After the True Heiress Travels Back
Chapter 517: What’s So Hard to Decide?

Chapter 517: Chapter 517: What’s So Hard to Decide?

Zhuang Yueyan heard Wei Lan defending herself and her face showed a mocking sneer.

"Wei Lan, you really are naïvely pitiable."

She folded her arms across her chest, and the look in her eyes was that of someone watching a pitiful clown.

"You’re willing to sacrifice even your own biological daughter, what guarantee is there that you would be consistently nice to an enemy’s daughter? Can you dare say that you don’t harbor any grudges against Qingqing?"

On this point, Wei Lan indeed couldn’t make any guarantees.

Because...

She did have some grudges, some distance, with Shi Yiqing.

But.

Her kindness towards Shi Yiqing was also genuine.

That was an undeniable fact.

Zhuang Yueyan, this woman who was only responsible for giving birth and not for nurturing, what right did she have to judge her?

Was this a case of the pot calling the kettle black?

Facing Wei Lan’s questioning gaze, Zhuang Yueyan just showed a faint smile.

"You don’t need to look at me like that, and you don’t need to feel like I’ve taken advantage or anything."

On her face hung a condescending smile and a hint of disdain.

"Wei Lan, no matter how good your background is, what does it matter in the end if you don’t even have a daughter of your own?"

Without a second thought, Wei Lan retorted, "Who says I don’t have a daughter? Qingqing is my daughter!"

Zhuang Yueyan shrugged her shoulders, "Whether she’s your daughter or not, what you say doesn’t count, let the facts speak."

Wei Lan continued to emphasize, "Qingqing is my daughter!"

Zhuang Yueyan said, "Go to the hospital now and do a paternity test, if the results can prove she’s your daughter, then I’ll leave without another word."

"But... if you can’t do it, then stop showing off in front of me because... after all, I am her biological mother, and you’re just someone coveting another’s nest."

When she heard the term "coveting another’s nest," Wei Lan’s heart skipped a beat.

For no reason at all, she felt an indescribable humiliation.

In a good sense, how did she end up being accused of coveting another’s nest?

Was it her desire to monopolize the identity of Shi Yiqing’s mother?

Had it not been for Zhuang Yueyan, she would have been nurturing a relationship with Shi Yaoguang from a young age.

What hurdles could not be overcome between a biological mother and daughter?

They would certainly be the envy of everyone as mother and daughter.

Add Shi Rusong, and they would be the happiest family of three in the world.

But it was precisely because of Zhuang Yueyan’s baby-switching scheme that she was separated from her own biological daughter for seventeen years.

During those seventeen years, she had been cultivating a relationship with Shi Yiqing.

So, when faced with a choice, she chose the adopted daughter who was closer to her.

But...

What did Shi Yaoguang do wrong?

If none of this had happened, then Shi Yaoguang would have always been the precious young lady of the Shi Family.

Pampered in the palms of Mr. and Mrs. Shi, she would be raised a princess, spared from all grievances.

If they could go back to before everything went wrong, how happy their family of three would be.

She wouldn’t be ridiculed by Zhuang Yueyan as "someone coveting another’s nest."

In an instant, Wei Lan thought of many things.

Apart from guilt towards Shi Yaoguang, there was hatred for the woman in front of her.

"Zhuang Yueyan, it’s all your fault!"

Zhuang Yueyan shook her head, "You are the root cause of the trouble."

If it wasn’t for her meddling, none of what followed would have happened.

All of this was like a chain of dominoes, each one interlinked.

Watching Wei Lan and Zhuang Yueyan blame each other, Shi Yiqing could only look towards the men present for help.

"Daddy, what should we do now?"

She called out "Dad", and both Shi Ruhong and Shi Rusong responded.

"I’m here!"

"Dad, have them stop arguing right now."

After the two men spoke, they exchanged glances with a somewhat awkward atmosphere.

Because of their intervention, Wei Lan and Zhuang Yueyan also looked over.

Shi Ruhong had been traveling around various countries over these years.

He is now a renowned master in the art world, a national treasure.

And Zhuang Yueyan?

Aside from some initial difficulties in her early years, her life has been smooth sailing. She even met a famous jewelry tycoon.

She is now his wife, and though the circumstances of her ascent were not exactly honorable, when she steps out now, others dare not cling to her past and criticize her.

On the contrary, when they see her, they all have to greet her respectfully as "Madam."

Her trip back to the country this time wasn’t without purpose, but...

These matters, for now, cannot be spoken of.

Otherwise, she really wasn’t sure if she could take Shi Yiqing with her.

What about Shi Ruhong?

His return also had a purpose.

Having heard of Shi Yiqing’s recent affairs, he felt that Yiqing might have inherited his talent.

Although he is hugely famous now, he has been feeling less than capable for a while.

To continue maintaining his status, if he couldn’t find a breakthrough within himself, he had to look elsewhere.

Training a disciple was the most reliable method.

However, training a disciple also required particular attention.

That’s when he thought of his biological daughter.

But unexpectedly, Zhuang Yueyan was so cunning; after learning of his intent, she actually followed him here.

Once Shi Yiqing understood their ulterior motives, she suddenly had an idea.

Whether it was Zhuang Yueyan or Shi Ruhong, they both had resources behind them.

In such a case, why should she have to delineate between "you" and "me"?

Thinking so, Shi Yiqing began plaintively, "Mom and Dad, don’t worry about me anymore."

Wiping her tears, she said with much sadness, "I don’t want my existence to be a source of trouble for you."

"I also don’t want you to argue over me. If you must decide on a winner, then I choose neither!"

As she spoke, she began to laugh miserably, "After all, I’m already of age now. Even without mom and dad, I can still live well."

Upon hearing her words, all four exclaimed in unison, "Qingqing, what nonsense are you talking about?"

After speaking, they each hummed disdainfully at one another.

It seemed like they didn’t want to be so in sync.

Shi Yiqing, eyes reddened, continued her woeful tale, "But I really don’t want to make such a choice."

"I don’t want to hurt anyone, regardless of who it is."

When Wei Lan heard this, she immediately felt uncomfortable.

"Qingqing, what’s so difficult about choosing?"

Pointing at Zhuang Yueyan, she said with cold sarcasm, "She treated you that way back then, abandoned you at such a young age, don’t you hate her at all?"

Shi Yiqing paused her crying, then showed a bleak expression, "Mom, I know you resent her, but... she is the one who did all those things, and I’m the ultimate beneficiary."

"If it weren’t for what she did, I wouldn’t have been able to live with you for so many years. To put it harshly, our mother-daughter fate was facilitated by her," she said.

As she spoke, as if in self-abhorrence, she raised her hand and slapped herself.

"Smack!"

She did not hold back at all with this slap.

Soon, her cheek swelled up.

The others all cried out in alarm, "Qingqing, what are you doing?"