Drama Queen Reborn as a Top Student!-Chapter 744 - 320 Meeting you and parting from you_2

"Aunt? You’re saying the Shen family’s downfall is related to Aunt? That’s impossible. Aunt married into Hua Country... ."

"My dear young lady, how could you be so naive? Lady Qiu married into no ordinary family. Aren’t you fond of watching palace intrigue dramas? The battles within noble families are every bit as fierce as those in the palace. This time, the Shen family got dragged down because of Lady Qiu... ."

"I must go to Hua Country to find Aunt... ."

Zhou Jun grabbed her arm: "You can’t go anywhere right now. Their methods are ruthless—they’ll uproot everything and ensure no loose ends are left. Unless you want to end up like your father, no one will be left to seek justice for him then."

Zhou Jun sighed: "Back then, sir disapproved of her decision to return with that man. But Lady Qiu said, ’Marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog,’ and insisted on going back with him. The very situation sir feared has come to pass. Now it’s come to this—even sir himself has been drawn in, losing his life over it. Sir saved my life—I could never betray him. Yet they threatened me with my mother’s life; if I didn’t comply, my mother would be doomed. I’m sorry, sir... I betrayed you... ."

Zhou Jun buried his head, sobbing in bitter regret. The punishment for his wrongdoing arrived swiftly. Now trapped in a desperate chase, he was being hunted, his pursuers intent on silencing him and burying the truth forever.

Determination burned fiercely in the young woman’s eyes. "I must avenge my father, my aunt."

"Young lady, that’s futile, like throwing an egg against a stone. Your priority must be to survive and stay hidden for now."

Zhou Jun’s sharp eyes caught sight of her slightly rounded belly, and he asked in alarm: "Young lady, are you... ?"

She pressed her lips together: "I’m pregnant."

Zhou Jun’s pupils contracted sharply: "Did someone hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No... ."

Before long, their pursuers located their hiding place and stealthily closed in.

Zhou Jun lowered his voice and said, "For the sake of the child, you must live on and stay strong. Only by surviving will you have a chance."

With that, he charged out decisively.

She watched helplessly as Zhou Jun collapsed into a pool of blood, his wide-open eyes fixed in her direction. There was unwillingness, release, and liberation in his gaze.

She covered her mouth, suppressing every emotion.

When the footsteps faded, she sank to the ground as though drained of strength, her world engulfed in darkness.

When she woke again, she was in a hospital room. As soon as her eyes opened, she saw De La Meffi sitting vigil at her bedside, sleepless through the night.

De La’s joy at her awakening was instant, his usually mysterious and impassive demeanor replaced by a glow of unrestrained delight.

Her nose turned sour all at once.

She grabbed De La’s hand: "I’m fine."

De La sighed in relief, gently placing his hand on her forehead. "There’s still a bit of a fever. I’ll call the doctor over... ."

"I need to talk to you."

De La smiled and stroked her cheek. "No rush—wait until you’ve recovered a little more."

"My name is Shen Zhilan."

"Shen Zhilan... what a beautiful name."

Shen Zhilan gazed at him quietly. "You already knew, didn’t you? Of course, with your background, if you wanted to investigate something or someone, it would be effortlessly done."

De La’s eyes were filled with tender concern. "I only regret meeting you so late, leaving you to endure so many awful experiences. It won’t happen again. With me here, you won’t suffer any longer."

"I need revenge."

"Alright, I’ll help you."

Tears spilled uncontrollably from her eyes. "I don’t want to drag you into this. Leave."

De La held her hand and placed a soft kiss on the back of it.

"You are my beloved. I am willing to do anything for you."

Just for a moment, her eyes seemed to waver, but that fleeting softness was quickly buried beneath an icy resolve.

Shen You’an flipped over the picture, revealing delicate handwriting scrawling out a verse.

Let me bow my head in gratitude to all the stars that aided me,

Let me meet you, let me part from you.

Shen Zhilan.

"How did she die?"

De La’s gaze darkened with sorrow: "There was a complication during childbirth. She hemorrhaged severely, and although we saved her, the ordeal left her with a crippling condition. She sent me away and secretly disappeared. This photo was the only thing she left me."

She wanted revenge but didn’t want to implicate him, leaving her child behind and departing forever.

"I scoured every corner of the earth like a madman searching for her, but I never found any trace of her again."

As long as he refused to believe she was gone, it felt as if she might still exist somewhere in the world.

"So you told Xingxing his mother went to Hua Country—to give him hope, and to give yourself hope too?"

De La shut his eyes.

Sula’s eyes reddened with emotion. "So that’s how it is. Why didn’t you tell me the truth? I always thought Xingxing’s mother abandoned him. Over the years, I’ve cursed her so many times in my heart... ."

"Shen Zhilan." Shen You’an stared at the delicate name. Zhi Lan—graceful as orchids; she was as her name.

"Actually, I am also a Shen."

De La showed no surprise. Sula abruptly lifted her head.

"So... ?"

Shen You’an spoke slowly: "Estranged as we are, I should call her my grandaunt."

Sula was so shocked that she sprang to her feet. "So you and Xingxing truly share a blood relationship?"

Heavens, what an incredible coincidence.

Shen You’an turned to De La. "You knew all along?"

"Zhilan once told me she had an aunt who married into Hua Country. Her mother had died young, and this aunt was almost like a second mother to her. But after that, she refused to say much more. When I investigated her background, I looked into the aunt who had married into Hua Country, but due to certain reasons, the search came to a dead end."

De La’s sharp eyes locked onto her deeply. "From the moment I first saw you, I suspected that you must be the descendant of her aunt."

Shen You’an smiled faintly. "So, you were fond of me as an extension of her."

De La folded his hands. "Although Zhilan didn’t share much, I knew the Shen family’s downfall was linked to that aunt who married into Hua Country. But every time I tried to dig deeper, I met resistance. I have little influence in Hua Country."

"Because it’s the Yu family. Of course, you wouldn’t be able to investigate further."

De La’s pupils contracted sharply. Though he had guessed this before, hearing it so directly left him stunned.

"It really was the Yu family."

Shen You’an stared at the woman in the photo. "I once thought that apart from my uncle, I’d have no other family in this world. But now, I’ve found my grandparents—and now Xingxing."

"Aunt, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of Xingxing, and I’ll avenge the Shen family."

The inexplicable affection and tenderness she had for Xingxing in the past wasn’t born of mere sympathy. It stemmed from a connection within their blood. Despite physical distance and never having met before, the bond drew them together instantly at first sight.

De La fixed his gaze deeply on the young woman before him. She was no longer the naive girl he had first encountered. Her growth had been astonishing, so much so that now even he had to look up to her.

To be her enemy was both a privilege and the gravest misfortune.

"If you need anything at all, just ask. The Mei Fei Family’s entire network and resources are at your disposal."

Sula slapped her palm down on the table boldly. "Count me in too. Anyone who dares bully our Xingxing—just watch how I deal with them. If you need anything, just let your big sister know."