Whether it was going back to County B to investigate what happened when he was in danger, or investigating the matter of Shu Er’s biological parents, Huo Chao was prepared to ask his uncle for help.
Thanks to the previous incident involving the luxury yacht, Huo Chao and Fu Li had grown closer than before, and their interactions had become more casual.
The age gap between the two was quite significant, spanning nearly a full generation. If a three-year gap could be considered a generational divide, then there were four divides between Fu Li and Huo Chao.
However, Fu Li had always prided himself on his open-mindedness and youthful attitude, believing that there was no real gap between him and his nephew.
Once home, Huo Chao called Fu Li. After hearing the purpose of the call, Fu Li responded with a playful tone, “Nephew, when can I meet this little girl?”
Huo Chao replied, “…What do you want to meet her for?”
“I’m curious, you know? I want to see what your little baby looks like.”
Huo Chao sighed, “…It’s not what you think.”
Fu Li’s tone grew even more teasing. “If it’s not what I think, then why did you throw her a birthday party on a yacht? And why are you helping her find her biological parents? Are you raising her like a daughter?”
Huo Chao rubbed his temples, feeling increasingly annoyed. “This is a long story.”
“Well, let’s make it short then.”
Huo Chao took a moment to gather his thoughts and succinctly explained the situation. Though he kept it brief, Fu Li understood the gist.
Once he comprehended the situation, Fu Li burst into laughter on the other end of the line. “So, you’re fulfilling all the wishes of a girl, only to realize that you might have mistaken your savior? Hahaha! I can’t believe it! How did you get yourself into this mess, nephew?”
He never realized that his nephew was a fool.
Huo Chao felt a headache coming on, regretting that he had even shared this information.
“Are you done laughing yet?”
“Of course not! This is something I’ll be able to laugh about for a lifetime! Hahaha!”
Huo Chao sighed, growing impatient. “Okay, enough of that. I’m already stressed out as it is.”
He had seen Shu Er’s message, but he chose to set it aside for now, not wanting to act recklessly without confirming the truth.
After a good laugh, Fu Li finally became serious. “Nephew, what are you planning to do?”
Huo Chao had already thought this through. “I want to return to County B myself.”
He recalled how, ten years ago, he had secretly returned to County B without telling his father or brother.
The reason for sneaking back was still fresh in his mind.
That day, he had an intense argument with his father over his brother.
His brother was a prodigy, excelling in everything, and had always been his father’s pride. Huo Chao, on the other hand, had been the mischievous troublemaker, lacking any real achievements.
Since childhood, the most common phrases he heard from his father were, “Look at your brother…”
“Why can’t you be as good as your brother?”
“You should learn from your brother. Stop being so aimless.”
From the time he became aware of his surroundings, he understood that his brilliant brother was the heir his father had fully prepared to take over the family business.
As for him?
He was merely the one who would be left behind, struggling in his brother’s shadow.
His father had very low expectations of him; as long as he didn’t bring shame to the family, that was enough.
He had no intention of competing with his brother for the family business, but as a child, he yearned for more attention and care from his father.
To capture his father’s notice, he would create all sorts of troubles, both big and small, but each time, it only led to deeper disappointment from his father.
After that heated argument, he suddenly missed his mother very much.
While his father favored his brother, his mother had doted on him, the youngest son.
Unfortunately, his mother had passed away when he was seven, buried in the beautiful County B.
He had set off for County B alone, armed only with his wallet and unwavering determination. His journey had gone smoothly until he arrived in County B, only to encounter a powerful earthquake, plunging him into peril and leaving his life hanging by a thread.
Mentioning County B left both Huo Chao and Fu Li in silence.
They both knew it was the resting place of their mother/sister.
At that moment, neither of them felt inclined to continue the conversation.
Fu Li’s voice grew heavy, “Nephew, I understand what you’re dealing with. Just leave it to me.”
“Thank you, Uncle.”
After hanging up, Huo Chao slowly slid down the wall, dejectedly burying his head between his knees.
He recalled that day from ten years ago.
The panic during the earthquake, the fear of death, the longing for his father’s affection, the envy toward his brother, and the yearning for his mother—all these emotions weighed heavily on Huo Chao’s heart, making it hard for him to breathe.
Years of unfulfilled yearning for his father’s love slowly made him realize that he would never surpass his brother.
Is he really that unbearable?
Huo Chao remained hunched over, reluctant to lift his head.
He just wanted to sit in silence for a while.
But then, his phone rang with a cheerful ringtone.
At that moment, Huo Chao had no desire to talk to anyone.
Without looking up, he instinctively reached to reject the call, but perhaps due to a slip of his finger, he accidentally answered.
The next second, Shu Er’s lively voice came clearly. “Brother, I just used that scar removal ointment, and it smells so bad! I don’t smell nice at all anymore.”
Huo Chao gradually woke from his gloom at the sound of her energetic voice.
Indeed, Shu Er was still a child in need of care, which explained her perpetual cheerfulness and carefree attitude.
He pinched the bridge of his nose to collect his emotions before replying, “Even if it smells bad, you still have to use it, understand?”
Shu Er huffed a couple of times and made a request. “Brother, can’t you find me some fragrant ointment instead?”
Huo Chao had met many girls throughout his life, some from equally affluent backgrounds, but he had never encountered one as delicate as Shu Er, who couldn’t even tolerate the slightest stench.
Huo Chao didn’t quite understand. “Why does it need to smell so good?”
As long as the cream is effective, that was all that mattered, right?
Shu Er wouldn’t give in. “Stinky brother, I just want to smell nice! This stinky smell is keeping me up at night!”
Every time Huo Chao thought Shu Er had reached her limit, she would prove him wrong, showing she could be even more relentless.
“Fine, I’ll ask around.”
Only then did Shu Er laugh, her voice sweet and syrupy, like summer strawberries. “Brother, you’re the best! You’re the best in the whole world!”
Huo Chao laughed softly.
At moments like these, Shu Er’s rainbow farts poured out like they were free, filling the air with sweet words.
In those moments, he realized he was needed. Although he wasn’t as good as his brother and didn’t attract admiration as he did, there were still people who relied on him.
Finding the truth about the mix-up wasn’t too difficult; hospitals kept records of births and could reveal which mothers had given birth that day.
If someone put in the effort, they could find out in a few days.
So, a few days later, Huo Chao learned from Uncle Fu Li that Shu Er might be the daughter of the Shu family.
Upon hearing this, Huo Chao was taken aback.
The Shu family had one son and one daughter, and the only girl is Shu Er.
What a coincidence that Shu Er’s name sounded so similar to Shu Er!
Fu Li had done the investigation, knowing more than Huo Chao did due to his age and experience.
Fu Li said in a light tone, “I found out that your little Shu Er wasn’t originally named Shu Er; she was originally called Shu Li, and it was later changed to Shu Er.”
Huo Chao understood immediately.
The surname was likely a coincidence, but the first name being the same must have been intentional by the Shu parents.
Naming the adopted child the same as their biological child might bring them some comfort, or at least remind them of their own child from time to time.
Fu Li didn’t know what to make of it. “What kind of thinking is it to name an adopted child the same as their biological one and then let them grow up in the countryside?”
Huo Chao sneered. “What else could it be? They probably missed their biological child while also resenting the adopted one.”
“When are you going to tell your little Shu Er about this?”
Huo Chao didn’t correct Fu Li on his address for Shu Er. He knew his uncle well enough that the more he tried to correct him, the more Fu Li would push back, so he simply let it go.
“I’ll tell her after school.”
Fu Li hesitated for a moment before offering a reminder. “If Shu Er goes back to the Shu family, her life might not necessarily be better than it is now.”
After hearing this, Huo Chao fell silent.
He knew that the Shu family was just an ordinary working-class family— they could meet basic needs, and while life wasn’t rich, the family structure was simple. In contrast, the Shu family was wealthy, where buying luxury items is just like buying cabbage, and competition was fierce. The social status and living standards of the two families were vastly different.
Shu Er received the best elite education since childhood. She can speak multiple languages, understand multiple musical instruments, has her own social circle and way of survival. She is a well-known socialite in Beijing, and many people in the circle know her.
But what does Shu Er have?
Shu Er has nothing.
She had grown up in the countryside, far from the advantages that came with wealth.
Would she truly be able to adapt to life with the Shu family?
Once back with the Shu’s, would she feel lost, think she didn’t belong, or fall into despair?
The question of whether Shu Er would return was also significant.
Huo Chao pondered for a moment before saying, “The decision of whether to return isn’t ours to make; it’s up to Shu Er.”
Fu Li asked curiously, “Nephew, are you going to do nothing?”
His nephew had previously organized a birthday party for the girl and is now helping her find her biological parents. Did that mean he would simply wash his hands of the matter once Shu Er returned to the Shu family?
Although Shu Er might not be Huo Chao’s life-saver, the feelings he had invested couldn’t have been insincere.
After spending time together, they couldn’t have built any bond at all.
Fu Li waited patiently for Huo Chao’s response.
Huo Chao lowered his gaze. “No.”
Fu Li became more interested. “What do you plan to do then?”
Huo Chao looked up, a faint smile playing on his lips, his tone carrying a hint of determination. “Shu Er must leave the Shu family and return to the Shu family.”
Only if Shu Er left the Shu family would she no longer have a point of comparison.
Without the exemplary Shu Er around, her burden would be significantly lighter.
Having grown up in the shadow of his brother, Huo Chao understood the feeling of being overshadowed all too well.
Because he had truly experienced it, he would never allow Shu Er to feel that way.
