Back to Three Years Old: Crushing Scumbags on a Parenting Reality Show 187

Chapter 187

After their accidental meeting on October 11th at the Wei family’s apartment during the DNA test, Cheng Tingyan didn’t see He Rongzheng again until the end of November.

Although she hadn’t seen him in person for over a month, He Rongzheng was a constant presence in her nightly chats with the little chubby bunny.

After the DNA test, He Rongzheng only called Zhang Shilan every day; he didn’t visit again.

Later, the little chubby bunny also didn’t see her new grandpa for about half a month. Zhang Shilan, worried about He Rongzheng’s health and his emotional state while dealing with his nieces and nephews, visited him a few times.

The little chubby bunny’s nightly chatter was mostly relayed information from Zhang Shilan. Thanks to her, Cheng Tingyan was kept up-to-date.

He Rongzheng’s nieces and nephews had been quite active, from the usual embezzlement and nepotism in business to subtly trying to gain favor and gather information about the people around He Rongzheng in their private lives, their motives clear. He Rongzheng wasn’t a fool; he had just dismissed it as human nature, minor offenses and attempts to gain his favor. He hadn’t wanted to cause a scene.

But this time, while investigating He Lanxi, he also looked into the others, and truly…

People had their limits. After discovering that his nieces and nephews had all interfered with his search, either by withholding information or by contacting the potential candidates in advance, He Rongzheng was filled with regret and fear.

He had been cautious, initially excluding his own generation, only trusting the younger generation, but he had still raised wolves.

His nieces and nephews, just like He Lanxi, disregarded his years of suffering, their eyes only on his money, shamelessly trying to steal his hope.

He Rongzheng could only be thankful that their attempts to obstruct and deceive involved the wrong people.

His nieces and nephews were like He Lanxi, yet also different.

Because He Lanxi did find the right person this time, but the anonymous fortune teller was a step ahead, giving He Rongzheng a chance to create a diversion and send her away, neutralizing Lǔ Shíjīn.

On the evening of the successful DNA test, He Rongzheng tried calling the fortune teller again to express his gratitude, but after hearing the disconnected tone, he made several donations in the name of “an ordinary fortune teller.”

If, as the fortune teller said, he was fated to meet her because of his good deeds, then he would do even more good deeds, ten times, a hundred times more… in the fortune teller’s name.

Even though the fortune teller had unilaterally ended their connection, he still wanted to accumulate merits for her.

Cheng Tingyan, after learning about the donations from the little chubby bunny, felt… a bit touched. Although they were just lies she casually made up, they had blossomed into good deeds in He Rongzheng’s hands, it was a happy accident.

At that time, Cheng Tingyan was moved by He Rongzheng’s kindness, she felt that having such a grandpa, the little chubby bunny would not only have a better life, but also receive abundant love and care from an elder, it was truly wonderful.

But just a few days later, the news brought back by the little chubby bunny revealed this loving elder’s ruthlessness and decisiveness.

That afternoon, after the reunion, while eating steamed ribs with rice flour, the little chubby bunny mentioned He Rongzheng’s plan to remove his relatives from the company and set up a monthly fund to protect his lineage. Although Cheng Tingyan thought it was a brilliant idea, she still felt that since He Lanxi had already targeted Zhang Shilan, He Rongzheng continuing to give her money was a bit… too soft, it made her unhappy.

Then, a few days later, her wish was granted.

He Rongzheng used the information about Zhang Youyi in Cangshan City to send He Lanxi away, Cheng Tingyan thought the key was the distant city, she didn’t expect it was Zhang Youyi herself.

Years ago, He Rongzheng had sponsored many children the same age as his missing daughter.

Zhang Youyi was one of them, she joined the charity organization that helped her after growing up and had been in contact with He Rongzheng regarding donations on behalf of the organization. She was the person He Rongzheng thought of when, after receiving the anonymous fortune teller’s call, he became suspicious of everyone around him, especially those who had interacted with He Lanxi.

Zhang Youyi quickly responded to He Rongzheng’s request for help.

Of course, He Rongzheng, as a precaution, immediately hired a team of bodyguards for Zhang Youyi after He Lanxi left the restaurant.

Initially, He Rongzheng only used Zhang Youyi’s name, her similar age, and her orphan status as a diversion to send He Lanxi away, hiring bodyguards was just his habit of being thorough.

But later… he received unexpected help.

He Lanxi was his most beloved niece.

He didn’t know why, but even though his child was just conceived when he and his wife separated, he had always felt it was a girl. They had even discussed names, but they only had one discussion, choosing a few nice-sounding characters, they hadn’t even formed a name before they were separated.

He Rongzheng still remembered that day, discussing names, sitting in the courtyard under the vast blue sky. Among those characters were “Lan”.

Among his many nieces and nephews, He Lanxi was the most thoughtful one, and because of the character “Lan” in her name, He Rongzheng always favored her.

This time, the first half of the anonymous fortune teller’s warning had been confirmed by the three DNA tests. He Rongzheng felt the second half must also be true.

Past affection couldn’t excuse her actions against Zhang Shilan.

He Rongzheng wanted to see how far she would go.

What would she do if she knew Zhang Shilan was his daughter…

With his old friend’s help, He Rongzheng had enough trustworthy people, he initially planned to send He Lanxi on another wild goose chase, let professionals handle the dangerous tasks.

But then something unexpected happened.

Before He Rongzheng could even set up another trap, He Lanxi, through some unknown underground DNA testing agency, used Zhang Youyi’s hair and her own and confirmed a biological relationship.

Thankfully, He Rongzheng had sent bodyguards to protect Zhang Youyi.

The falling window didn’t hit Zhang Youyi, only a shard of glass injured the bodyguard who rushed to protect her.

Heh, an old window frame, naturally falling due to wear and tear… Who would believe that?

He Rongzheng, knowing how far He Lanxi’s reach extended, immediately disregarded their past relationship and sent her to jail.

The most ironic thing was, to be absolutely certain, He Rongzheng had Zhang Youyi’s hair tested, and it turned out she was related to the He family, a distant relative… He Lanxi’s scheme not only exposed her true nature but also helped Zhang Youyi find her family… It was truly a miracle.

While He Rongzheng was decisively cutting off the extended hand, Cheng Tingyan, hearing about it, felt a chill down her spine.

In her previous life, she only knew that Zhang Shilan died in an accident in a residential complex while looking at an apartment. But the details were unclear. But now, He Lanxi’s attack on Zhang Youyi was also in a residential complex… Cheng Tingyan couldn’t help but wonder if Zhang Shilan’s accident was similar to this one. It’s just that in her previous life, Zhang Shilan didn’t have bodyguards to protect her…

Thankfully, in this life, He Lanxi had lost her chance to inherit the He family’s fortune, He Rongzheng, unmoved by their past relationship, not only sent her to jail, he also exposed all her past schemes, it was enough to keep her locked up for a long time.

But Cheng Tingyan couldn’t think about it anymore, perhaps because the topic was too heavy, too terrifying, the little chubby bunny, even nestled under her blanket, was still trembling. Cheng Tingyan was busy comforting and patting her.

So far, it was… satisfying.

But then… it became a bit too much, making Cheng Tingyan feel uneasy despite her satisfaction with He Rongzheng’s actions.

The anonymous fortune teller gave He Rongzheng three names, a daughter, who was truly his… a niece, who was truly malicious… and another one…

With He Lanxi’s “good deed,” He Rongzheng naturally wouldn’t let Bai Lei, also mentioned by the fortune teller, off the hook. Not just Bai Lei, but also her daughter, Cheng Rongrong, who, based on what he heard from Lǔ Shíjīn, didn’t seem like a good person either.

Although Bai Lei wasn’t involved in the Zhang Youyi incident and couldn’t be arrested, He Rongzheng’s people found something else.

Colluding with the assistant director of a variety show to harm his stepdaughter, how could that assistant director take all the blame alone?

Wasn’t it because his children were sent abroad, the evidence in someone else’s hands, that he had to bear the burden alone? He would just find them and bring them back, who was better at finding missing children abroad than him?

Cheng Tingyan never thought she would hear about Jin Youliang again. And she never expected that He Rongzheng, to expose Bai Lei and teach her a lesson, to figure out Cheng Rongrong’s strange behavior, to prevent another incident like Zhang Youyi’s, would actually have people follow Bai Lei and Cheng Rongrong, not just following, but even hacking their phones and computers, monitoring them… This surveillance might even be indefinite.

Bai Lei and Cheng Rongrong didn’t rely on the He family’s fund; they wouldn’t pray for He Rongzheng’s family’s longevity like his other relatives. Although He Lanxi was gone, with the villains still at large, He Rongzheng’s caution was understandable.

It was truly… both reassuring and terrifying.

Cheng Tingyan couldn’t help but think of herself.

Earlier, while munching on steamed ribs, the little chubby bunny mentioned Lǔ Shíjīn overhearing Cheng Rongrong say that they could ask the publishing house if Zhang Shilan had a novel about a certain month, if she did, then it was almost certain. Cheng Tingyan’s first thought was, in her previous life, it was probably through discovering Zhang Shilan’s novel at the publishing house that He Lanxi and Bai Lei connected her to He Rongzheng.

Cheng Rongrong, saying that, it was truly bizarre.

Cheng Tingyan even wondered if Cheng Rongrong had also been reborn, with the memories of her mom and He Lanxi’s scheme.

But that night, Cheng Tingyan found the two dramas Cheng Rongrong filmed after the variety show, which Wei Chengli had mentioned, she endured her disgust and watched Cheng Rongrong’s scenes, then searched for her recent updates, found the web drama she was currently filming, and after watching it, she thought and thought, then she decided it wasn’t possible.

If Cheng Rongrong was also reborn, when did she return?

At the Cheng family’s house, Cheng Rongrong’s childish and petty malice was the same as in her previous life. If she was reborn, her methods in her previous life became increasingly sophisticated, she wouldn’t have regressed mentally.

And during the variety show, if Cheng Rongrong was reborn, then with her previous life’s experience, she wouldn’t have been so incompetent, reduced to impotent rage, it wasn’t at the level of her being able to manipulate people with just a few words, like in her previous life when she was older.

And those two dramas Cheng Rongrong acted in, Cheng Tingyan checked, the earlier one aired over half a year ago, the newer one just finished filming two months ago and had just started airing. In both dramas, Cheng Rongrong’s acting… was at the same level as when they first started filming those short dramas for Jin Youliang. Mmm… maybe even worse.

As for the web drama, the latest episode aired on October 8th, based on their weekly release schedule, which meant they filmed one episode after airing the previous one, Cheng Rongrong’s acting was still at this level on at least October 1st…

Cheng Tingyan, still suspicious, continued to observe the web drama for a while. It wasn’t until mid-to-late November, when she saw an advertisement for a special drink at a bubble tea shop, celebrating Singles’ Day, in the web drama, confirming that it wasn’t pre-recorded, that she finally relaxed a little.

Mmm, Cheng Rongrong’s acting was still childish… She hadn’t even reached the level of her four or five-year-old self from her previous life.

Cheng Tingyan felt that the possibility of Cheng Rongrong being reborn was almost zero, but those words Lǔ Shíjīn overheard were still strange. She started to suspect that the person who she thought had been reborn and changed those few days before her rebirth not only existed, but might also have contact with Cheng Rongrong.

And with this suspicion, Cheng Tingyan felt He Rongzheng’s methods were necessary. If there truly was such a person, if it was them who told Cheng Rongrong about Zhang Shilan, if it was unintentional, then it was fine, but if it was intentional…

How much a reborn person could change, Cheng Tingyan, who had just orchestrated the reunion of the He family, knew all too well.

But…

He Rongzheng’s method of making Bai Lei and Cheng Rongrong completely transparent, seeing it as protection for Zhang Shilan, the little chubby bunny, and Wei Chengli, it was a good thing. But on the other hand… Cheng Tingyan, as a reborn person, felt that He Rongzheng, this wealthy, sharp, and decisive old fox, was quite terrifying.

At the end of November, Cheng Tingyan, invited by Wei Maomao, visited the He family’s old villa.

How should she put it… That brief encounter at the Cheng family’s house was fine, but that time in November, she didn’t know if it was psychological, but Cheng Tingyan kept thinking about how He Rongzheng, because of Cheng Rongrong’s one sentence, had Zhang Youyi thoroughly investigated.

It was… unsettling.

Cheng Tingyan tried to act natural, even putting on an act, but she felt that the little chubby bunny probably sensed her discomfort. Because after that visit, the little chubby bunny asked her directly if she didn’t like going to the villa.

Thankfully, the little chubby bunny was always so considerate, she said if she didn’t want to go, then she didn’t have to.

But…

Cheng Tingyan, while kneading the dough for buns, thought about her grandma’s words earlier.

If Maomao moved, if Maomao transferred schools, if Maomao’s grandpa didn’t allow them to meet… Then she would probably still have to go. At least visit occasionally, to see how she was doing.

What if it was like Wang Zhizhi, seemingly living a comfortable life, but actually suffering behind closed doors…

Cheng Tingyan, after finishing kneading a bun, found a reason to overcome her fear of the old fox and visit the little chubby bunny again.

Then…

“Yan Yan, why don’t you go and read…” Chen Sujuan said with a smile, looking at the bun in Cheng Tingyan’s hand, which had been kneaded into a shapeless mess. “Go, go, go, or I’ll steam this for Maomao tomorrow afternoon.”

Cheng Tingyan, looking at the ugly bun in her hand, her face red, ran off.