Chapter 53

But Zhang Chen shook his head with a smile, “Lin Xi is of Lin family blood—that’s beyond doubt.”

“Then what exactly happened?!”

“You’re such an impatient woman. Fine, since we have… history, I’ll tell you.”

Xia Yanshuang could tell Zhang Chen was taking advantage of her.

But thinking of what happened that night.

She didn’t even know what to feel anymore.

Compared to herself, she cared more about knowing the truth.

What exactly had happened back then?

It was all very simple.

Even if a bit… unbelievable.

Zhang Chen laid out the truth.

“Lin Xi isn’t Lin Hongyang’s daughter. If we go by bloodline…”

He couldn’t help but chuckle. His smile was strange, his expression nuanced.

He even paused, glancing at Xia Yanshuang.

She had already taken the bait.

“She should be considered Lin Hongyang’s… younger sister.”

The atmosphere in the car instantly turned dead silent.

Zhang Chen wasn’t in a rush.

He leaned back with a lazy smile, crossing his legs.

They still had some time before reaching the hospital.

Plenty of time for Xia Yanshuang to digest the bombshell.

“You… What did you say?!”

Xia Yanshuang wasn’t dumb!

Could she still not understand?

Lin Xi!

Not Lin Hongyang’s daughter—but his sister!

If things had come this far, was the truth that hard to guess?

But this truth… Was utterly unimaginable.

Zhang Chen shrugged. “It’s the truth—believe it or not. Lin Xi is indeed Lin Hongyang’s sister.”

“You! You…”

Xia Yanshuang wanted to shout in anger!

But she couldn’t refute it.

Because, just as Zhang Chen guessed.

Over the past ten years, had she noticed nothing?

Clearly, she had.

She just didn’t dare to think further.

She deliberately steered her thoughts away from that conclusion.

Zhang Chen grinned, “So now it makes perfect sense why Lin Hongyang would seek revenge, doesn’t it?”

“A man like him—proud, successful, a rising star who could endure that kind of betrayal?”

And this wasn’t just any betrayal.

Anyone would’ve lost their mind.

“Since ancient times, patricide and wife-theft were the greatest of betrayals—but what Lin Hongyang faced went far beyond that.”

Zhang Chen felt kind of sorry for Lin Hongyang.

Though to be fair, the real culprit… was himself.

The original storyline from the comic was his creation.

But now?

No one knew that.

These weren’t comic characters anymore. They were living, breathing human beings.

Zhang Chen calmly continued:

“Back then, Lin Hongyang accidentally uncovered the truth and went to confront Old Master Lin.”

“What happened during their confrontation—no one knows.”

“But what we do know is this: After a huge argument between father and son, not long after Lin Hongyang and your sister Xia Yanbing died in a so-called ‘accident.’”

Zhang Chen smiled. “Shall I go on?”

That so-called car accident was utter nonsense.

It had been a deliberate, planned murder.

Xia Yanshuang was a smart woman.

Otherwise, how could she have taken charge of the entire Lin Corporation in just ten years?

But this kind of secret was simply too explosive for her to bear.

“The person who killed my sister… is, is…”

Zhang Chen nodded. “You already know the answer.”

“Why?! Why would he do that?!”

Xia Yanshuang felt like everything she believed in was collapsing.

Even though Zhang Chen hadn’t said it out loud, she had already guessed it.

The one behind the accident ten years ago was none other than Old Master Lin!

Why?

Zhang Chen sneered, “What if Lin Hongyang had wanted to expose everything?”

As the saying goes, “Don’t air your dirty laundry in public.”

But Zhang Chen could understand Lin Hongyang’s thinking.

Any man with blood in his veins would never simply let it go.

Even if that man was his father.

Xia Yanshuang fell silent.

Expose it.

Reveal everything.

She knew what would happen to the Lin family if the scandal got out.

So Old Master Lin would never allow that to happen.

Even if it meant killing his son.

“A man despicable enough to do something so vile—Wouldn’t even hesitate to kill his son.”

Zhang Chen’s smile was full of scorn. “Besides, Lin Hongyang wasn’t the only heir of the Lin family.”

“My sister…”

“Your sister Xia Yanbing never knew. From beginning to end, she was completely kept in the dark.”

Zhang Chen raised an eyebrow.

After all, that old man from the Lin family had been a scheming, shameless snake.

He used drugs.

And conveniently, Lin Hongyang had been out of town for a business dinner that day.

A perfect storm of circumstances.

If anyone deserved the title of “most tragic.”

It was Xia Yanbing.

Zhang Chen let out a soft chuckle. “That old man was ruthless. Since he was doing it, he went all the way. He killed both his son and daughter-in-law, and buried the truth forever.”

Cruelty knows no bounds.

Xia Yanshuang bit her lip hard.

Her eyes were already filled with seething rage and hatred.

She had suspected that Zhang Chen might be lying to her.

But her instincts screamed that everything he said was true.

Especially, over the past ten years, Old Master Lin had far too much affection for Lin Xi.

Even considering the notion of “grandparent love,” it was excessive.

Now, she finally understood.

It wasn’t about being a doting grandparent.

Nor was it guilt over her parents’ deaths.

It was all because she was his daughter.

Only now did Xia Yanshuang fully comprehend the truth.

Zhang Chen said coolly, “Now you understand why Lin Hongyang, after surviving ten years ago, has stayed hidden all this time?”

“This kind of hatred runs too deep to ever resolve.”

Xia Yanshuang didn’t argue.

If things were truly as Zhang Chen said, then Lin Hongyang, surviving against the odds, would seek revenge.

As for why he never contacted Xia Yanshuang, that was simple.

Lin Hongyang had suffered too much.