As Jiang Chen expected, He Qianmin did not show the slightest surprise after hearing what He Yanfeng said.
He tilted his head slightly, pretending to glance at Jiang Chen casually, and his clean voice couldn’t hide his worry: “Big Brother…..are you alright?”
Jiang Chen threw an arm around He Qianmin’s neck and pulled him his way, gently rubbed his head, and said with a smile, “When did you find out?”
Yang Yun and He Yanfeng were startled, and looked at the two brothers who were pressed close together.
He Qianmin fell into Jiang Chen’s chest. He raised his head, meeting his smiling eyes, and couldn’t help but also grin.
Yang Yun was dazed and puzzled. She took half a step forward, squatted by the sofa and asked, “Qian Min, you know that Xiao Chen is your brother?”
“Yeah.” He Qianmin sat up straight, but his shoulders were still pressed close to Jiang Chen. After answering Yang Yun, he turned to look at Jiang Chen: “Brother, does that mean you will always be with me from now on?”
“Accompany you all the time?” Jiang Chen raised his brows lightly, and a mischievous smile appeared in his eyes, “You are such a grown boy, and you still act like a baby all day long and want your brother to accompany you. What if you find a girlfriend in the future?”
“Who is acting like a baby?” He Qianmin’s ears turned red, and he said confidently: “And finding a girlfriend and you accompanying me are not the same thing.”
Jiang Chen stopped teasing him, and said with a smile: “I will always be with you from now on.”
Only then was He Qianmin satisfied, and raised his chin slightly, with an uncontrollable smile on the corners of his mouth.
He Yanfeng pondered for a while, then asked, “Did you go to see your Uncle Xiang?”
He Qianmin smiled slightly, and glanced at Jiang Chen secretly. Seeing the other’s realization, he breathed a sigh of relief: “I took my brother’s and my hair samples before, and went to Uncle Xiang for a DNA testing.”
Yang Yun: “When?”
He Qianmin: “At the beginning of the month.”
“At the beginning of the month?” Yang Yun was slightly lost in thought.
He Yanfeng quickly matched the time: “When you ran away from home?”
“En.”
He Yanfeng continued to ask: “How did you know?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” He Qianmin raised his chin, raised one corner of his mouth and said, “My brother and I look so similar, anyone who has met us would say that we were brothers at first glance. Just look at this dimple, it’s exactly the same.”
“Just because of this?” He Yanfeng laughed.
“Of course it’s more than that.” He Qianmin pursed his lips, and his tone was a little more mocking: “I rely on the fact that no matter how you look at him, my brother looks like one our He family, and no matter how you look at him, He Qianjian doesn’t look like he is your child.”
He Yanfeng raised his eyebrows: “Since you know, why didn’t you let Uncle Xiang tell us.”
“My brother has such a good relationship with Uncle Jiang and Aunt Yang. What if I tell him and he doesn’t want to come back to our family?” He Qianmin said: “Anyway, no matter whether he comes back or not, I know he is my real brother.”
“By the way.” He Qianmin thought of something, and frowned suddenly: “What about He Qianjian? Now that my brother is back, will he go back to the Jiang family?”
He Yanfeng’s amused smile that had been caused by He Qianmin’s words froze, and then faded a little bit: “Your brother’s identity will likely not be disclosed for the time being, and He Qianjian will not leave our house until your brother’s identity is revealed.”
“Why?” He Qianmin frowned, his tone dissatisfied.
“I asked for it.” Jiang Chen said: “My mother is pregnant now, so her emotions can’t be stimulated. I hope to wait until after she has given birth and finished post-pregnancy recovery.”
“After giving birth…..” He Qianmin’s brows relaxed a little, but he frowned again in an instant. He turned his head to look at Jiang Chen: “Aunt Yang is only five months pregnant now, isn’t it still half a year away?”
Jiang Chen nodded slightly, and seeing He Qianmin’s expression tensing instantly, put a hand on his shoulder: “Are you angry?”
“No.” He Qianmin pursed his lips tightly.
Jiang Chen curved his lips upward: “That’s good.”
The corner of He Qianmin’s lips moved, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the smile in Jiang Chen’s eyes, and he tightened his mouth again, turning his head away.
He Yanfeng watched the interaction between his two sons with great interest before saying: “I will pick you up after school tomorrow, and we will go back to the old family house together.”
Jiang Chen nodded agreeably: “Okay.”
He Qianmin nodded with his jaw tensed, paused for a moment, and then asked, “Will He Qianjian go?”
“He must also know about this, and as the biological son of Xiao Chen’s adoptive parents, he has the right to choose to return to his biological parents.” He Yanfeng looked at Jiang Chen: “So whether to delay announcing your identities for half a year is also a matter of what He Qianjian chooses, Xiao Chen, can you understand?”
Jiang Chen smiled: “Yes.”
“What is there to discuss?” He Qianmin sneered: “Don’t mention a half-year postponement, He Qianjian should wish to postpone it for a lifetime. He has to go to school in a Bentley, drive a Maybach for an outing, and get a Bugatti for his coming-of-age gift. In his eyes, if the average per capita is less than 500, all are fast food restaurants, if a student in Chenghua has poor family conditions, talking to them would be the same as polluting his eyes, just this attitude——do you really think he wouldn’t shamelessly choose to stay after he learns of this, but would instead ask to go back to the Jiang’s?”
He Yanfeng, “You know him quite well?”
He Qianmin curled his lips, “If you go to Chenghua and talk to those in his class, you will know him better than me.”
“Qian Jian is indeed extravagant in some cases…..” Yang Yun didn’t know whether she was comforting herself or persuading others: “But after knowing this, if he wants to stay in the He family, the greater reason should be to be because of his feelings for us.”
“Mom, you think too much——”
Jiang Chen glanced at He Qianmin, and He Qianmin shut up obediently. But thinking of something, he quietly pouted and turned his head to the other side.
“Alright.” He Yanfeng glanced at his watch: “It’s getting late, I’ll send you back first, and your mother and I will pick you up after school tomorrow.”
5:30 p.m. the next day.
Jiang Chen and He Qianmin got into He Yanfeng’s car again, and after driving for about an hour, the car stopped in front of a small red brick building with a sense of history.
Old Mrs. He had been waiting in the gazebo in the garden since early in the morning. When she saw a car stopping in front of their house, she immediately sat up. Without waiting for the children next to her to help her, she quickly walked towards the entrance.
Jiang Chen got out of the car and just managed to stand up straight when he was grabbed by a pair of warm hands: “Is it cold? Come quickly to the gazebo with Grandma and drink some hot tea.”
Jiang Chen met the old lady’s kindly smiling face, paused, and said, “Thank you.”
“No need for thanks, my child.” Old Mrs. He took his hand with a smile, and chattered as they walked towards the gazebo: “Why are you wearing so little clothes, your hands are cold, Grandma will get you a piece of your cousin’s clothes for you later, you must not freeze and catch a cold, and it’s the same for Min Min, do you understand?”
“I know.” He Qianmin walked behind with his hands in his pockets, replying in a good mood, and then just watched Jiang Chen being dragged to the gazebo and pushed to sit down. No longer could he see the ease with which the other usually handled people before, his expression dazed from being dominated by his elders.
There was a tea table in the center of the gazebo, and tea was being boiled on it. The white steam appeared misty in the cold air, and there were washed melons and fruits and refreshments on the table as well. He Yanjun lifted the teapot, placed a cup in front of Jiang Chen, and said mildly, “Have some tea.”
Faced with such a casual and flat tone, Jiang Chen was relieved instead. He picked up the teacup, took a sip, and drank the fragrant and mellow tea. At the same time as the warmth surged up, the bewilderment just now was also swept away.
He Yanjun, seeing the young man on the opposite side possessing a calm and generous demeanor, nodded secretly in his heart, and when he raised his eyes, he asked, “How is the tea?”
Jiang Chen put down his teacup, raised his eyes and smiled slightly: “I don’t know much about tea, but this tea tastes sweet, so it should be good.”
“Your grandma made it for you specially.” He Yanjun said.
Jiang Chen turned his head and said to the smiling elder next to him, “Thank you Grandma.”
“Your hands are much warmer now.” Old Mrs. He took Jiang Chen’s hand and said with a smile, “There is no need for thanks in our family. Grandma likes you so I made tea for you. If you are happy after drinking it, Grandma will be happy too.”
He Qianmin drank his tea in one gulp, and asked, “Grandma, where’s He Qianyu? Don’t they only have two classes in the afternoon in elementary school? Why don’t I see her?”
He Yanfeng and Yang Yun came over together, just in time to hear this question.
Yang Yun said with a smile: “The ballet troupe is having practice today, and Mom has already asked Uncle Wang to pick her up, so she should be here soon.”
He Qianmin let out an “oh” and nodded casually.
He Yanya, who had been sitting at the end of the table, finally raised her head, glanced at Jiang Chen, and then asked, “When will Qian Jian arrive?”
“He should be here soon.” He Yanfeng said mildly: “I asked my assistant to pick him up.”
He Yanya closed the notebook in her hand, and said calmly: “Xiao Feng, even if Jiang Chen is your son, you have raised Qian Jian for eighteen years. You should think about whether it is appropriate to treat one more favorably than the other.”
After the voice fell, the entire gazebo fell silent.
“It’s time for lunch.” The auntie who came out wearing an apron broke the silence, “The old gentleman wants me to tell you to come in.”
He Qianmin stood up first, and walked to Jiang Chen’s side: “Brother, let’s go in.”
“Sister.” He Yanfeng stood by the gazebo, stopped Yang Yun who was about to speak, and said, “Even if you don’t mean anything malicious, it’s easy to be misunderstood if you say this in front of the children.”
“Misunderstand what?” He Yanya frowned slightly: “Did I say something wrong?”
“Of course you are wrong.” He Qianmin said.
He Yanya looked at He Qianmin: “Then tell me, what did I say wrong?”
“You…..”
Jiang Chen raised his hand, stopped He Qianmin’s words, turned his head slightly to look at He Yanfeng, and said with a light smile, “I didn’t misunderstand what Aunt said, you are too nervous.”
“Brother…..”
“Okay, let’s go in.” Old Mrs. He glared at He Yanya, holding He Qianmin with one hand and Jiang Chen with the other: “Quickly, or your grandpa will come out to call you in person.”
When Jiang Chen and the rest arrived at the living room, two cars, one in front and one in the back, also stopped in front of the old He family house.
“Elder Brother.” He Qianyu saw He Qianjian getting out of the car behind her, looked inside curiously, and said, “Uncle picked you up today.”
He Qianjian got out of the car, stood straight and looked at the brightly lit red brick house, without saying a word.
He Qianyu had gotten used to He Qianjian’s increasingly silent personality recently, so she picked up her small schoolbag, opened the iron door first and walked in.
As soon as Jiang Chen entered the living room, he saw He Qianyu hopping in. She ran to the kitchen first, hugged her grandparents affectionately, then went to hug her uncle who was on the phone and her aunt who was working at the dining table. After provoking laughter from everyone, she dashed towards the living room.
“Mom and Dad!” He Qianyu ran in with open arms, and was about to throw herself into He Yanfeng’s arms, but suddenly braked halfway and screamed, “Brother Jiang Chen!” Then, like a baby swallow returning to the nest, all of a sudden she was burrowed into Jiang Chen’s arms.
He Yanya and He Yanjun, who were walking behind, were taken aback for a moment. They only knew that Jiang Chen and He Qianjian had mistakenly switched identities and would be exchanging their true identities back but they didn’t know the rest of the story. It was already surprising that He Qianmin was so protective of Jiang Chen, and now seeing He Qianyu so close to Jiang Chen they couldn’t help but glance at each other.
He Yanjun asked: “Xiao Bao, you know Jiang Chen?”
“Of course!” He Qianyu hugged Jiang Chen’s neck and did not let go, pouted and glanced at He Qianmin who was on the other side, raised her chin and said, “I like Brother Jiang Chen the most, if Brother Jiang Chen is my real brother then that would be the best!”
After her voice fell, He Qianjian stepped into the living room, and there was silence.