CHAPTER 293: CHAPTER 293: IS THERE A MISUNDERSTANDING HERE?

Despite its age, the work badge was slightly yellowed, but the black and white photo on it was clearly visible thanks to the plastic cover.

Why does she look so much like Tang Mei?

No, it’s not possible. She couldn’t simultaneously have the identities of a bar singer and a hospital nurse.

Moreover, she was pregnant at the time.

Thinking this, Wang Jinhui took the work badge and examined it carefully again.

Gynecology, Li Jingjie?

He suspected there must be some secret hidden here, or perhaps this person named Li Jingjie had been prearranged by Tang Mei in the hospital.

No wonder, back then, she had escaped so easily, and no matter how much they investigated, they couldn’t find any flaws!

At this moment, Wang Junchen was becoming somewhat anxious.

He asked angrily, "Dad, does it look familiar to you? Humph, of course it does. This is exactly what Tang Mei looked like when she was young. How do you explain this?"

Wang Jinhui shook his head, his gaze piercing.

"This person is not Tang Mei, though she does look alike. It’s not what you think."

Wang Junchen: "?"

"Oh? Then why don’t you tell me what it’s really like?"

After saying that, Wang Junchen sneered coldly. He clearly didn’t believe his father’s judgment and thought that his father was blatantly covering up for someone.

"That day, your mother had complications from her pregnancy, which led to her giving birth half a month early. I wasn’t in Huang City then... Yes, I did let her down. At first, I too suspected something about the severe hemorrhage. However..."

Wang Jinhui paused, then continued, "The truth is, your mother has type O blood. At that time, the medical facilities weren’t as good as they are now, and there was a shortage of blood in the blood bank, so when the blood finally arrived, it was already too late."

After hearing his father’s explanation, Wang Junchen widened his eyes. He couldn’t believe nor wanted to believe that all this was just a misunderstanding.

"Type O blood, shortage of blood, so, you’re saying... Tang Mei is innocent?"

"This person isn’t Tang Mei at all."

"Just a change of name. For someone wealthy like you, it would just take a phone call."

With this, Wang Jinhui had no rebuttal.

After all, he had arranged his son Wang Junchen’s name twenty years ago, changing it from Tang Jun to Wang Junchen, and it was indeed no trouble.

"Son, believe me, this person is definitely not Tang Mei. In fact, Tang Mei is actually..."

Wang Jinhui stopped mid-sentence, his eyes slightly reddening.

He dared not reveal all his doubts, speculations, and the results of his investigations over the years—Tang Mei was Tang Canshan.

He was worried about ruining her plan.

Although Tang Mei had stressed repeatedly that she was not Tang Canshan, and definitely not Jiang Ruowan, they had been lovers for many years—how could he not recognize her?

Moreover, they had lived as husband and wife and had given birth to their only son, Wang Junchen.

The paternity test from back then was irrefutable evidence.

"What is it?" Wang Junchen suddenly became agitated and pressed further.

"What I mean is... it’s true that Tang Mei’s ancestral home is Huang City, but to my knowledge, she went to Qingcheng with her father since she was a child and later worked as a translator, completely unrelated to nursing. In fact, it’s what people nowadays call ’simultaneous interpretation’."

"But Li Jingjie looks so much like my mother, and like Tang Mei too. Isn’t that too much of a coincidence?"

"Yes, it indeed looks alike, but it isn’t. Where did you find this work badge? Did you find your childhood nanny? Did she give it to you?" Wang Jinhui clasped the work badge tightly in his hand, staring intently at his son.

"I don’t need to explain that to you."

"Your nanny... though she took great care of you, she actually harbored the delusion of taking over the household. That’s why I fired her back then," Wang Jinhui explained in a low voice, with a hint of anger.

"My nanny said, it was because this nurse named Li Jingjie looked like my mother, so you went after her later."

"That’s not true. I’ve never met her, haven’t even heard her name before."

"Oh, you won’t admit it? Or maybe it’s because... you were involved with her a long time ago. Indeed, a nurse does have a better reputation than a bar singer, and it’s also less embarrassing to be seen with her. So after your mother got pregnant, you started to reject her, not even visiting her for days."

"Don’t listen to the nonsense from the nanny, in fact, your mother didn’t want to see me, she was avoiding me everywhere. During that time, I even proposed to her, but unfortunately, she refused."

Wang Junchen was very surprised after hearing this.

Over the years, he had heard quite a lot about his father Wang Jinhui’s romantic history.

High society often mocked him behind his back.

There were even rumors saying that Wang Jinhui had several illegitimate children, and the reason they weren’t made public was that he favored sons over daughters, only recognizing his sons.

"You proposed to mother?"

"Yes, I swear on our Wang Family’s honor, I have never done anything to wrong your mother, and moreover, I very much love her."

Wang Jinhui’s tone was very firm, and his deep eyes showed no sign of evasion.

Could it be that I really misunderstood my father?

But why did Li Jingjie resign the day after my mother died?

If it isn’t guilt, what is it?

Wang Junchen, smiling, took back his work badge and then said softly, "Alright, since you say so, then I will find an opportunity to apologize to her."

"Apologize? Apologize for what?"

The atmosphere suddenly tensed, and Wang Jinhui paused before continuing to ask, "What did you do to Tang Mei, why do you need to apologize?"

His intense concern puzzled Wang Junchen.

"You see, I didn’t visit Aunt Tang during her hospitalization, nor did I go over to her house after she was discharged, which is quite impolite."

As Wang Junchen spoke, he observed his father’s expression.

"Oh, that, it’s fine, Tang Mei won’t mind such things."

Wang Jinhui finished speaking and left directly.

Watching his father’s retreating figure, Wang Junchen felt inexplicably anxious, suspecting his father was hiding something.

"Ah Jun, did you have a fight with dad?"

Ye Wanhua’s sudden appearance really startled Wang Junchen.

He hadn’t expected his wife to get up so early and to have heard his conversation with his father; he wasn’t sure when she had started listening.

"We didn’t fight, just chatted casually."

"But dad... seemed a bit..." Ye Wanhua hesitated and looked toward the outside of the hall.

Wang Junchen, with a smile, pulled Ye Wanhua into his arms and said softly, "Don’t worry Ah Hua, dad is just concerned about losing face, it’s nothing."

Ye Wanhua leaned into his embrace, feeling reassured, and her doubts slightly eased.

"Ah Jun, let’s go visit Aunt Tang. Even though dad says she doesn’t mind, it’s still proper to show some manners, don’t you think?"

"Mm, okay, we’ll go visit her in a few days."

Immediately after, Wang Junchen took Ye Wanhua’s hand, deep in thought as they walked toward the restaurant.

...

Half an hour later, at 66 Chunlei Street.

Tang Mei pressed a button on the cellphone on her bedside table, taking a deep breath.

Last night’s acupuncture went very smoothly, according to her plan, Tang Xiaowan had now regained ninety percent of her memory.

The rest needed to be completely erased.

As soon as it turned past six o’clock, those sealed memories would no longer be recoverable.

"Ah, thank heavens, it’s all right now!"

Just as she finished speaking, three knocks sounded at the door.