On the way to the Wu family's old mansion, Zhao Bufan still couldn't shake off her uneasiness. "Pengpeng, how about we plan this out carefully before we go?"
Going there just to explain things without even getting their stories straight was a recipe for disaster!
Wu Pengpeng was slumped in the passenger seat, looking nonchalant. "No need."
She had preemptively revealed the truth before Jiang He could break the news, gaining a brief upper - hand. So she had to act swiftly and decisively, aiming for a knockout blow.
"But this doesn't add up!" Zhao Bufan signaled and turned the car onto the small road leading to the villa. "They say there's a special bond between mother and child. You took care of Xinxin for over a month. Didn't you ever sense something was off?"
Wu Pengpeng shook her head honestly. "No."
In her mind, the so - called "mother - child bond" was based on feelings, not blood.
Once she knew the little one was her "son", she had wholeheartedly accepted him. That bond would only grow stronger over time, not expose any flaws.
Seeing her calm demeanor, Zhao Bufan felt even more unsure.
Although she had witnessed over the years how the elders of the Wu family doted on Wu Pengpeng, now that she knew that this doting had been laced with treachery and malice, looking back was truly chilling.
She cast a pitying look at Wu Pengpeng and silently vowed to protect her today. She couldn't let anything happen to her. But as for how to do it, she was completely at a loss.
Zhao Bufan heaved a sigh and parked the car. "We're here."
As they got out of the car, they ran into Jiang He, who had just stepped out of his vehicle.
Jiang He wasn't the least bit surprised to see Wu Pengpeng. With a half - smile, he said, "I didn't expect you to be so quick."
At first glance, it sounded like he was complimenting her driving skills. Zhao Bufan proudly lifted her chin. "Of course. Your Sister Fan is the 'Car Goddess of Jinzhou City' for a reason."
Jiang He seemed to notice Zhao Bufan for the first time. He shifted his gaze to her and greeted her with a smile. "Miss Zhao is here too!"
Zhao Bufan had no idea that he was the mastermind behind using the little one to test Wu Pengpeng. She smiled without a hint of caution. "Why are you here?"
Jiang He made a gentlemanly "after you" gesture, and the three of them walked side by side towards the gate.
Only then did he casually say, "I have something to discuss with my uncle - in - law."
Zhao Bufan let out a soft "huh" and paused briefly. "Could your uncle - in - law be Uncle Er?"
Jiang He glanced at Wu Pengpeng over Zhao Bufan's shoulder. Seeing her calm face, he was a bit surprised. She was more composed than he had expected.
He smiled and replied, "That's right."
Zhao Bufan barely perceptibly curled her lips. She didn't like Jiang Xinyu. That woman harbored too much ill - will towards Pengpeng.
Out of this protective instinct, she transferred her dislike to Jiang He as well. She didn't want to talk to him anymore.
So the three of them walked in silence towards the main hall.
Wu Pengpeng was aware of Jiang He's occasional glances, but she pretended not to notice and kept walking straight ahead.
She had deliberately brought Zhao Bufan along today. With an outsider present, the elders would have to consider the Wu family's reputation, and many things couldn't be delved into too deeply. It would be easier to put this matter to rest.
In the past, she could use her identity as Wu Pengpeng to intimidate those who had ill intentions towards her. But now, as a memory - less shell, she was a sitting duck.
She had to be extremely cautious to avoid being at the mercy of others.
And this battle was crucial.
Suddenly, she felt a gentle squeeze on her hand. Wu Pengpeng turned to look and saw Zhao Bufan mouthing silently, "Don't worry. I'm here."
Before she could respond, her phone vibrated. Wu Pengpeng took out her phone and saw a text from He Qianshan: "I'm at the foot of the mountain. Waiting for you to go home together."
Perhaps their words of comfort had an effect, because the panic in Wu Pengpeng's heart suddenly subsided.
Despite mentally preparing herself, when she entered the main hall, Wu Pengpeng was still taken aback.
The entire Wu family was sitting neatly in the living room, not a single person missing. Even Wu Qing, who was usually never at home, had returned.
Wu Pengpeng stepped forward and greeted everyone with a smile.
"Have a seat!" Wu You's expression was unreadable, which made Wu Pengpeng even more nervous.
She obediently walked over to the empty single - person sofa and sat down, looking like she was ready to accept their scolding.
Wu Qing had been on a business trip when they last saw the little one.
He was quite satisfied with his suddenly - appeared grandson. He had planned to come back and meet the child, but then Wu Pengpeng suddenly told everyone that there had been a mistake and the little one wasn't her son.
Seeing his elder brothers looking hesitant, Wu Qing decided to speak up for them. "What's going on, Pengpeng?"
He was always a carefree person and didn't think that having a child out of wedlock was a disgrace to the family. He was just a bit disappointed that his grandson had slipped through his fingers.
Wu Pengpeng looked up timidly at everyone, then stood up and bowed deeply. "I'm sorry. I lied to you all."
Before anyone could react, she continued, "Actually, I wasn't just clumsy and fell at the castle. I was pushed off it. When I woke up, I couldn't remember anything. So when Xinxin showed me the photo album and said he was my son, I believed him."
The amount of information in her words was overwhelming, and everyone fell silent for a moment.
Finally, Wu Junchen was the first to react. "You mean you lost your memory?"
Looking into her eldest brother's concerned and confused eyes, Wu Pengpeng nodded gently. "Yes."
Wu Junchen still couldn't accept this fact. "But you clearly remember us and know our preferences..."
"All that information can be found online." Wu Pengpeng interrupted his attempt to deny reality. "I looked it up."
Just as Wu Junchen was about to say something else, Wu You suddenly spoke up. "Who did it?"
Wu Pengpeng looked at Wu You. His eyes were too deep for her to read. She could only shake her head. "I don't know."
She deliberately concealed the fact that the culprit was among the Wu family members. She still wasn't sure how many there were. If she revealed everything she knew too soon, she would be in even more danger.
But at this point, the enemy was hidden while she was in the open. They were pressing forward step by step, and she had no choice but to act.
To turn the tables, she had to throw out a bait to lure the enemy out.
By voluntarily revealing that someone had tried to harm her, those in the Wu family who truly cared about her would start investigating the truth. And the culprit, afraid of being caught, would surely take desperate measures.
She just had to avoid the next danger perfectly. Once the culprit showed their true colors, she would be safe.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Wu Fei was heartbroken. "It must have been so hard for you to go through all this alone!"
Wu Pengpeng sniffed and half - truthfully said, "I was too scared to tell you. When I woke up in the hospital, I was told that I was Wu Pengpeng and that I had a loving family. I liked you all so much. I was afraid that if you knew the truth, you'd think I was a burden and kick me out."
She was really good at playing the victim. Everyone looked heartbroken after hearing her words.
Wu Junyu had originally planned to use Wu Pengpeng's memory loss and her recent absurd actions to create the impression that she was unfit to manage Zhengling Group, so that he could take over more justifiably in the future.
But unexpectedly, Wu Pengpeng had won everyone's sympathy with just a few words. He gave Jiang Xinyu a look.
Jiang Xinyu understood and immediately steered the conversation back. "Pengpeng, you didn't even verify Xinxin's identity before bringing him to meet us. Isn't that a bit too hasty? You know how much we all liked Xinxin. Now that he's gone, I'm so not used to it."
What she really meant was that Wu Pengpeng was using her memory loss as an excuse to fool everyone and didn't take them seriously.
Before Wu Pengpeng could reply, two voices said in unison, "It's my fault!"