The DNA test results came out on March 10th.

Earlier, on March 4th, it was Yu Li’s 19th birthday. Since the DNA results weren’t out yet, Tang Hong’en didn’t want to put too much pressure on Yu Li, so everyone just had a simple dinner celebration.

March 4th fell on a Friday, and Ji Jiangyuan flew to Pengcheng. He and Yu Li weren’t strangers, having worked together in HK for several months. As colleagues, they had gotten along well, and now unexpectedly, they were becoming cousins. While Ji Jiangyuan wouldn’t care about people like Tang Chunlei or Tang Ruojia, he was quite happy about Yu Li becoming his cousin.

“What a surprise!” Ji Jiangyuan’s relationships with his siblings on the Ji family side were ordinary at best, having lost touch during his years abroad. He interacted more frequently with Xia Xiaolan, his ‘step-sister,’ and now he had gained another cousin.

Nobody deliberately tried to stir up emotions, and Yu Li managed to handle the dinner with ease. Still, it felt different – she had never had so many people celebrate her birthday with her, never received such attention. Unlike the relatives from the Qiao Quanbing family, Xia Xiaolan and the others didn’t view her as a burden. This unfamiliar family warmth made Yu Li feel hopeful.

If only she were Mayor Tang’s niece. She didn’t want a mayor for an uncle – she just wanted an uncle. Not just for herself, but for her mother too, who would probably be happy about it. Even though her mother was in a coma, Yu Li firmly believed she was conscious and would wake up someday. Humans are social creatures; almost all loneliness is involuntary, and no one actively chooses to be alone!

Having bonds and connections makes life and struggles more meaningful. Of course, Yu Li didn’t dare hope for too much. If the DNA results came back negative, she would accept it. Wasn’t President Xia letting her work normally? Whether they were relatives or not shouldn’t affect work matters – her job was her greatest support!

On March 10th, the test samples sent to America came back with results.

“Yu Ru is Tang Youru, my sister,” Tang Hong’en handed the faxed test report to Yu Li.

“After these days of processing, are you mentally prepared?” Ready to accept him as her suddenly-appeared uncle!

Yu Li was grateful that her secretarial work had taught her to understand professional terms. While she couldn’t comprehend the medical terminology, she could understand the conclusion.

“I- I-” Her eyes slowly reddened, her shoulders trembling, choking several times before the word finally escaped her lips: “…Uncle?”

“Yes, good child, your uncle is right here.” Tang Hong’en responded softly, afraid of frightening this child who had endured so much hardship. He silently vowed: Uncle isn’t that helpless young man anymore; Uncle won’t ever lose you again.

Yu Li began to cry.

Xia Xiaolan hugged her, “Now I can call you my cousin. Let’s get reacquainted – Little Cousin Yu, I’m your cousin Xia Xiaolan, and from now on, I’ll look after you. No one will bully you anymore!”

Yu Li laughed through her tears: “Who would bully me?”

Working at Qihang, she was President Xia’s secretary – nobody dared bully her! Speaking of protection, President Xia… now Cousin Xiaolan, had always looked after her. From their first meeting, when she was just Shao Guangrong’s temporary companion dressed like a rebellious teenager, Xiaolan had never looked down on her. She treated her the same way she treated Shan Yujun from Huaqing University.

Those people who didn’t understand called Xiaolan too aggressive, but she was a very gentle person.

Yu Li might not have felt bullied or wronged, but Xia Xiaolan remembered everything.

Today, with the DNA results out, Liu Fen was naturally excited too – Tang Hong’en’s niece was her niece as well.

Yu Li hadn’t just gained Uncle Tang Hong’en, but also Aunt Liu Fen.

This was a wealthy and kindhearted aunt who felt Yu Li had suffered too much. Now that Yu Li’s previous uncertainty was resolved by the test results, Aunt Liu could openly show her care, and Yu Li wouldn’t feel burdened… After Yu Li washed her face and collected herself, Liu Fen took her shopping.

Tang Hong’en approved: “Go out and relax with your aunt. These days you’ve been working, taking care of your mother, and worrying about the test results – you must be exhausted. Now you don’t need to feel burdened. Your shoulders are so small, how can they carry so much? If your aunt wants to buy you anything, just accept it graciously. If you feel awkward, just sweet-talk your aunt a bit… What can I do? She’s wealthier than your uncle, I have to sweet-talk her just to eat!”

Hey, even though this was clearly said to help Yu Li relax, wasn’t it a bit exaggerated?

Liu Fen glared at Tang Hong’en before leaving with Yu Li.

Once she had taken Yu Li away, only Tang Hong’en and Xia Xiaolan remained, and the atmosphere immediately became serious.

As heartwarming as the family reunion scene had been, the matters that needed handling afterward were just as troublesome.

There were unanswered doubts.

There were difficult issues to deal with.

The first thing weighing on Tang Hong’en’s mind was probably why Tang Youru, despite living in Beijing for several years, never tried to find her family.

According to Xia Xiaolan and Zhou Cheng’s original speculation, Tang Youru couldn’t remember her family information.

But based on what was now known, she remembered her name – ‘Yu Ru’ was derived from her original name ‘Tang Youru.’

Yu Li said her mother had kept moving from place to place since she was small, eventually settling in Beijing.

Tang Youru not only remembered her name but also where she came from!

Even if she couldn’t remember the exact family address, couldn’t she have reported to the police once in Beijing? But Tang Youru had never filed a report. If Beijing’s police stations had such a record, it would have matched with Tang Hong’en’s last large-scale search five years ago.

There was no such record.

Not only did Tang Hong’en fail to find her five years ago, but Xia Xiaolan and Zhou Cheng’s investigation also yielded nothing.

Tang Youru had returned to Beijing but didn’t look for her family – why?

Shi Surong and Tang Xianzhong had sold her. She might not have understood then, but she surely knew what it meant later, so it was natural for her to resent the Shi Surong couple.

But what about the other Tang family members?

Did she resent Tang Hong’en too, and even Grandmother Tang who had passed away from the shock?

Xia Xiaolan felt this was a mystery that could only be solved when Tang Youru woke up.

Or perhaps Shi Surong still wasn’t being completely honest.

The troublesome matter to handle wasn’t about Shi Surong, but rather the family in that Yunnan mountain village.

“Uncle Tang, do you think we should let Little Yu know about this?”