Sun Rain Chapter 39
by(Part 1)
That night, Fu Xuanliao returned home after a long absence, but still couldn’t get a good night’s sleep.
His mind was overloaded with information. After days of turmoil, he finally found a moment of peace. As soon as Fu Xuanliao closed his eyes, he couldn’t help but start organizing the intelligence he had gathered.
Although Shi Huaiyi spoke vaguely, it couldn’t stop the truth from surfacing.
He said Shi Mu only learned about his parentage five years ago, which was reasonable. For the first twenty years, Shi Mu lived as the legitimate Young Master of the Shi family, and indeed never showed any suspicion about his origins. And because the woman named Yang Youlan had been warned by Shi Huaiyi and rarely appeared, everyone, including Fu Xuanliao himself who had harbored doubts, never considered that possibility.
This also indirectly proved that Shi Mu stealing Shi Meng’s painting was true. Shi Mu never lacked the love of his parents and relatives growing up, and mostly displayed a lively and cheerful side to the outside world. However, his competitiveness was excessively strong. Being surpassed or obstructed in any area would fill him with resentment. He would view those who surpassed him as enemies and try every means to reclaim the top spot.
He remembered one time when Shi Mu participated in a youth soccer league in the city. During the semi-finals, he was cutting the ball past a player when an opposing team’s main player saw through his move and stole the ball. After that, he fixated on that person, chasing and blocking him across the field until the main player was provoked into a fouling tackle, and then, in an irrational moment, was led by Shi Mu’s feint into a tackle from behind, resulting in him being sent off.
At the time, Fu Xuanliao just thought he wanted to win too badly. Now, thinking back, what kind of psychological shift would occur in such a proud person who grew up with everything going smoothly, when he learned, while gravely ill, that he was not the Shi family’s favored young master, but the “bastard” born to a mistress and a prostitute, the Shi family’s second young master whom he had always looked down upon and never acknowledged?
Even Shi Huaiyi could guess that Shi Mu’s mentality had become unbalanced. He likely felt he had only a few days left to live, while Shi Meng could live gloriously, holding a large share of the company and sitting securely in the position of the Shi family young master, taking everything Shi Mu originally possessed.
Therefore, he also wanted to steal Shi Meng’s most precious possession, even if it went against his conscience and morality. Since he was about to die, everyone would only feel sorry for him, and no one would pursue or criticize him.
In contrast, Shi Meng had never been given understanding or tolerance. Everything had to be fought for by himself, and no one was willing to listen to his explanations.
Thinking back five years ago, Shi Mu, in collusion with the unwitting Li Bihan, superficially accused Shi Meng of stealing his hard work with great anguish, but in reality, he simply pinned the crime of theft on Shi Meng with a few words…
What was once the most heartbreaking memory now became the most chilling scene. Fu Xuanliao took a deep breath, unable to suppress the hurricane raging inside him.
In the summer five years ago, Fu Xuanliao, who rushed back from abroad upon hearing the news of Shi Mu’s critical illness, never imagined he would be used in such a way.
It turned out Shi Mu had planned it all along: first, use the painting theft to make him hate Shi Meng, and then use “don’t forget me” to keep him trapped in place.
It turned out Shi Mu was the black-hearted lotus, seemingly pure but full of schemes when peeled open.
Shi Mu might even have known that Shi Meng liked him.
The reason was ridiculously simple, not because Shi Mu liked Fu Xuanliao so much, but out of competitiveness—what belonged to Shi Mu, no one else could have.
The true face of the person he once loved was overturned overnight. In this situation, no one could be so carefree as to sleep soundly.
Consequently, the next morning, Fu Xuanliao still had dark circles under his eyes, startling Jiang Rong, who was preparing breakfast in the kitchen, when he passed through the living room.
However, right after he finished washing up, Jiang Rong approached him again.
She was holding her phone, looking anxious, as if she had just hung up a call: “Your Aunt Li ran out of the hospital to find that woman surnamed Yang. What should we do?”
After realizing that “the woman surnamed Yang” referred to Yang Youlan, Shi Huaiyi’s mistress, Fu Xuanliao asked what exactly happened.
“I’m not too sure. Your Uncle Shi told me to call your Aunt Li when I had a chance and persuade her not to act rashly,” Jiang Rong said. “But I can’t get through to her phone. What if something really happens…”
Fu Xuanliao made a quick decision: “Uncle Shi should have Ms. Yang’s home address. Ask him to send it over.”
On the way to Yang Youlan’s house with Jiang Rong, Fu Xuanliao heard that Shi Huaiyi had used the excuse of being busy with work to say he wouldn’t go yet. Fu Xuanliao sneered, “He certainly knows how to hide.”
The root of all problems stemmed from Shi Huaiyi’s philandering and the debts he accumulated outside. Now, that guy was simply dusting his hands and ignoring everything, leaving others to bear the consequences and clean up the mess. It was utterly shameless.
Jiang Rong was still worried: “Your Aunt Li had a bad temper when she was young. They won’t start fighting, will they?”
“Not necessarily,” Fu Xuanliao said. “I suspect she’s making this trip to find the truth.”
The facts were just as Fu Xuanliao predicted. When they arrived at the residence in the east of the city, the door corresponding to the house number was ajar. As soon as they stepped out of the elevator, they could hear the noise inside.
Li Bihan had clearly dressed up today. Foundation and blush covered her pale complexion, and her hair was neatly pinned up, making her look sharp and energetic. The high heels she wore gave her a commanding presence, making her look every bit the legitimate wife compared to the disheveled Yang Youlan who had just woken up.
However, Li Bihan wasn’t there to dominate anyone this time. Even in her angriest moments years ago, she hadn’t wanted to fight this woman. Firstly, Shi Huaiyi was more to blame, and secondly, she came from a scholarly family. Getting entangled with such a low-class woman would likely make her a laughingstock.
But she had to make this trip today, to seek justice for the child who had suffered for so many years, and to gain clarity for herself.
Standing at the doorway, Li Bihan saw Jiang Rong and her son and told them not to come in yet.
“It’s fine, I have control,” Li Bihan smiled faintly. “If the situation gets out of hand later, then you can call the police.”
Yang Youlan inside was not as calm. Seeing that Li Bihan had brought “helpers,” she immediately yelled, “I knew you had bad intentions! I’ve called someone too, you just wait!”
In less than five minutes, the other person arrived.
When the middle-aged man stepped out of the elevator and walked over, Fu Xuanliao scrutinized him for a moment before calling out uncertainly, “Teacher Sun?”
Sun Yanfeng rushed over anxiously, nodded to Fu Xuanliao, and squeezed into the room. He pulled Yang Youlan down to sit and whispered soothingly, “You must not act rashly…”
The two mothers had already argued back and forth several times, but no valuable information had emerged. Li Bihan asked how she was living here, and Yang Youlan sarcastically replied, “It’s not as big as your house, but it’s comfortable.” When asked if she missed her child, she nonchalantly said, “Why would I miss him? He’s living well.”
“Do you know why I was able to find this place?” Li Bihan remained composed. “Because half of this property belongs to me. I only signed the agreement allowing him to handle the transfer when he bought it. That is to say, I agreed to let him use this house to send you away. I have known you lived here all these years.”
Yang Youlan’s eyes widened: “So what? This house is mine now, and I won’t give it back even if you find me here!”
“I didn’t come to ask for the house back. I don’t care about a broken house like this,” Li Bihan’s face hardened, and she spoke sternly. “I came to ask you, twenty-five years ago, why did you switch the two children?”
When the crucial point was raised, Yang Youlan’s arrogance immediately weakened.
“Switch children? What nonsense are you talking about?” she feigned ignorance.
Li Bihan was currently suppressing her anger, which was evident from her tightly clenched fists at her sides. She maintained a calm exterior: “Shi Huaiyi told me everything. The children were swapped by you right after they were born…”
“He said that? He told you that?” Yang Youlan became furious again. “That bastard, he clearly promised to keep it a secret…”
Before she could finish, Sun Yanfeng tugged her arm, cutting her off abruptly.
Her eyes darted around nervously. Yang Youlan took several deep breaths, regaining some composure: “Nonsense. How could I have the ability to do that? You two must be watching too many TV dramas, making up stories.”
Li Bihan naturally guessed she would deny it: “Then why haven’t you come to see Mengmeng, who has been sick for so many days?”
“Shi Huaiyi wouldn’t let me see him,” Yang Youlan said self-righteously. “When I sent him back to the Shi family, I promised not to see the child again.”
Li Bihan smiled slightly: “But you didn’t keep that promise, did you?”
She turned around, picked up an open photo album from the cabinet behind her, and held it up, questioning Yang Youlan: “Otherwise, tell me, what is this?”
It was an ordinary photo album, except that all the photos were taken from angles suggesting they were candid shots, and the subject was exclusively Shi Mu.
Yang Youlan had lived a muddled life, but she was attentive to her child. The photos were arranged chronologically, starting from Shi Mu’s kindergarten days, with the date of capture noted under each one.
Perhaps she had been looking at it last night and forgotten to put it away. Li Bihan saw the album the moment she walked in and immediately recognized the person in the photos from two meters away.
After all, she had raised the child for twenty years; it was impossible for her not to recognize him.
Precisely because Shi Mu had been pampered and loved by her for twenty years, she found it even harder to accept the fact that twenty years of devotion had been given to the wrong person.
Li Bihan couldn’t help but ask Yang Youlan, “Where are Mengmeng’s photos? Where are Mengmeng’s pictures?”
In those twenty years, she had also taken many photos of Shi Mu, far more than were in Yang Youlan’s album. But where was her Mengmeng? Her Mengmeng, because he was not favored by her, usually didn’t even dare to show his face at home. She had never once thought of taking a picture of “the child born to the mistress.”
This photo album, like the sketchbook in the other room, was Yang Youlan’s treasure. When her treasure was taken, she instinctively reached out to grab it. Li Bihan was taller and wearing high heels, so she easily lifted the album out of reach.
Yang Youlan’s eyes turned red with urgency. No matter how Sun Yanfeng pulled and pleaded behind her, she could no longer maintain her composure.
“Give it back to me! Give me the album back!” She frantically tugged at Li Bihan. “My Mu Mu, my Mu Mu deserves to have lots of photos, he deserves to be cherished as he grows up. What is the one you gave birth to?”
“I was already involved with Shi Huaiyi back then, and I even miscarried his child. That dog married you for his future and kept me outside, so I absolutely refused to let you give birth to his son first!”
“Although you were still two hours earlier, the taste of giving birth to a premature baby wasn’t pleasant, was it? It must have been painful watching your own son be taken away, right?” What started as random venting turned into a source of relief for Yang Youlan, and she became excited. “Hahaha, retribution, it’s all retribution! You raised my child for twenty years, yet you treated your own son coldly. I’ve been looking forward to watching this joke all these years, hahahaha!”
She laughed maniacally and wildly, completely disregarding the presence of others.
Fu Xuanliao and Jiang Rong entered the room upon hearing the noise and saw Li Bihan’s arm slacken, dropping the photo album to the floor.
But she looked relatively normal, at least she hadn’t been provoked into an emotional breakdown.
Only her heart was trembling violently. The fine tremors started internally and spread throughout her entire body.
“So you admit to switching the children?” Her lips trembled as she spoke. Li Bihan clutched her chest, gasping rapidly, speaking as if to herself, “It’s good that you admit it. It’s good that you admit it…”
(Part 2)
The situation quickly became uncontrollable, and Jiang Rong called the police.
When the police car arrived downstairs, both Li Bihan and Yang Youlan had scratches on their faces. If Fu Xuanliao and Sun Yanfeng hadn’t been holding them back, one on each side, someone might have been seriously hurt.
Even after admitting the switch, Yang Youlan still considered herself the winner and gloated, “You stupid woman, you deserve not to recognize your own child!”
Li Bihan finally recovered. Bound by her upbringing, she couldn’t utter sharp or malicious words, so she seized the time to press her questions: “Where are Mengmeng’s photos? There must be a few, right? Where are they? Take them out quickly!”
Yang Youlan laughed again: “No, there aren’t. I raised him for eight years, I saw him every day. Why would I need to take pictures?”
“You are so cruel,” Li Bihan choked out. “What did he do wrong? He is innocent! You raised him for so many years, don’t you have any feelings for him?”
“Feelings?” Yang Youlan laughed until tears streamed down her face. “Every time I watched him sleep, I wished I could strangle him! I kept him alive and sent him back to the Shi family just to wait for this day!”
“So you instructed Shi Mu to steal his painting? You will surely face retribution for treating him like that!”
“What theft? Didn’t he steal my Mu Mu’s painting?” Yang Youlan raised her voice. “The whole world knows that your son, Shi Meng, stole my son, Shi Mu’s painting, just like you stole my position as Madam Shi. Retribution, that’s what this is!”
Fu Xuanliao was first surprised that Li Bihan knew about the painting, and then enraged by Yang Youlan’s words.
He said, “That painting was created by Shi Meng, it belongs to him. There are ways to clear his name.”
Yang Youlan was stunned, then shifted her gaze to Fu Xuanliao.
“It’s you,” she wiped a tear from her eye. “Didn’t you love our Mu Mu and hate Shi Meng?”
Fu Xuanliao stated frankly, “I only hate the person who truly stole the painting.”
Perhaps not wanting Shi Mu’s posthumous reputation to be tarnished, Yang Youlan quickly took the blame: “I told him to steal the painting, I made him steal it!”
“My Mu Mu was so pitiful. What’s wrong with him wanting a few more things? Didn’t you all say you liked him and cherished him? Are you going to pursue even this small matter?”
“This is not a small matter,” Fu Xuanliao said. “The moment he entertained such malicious thoughts, he was no longer the Shi Mu I knew, and he no longer deserved forgiveness.”
Yang Youlan had spent most of her life fighting for her dignity, and the word “deserved” clearly struck a nerve.
“You say he doesn’t deserve it? My Mu Mu was born with good fortune, he should have been the legitimate Young Master of the Shi family!” She lifted her chin toward Li Bihan, looking triumphant. “You can only blame your son for his bad luck. After coming out of your womb, my Mu Mu deserved to grow up bathed in sunlight, and the one you bore should stay in the gutter!”
It was painful to imagine how much Shi Meng suffered during those eight years, unloved and uncared for. Remembering how he used to see Shi Meng timidly hiding under tables when he was little, Fu Xuanliao felt both heartache and anger, clenching his jaw tightly.
He held back Li Bihan, who was about to step forward, and glared at the malicious woman before him: “He is very fortunate. Meeting you was the only misfortune in his life. But he has already overcome that hurdle, and the rest of his life will be smooth sailing.”
“You won’t be able to steal anything that belongs to him.”
The arrival of the police temporarily halted the commotion.
Their main task was dispute mediation. Regarding the events that occurred twenty-something years ago, the police only took simple notes, preparing to transfer the case to the relevant departments for follow-up.
Fu Xuanliao instinctively felt that Teacher Sun was inextricably linked to this matter, but the chaotic scene didn’t allow him to ask more questions. He figured it wouldn’t be too late to thoroughly investigate and pursue the matter when filing a lawsuit later.
As they left, Yang Youlan was still maniacally muttering “Why didn’t he die instead” behind them. However, Sun Yanfeng, who had been silent the whole time, followed them out and slipped a small white paper bag into Li Bihan’s hand.
Li Bihan had taken a taxi from the hospital, so she got directly into Fu Xuanliao’s car for the return journey.
Jiang Rong was her close friend and also a mother. Seeing her in such a state, she felt deeply empathetic. In the back seat, she carefully used antiseptic wipes and tissues to clean the cuts on Li Bihan’s face, comforting her that everything would pass.
Li Bihan didn’t seem to register much of what was said. She hadn’t spoken since getting into the car, but her tears never stopped, especially when she took out a few small, one-inch photos from the white paper bag. The subject was a boy who looked no older than five or six.
They were standard passport photos, clearly taken out of necessity. They hadn’t been properly preserved over the years; the edges were soft and yellowed.
While waiting at a red light, Jiang Rong handed one to the front seat. Fu Xuanliao carefully held the photo, examining it against the light.
The little boy in the picture had large, beautiful eyes, a small nose, and tightly pursed lips, staring expressionlessly at the camera. An uninformed passerby would likely praise his good looks or remark, “Why isn’t this child smiling?”
If there was nothing to be happy about, how could he smile?
He just wanted a little sunshine, a little warmth from others. At that young age, he probably couldn’t understand why everyone around him disliked him and treated him poorly.
In the back seat, Li Bihan stroked the photo, weeping miserably: “It’s all Mom’s fault. I made you suffer so much, made you get bullied and wronged.”
Fu Xuanliao also wanted to ask himself: How could I not believe him? How could I bear to treat him badly?
A bitter taste spread from his heart to his throat, like swallowing a capsule with the coating stripped off. Every trace of bitterness that diffused crushed his fragile sensory nerves.
With every new piece of information, his heartache for Shi Meng grew, and his pain doubled, then doubled again.
Fu Xuanliao took a long breath, suppressing the tears that threatened to spill.
He turned his head, holding up the photo: “Aunt Li, can I have this one? I promise to keep it safe and never lose it.”
I will treat him well, and never let him suffer injustice again.
Fu Xuanliao never made idle vows; once made, he would see them through.
But the person in the photo wasn’t giving him a chance to make amends.
The group drove straight to the hospital. Jiang Xue was still guarding the door of the ward, saying Shi Meng didn’t want to see anyone.
“Please, Miss Jiang, pass on a message for me,” Li Bihan was exhausted from the ordeal. Supported by Jiang Rong, she could barely stand, but she insisted on delivering the message. “Tell Mengmeng that I will seek justice for him, no matter which side it comes from.”
This implied that she would not shield Shi Sihui. The group changed course and headed to the police station. In front of the police, Li Bihan indeed made no demands, only asking them to enforce the law impartially and restore the truth of the facts.
Fu Xuanliao was still uneasy. After seeing the elders off, he went to find Officer Chen, who was in charge of the case.
He ran into the officer upstairs and guessed from his expression that things were not going smoothly.
Sure enough, Officer Chen pointed to one of the interrogation rooms and said, “They probably colluded and plan to let that person surnamed Zhou take the blame. She refuses to say a single word; everything is handled by her lawyer.”
Fu Xuanliao glanced at the closed door and asked, “Can I talk to her?”
Officer Chen reported to his superior. About fifteen minutes later, Fu Xuanliao walked into the interrogation room and caught the surprise in Shi Sihui’s eyes.
But it lasted only a second. As Fu Xuanliao sat down in the seat opposite her, she lowered her gaze again, putting on a cold face and stubbornly resisting.
Fu Xuanliao was in no hurry to speak. He played with the glass cup on the table for a while, tapping his fingers against the side, creating a sharp, jarring sound in the quiet environment.
Shi Sihui had been there all night, exhausted physically and mentally from the interrogation. Before long, she showed impatience and took the initiative to ask, “What are you doing here?”
Only then did Fu Xuanliao put down the cup: “I came to see if you regret it.”
Shi Sihui was startled, then curled her lips: “I didn’t do anything wrong. My subordinate acted on her own, and it has nothing to do with me…”
“I want to ask,” Fu Xuanliao didn’t give her a chance to continue, “do you regret hurting your biological brother, and the mother who trusted you?”
This was an interrogation. Shi Sihui subconsciously defended herself: “I didn’t know he was my biological brother before. Besides, even if he is, so what? I’m the one who worked diligently in the corporation. Why should he…”
She stopped halfway, realizing she had let slip an indirect admission. Shi Sihui bit her lip, glaring resentfully at the man sitting opposite her.
Fu Xuanliao, having confirmed the motive, felt no joy. After all this, it really was because of that ten percent share, proving his earlier statement: “A man is innocent, but his treasure makes him guilty.”
Even if Shi Meng did nothing, there were plenty of people who were jealous and envious, hiding in the shadows, waiting for a chance to stab him.
“Even if you have no affection for him, you shouldn’t have gone this far,” Fu Xuanliao met Shi Sihui’s gaze and continued, “If something happens to him, none of you will have a good outcome.”
He directly classified Shi Sihui as a criminal, using the potential consequences to intimidate her. In this situation, she either didn’t answer, or if she spoke, it would be difficult not to reveal flaws.
Sure enough, Shi Sihui became agitated: “But nothing happened, did it? What could happen from just a few hits?” Her rationality was disrupted by emotion, and she threw caution to the wind. “Did that bastard Shi Meng tell you? Did he tell you not to let me off? Hmph, he used to be timid and wouldn’t dare say a thing, but now he’s transformed into the Shi family’s eldest young master and is starting to eliminate dissent.”
Fu Xuanliao noticed her change in address for Shi Meng from “bastard” to “jerk,” indicating she had accepted the fact that Shi Meng was her blood relative, sharing the same father and mother. Yet, she could still speak such heartless words, showing she was a thorough egoist. The former Shi Mu and the current Shi Meng were no different in her eyes.
Not wanting to engage in a discussion of humanity in the limited time, Fu Xuanliao didn’t answer the question directly but reviewed the entire incident.
“There’s no need to guess. At the shareholders’ meeting that day, you didn’t know Shi Meng would come to the corporation building, so you panicked, thinking he was there to cause trouble. You originally wanted to drive him away, but your subordinate messed up and injured him, so you took the opportunity to vent years of resentment.”
“On the surface, you seem to have everything, but in reality, you are not valued in the Shi family. You have ability but no real power, and you’ve long been unhappy with those younger brothers who have everything without contributing anything.”
“That is the cause and sequence of events.”
There was no question mark, yet the statement was as certain as if he had witnessed it, and every word struck Shi Sihui’s sore spots.
She wanted to argue, to deny it and say she didn’t do it. Even if she slipped up just now, it didn’t matter, as plenty of people would cover for her. But looking at the calm and composed man before her, she felt a moment of distraction.
By the time she regained her senses, the urge to argue had vanished. It was as if she recalled her first youthful crush, which was also due to this man’s integrity, openness, and honesty, setting him apart from others who had been immersed in this noisy, superficial world of fame and fortune since childhood.
He guessed everything correctly, except for one detail in the cause.
Lowering her gaze again, concealing the surging resentment within, Shi Sihui smiled helplessly: “I do regret it.”
She regretted letting him in, regretted the jealousy, and even more regretted repeatedly treating him differently.
Having confirmed what he needed, Fu Xuanliao stood up, preparing to leave. Officer Chen had monitored the entire conversation and should now know how to proceed with the interrogation.
At the door, Fu Xuanliao heard Shi Sihui say leisurely behind him, “So you forgot about Shi Mu a long time ago… But he wasn’t a good person anyway.”
Fu Xuanliao turned around: “You knew he stole the painting?”
“No, but I could guess,” the despondency lasted only a few seconds. Shi Sihui, back to her usual self, shrugged. “He’s just like his biological mother, one malicious scheme after another. Like mother, like son.”
Through the information gathered over the past few days and the reconstruction of the past, Fu Xuanliao generally knew that Shi Mu was not as innocent as he once believed, at least regarding the painting theft. Shi Mu was calculating and far from blameless.
But Shi Sihui didn’t know more details. She simply indulged in venting her emotions: “Shi Meng is also a jerk. He actually took advantage of a path paved by others.”
When asked about the origin of the “taking advantage,” Shi Sihui changed the subject, teasing, “I heard he tied you up on a boat and you almost didn’t make it back?”
Seeing that he couldn’t extract any more useful information, Fu Xuanliao didn’t answer, pressing the doorknob with one hand.
Shi Sihui took his silence as confirmation and scoffed, “Even after all that, you still protect him…”
The foot he had stepped out with froze in place. The mocking words drifted clearly into his ears on the not-so-cool evening breeze.
“So, after all this, Shi Meng is your true love. What do they call that… love developed over time?”
“Too bad. You were involved in the share grab, and he heard everything clearly on the phone that day. How about we make a bet on whether he will forgive you?”