Chapter 217: I Am Your Dad
Chapter 217: Chapter 217: I Am Your Dad
Shen Lu noticed the situation at the entrance and immediately walked out.
"Hello. Regardless of why you’re here, could you please make way for a moment?" Shen Lu said politely. Her eyes swept over the three of them. ’They were probably sent by the Commerce Association to cause trouble,’ she guessed.
’But this tactic is a bit cliché, not to mention ridiculous.’
’The man on the stretcher was obviously beaten up. It’s not like he has food poisoning. How dare they try to pin this on me?’
The middle-aged woman looked up and stared intently at Shen Lu. The middle-aged man took a step toward her, sized her up from head to toe, then suddenly reached out to grab her.
"Little Deer? You’re Little Deer, right? I’m your dad!"
Shen Lu was so stunned by his "I’m your dad!" that she forgot to pull away, and the man grabbed her by the wrist.
The crowd of onlookers let out a collective "WOW," their gazes shifting back and forth between Shen Lu and the group.
"They can’t be here to run a scam, can they? I don’t think Boss Shen looks anything like them."
"Look closely. Don’t their eyes look a little similar?"
Shen Lu pulled her hand back. She wasn’t in a hurry to determine if they were telling the truth, but politely invited them to the booth seating area.
She had Wang Daguo take over the task of issuing and stamping cards, then brought two cups of hot water over to them.
The middle-aged man strode forward excitedly. "Your mom and I only found out today. You... why didn’t you come find us?"
"Little Deer, all these years..." Tears streamed down the middle-aged woman’s face as she opened her arms to hug Shen Lu, ready to pour out her heart in a torrent of sobs.
Shen Lu took half a step back. "The water is hot. You should sit down first, so it doesn’t spill and burn you."
’I haven’t even confirmed if they’re telling the truth or not.’ Shen Lu still had doubts about their identities and was in no position to stage a dramatic family reunion.
Perhaps sensing the coldness beneath her smile, the couple paused, then slowly sat down. The man on the stretcher, however, stopped his pained groans and launched into a tirade against Shen Lu.
"You better believe it. You’re my biological sister, and I’m your biological brother. OW! Damn it to hell, this hurts like a motherfucker! Get me some money! I need to go to the hospital and get my hand treated!"
Shen Lu placed the cups on the table, pretending not to hear the young man’s words. She turned with a smile to the middle-aged couple and said, "I don’t believe I’ve gotten your names yet? I’m sorry, but after I left the Shen Family, no one ever told me anything about my birth parents. If you don’t mind, shall we go to the hospital this afternoon for a DNA test?"
’Some people can’t just show up, start wailing, and claim to be my parents. A DNA test is a must.’
Shen Lu’s calm and polite demeanor was so unexpected that the previously emotional couple exchanged a bewildered look.
"SHIT! What the hell is your problem? A DNA test? Who do you think you’re doubting?" the young man swore. "Don’t act all high and mighty just ’cause you’ve got a little stinking money. Let me tell you, Shen Lu, you’re not some rich young miss anymore. You’re just like us, a low-class citizen!"
Shen Lu shot him a glance and continued to ignore him.
’A barking dog never bites. Clearly, this one is all bark and no bite.’
The middle-aged man rubbed his hands together. "A DNA test is fine, but can you get your brother’s injury treated first? He was attacked by some thugs last night. His right arm is in a lot of pain, and we’ve already waited a long time. If we don’t get it treated soon, I’m afraid..."
Shen Lu glanced at the customers outside, craning their necks and eager for drama, and agreed to go to the hospital.
But as for whether or not to pay for the hand treatment of the man who claimed to be her brother, that was a matter for later.
Shen Lu called a car and led the three to a hospital in the Lower City District.
On the way, Shen Lu learned a bit about their background.
The middle-aged man was named Liu Qiang, the middle-aged woman was Yang Jing, and the young man on the stretcher was Liu Yaozu.
They were Shen Lan’s adoptive parents. The three members of the Liu Family were completely in the dark about how Shen Lan had been taken back by her birth family. They didn’t even know when she had left home.
"We thought she just went to find work and didn’t come home. If someone hadn’t kindly told us today about you and her being switched at birth, we wouldn’t have even known you were back in the Lower City District."
Liu Qiang looked eagerly at Shen Lu. "After the DNA test, let’s change your surname back, okay?"
Shen Lu smiled without speaking, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Change her surname?
’No way.’
’I’m used to people calling me Shen Lu. Besides, it’s my name. I’m not changing it to Liu.’
But in the eyes of the Liu Family, her silence was agreement.
When they arrived at the hospital, Liu Qiang and Yang Jing’s first priority was getting Liu Yaozu’s hand treated. They clamored over each other, describing their son’s injury to the nurse as if he’d die any second if he wasn’t seen.
Shen Lu just stood behind them and watched. The nurse interrupted the chattering Father Liu and Mother Liu. "Alright, alright, go register and pay."
Father Liu and Mother Liu fell silent and turned to look at Shen Lu. The implication was obvious.
Shen Lu didn’t disappoint them and went to the window to register.
First, she registered herself, Father Liu, and Mother Liu for a DNA test. As for Liu Yaozu, she didn’t register him for the emergency room, just for an orthopedic outpatient appointment.
The hospital’s DNA testing was fast. At Shen Lu’s request, they went to do the DNA test first.
"I’ll wait here for the results. You guys go take him to get his injury looked at."
"Oh, oh, okay."
Liu Qiang and Yang Jing nodded and hurriedly took Liu Yaozu to see the doctor.
Ten minutes later, Shen Lu had the results.
Whether it was with Liu Qiang or with Yang Jing, the probability of parentage was 99.9999%.
So, it was true. She really was their biological daughter.
A sarcastic smile touched Shen Lu’s lips. ’If I’m not mistaken, this has Shen Lan’s fingerprints all over it.’
’After all, I can’t think of anyone else who would do something like this.’
’I have to admit, it’s pretty damn annoying.’
In the short hour she’d spent with the Liu Family, Shen Lu had gotten a good sense of their character. To put it bluntly, they were all dead weight.
’But a fact is a fact, and I can’t change it.’
’So how should I deal with these three?’
’This is a tricky situation.’
Various thoughts swirled in her mind until a rough plan formed. She immediately got up and headed to the orthopedics clinic to meet the Liu Family.
After asking about Liu Yaozu’s basic condition, the doctor ordered several tests.
"Little Deer, you’re just in time." Liu Qiang looked as if he’d found his savior. "The doctor ordered some tests, but we didn’t bring enough money. Can you pay the fees?"
’Didn’t bring enough money?’ Shen Lu didn’t believe a word of it. ’Are you sure you didn’t just bring no money at all?’
"How much is it?" Shen Lu put on a troubled expression. "I only have 100 Star Coins left on me. Is that enough?"
"How can you only have 100 Star Coins?" Yang Jing said, disbelieving. "You run such a big restaurant, and so many people eat there. How can you have no money?"
Liu Qiang said in a serious, heartfelt tone, "Little Deer, we’re your direct family. We have to help each other out. With your brother in this state, you can’t just watch him suffer and do nothing."
"Shen Lu, just you try not paying my medical bills. See if I don’t beat the shit out of you!" Liu Yaozu threatened, jutting his chin out. "I’m the only man in this family! If anything happens to me, you can forget about having a good life!"