"There's really nothing to it, just that Zhou Jinbai didn't harm his brothers, that's all."
Jia Yanzhen's words left everyone, except for Jia Huaixu and Meng Chuzheng, even more bewildered.
Jia Huaixu narrowed his eyes dangerously. He truly hadn't known that his son was aware of the Jia family's biggest secret.
As for Meng Chuzheng, she couldn't help but be astonished. Among her three sons, Jia Yanzhen was the one with whom she had the most distant relationship.
At times, Meng Chuzheng even wondered if he was her son or merely an subordinate, for no matter what task she assigned Jia Yanzhen, he would complete it perfectly.
Yet, in Meng Chuzheng's memory, the young Jia Yanzhen had been extremely clingy, like a little shadow, even acting spoiled towards her.
But as Meng Chuzheng recalled these memories, looking at the boy before her now felt like a lifetime ago.
Zhou Jinbai raised an eyebrow, his stern gaze falling on Jia Yanzhen. For him, it was quite unexpected that Jia Yanzhen would speak up for him at this moment.
"Jia Yanzhen, what are you trying to do? Are you turning your back on your own family?" Although Jia Yankang didn't know what Jia Yanzhen would say, his intuition told him it would be something detrimental to them.
"Yanzhen, Yankang and I are your brothers," Jia Yansong couldn't help but remind Jia Yanzhen.
Jia Yanzhen merely chuckled lightly. Brothers?
Heh!
They had bullied him since childhood. Jia Yanzhen had once thought it was normal, just sibling rivalry.
But human nature is inherently evil. In reality, what Jia Yankang and Jia Yansong had done to him had nearly cost him his life several times. Later, when he learned the truth, he understood that there was no such thing as deep brotherly affection; it was merely his own wishful thinking.
Afterward, Jia Yanzhen no longer associated with these two brothers. In fact, seeing the scoundrel things they did, Jia Yanzhen's only thought was: they were digging their own graves.
"Yanzhen, tell us everything you know," the old lady commanded.
Jia Yanzhen nodded and said, "Because Jia Yankang, Jia Yansong, and I are not Ms. Meng Chuzheng's biological children, we are all just adopted children. Therefore, what brotherhood could there be between people with no blood relation?"
Jia Yanzhen's words instantly startled everyone present.
Especially Jia Yankang and Jia Yansong, who were completely dumbfounded.
As for Zhou Bingwen, his face had turned as dark as night.
"Impossible, how could this be? You're talking nonsense." Zhou Chengde absolutely refused to believe any of it. If all of this were true, then he would have been a mere clown tonight.
"When I first learned of this, I also found it unbelievable. As the person involved, with so much family fortune in the Jia family, if I kept this secret, I could inherit the Jia family's wealth later. Why would I reveal it?"
Jia Yanzhen retorted to Zhou Chengde, leaving him speechless.
The old lady, however, seemed to have grasped a key piece of information and immediately said, "Arrange for a doctor to perform a paternity test immediately!"
She didn't even want to question Meng Chuzheng, that woman who spewed lies.
Everything would await the final test results.
Jia Huaixu and Meng Chuzheng became the center of attention, with everyone's gaze fixed upon them.
"Jia Huaixu, even if you object, this old woman will not let this go. Tonight's matter involves my grandson's life," the old lady said to Jia Huaixu.
Jia Huaixu's face wore a smile. If one ignored his identity, he would absolutely be a warm and optimistic handsome uncle.
"My objection is indeed meaningless, and there's no need for a paternity test. Yankang, Yansong, and Yanzhen, the three brothers, are my adopted sons."
Jia Huaixu's words brought the entire hall to a stunned silence for over ten seconds.
They had never imagined that tonight's events would uncover such a massive secret within a wealthy family.
Why did Jia Huaixu adopt three sons?
Was there something wrong with him in that regard?
Or were there other secrets they were unaware of?
Suddenly, too many speculations flooded everyone's minds.
"Dad, this isn't true, how could we not be your children?"
Jia Yansong was dumbfounded. The arrogance that had always adorned his face was now replaced by a deep confusion.
Jia Yankang was likewise shocked. "Dad, Mom, none of this is true, is it? We are your biological children. Jia Yanzhen, that beast, has hated me and Yansong all these years, which is why he deliberately said these things. He wants to drive me and Yansong away so he can inherit everything in the Jia family by himself!"
After speaking, Jia Yankang glared furiously at Jia Yanzhen. "Jia Yanzhen, you beast! How could you harm us like this? You're a traitorous dog!"
Jia Yanzhen's expression remained unchanged. Zhou Tianqiong, who had been sitting all along, slammed the table forcefully, his voice booming, compelling everyone to turn their attention back to him.
"How dare you! The ancestral hall of the Dongfang family is not a place for you to cause such a scene. Go and get the test done immediately. Our Dongfang family values truth and facts!" Zhou Tianqiong knew that since Jia Yanzhen had spoken these words himself, the true identities of the three brothers were likely confirmed.
However, the paternity test still needed to be done. Otherwise, if this information spread, it would lack any credibility.
Of course, Zhou Tianqiong had another motive: to prevent certain individuals within the Dongfang family from harboring ulterior motives.
Although the Dongfang family appeared united, there were many who harbored ill intentions. If Zhou Jinbai hadn't been so outstanding, they would have already destroyed him, how could they have allowed him to hog all the glory?
After all, there were many capable individuals in the Dongfang family, and even by seniority, Zhou Jinbai was a junior, not someone who should be managing such a large family.
It could be said that Zhou Jinbai had been treading on thin ice all these years, bearing the title of 'Dongfang Junze.'
Everyone wished for him to stumble and find a handle to drag him down to hell.
They had waited for so many years, and today they had finally found an opportunity, which they would undoubtedly exploit to the fullest.
And all Zhou Tianqiong could do was to eliminate all their excuses before they could make a big fuss.
Since the paternity test required some time, Zhou Jinbai directly carried Lin Xingwan to a nearby resting room and gently placed her on the bed.
As there was a screen in the room, all men had to wait outside the screen.
Zhou Jinbai, along with a female doctor, carefully began to undress Lin Xingwan.
Even though their movements were gentle, the moment they touched her wound, Lin Xingwan gritted her teeth in pain.
The spikes on the iron rod had pierced through the flesh of Lin Xingwan's waist, causing severe swelling.
While the doctor was cleaning, disinfecting, and stopping the bleeding, she couldn't help but ask, "Tonight, I'll give her an anti-inflammatory injection and a tetanus shot, and some anti-inflammatory medication. But tomorrow, she must get an X-ray. I'm worried the iron spikes embedded in her waist may have damaged her spine."
The female doctor had been with the Dongfang family for years and had treated the wounds of several people who had been subjected to family punishment.
However, those were all men. In her decades of practice, this was the first time she had seen a woman beaten with an iron rod.
She truly wondered if it would affect her fertility in the future.
Zhou Jinbai remained silent, but his brow was constantly furrowed as he looked at Lin Xingwan's horrifying wound.
The contrast between her fair, tender skin and her waist covered in wounds was stark.
And all of this was because of him.
He had always said he would protect this woman, but the very thing he feared most had still happened.
Zhou Jinbai clenched his fist and punched the wall.
He was so angry, so furious!
"It's okay, these injuries will heal with time," Lin Xingwan said, reaching out her hand. Zhou Jinbai quickly grasped it.
She knew he felt guilty, but she wouldn't allow him to get hurt for her sake.
"I feel so useless. I once promised you, but now I can only watch as you are beaten," Zhou Jinbai said, his eyes seemingly glistening with tears, looking utterly wronged.
Lin Xingwan's pain was somewhat alleviated. Looking at Zhou Jinbai like this, she couldn't help but want to laugh.
Xue Manting and Liu Mengqin sat beside Su Mo Yao and Bai Xiao respectively. Liu Mengqin was extremely anxious but knew that her worry was useless at this moment.
Xue Manting spoke softly, "I always thought someone like Zhou Jinbai would never be controlled by his family, but tonight, I realize I was too naive."
Even a man as outstanding as Zhou Jinbai had to accept his fate.
Let alone her and Su Mo Yao.
Although Su Mo Yao was excellent, he was still a long way from Zhou Jinbai.
If Zhou Jinbai couldn't act as he pleased, how could Su Mo Yao?
Xue Manting's resolve about whether she and Su Mo Yao could be together wavered once more.
Su Mo Yao glanced at Xue Manting, wanting to hold her hand, but Xue Manting ultimately withdrew hers.
Meanwhile, in another room, the Jia Huaixu family was confined.
Jia Yansong and Jia Yankang, the brothers, no longer had the mental capacity to think about how to deal with Zhou Jinbai. They surrounded Meng Chuzheng and Jia Huaixu.
"Are all three of us not your biological children? Why have you never told us?"
"Jia Yanzhen, that dog, is lying, right? He's just stalling for time, isn't he?"
"Dad, Mom, we are your biological children. I don't believe we are adopted. You've loved us so much since we were little, how could we not be your children?"
Even now, Jia Yansong and Jia Yankang refused to believe Jia Yanzhen's words.
Jia Yanzhen sat calmly on the sofa, drinking tea. His face, often used by various medical beauty companies for advertisements, was serene.
Meng Chuzheng looked at the noisy Jia Yansong and Jia Yanzhen and said sternly, "Didn't I tell you to pretend the incident the night before last never happened and not to cause trouble at the Dongfang family's residence? But you ignored my words? Not only did you cause trouble, but you made such a mess of it? Now even I can't save you."
Although Meng Chuzheng didn't directly answer the brothers' questions, she indirectly confirmed that they were indeed not her and Jia Huaixu's biological children.
Moreover, Meng Chuzheng was furious. These two brothers had been foolish and wicked since childhood. Meng Chuzheng had always turned a blind eye because she had adopted them.
But now they had directly tried to kill her biological son. Were they insane?
Did they think she would help them deal with Zhou Jinbai?
"Mom, we listened to you at first, but then a strange number called us and told us that if we exposed what Zhou Jinbai did to us, then Zhou Jinbai would have nowhere to hide. We were foolish at the time and were used. You must save us. We promise to obey you from now on."
Jia Yankang tightly gripped Meng Chuzheng's hand. He already had a shifty appearance, and now, with his nervous and fearful expression, Meng Chuzheng found him even more unsightly.
She, Meng Chuzheng, had schemed for so many years, only to adopt these two useless individuals and now have to clean up their mess. Meng Chuzheng was extremely agitated.
"If you brothers listen to me, perhaps I can save your lives," Jia Huaixu said, rubbing his temples wearily. He had no doubt that the person who called them was Zhou Bingwen.
However, he had no evidence.
Besides, Jia Yansong and Jia Yankang were merely pawns he had cultivated for over twenty years. Although they had lived together for so many years and he had some feelings for them, compared to Meng Chuzheng's goals, the lives of Jia Yansong and Jia Yankang were not that important.
Jia Huaixu looked at Jia Yanzhen, who was leisurely drinking tea, and asked, "When did you know that the three of you brothers were not our biological children?"
When a pawn gains consciousness, it is either destroyed or can no longer be treated as a pawn.
"I forget the exact time. It was probably the night before Ms. Meng's birthday. I wanted to put the gift I had prepared in her room to surprise her. You two happened to enter the room, so I had to hide in the wardrobe. Then, I overheard your conversation."
Jia Yanzhen looked at the man before him. He once thought his smile was the warmest in the world. He was happy and proud to have a father envied by others.
But later, Jia Yanzhen realized it was all an illusion, and he was merely a pawn.
And he had been developing his career and expanding his network all these years, waiting for this day.
It was an end, and also a release.
He was an individual, not anyone's pawn, and he was unwilling to be a pawn.
Meng Chuzheng, upon hearing this, finally understood why she had always felt an invisible distance between herself and Jia Yanzhen over the years.
It turned out that this child had long known the truth, so that distance was merely him distancing himself from them repeatedly.
Just then, a voice sounded from the doorway, "The test results are out."