t help but turn his gaze back to Jian Yi.
But when he instinctively glanced at Jian Yi’s left arm—and the missing part—he still frowned, his heart twisting in turmoil.
Wei Jing glanced at Jian Zhan Guo.
After more than a decade of marriage, she could tell exactly what was troubling him. After all, it was her own flesh and blood. He was probably getting ideas.
Back when Jian Zhan Guo worked at her family’s company, he’d shown real ability, rising to a high executive position at a young age. With his outstanding looks and his knack for sweet-talking, even knowing he was a married man with a kid, Wei Jing had fallen hard during their interactions. She reveled in his willingness to favor her above all else. Plus, she’d only recently divorced at the time…
Jian Zhan Guo had appeared at just the right moment.
She’d wanted to seize this man no matter the cost.
And his wife? She was no threat to Wei Jing at all—she’d never even considered her a rival.
The biggest draw was that Jian Zhan Guo not only doted on her but was obedient, even willing to become a live-in son-in-law for the Wei Family…
So she’d been quite satisfied with him back then.
Even now, more than a decade later, he still kept up his appearance well enough that he wasn’t tiresome to look at.
But over ten years, even the deepest feelings could wear thin.
So seeing Jian Zhan Guo’s conflicted, tempted expression now made Wei Jing deeply unsatisfied. She didn’t care to understand his mindset—she just felt like he was slapping her in the face!
After Jian Zhan Guo finished speaking, Wei Jing scoffed and cut in directly: “You sure remember well. Still hung up on that deadweight baggage from your ex-wife?”
Wei Tianxi jolted in shock nearby: “Mom!”
But it was too late.
He hadn’t stopped Jian Zhan Guo earlier because he wanted to watch the man embarrass himself. How had his mom beaten him to the punch?!
No matter what, Guan Shen Ju’s biological mom was still standing right there!
Even if the Guan Family didn’t value him much, they probably didn’t want to hear that!
Wei Jing tsked, about to scold her son for interrupting.
Wei Tianxi tried to shoot her a warning look…
Qin Soxi couldn’t hold back any longer!
“Excuse me, ma’am…”
Qin Soxi stepped forward to Shen Ju’s side, resting one hand on his arm while the other swung her globally limited-edition luxury bag. A pigeon-egg-sized diamond ring sparkled on her finger, her fresh day-spa manicure gleaming as she smoothed her new early-morning hairstyle. Radiating presence, she asked with feigned confusion: “Sorry, but are you saying my child is… deadweight baggage…”
“Your child?”
Wei Jing hadn’t noticed Qin Soxi at first, since Guan Mulin had partially blocked her view.
But now that Qin Soxi stepped out, Wei Jing took one look at her outfit and knew she was no ordinary woman. Jealousy instantly soured her mood—that bag on Qin Soxi’s arm was a limited edition you couldn’t buy even with money! Sure, Wei Jing had connections to snag one, but she didn’t have the cash to drop on that. It wasn’t that she couldn’t afford it; she just didn’t have the clout.
And then hearing Qin Soxi speak…
Wei Jing was utterly dumbfounded.
What did she mean by “my child”???
Even Jian Zhan Guo nearby was slow on the uptake.
Had he gotten the wrong person?!
But the next second, Shen Ju lifted his little chin like he’d found his big backer, trying to look down his nose at them as if about to snort derisively, and fixed his gaze on Jian Zhan Guo…
He spat out each word deliberately, venting his spleen.
His voice boomed without restraint:
“You’re the dead-weight baggage!
“You gold-digging phoenix man who cheated and married into a rich family!”
Whoa!
Nearby students and parents immediately craned their necks to look.
Gossip!
Jian Zhan Guo’s head buzzed, his face flushing beet red as he glared awkwardly: “What nonsense are you spouting!”
“Huh?”
Shen Ju eyed Jian Zhan Guo and Wei Jing: “You two divorced already? Is this your new sugar mama?”
“You—you…”
That one line made not only Jian Zhan Guo’s face twist further but Wei Jing’s as well.
She hadn’t expected this kid to be so shameless, blurting out anything in public without a care for the occasion or propriety?!
Before she could respond,
Jian Yi chimed in from the side with “context”: “They’re not divorced. This lady’s the one my dad cheated with.”
Even more gazes gathered around.
Han Chengfeng popped up too. Spotting the “parties involved” and Wei Tianxi, he immediately ditched his dad with a “Be right back” and rushed to his little bro’s side…
“Shen Ju, someone trash-talking you?!”
“Who called you deadweight baggage?!”
Han Chengfeng asked knowingly, then let out a “Ha!”: “Hilarious. How’s a Guan Family kid get called ‘deadweight baggage’?”
The drama-loving instigator wasn’t afraid to offend the Wei Family, arms crossed as he looked over: “Hey, uncle, you the one? So, you really a live-in son-in-law?”
He turned to Wei Tianxi: “Wei Tianxi, I had no idea your stepdad married in. Haha!”
“No wonder you took the Wei name.”
He reached out to pat Jian Yi’s shoulder: “No worries, cousin. Better off without a dad like that than one like yours—you’re free from that hell now.”
Jian Yi even grunted in agreement, “Mm.”
Meanwhile, Pei Haochuan and Ke Sheng sauntered over.
Pei Haochuan had noticed earlier and wondered if jumping in was wise, but with Han Chengfeng barging in like he owned the place, he figured he should join too.
But Pei Haochuan’s eyes went to Guan Mulin.
“That aunt over there your real aunt?”
Guan Mulin nodded at once: “Yeah. Let me introduce—my aunt, my cousin.”
Shen Ju frowned, like he was competing, and immediately piped up: “My aunt! My cousin!”
Han Chengfeng, Pei Haochuan, and Ke Sheng:
“Nice to meet you, aunt!”
“Nice to meet you, cousin!”
Jian Yi: “…”
Not that necessary.
Xu Ru was stunned, still processing how things had spiraled like this.
She opened her mouth but no words came.
Wei Jing and Jian Zhan Guo were speechless too.
Han Chengfeng—she knew him because her son had mentioned his class friends, so she’d looked him up and knew his dad was on the parent committee. But how had he…
How was Han Chengfeng siding with them?!
Wei Jing glanced at her son, seeing embarrassment flash across Wei Tianxi’s face.
Wei Tianxi wanted to drag Wei Jing away.
This was humiliating!
He never should’ve let his mom come!
“Mom, let’s go…”
He whispered: “The other two are from the Pei Family and Ke Family…”
Wei Jing’s heart skipped.
Those were families she couldn’t afford to cross.
What the hell?!!!
Why had trying to mock Xu Ru drawn this crowd?!
And all of them untouchable for the Weis?!
And calling her “aunt”…
Wei Jing couldn’t keep her composure anymore.
Jian Zhan Guo was the same.
Bewildered yet wary.
He wanted to retort—after all, those public barbs had humiliated him!
Pretending sternness, he frowned at Jian Yi: “Jian Yi, you’re just gonna watch your dad…”
“I got no dad.”
Jian Yi said it flatly.
