From the balcony, Wang Cheng saw Wang De approach Old Madam Wang. The old man said he wanted a private word with his wife and asked the bodyguards to step back. Madam Li hid around the corner to watch.
No one knew what they said to each other. Five minutes later, Wang De suddenly stood and tried to pull Old Madam Wang up, apparently intending to take her home, but she refused. The two struggled for a while before Madam Li finally appeared. After putting on a little performance, she managed to persuade Wang De to let the matter rest. Just as the pair were preparing to leave, Wang Cheng came downstairs.
Wang Cheng needed to buy Bodyguard A more time, so he directed his attention toward Wang De. As Wang Cheng remembered him, the old man was not as unreasonable as Old Madam Wang and could sometimes be persuaded by reason. At heart, however, he was much the same. There was something from Wang Cheng’s childhood that he had never been able to understand.
“For the sake of the fact that you’re my father’s father, I’ll call you Grandpa one more time. There’s something I’ve always wanted to ask you. Is my father really your biological son?”
Wang De, Old Madam Wang, and Madam Li all froze.
“I’m not questioning it for no reason. The way you and the old lady treat my father is simply too strange. He’s your son, just like Eldest Uncle and Second Uncle, yet he grew up with less than either of them. In other families, the youngest son is often the most doted on, but in the Wang family, Eldest Uncle has always been the favorite. My father had to make do with clothes his older brothers no longer wanted. I remember him saying he didn’t own a single new piece of clothing until he was eighteen, and he bought that himself. When he married my mother, he paid the betrothal gifts out of his own pocket. Eldest Uncle and Second Uncle were both given houses, but you gave my father only a few hundred yuan in compensation. With such blatant favoritism, are you certain he really is your son?”
Wang De’s expression changed. Before he could speak, Old Madam Wang suddenly shrieked.
“I knew you were an evil little bastard! What are you implying? Your father is the son I carried for ten months and gave birth to! You’re just trying to find an excuse so he won’t have to support us in our old age, aren’t you? What are you scheming? I’m telling you, don’t even dream of it! Your father is my son, even if he dies!”
Watching the old woman shout until her face turned scarlet, Wang Cheng noticed something odd. He had only intended to question Wang De and stir a trace of guilt over the way he treated Papa Wang. He had not genuinely believed his father was someone else’s child. Surely the world did not have that many melodramatic coincidences. But why was Old Madam Wang reacting so violently? His instincts told him something was wrong.
“Why are you getting so worked up? I didn’t actually say he wasn’t your son. But the way you two treat him really is strange. What biological parents would treat their child that way?” Wang Cheng suddenly smiled. “Medicine is so advanced these days. Finding out whether my father really is your son would be simple. We could have a DNA comparison done. It doesn’t even take long. We could have the results in three days.”
“Keep dreaming! We will never do that!” Old Madam Wang reacted fiercely.
Wang Cheng grew more suspicious. Her reaction looked unmistakably guilty. If his suspicion was correct, this would be an enormous revelation. Perhaps he ought to investigate.
“Whether you agree to a test or not doesn’t matter. I’ll find out the truth sooner or later. Until now, I never seriously considered that my father might not be your son. But thanks to your overreaction, old lady, I can’t help wondering. So I’ve decided to investigate thoroughly.”
Wang Cheng gazed at them firmly, leaving no doubt about his determination.
Old Madam Wang stared, speechless. After a moment her face went white, and she fainted.
Wang De and Madam Li hurried forward to catch her, but the bodyguards beat them to it. Young Master Zhou had instructed them not to let the old woman come to harm outside his house.
This time Old Madam Wang really was carried into the village clinic.
Wang Cheng went along as well. He had not originally intended to accompany them, but something suddenly occurred to him.
The clinic was already busy and became even more crowded with their arrival. Several spectators had followed them too. The situation had taken such an unexpected turn that everyone was curious to see what would happen next.
A doctor surnamed Zhong was called over. He had also examined Old Madam Wang when she was brought in earlier that day, and clearly he had not formed a favorable impression of her. The moment he finished his examination, Madam Li hurriedly asked whether her mother-in-law would be all right. It was a clumsy way to put the question, almost as though she hoped something was wrong.
“Don’t worry. There’s nothing wrong with this old lady,” Dr. Zhong said.
“If nothing’s wrong, why is she unconscious? Dr. Zhong, are you sure you haven’t missed something?” Madam Li persisted. It was such a wonderful opportunity.
Dr. Zhong did not appreciate having his ability questioned. “Your mother-in-law doesn’t have a single injury, and her complexion is perfectly healthy. She doesn’t look ill at all. Besides, I examined her earlier today. If something were wrong, do you think I wouldn’t have noticed?”
Madam Li had not expected him to take offense. She looked awkward.
Just then Wang Cheng said, “Dr. Zhong, could you draw some blood and run a few tests on the old lady? Eldest Aunt is worried about her mother-in-law, after all. There could be something wrong with her blood.”
“There’s no need. I trust Dr. Zhong. I’m sure my mother-in-law is fine,” Madam Li immediately objected. She then anxiously signaled to her father-in-law. She knew nothing about what had happened long ago, but she knew Old Madam Wang. If the old woman had nothing to hide, she would never have reacted so strongly. Perhaps Wang Hongxin really was not their biological son.
Wang De sighed. “Dr. Zhong, my wife truly is all right. There’s no need to trouble you.”
Wang Cheng gave them both a half-smile. “How could that be acceptable? She fainted outside my house. If we don’t have her properly examined and something really does happen to her, I’m afraid they’ll blame me. Better to check everything. Don’t worry, I’ll pay for the examinations. You won’t have to spend a cent. There are plenty of witnesses here, so you needn’t worry about me going back on my word.”
“If I remember correctly, it’s been nearly a year since this old lady came for her last examination,” Dr. Zhong suddenly remarked. “This would be a good opportunity for another checkup. Since this gentleman is willing to cover the bill, you’d be saving several thousand yuan. You won’t get an offer like that twice.” He remembered Old Madam Wang distinctly, even if he could not recall exactly when she last visited.
Right on cue, Old Madam Wang suddenly made a sound from the bed as though waking up. Everyone turned toward her.
With Wang Cheng insisting on a checkup and Dr. Zhong cooperating, an examination seemed unavoidable. At last, Old Madam Wang could no longer remain unconscious.
In fact, she had been pretending to faint. If she had remained awake, who knew what shocking claims Wang Cheng might have made? She had hoped that fainting would divert everyone’s attention. While they carried her to the clinic, she had even considered using the incident to frame Wang Cheng.
But events had taken a turn she had never anticipated. Wang Cheng was not afraid of being blamed. He had actually volunteered to pay for a full examination. And of all things, he wanted the doctor to draw her blood!
Old Madam Wang remembered a report she had seen on television. Apparently, a DNA test could be performed by comparing blood taken from two people. If Wang Cheng got his way, he would certainly obtain his father’s blood as well and have it compared. Terrified, she had no choice but to pretend to wake up.
“Ow, my head feels dizzy.” Unwilling to let Wang Cheng off the hook, Old Madam Wang held her forehead and put on an expression of suffering.
Dr. Zhong was an experienced doctor. After examining her at close range, he had already worked out that her fainting was an act, which was why he had cooperated with Wang Cheng. One look at her performance now told him she was pretending again. “At her age, it’s normal to feel a little discomfort,” he said.
“Dizzy? All the more reason for an examination. I think we’d better trouble Dr. Zhong after all. A thorough checkup would put everyone’s minds at rest,” Wang Cheng said with a cheerful smile.
“No need, I’m fine now.” Old Madam Wang gave her head a theatrical shake, then glared hatefully at Wang Cheng. At last she could no longer keep up the act.
By this point, the spectators had understood everything. The old woman had deliberately pretended to faint and complain of a headache. They were speechless. Even if Wang Cheng was not her biological grandson, surely she did not need to keep targeting him? At her age, she was still determined to torment someone so much younger. The crowd began to pity Wang Cheng’s family. Being saddled with relatives like these was rotten luck indeed.
Dr. Zhong examined Old Madam Wang once more before declaring that she was perfectly fine.
Since she was in good health, there was no reason for the performance to continue.
Madam Li accompanied Old Madam Wang and Wang De out of the clinic. The spectators dispersed as well; there was probably no more entertainment to be had.
Wang Cheng approached them and said brightly, “Old lady, let me give you some good news. My parents won’t be staying at home for the next couple of days. If you still want to camp outside our door, you’re more than welcome. Don’t worry, I’ll have everything prepared. If anything happens to you, we’ll make another trip to the clinic. And by the way, I wonder whether you know that a DNA comparison doesn’t necessarily require blood. Hair, skin flakes, and even fingernails can be used. You’d better take very good care of your hair.”
Old Madam Wang stared at him, her chest heaving with angry breaths.
“Careful, careful! Don’t make yourself ill with anger. I’m sure you don’t want another visit to the clinic.” The angrier Old Madam Wang became, the more delighted Wang Cheng looked. He was certain she would never dare camp outside his family’s house again.