Yao Ran told them that she had accidentally discovered something strange about Yao Tang’s blood type—it was different from the rest of her family. What was more, she had run into someone who looked just like Yao Tang a few days ago.
But she didn’t want to cause any trouble, so she refrained from discussing the matter with her parents.
As such, Yao Ranwas understandably conflicted and confused about what to do with the information.
In the end, it was the boys who came up with a plan. They intended to engage with Yao Tangone way or another, then secretly pluck a few strands of her hair.Yao Ranwould then take the specimen to a laboratory for a DNA test.
Unfortunately for them, Yao Ranwould see through their ruse and thwart their scheme.
Not only that, but the boys would also be rebuked by the public, and the inevitable embarrassment would shadow them for quite some time.
“Thank you for your concern and your help,” Yao Ransaid with feeling. “If it were all up to me, I wouldn’t know what to do.”
She paused for effect, then assumed a look of wonder. “Actually, I’m still not sure what to think of this issue. Yao Tangis somewhat similar to my second uncle, but she doesn’t resemble my second aunt at all. In fact, she looked a lot more like that stranger aunt I met some time ago. I guess we’ll never know…”
One of the boys suddenly perked up. “Hang on a minute! So basically, what you’re saying is that Yao Tangisn’t like your aunt at all, right?”
Yao Ran nodded slowly.
The boy nodded in earnest. “I see. I think I understand it now. Maybe Yao Tang’s mother is not your aunt, but someone else. If my hunch is correct, then she must be an illegitimate child of your uncle’s!”
Yao Ran gasped. She looked shocked at first, but it soon gave way to anger. “That’s not possible! Although my aunt and uncle have always lived in the countryside, they are honest and upright people. There’s no way!”
However, her words only seemed to confirm the boy’s suspicions.
“I’m telling you, just look at Yao Tang. There’s nothing honest or upright about her. I’ll bet my allowance that her personality is much similar to that lady you met the other day.”
“Ah, that makes sense!” the other boy piped up. “She’s a bastard child, after all.”
Yao Ran was visibly unhappy. “No, I already told you, that’s impossible. Just stop talking and forget about it. If you mention this matter again, I won’t let you off!”
The boys promptly dropped the subject, afraid that Yao Ranwould hate them.
“Ranran,” one of them ventured with some hesitation. “Do you plan to look into it further?”
She looked in the distance and sighed. “No, I won’t. I can’t do it. Second Uncle’s family is doing quite well. I don’t want to cause them any trouble. Just let it go, all right? Let’s pretend we don’t know anything.”
The boy opened his mouth to say something else, but Yao Rancut him off by saying goodbye.
The boys were shaking their heads as they walked back to their classroom.
They felt sorry for Yao Ran. She chose to bear the burden of the truth behindYao Tang’s birth, even though she had nothing to gain from it.
Unbeknownst to them, the girl they so adored was striding away with a malicious glint in her eyes. She had finally obtained a crucial chess piece, and she was going to make sure she didn’t waste it.
The three students were so engrossed with their own thoughts that none of them noticed a figure in the distance. The fourth person had been there all along, and had seen and heard everything that they had discussed.
“I’m still convinced that she’s an illegitimate child. It’s a pity that Ranranforbade us from telling the truth.”
“I know, right? Ranranis too kind for her own good. She didn’t even fight back whenYao Tangmocked her in front of so many people.”
…
At the sports complex.
Xu Xuan strode toward the tennis court, ready to begin today’s training.
She never missed a day throughout the whole year, and everyone was aware of the amount of time and energy Xu Xuanspent on tennis. Naturally, they admired her and commended her diligence.
“Xu Xuan is already a top-notch player, but she still keeps training tirelessly. I’m sure she’ll become a famous professional player one day.”
And so, they were all shocked when the transfer student Yao Tanghad beaten their star player at a match, and so effortlessly, too.
What disheartened them more was the fact that Xu Xuanseemed to have gone berserk after her defeat, amping up her training to extreme, almost unreasonable levels.
Some of them tried to dissuade her a few times, but she refused to listen.
Xu Xuan continued training like a madwoman, as if her life itself depended on tennis.
“Xu Xuan!” a voice called while she was in the middle of her session. “Someone is outside, looking for you. Go and check it out for a bit.”
“I’m busy at the moment!” Xu Xuanyelled back as she whacked the ball with her racket.
Her eyes never wandered from the ball for even a second.
