Chapter 303: It’s Either Your Brother’s or Yours
Mu Jingzhe remembered that Ji Buwang had wanted to go back, so she nodded. “Go ahead.” It was only right that he informed his grandfather that he couldn’t go back after such a thing had happened.
“I’ll be back soon. Wait for me.”
Ji Buwang watched Mu Jingzhe nod before walking out. When he passed by Shao Qiyun, who was lying in the courtyard, he paused. “Why don’t I tie her up?”
“No need. With me around, she won’t dare move.” If she dared to, she would be beaten up.
Only then did Ji Buwang quickly walk out to find a phone. Ji Buwang took a deep breath before calling a familiar number.
“Hello.” Uncle Fan answered the phone.
“Uncle Fan, the last time you saw me go on stage, why did you leave in a hurry? Was it because you saw me and Xiao Wu on stage?”
Ji Buwang didn’t beat around the bush and got straight to the point. “Did Grandpa ask me to go back because of Xiao Wu?”
Uncle Fan: “Uh…”
“Just tell me directly. Stop hemming and hawing. I know everything. If my grandfather doesn’t want you to tell me, then find him. I’ll speak to him myself.”
Uncle Fan: “I’ll look for the Old Master…”
He didn’t admit anything, but his attitude was akin to admitting it. Ji Buwang lowered his head and looked at the phone line, his gaze darkening.
This time, they waited for a long time before Old Master Ji’s voice came. “Hello.”
“Grandpa, it’s me.”
“I know. Your Uncle Fan told me everything. I wanted to ask you about it when you came back. Now that you’ve realized it, I’ll tell you in advance. I saw Xiao Wu that day. His appearance and hair gave me a strong sense of familiarity, so I investigated his background after coming back.
“Buwang, unless something is very wrong, Xiao Wu should be a child of the Ji Family. I just don’t know if he’s your child or your older brother’s.”
Now that Ji Buwang had grown up, other than his fairness and hair, he didn’t look much like Xiao Wu. However, before Ji Buwang and his older brother had grown up, they’d actually looked like Xiao Wu.
If Ji Buwang could see people’s faces, perhaps he would have discovered this problem long ago. However, he couldn’t see anyone’s face, nor could he see his older brother’s face. He couldn’t even see his face in photos, so he hadn’t realized this at all.
The only time he had recognized his face was through Mu Jingzhe’s cartoon drawing. He had heard everyone say that he looked pretty good.
He didn’t know what Xiao Wu looked like, and Mu Jingzhe and the others only knew the grown-up Ji Buwang, so they had never associated Xiao Wu with him.
Only Old Master Ji had quickly recognized him.
Old Master Ji spoke calmly, but his words had a huge impact on Ji Buwang. “My older brother and I?”
“Mm, it’s been a while, but I still managed to find some news. Unless I’m wrong, it happened six years ago before we returned to our hometown for the New Year. Your brother erased too much information back then. I can’t be sure if it was you or your brother.”
Old Master Ji said, “I asked you to come back because I wanted to ask if it was your older brother’s child or yours.”
When Ji Buwang heard the words ‘returned to our hometown six years ago’, he closed his eyes. Some memories that he didn’t want to recall rushed over.
After Old Master Ji finished speaking, he remained silent and waited for Ji Buwang to give him an answer. He gave Ji Buwang time.
However, Ji Buwang didn’t answer in the end. He only asked, “You’ve also found Xiao Wu’s biological mother?”
“I have. She’s Shao Qihai’s younger sister, Shao Qiyun. She’s also the sister-in-law of Mu Jingzhe, whom you like now. This was fated. Xiao Wu was even sent away to be raised once previously.”
Ji Buwang’s lips twitched when he heard Shao Qiyun’s name. “It’s really her. Grandpa, now that I know what happened, I’ll hang up first.”
Old Master Ji listened to the busy tone on the phone and stood there for a long time before hanging up. Old Fan stood by his side and asked carefully, “Did Young Master say whose child it is?”
“No.” Old Master Ji shook his head.
“Why didn’t he?” Old Fan was puzzled. “Buwang is looking more and more like the eldest young master.”
Ji Buwang and his older brother weren’t twins. They were two years apart in age. When they were young, people had still been able to tell who was older and who was younger. But when they’d grown up, it had become increasingly difficult to tell.
Later on, whenever the two brothers would go out, some people would even ask if they were twins because they looked so similar. Once, due to mischief or laziness, after being asked a few times if they were twins, Ji Buwang hadn’t denied it and had even confirmed it. He’d even let people guess who was older and who was younger as a game.
The two brothers looked alike and had a good relationship. It was just that the eldest young master had passed away early…
Ji Buwang wasn’t even aware of Old Fan’s emotions. He stood beside the phone and thought for a while before making another call.
“Hello, Uncle Li.”
After confirming that it was Uncle Li on the other end of the line, Ji Buwang said, “Uncle Li, you’ve met Xiao Wu many times. Do you think he looks like anyone?”
“Xiao Wu?” Uncle Li had met Xiao Wu long ago and was very familiar with him. When he heard this strange question, he paused for a moment. “What’s wrong with Xiao Wu? I’ve just always felt that he looked very familiar.”
Uncle Li smiled in embarrassment. Uncle Li liked the five Shao kids very much, but if you asked who his favorite one was, it would be Xiao Wu. Uncle Li subconsciously favored Xiao Wu more.
“Familiar?”
“Yeah. Buwang, why are you suddenly asking this?”
“I just wanted to ask, does Xiao Wu look like me and my older brother when we were young?”
Uncle Li was stunned. “Like you and Eldest Young Master… Now that I think about it carefully, there’s indeed a resemblance. Why are you suddenly asking this?”
Uncle Li couldn’t help but overthink. He had actually watched the two brothers grow up and had an impression of their childhood. However, when he had met Xiao Wu, Xiao Wu had still been too young.
At the time, he hadn’t noticed that anything was amiss. And as Xiao Wu grew up, he had gotten used to his face. However, he hadn’t thought much of it. After all, he was Shao Qihai’s son.
But Ji Buwang’s sudden question made Uncle Li’s heart skip a beat. “Young Master Buwang, what is it?”
“Nothing. I’ll talk to you later, Uncle Li.”
Ji Buwang stood for a moment before returning to the rental house. Mu Jingzhe was sitting on a chair, looking at the door, seemingly lost in thought. When she saw him enter, she stood up.
Ji Buwang paused and walked up to Mu Jingzhe. “I asked clearly. Shao Qiyun shouldn’t be lying. Xiao Wu is a child of the Ji Family.”
He tilted his head and looked at Shao Qiyun. So this was that person from six years ago.
“The Ji Family’s child?” Mu Jingzhe glanced at Ji Buwang. “So… He’s yours?”
Mu Jingzhe stared intently at Ji Buwang, not missing his expression.
A complicated look flashed across Ji Buwang’s eyes. Just as he was about to answer, he saw the curtains of the room next door move. Presumably, Xiao Wu and the others were eavesdropping. He paused and didn’t answer directly. Instead, he asked, “Where’s Shao Qihai? Where is he? Shouldn’t we wait for him before waking Shao Qiyun up, in case we have to repeat the same thing a few times?”
Seeing that Ji Buwang didn’t answer her directly, Mu Jingzhe retracted her gaze and said, “He went out with Little Xi. He might not be back so soon.”
It was just a question. Was it that difficult to answer?