Chapter 101: Chapter 101: Your Mother Is My Second Wife

Shen Zhiyao said, “Time is short. Go hide in the next room and don’t come out. I’ll take care of this quickly.”

The lights were dim and flickering, and the sound of fingertips scraping against the window grew louder. Nanbowan didn’t dare to delay and immediately rushed back to his room.

The chewing sound outside the door continued. Shen Zhiyao spoke coldly, “How does it feel to be turned into a doll by your own mother? It must be horrible!”

The boy’s eyes were vacant. Holding a knife and fork, he slowly walked toward Shen Zhiyao.

Shen Zhiyao slapped an immobilization charm on the boy’s forehead and placed an Evil Exorcism Talisman on his chest.

Shen Zhiyao opened the door. Outside stood children stitched together with needle and thread.

A golden light flashed from her hand as she began to chant the Rebirth Mantra. One by one, golden talismans fell upon the little ghosts.

A brilliant golden light flared. The little ghosts stood there, playing and frolicking. Soon, they were holding hands and leaving the mortal world together.

Once the commotion outside had ceased, Nanbowan timidly emerged from the room.

“H-… Host, are they gone?” Nanbowan asked tentatively, stepping one foot out.

“They’re gone.”

Shen Zhiyao opened the payment QR code on her phone. “Inter-city service. That’ll be 10,000 total.”

After the payment was completed, Shen Zhiyao walked over to the stairwell, then opened a Teleportation Array to send herself home.

She’d chosen this spot specifically to avoid frightening any passersby.

「Six days later.」

The Jin Group held a board meeting.

As the future successor of the Jin family, Jin Muyang also gave a speech at the meeting about the Jin family’s future development plans.

Although Jin Muyang’s speech was dry and tedious, the board of directors gave Jin Huai Zhong face and still offered a round of applause.

Just then, a new email notification popped up on Jin Huai Zhong’s phone.

He opened it. It was the report for the DNA samples he had personally submitted a few days ago—his and Jin Muyang’s.

The report showed that Jin Muyang was not Jin Huai Zhong’s biological son.

After finishing his speech, Jin Muyang walked over and sat down beside his father.

Seeing that Jin Huai Zhong looked unwell, Jin Muyang asked with concern, “What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?”

Jin Huai Zhong calmly turned off his phone and looked up at the son he had doted on for over twenty years, the very son he had just brought into the company to groom as his successor.

He smiled faintly. “It’s nothing. Your speech just now was very good.”

Upon receiving Jin Huai Zhong’s praise, Jin Muyang’s eyes immediately lit up.

Not long ago, Jin Huai Zhong had told him that if this speech went well, he would be given greater authority to manage the company.

’The board has no objections, and Dad just praised me so generously. He must be about to announce that I’m taking charge!’

Just as Jin Muyang was waiting for Jin Huai Zhong’s next move, Jin Huai Zhong suddenly announced, “Meeting adjourned!”

After leaving the boardroom, Jin Muyang couldn’t help but ask, “Dad, weren’t you going to give me managerial authority over the company?”

Jin Huai Zhong patted his shoulder reassuringly. “In a couple of days will be a better time to announce it. By the way, are you free tonight? Dad’s going to take you somewhere you’ve never been before.”

Jin Muyang quickly asked, “Dad, where are you taking me? Is it for a business dinner?”

“You’ll know when we get there.”

Jin Huai Zhong had already arranged the perfect location for swapping their fates back. Jin Fan’s Five Elements were dominated by Metal, so the southwest was the most suitable direction.

Jin Huai Zhong owned an apartment in a good school district in West City, so he set the location there. He arranged to meet Shen Zhiyao and Jin Fan at 8 p.m. and promised to bring Jin Muyang over on time.

Kang Lin was at a beauty salon when she suddenly received a call from an assistant:

“Hello, Ma’am, this is Xiao Lin. Jin Muyang hurt himself opening a can at the office a couple of days ago. I was just wondering if his injury has healed.”

Kang Lin’s expression shifted slightly. ’Jin Muyang was injured?’

Xiao Lin was Jin Huai Zhong’s secretary, but he was also a spy Kang Lin had planted by Jin Huai Zhong’s side.

His main purpose was to keep an eye out for any unusual moves from Jin Huai Zhong.

Upon further questioning, she learned that Jin Huai Zhong had wanted to eat something from a can in the office, and Jin Muyang had opened it for him.

Unexpectedly, a sharp burr on the lid had cut Jin Muyang’s hand.

Afterward, while helping to take out the trash, Xiao Lin happened to notice that Jin Huai Zhong had collected the blood-stained burr.

Xiao Lin found this strange, which was why he had called to ask.

Kang Lin was also suspicious and had someone investigate Jin Huai Zhong’s whereabouts over the past few days.

It turned out he had personally gone to the hospital’s DNA testing center.

Kang Lin’s body trembled, and she was instantly overwhelmed with a terrible feeling. “He… he knows…”

Kang Lin frantically called Jin Muyang, but his phone was unreachable.

She asked Xiao Lin again and found out that Jin Huai Zhong had taken Jin Muyang away sometime after 8 p.m. this evening.

As for where they went, he had no idea.

’If Xiao Lin doesn’t know, it means Jin Huai Zhong is deliberately avoiding him.’

In a panic, Kang Lin dialed a number she hadn’t called in a very long time.

After a series of beeps, a cold, sinister voice suddenly came through the phone. “Well, well! Look what the cat dragged in! The fine lady has finally graced me with a call!”

Kang Lin got straight to the point. “Cut the crap! Your son is in trouble. Are you going to save him or not?!”

“What’s going on?”

Kang Lin quickly explained the situation.

“The plan to swap their fates was supposed to be foolproof. Jin Fan’s bad luck was supposed to get worse this year, and if that continued, Jin Huai Zhong would have definitely disowned him. Our Muyang could have become the head of the Jin family.”

“But everything changed after that woman, Shen Zhiyao, showed up. I originally thought she was just some gold digger after Jin Fan’s money. But I watched her stream recently, and she’s actually got some real skills. I’m afraid she’s already figured out the problem with Jin Fan’s fate.”

“Now Jin Huai Zhong has taken Jin Muyang away, and I can’t reach him. If he swaps Jin Fan’s and Jin Muyang’s fates back… then… then our entire plan will have been for nothing!”

The person on the other end of the line cackled. “What threat could a little girl who’s never seen the world pose? But don’t you worry. When I swapped their fates, I added a little failsafe. They won’t dare to swap them back. Otherwise, Jin Fan’s life will be forfeit!”

…

At that moment, Jin Huai Zhong and Jin Muyang were in the car. Watching it pull into a high-end residential complex, Jin Muyang was a little surprised.

“Dad, what are we doing here? Why did you make me turn off my phone? Mom will be worried if she can’t find us.”

Jin Huai Zhong only said, “You’ll find out soon enough!”

The car stopped in a parking spot in the complex, and Jin Huai Zhong led Jin Muyang out.

This complex was actually quite upscale, home to upper-middle-class residents, but it was old, and its facilities were dated.

Jin Muyang, who was used to living in a large villa, felt a bit out of place in this rundown complex.

“Dad, this place is so old and dilapidated. It’s not the kind of place a person of your status should be visiting. Did you condescend to come here because we have relatives living here?”

As they walked, Jin Huai Zhong said, “This is where I used to live. Back when I had just started making a bit of money and could finally afford a house, I looked all over and ended up choosing this place.”

Jin Huai Zhong stopped in front of a window and sighed. “Unfortunately, before I could even finish renovating this apartment, my beloved passed away.”

Jin Muyang asked, puzzled, “Dad, you had another love? Does my mom know?”

At the mention of Kang Lin, Jin Huai Zhong sighed. “Your mother is my second wife. Jin Fan’s mother was my first wife, and she was the love of my life.”

Jin Muyang was startled by this revelation.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep