After the Sickly Child Differentiates into A - Chapter 1

November in the capital had turned bitterly cold, with heavy snow falling relentlessly.

The road to the suburbs was quiet and deserted, a low-profile luxury car gliding over the snow-covered pavement.

“Recently, a renowned biology professor from Country Y visited our nation’s First Research Institute for academic exchange, hosted by…”

“A clandestine laboratory near the border between our country and Country M was dismantled. Some involved parties fled across the border, prompting an international manhunt.”

Amid the radio broadcast, a piano ringtone chimed from a phone. The driver immediately lowered the radio volume and raised the partition.

A pair of slender, jade-like fingers held a black phone, fingertips swiping across the screen.

“Hello.”

A voice as cold as snow echoed from the backseat.

The woman seated there wore a white high-neck sweater paired with a teal overcoat. Her swan-like neck was partially hidden by the collar, and her long, delicate lashes fluttered slightly. Her expression was aloof, her demeanor detached elegant and dignified.

“I’ll be home soon.”

As soon as she spoke, the car came to a stop. The woman lifted her cool gaze as the rear door opened. A butler in a black suit stood outside, bowing slightly and extending a hand. “Third Young Miss.”

She ended the call, placed her hand on the butler’s arm, and stepped out of the car.

“Wen Jingzhi!”

A tall woman in a wine-red suit emerged from the manor. Striding through the snow in ten-centimeter heels, she reached the car and immediately wrapped her arms around the woman who had just stepped out.

“Ah, our youngest has finally decided to come home!”

Wen Jingzhi didn’t even flinch, pushing the woman away. “Wen Xihe, let go.”

“You’ve become so unfunny as an adult. When you were little, you used to follow me around, calling me ‘big sister’ so sweetly.” Wen Xihe blinked her alluring fox-like eyes, her crimson lips curling into a smirk as she released her grip and flicked the snow off Wen Jingzhi’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s go inside.”

“My memory is excellent.” Wen Jingzhi brushed off Wen Xihe’s hand, shaking the snow from her shoulder before striding toward the manor. “I never sweetly called you ‘big sister.'”

“Fine, fine, it must’ve been in my dreams then.” Wen Xihe sighed in mock defeat, catching up to walk beside her.

The butler followed behind with Wen Jingzhi’s luggage, handing it off to a servant to deliver to the third young miss’s room once they entered the house.

After changing into loungewear, Wen Jingzhi descended the stairs and spotted Wen Xihe on the living room sofa. Her gaze swept the room, but she didn’t see the familiar figures she expected. “Where are Grandfather and Eldest Brother?”

Wen Xihe shook the documents in her hand, looking up. “They left in a hurry after breakfast got a call and rushed out.”

“What, you finally wrap up filming and come home, only to find Grandfather and Eldest Brother aren’t here. Feeling sad?”

“Aw, don’t be upset. Your big sister’s here.” Wen Xihe grinned and moved to hug her again, only to have her hands swatted away. Wen Jingzhi sat down, picking up a file from the coffee table and skimming through it. “What’s so urgent?”

Assuming she was asking about work, Wen Xihe propped her chin on her hand, sighing. “There’s an Alpha at the company causing trouble with that madwoman from the Lin family. It’s cost us several luxury endorsements.”

“Chen Qing and Lin Ye?” Wen Jingzhi recalled the entertainment gossip trending online a few days ago. She set the file down and leaned back against the sofa, her tone flat. “My next project seems to be with Lin Ye.” Her pale eyes flickered with thought. “Chen Qing is involved too.”

“What!?” Wen Xihe’s fox-like eyes widened. “Did Chen Qing contact you privately? Who’s directing your next project? I’ll have them replace Chen Qing!”

“I remember asking my assistant for the documents yesterday. I’ve been too busy lately and forgot to check them.”

Wen Jingzhi pinched the bridge of her nose and declined: “No need. I know Director Han, Chen Qing made it into the cast based on merit. It would be troublesome to replace someone so close to filming.”

“Chen Qing’s acting skills are decent enough, otherwise Zheng Zhou wouldn’t have signed her,” Wen Xihe sighed helplessly. “She’s been behaving recently, so let’s leave it for now.”

“So annoying.” Wen Xihe tossed some documents onto the coffee table irritably, leaning back on the sofa and rubbing her temples. “Why aren’t Grandpa and Eldest Brother back yet?”

Wen Jingzhi: “What did they go out for?”

“Something about Grandpa’s comrade having some trouble, and Eldest Brother went along just to.”

Click.

The front door opened, and both turned their heads.

“Master, Young Master.”

The butler stood at the entrance, taking the coats. A tall man in a black turtleneck stood at the door, his broad shoulders and narrow waist forming an imposing figure at 190 cm, blocking the snowstorm behind him.

“Wen Xize.”

A gentle, mellow voice came from behind the man. Wen Xize snapped out of it, stepping aside to make way. “Let me take that, Grandpa.”

“No need.” Wen Chende, his hair streaked with gray, wore a dark gray overcoat and cradled a small bundle wrapped in a blanket.

Wen Xihe and Wen Jingzhi stood and approached.

“Grandpa, what are you holding.”

Before Wen Xihe could finish, the blanket shifted, revealing a gaunt face sunken eyes, protruding cheekbones, skin paler than the snow outside.

“Is this…” Wen Xihe’s peach-blossom eyes froze. Hesitantly, she asked, “Where did you pick up this kid?”

“Pick up? This is my comrade’s child,” Wen Chende retorted. “Quit blocking the doorway snow’s getting in.”

He carried the child into the hall and headed straight upstairs, calling for the butler. “Old Zhou, prepare some children’s clothes and bring them to my room.”

Butler: “Right away, Master.”

Wen Xihe watched her grandfather disappear around the staircase corner, then patted Wen Xize’s shoulder in confusion. “What’s going on, Eldest Brother?”

Wen Xize scratched his cheek. “Ah! Grandpa will explain.”

“Why are you acting guilty? It’s not your kid,” Wen Xihe frowned. “That child looks like they won’t survive the winter.”

“Don’t talk nonsense!” Wen Xize swatted her head. “They’re just frail, they’ll recover with care.”

“Ow, be gentle! This is a billion-dollar head you’re hitting!”

The butler returned after delivering the clothes. “Young Master, Second Miss, Third Miss, the Master requests your presence in the study.”

“Fine, he probably wants to explain,” Wen Xihe said, brushing her hair off her shoulder as she headed upstairs.

Wen Xize sighed. “Let’s go, little sister.”

“Mm.” Wen Jingzhi responded indifferently, following behind.

In the study, the three entered and closed the door. The old man was already seated, waiting.

Wen Xihe plopped onto the sofa, crossing her legs casually. She glanced around and asked, “Where’s the kid?”

Wen Chende frowned. “Sit properly. What kind of posture is that?”

“Oh!” Wen Xihe pouted, putting her legs down and pulling Wen Jingzhi to sit beside her. “You’re not planning to raise that little brat, are you?”

“Xiao Ze, sit here.” Wen Chende pointed to the chair opposite him, and Wen Xize obediently took his seat.

“What little brat? She has a name.” Wen Chende’s expression turned stern. “Her name is Lin Li, ‘Lin’ with the grass radical, and ‘Li’ as in gift.”

“She’s the child of a comrade from my military days.”

“I should have mentioned this before. Your grandmother and I had a particularly close Omega friend named Lin Junyan, who once saved both Zehe and me. When we retired from service, we left her our contact information and address, but we never heard from her all these years. We thought something had happened to her and had been searching for her.”

Wen Jingzhi’s brows twitched slightly, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. “I remember you mentioned recently that you’d found the address of that old friend.”

“The one Grandma kept talking about before she passed?” Wen Xihe recalled as well. “Why is there only a child? What about that grandmother?”

“She passed away.” Wen Chende sighed, his expression sorrowful. “By the time I tracked her down, the place was empty. The villagers said she died two years ago.”

“What about her parents? Wasn’t there an Alpha with that grandmother?”

Wen Chende sighed again. “According to the villagers, Lin Li was found by Junyan in the snow. She never married.”

Wen Xihe propped her chin on her hand, unsure how to feel. “So you brought her child back?” Wait, that kid looked only about five or six years old. “More like a granddaughter, right?”

“Mm.” Wen Chende nodded. “When I finally tracked them down recently, the child was already gone from the house.”

“Two years ago, the child called me once using the village’s public phone, but I missed it. When I called back, no one answered, so I didn’t think much of it. Only today did I learn that the child had handled Junyan’s funeral arrangements alone. When she couldn’t reach me, she left the village by herself to try and find me in the capital.”

“After two years of hardship, today I got a call from the police station. When I went and saw her, I brought her back.”

At this point, Wen Xize’s expression turned odd. He rested his chin on his hand, covering his mouth, his gaze drifting guiltily around the floor.

Wen Xihe gave him a strange look before asking the old man, “How do you know she’s really your old friend’s granddaughter?”

“Has her household registration been settled?”

“It’s under Junyan’s household.”

Wen Xihe remained skeptical. It wasn’t that the Wen family couldn’t afford to raise a child, but she worried someone might have investigated the old man’s search for his friend and sent a fake “orphan” with ulterior motives.

“The possibility of fraud isn’t zero. Is there any other proof?”

Knowing her nature, Wen Chende explained, “There’s a school in the village with a few group photos from enrollment, including ones with Junyan and the child.”

Wen Xihe paused. “Did you bring the photos back?”

“No, but I took pictures.” Wen Chende took out his phone, opened the album, and handed it to Wen Xihe.

The phone screen displayed a silver-haired elderly woman. Leaning on a cane with her right hand, she rested her left hand on the head of a little girl beside her, grinning broadly. The girl, whose head was being held down, covered the top of her head with her hands. She was turned slightly away from the camera, her cheeks flushed with anger as she glared at the old woman.

“She doesn’t look sickly at all,” Wen Xihe murmured, swiping to the next photo another picture of Lin Li and Lin Junyan. This time, Lin Li’s face was fully visible. “Her bone structure hasn’t changed much. Even though she’s this thin now, you can still recognize her.”

“You probably didn’t mistake her,” she said, handing the phone back to Wen Chende with a smile. “This kid even has downturned eyes when she smiles, she looks like a little puppy.”

Seemingly satisfied, Wen Chende let out a relieved sigh before turning to Wen Jingzhi, who had remained silent. “Jingzhi, do you have any thoughts?”

“No. If you agree, that’s fine.” Wen Jingzhi frowned slightly, impatience flickering across her expression.

She had no interest in this child. Her filming schedule kept her busy enough whether there was one more or one less person at home made no difference to her. The only reason she was here was to find out the child’s background.

A five- or six-year-old traveling alone for two years before reaching the capital judging by her frail appearance, she must have suffered plenty along the way.

Grandfather had said so much just to evoke sympathy in her and her brother, hoping they’d treat the child well in the future.

But it had little to do with her.

She wouldn’t have much time to spend with this sickly child anyway.

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