Chapter 52: No Negative Reports Before the Age of Twenty

Mother and son stared at each other in blank dismay. Banished from the family? What on earth for?

"Could it be that after she was driven out of the family, Daddy fell into despair and therefore started indulging in a wild life among women?" Fire made a bold assumption, which happened to be exactly what was on Yu Jin's mind.

Could it be that Dongfang She harbored a secret crush on his own sister?!

"Look closer, Mommy. These are records from eight years ago, before Daddy turned twenty. They show that Daddy didn't smoke, drink, chase women, or gamble. He was an upright young man with a boundless future!"

Like a discoverer stumbling upon a new world, Fire mentally pictured Dongfang She's current debauched lifestyle surrounded by beauties, only to be thoroughly sickened by his own imagination.

Yu Jin fell silent, deep in thought. Indeed, all the gossip surrounding Dongfang She only began after he was released from prison at the age of twenty. Prior to that, there had never been a single unfavorable report about him.

"Oh my, is it already ten-thirty? Little me needs to go to bed, I have classes bright and early tomorrow morning!" Fire glanced at the clock, and taking advantage of Yu Jin's daze, he scurried away in a flash.

Now that she knew that woman's identity, logically speaking, Yu Jin had obtained a major piece of leverage against Dongfang She and should have been thrilled. So why was there such a heavy, suffocating feeling in her chest?

Dongfang Yelan, Dongfang She—were they really just brother and sister?

Why was Dongfang Yelan banished from the family in the first place?

What on earth did Dongfang Yelan look like?

Yu Jin found herself completely unable to sleep. Lying with her eyes wide open staring at the ceiling, her mind was flooded with a chaotic jumble of information.

Ahhhhh! This is driving me crazy!!

The next day, Yu Jin resolutely woke up with a pair of panda eyes, yawning endlessly as she prepared breakfast.

Dongfang She had not returned.

Yu Jin was in a foul mood and utterly absent-minded while cooking. She didn't even realize the bread had burned, fortunately Fire wasn't one to sleep in and intervened just in time.

"Oh lord! Is this really my young and gorgeous Mommy? Such heavy dark circles, such a pale face,tsk tsk tsk..."

While teasing her, Fire took advantage of Yu Jin's daze to snap a photo with her phone.

"What are you doing?" Yu Jin's head felt heavy and she was desperately sleepy; seeing Fire take a picture instantly irritated her. Every girl was deeply conscious of her appearance in front of a camera—how could she tolerate looking like a ghost in someone else's photos?

Fire didn't waste any breath. He deftly opened her email app and mass-mailed her half-asleep, disheveled image to a small group of recipients.

"Nothing much. Uncle Derek asked me for a picture of Mommy a few days ago, and I never had the chance to take one until now!"

Fire shrugged innocently, wearing an expression that said he was merely doing a good deed.

Yu Jin snapped to her senses and shrieked as she lunged for the phone. Fire curled his lips into an elegant smile and handed it back to her. "Here you go. I've already sent it. Uncle Charles got one too."

"Ahhh! You little brat!!" Yu Jin shrieked in frustration.

Fire turned around and headed to the living room to eat breakfast. With his little gentlemanly posture, he looked entirely proper, though he harbored quite a mischievous streak deep down.

Ten minutes later, the roar of a sports car echoed from outside. Fire scampered over on his short legs and saw Dongfang She striding over, dressed in a sharp suit and exuding an imposing, breathtakingly handsome aura. His fiery red hair shone dazzlingly under the morning light, looking unimaginably striking!

Sigh, oh butterfly, oh butterfly, when on earth are you going to realize Mommy's existence?

How dare he stay out all night anyway—that deserves a yellow card warning!

"Mommy, the heartless Daddy is back!" Fire whispered a reminder to Yu Jin.

Yu Jin rolled her eyes. What did that have to do with her?

As soon as Dongfang She entered the door, he was greeted by a mouth-watering aroma. Having rushed back early in the morning without eating, his stomach began to rumble in protest. Abandoning all concern for his image, he rushed over and wolfed down the food in a flurry, failing to even notice that the bread was thoroughly charred.