Chapter 48: Su Xiyan's Origin

Over the next few days, Su Xiyan worked with Liu Guanjia to prepare for Yan Moci's birthday party.

Each time she returned to her room and saw the smug Yan Moci, then thought of her own miserable self, Su Xiyan couldn't help but want to give up.

Once again noticing Su Xiyan's faint gaze directed at him, Yan Moci lowered the book in his hands and looked over.

"What's wrong? Do you want a hug?"

Yan Moci teased lazily.

"Hug, hug, hug—hug your head!"

Su Xiyan said angrily:

"Why can you enjoy yourself in the room while I have to set up the venue outside, pick the day's flowers and dishes, check the guest list, and even memorize each guest's name and appearance?"

Yan Moci smiled and said, "You should feel happy; Grandfather is training you according to the standard of the Yan family matriarch."

"Given your performance these past two days, plus Dongzi saying Grandfather is very pleased with the venue you prepared, I believe that even if I were to drop dead right now, you could still hold up the entire Yan family well."

Su Xiyan spat out a mouthful of stale air, "Pah pah pah, what nonsense about dropping dead—it's your birthday soon; can't you say something auspicious?"

"Besides, a girl my age should be enjoying wonderful school life, shouldn't she?"

Yan Moci raised an eyebrow, "Then do you want to go to school?"

Su Xiyan waved her hand to refuse, "No need; I've already self-studied all the school curriculum."

Yan Moci looked at Su Xiyan thoughtfully,

"Then, if I were to awaken publicly, and you really left the Yan family, where would you go?"

Su Xiyan thought, "I would probably take my grandmother back to the countryside, to get away from all this turmoil."

Of course, after she finds her biological parents.

Speaking of that, Su Xiyan seemed to suddenly recall something; she hurriedly said, "I just remembered there are still some parts of the venue not set up—I'll leave first."

After Su Xiyan left, Dongzi appeared and said, "Boss, we've got a lead on the eldest daughter-in-law's background."

Yan Moci glanced sideways, "Oh?"

Dongzi said, "According to my multiple investigations, twenty years ago, shortly before the eldest daughter-in-law appeared beside Su Qingming and Li Xiu Fen,"

"the mistress of the Jingcheng Tieshan Su clan, Luo Yin, had secretly given birth to a daughter."

Yan Moci's pupils contracted sharply; he instantly turned his head toward Dongzi, "Luo Yin?"

Dongzi nodded, "Yes, boss, that's the lady's former close friend, Luo Yin."

Yan Moci's heart raced for no reason; he said in a low voice, "Continue."

Dongzi, "Back then, Luo Yin had a conflict with the Su family's current steward, Su Muye, so she secretly ran away to give birth."

Later the girl went missing, and Luo Yin's mood remained poor, leading to illness from overwork.

Su Muye later managed to retrieve Luo Yin, but he kept the matter of that child sealed from the outside.

However, over these years he has secretly been investigating in the dark.

"But...."

Yan Moci frowned, "Stop stalling and keep going."

Dongzi, "But just as I discovered that the eldest daughter-in-law's background pointed to the Jingcheng Tieshan Su clan,"

"I heard that not long ago the Su family's old residence welcomed back a young girl, and that girl is roughly the same age as the eldest daughter-in-law."

Yan Moci knitted his brows and murmured:

"So, if the girl who appeared at the Su family is indeed the daughter lost by the mistress of the Tieshan Su clan, Luo Yin,"

"then just who is Su Xiyan's identity?"

After Dongzi left, Yan Moci suddenly thought of,

that day when Su Xiyan looked downcast, she had once murmured about her karmic retribution and the Jade Ruyi she had mentioned before.

Could it be... Yan Moci's eyes suddenly grew deep,

Is this Su Xiyan's true purpose for coming to the Yan family?

After Su Xiyan left the room, she found a secluded spot, and before she could make a call,

Huazi's call came through on the other end first,

"Hey, big boss, the thing you had me look into finally has news!"

Su Xiyan felt a surge of joy and urged, "Speak quickly."

"The Jingcheng Tieshan Su clan—just recently, a girl suddenly appeared at their old residence.

At the same time, their long-ill matriarch, Luo Yin, was discharged from the hospital."

Hearing that, Su Xiyan's heart gave a sudden jolt; she bit her lower lip and asked, "Do you know anything else?"

Huazi shook his head on the other end, "No, big boss, the Tieshan Su clan has dominated Jingdu for many years, its foundations deep and unfathomable.

They keep their information extremely tight; even these scraps were hard-won, and as I withdrew I almost let the opposing hackers notice me."

Su Xiyan frowned, "Didn't leave any loose ends, did you?"

Huazi said, "Big boss, I do my work—don't you trust me?"

Su Xiyan said solemnly, "For safety's sake, you should disappear for a while."

After hanging up, Su Xiyan let out a long breath.

Ever since her Jade Ruyi disappeared, she has been searching everywhere.

No one in the Yan family found her Jade Ruyi; the only possibility is that her jade pendant was already lost before she returned to the Yan family that night.

Thinking of this, Su Xiyan's expression grew even more solemn.

If her biological mother truly is the Luo Yin that Huazi spoke of, the mistress of the Tieshan Su clan, then just who is the impostor who took her place!

Returning to her room, Su Xiyan's look was listless; she entered, then curled up alone on the sofa into a ball, everything except the cowlick on her head being completely blocked out.

"How come you go out for a trip and come back like this? In this huge Yan family old residence, is there still someone daring to give you grief?"

Yan Moci's mood looked fine; seeing Su Xiyan's mood poor, he spoke up to tease her.

But unexpectedly, he got no response from Su Xiyan; he couldn't help but lift his head and look over, murmuring softly:

"Yanyan, how about I tell you a story?"

Su Xiyan wiggled her little butt, indicating she was listening.

Seeing Su Xiyan's childish appearance, Yan Moci chuckled:

"Once there was a pair of very close female friends; they were both young ladies from noble, affluent families."

They were equally outstanding, gentle, and beautiful; their personalities and backgrounds made them the closest of friends.

But perhaps similar people also share similar misfortunes; they encountered two men.

And these two men completely changed the lives of these two innocent, naive girls, leaving them with extreme pain for the rest of their lives.

Upon saying this, Yan Moci's voice grew hoarse; Su Xiyan, lost in thought, turned her head and revealed a lovely little face as she looked at Yan Moci.

She softly asked: "And then?"

"Later, the woman who fell in love with a wild, unrestrained rogue left behind a 10-year-old boy, and in lonely despair chose to end her own life."

And the woman who had been imprisoned her whole life by a domineering, obsessive man, after losing her daughter, lingered on sickbed, washed her face with tears all day, suffering greatly from illness.

At the end of the story, Su Xiyan suddenly shed a tear.