Shen Yan’s vision blurred, and all he could see was a vast expanse of white. The roar of the sports car echoed in his ears as it whizzed closer.
Before disaster struck, two heart-wrenching voices reached Shen Yan’s ears.
“Dad!”
“Hubby!”
Shen Yan, who had yet to regain his senses, was suddenly pushed away by someone. He hugged Lu Shan, who had come running over, and the two fell to the side.
Shen Xi could not move out of the way fast enough and had her calf clipped by the speeding car. She hit the ground hard, and blood gushed out like a fountain.
Xiang Cheng’s sports car crashed into a parked car with a bang. Both cars were badly damaged.
When Xiang Cheng saw his Apollo Helios sports car turned into scrap metal, his eyes grew wide in shock, and his heart ached. Immediately, he dashed to the wreck, checking the extent of the damage it had suffered.
Lu Shan choked back tears that had welled up in her eyes. Had it not been for Shen Xi, she would have lost her husband.
Shen Xi cleaned the blood off her pale face, staring at her biological parents, who stood only a metre away, her eyes alight with joy.
Her father was safe, and her mother had not been left in a vegetative state. Their family was still whole.
It took a few minutes for the couple to snap out of their daze and remember Shen Xi’s presence.
“How did she get hurt like this? Hubby, we need to take her to the hospital.” Distressed, Lu Shan dabbed Shen Xi’s forehead with a tissue.
“Shanshan, hang on for a second. If you’re not careful, you might accidentally hurt her.” Shen Yan stopped Lu Shan from acting rashly.
“Lass, is there anywhere else you’re hurting? Please let Uncle know; it’s important,” Shen Yan spoke softly, paying close attention to Shen Xi.
Hearing her father call himself ‘Uncle’ stung. It caused Shen Xi’s eyes to redden with unshed tears.
Looking at Shen Xi’s puffy red eyes, Lu Shan panicked. “What’s wrong? Are you in pain? Where does it hurt?”
Shen Xi shook her head and got up, swaying unsteadily on her feet. “I’m fine,” she said, trying to play down her injuries.
Her biological parents were right before her, but they did not know her. Shen Xi could not help but feel a little sad.
There was no way she could explain that she was their biological daughter in this situation.
Shen Yan blinked, struck by a sudden sense of déjà vu.
His gaze alternated between the red-eyed Shen Xi and his wife. He could see a startling resemblance. What was going on?
Jiang Xue’s words flashed in Shen Yan’s mind. Jiang Xue had said she was not his daughter, and then the girl before him had cried ‘Father’, almost as if in desperation. Could this young woman be his biological daughter?
As if reading his mind, Jiang Xue got out of the car and strolled toward the Shen couple.
“What? Have you established your relationship with each other already? That’s quick. See! She’s your biological daughter. Don’t you think she looks like you both? Poverty begets poverty, and like figures are drawn to each other,” Jiang Xue scoffed.
Lu Shan was confused and asked, “Xue’er, what are you talking about? What do you mean, she is our biological daughter?”
Jiang Xue sneered, mocking Lu Shan, “What? Are you trying to mooch off me now that I’m rich? You’ve been talking about diamonds since I was a child. I’d eat my sock if you weren’t trying to brainwash me subtly. You’re just a bottom-feeding housewife with nothing to your name. If you think you can milk me for what I’m worth, dream on! Are you that desperate or delusional to think talking about diamonds would make me sympathise with you? Hah!”
“Shen Xue!” Shen Yan’s face darkened, his words rumbling with an unspoken warning. “She’s your mother! She’s always been concerned for your future. How can you talk about her like that?”
He had never expected that his daughter, whom he and his wife loved so dearly, would become so bitter and cruel, crazed by her newfound wealth.
Shen Xue looked down on her poor foster father. “Shen Yan, don’t you shout at me. You’re not much different from her.”