Jiaojiao is getting married, and the male leads fall for her and fight over her.

Chapter 240 The mystery of life experience
Xiao Liang stared intently at Shen Shuyi, while Shen Shuyi looked at Xiao Liang with curiosity.

I had heard from Da Liang before that her eyes resembled those of Da Liang's daughter who died young.

She didn't expect that Xiao Liangshi's eyes were also very similar to Da Liangshi's. When she saw Xiao Liangshi, she had a feeling of déjà vu.

Madam Liang kept staring at Shen Shuyi, making Shen Shuyi a little embarrassed: "Last time I was supposed to come and visit you, Madam, but I left at the last minute. I was very rude and hope you will forgive me."

Suddenly, Madam Liang took her hand and asked, "How old are you this year, young lady?"

Her question caught the Pei family's attention, mainly because it seemed a bit abrupt.

Furthermore, since Shen Shuyi's identity had not yet been confirmed, she didn't know how to answer.

If she is Zhang's daughter, then she is eighteen years old now.

But to outsiders, she was Pei Zhichun's daughter, and Pei Zhichun manipulated the timing of her pregnancy, so everyone thought she was seventeen.

Seeing that her lips moved but she didn't reply, Madam Liang became a little anxious: "Doesn't the young lady even know how old she is?"

The old lady then came to Shen Shuyi's rescue: "The child will be eighteen soon."

Upon hearing this, all of Xiao Liang's expectations were dashed: "Is that so?"

Her lost daughter was a year older than Shen Shuyi, which didn't match the age of Miss Shen.

Pei Xizhou stood next to Pei Dongzhou and whispered, "Why do I feel that my cousin and Madam Li look a lot alike?"

The eyes, in particular, are very similar.

Pei Dongzhou had already noticed this, but it was inconvenient for him to say it in front of the host.

There was also a question that Ms. Liang asked her cousin, and after receiving the answer, Ms. Liang seemed very disappointed.

After welcoming the Pei family into the mansion, Madam Liang was somewhat absent-minded, still watching Shen Shuyi's back.

Shen Shuyi sensed the gaze of Xiao Liangshi behind her, turned around and saw Xiao Liangshi looking distraught.

That's strange. Why is Madam Liang looking at her with such a sorrowful expression?
"Does Grandmother know why Madam Li has been living a secluded life all these years?" Shen Shuyi asked curiously.

"I've only heard that she's unwell and therefore keeps to herself; only she knows for sure," the old lady replied.

Shen Shuyi whispered to the old lady, "I always feel that Madam Li's gaze towards me is a bit off, and also, I inexplicably feel that Madam Li looks very kind."

As the saying goes, what is said without intention may be heard with intent. Pei Dongzhou was right behind Shen Shuyi and heard everything clearly.

His heart skipped a beat. He glanced back at the direction where Xiao Liang was, and then quietly went behind her.

He has now reached a dead end, and any possibility could save his life.

Is it possible that even if it's true that Aunt Qiu was replaced, Shen Shuyi was replaced again afterward? He thought he might really be going crazy, pondering such an outrageous possibility as if he were possessed.

Madam Liang never expected Pei Dongzhou to come looking for her. This Prince Pei is truly a god-like figure. He happens to be Miss Shen's fiancé. Perhaps she could ask Prince Pei again to clarify things, and maybe she hadn't made a mistake?

If her daughter hadn't been lost, would she have grown up to be as graceful as Miss Shen?
Both of them clung to a sliver of hope amidst their despair, wanting to test each other.

“I would like to ask Madam about something. Why have you been living a secluded life all these years? Also, why did you ask about my cousin’s age? Is there some significance to my cousin’s age?” Pei Dongzhou asked impatiently, after asking Madam Liang to step aside.

He knew he might be going crazy for thinking that his cousin might be Xiao Liang's daughter, since they really did look quite alike when they stood together.

Anyone else would have thought Pei Dongzhou's question was abrupt, but Madam Liang replied without hesitation, "The reason I live a secluded life is because I lost my daughter years ago, something I haven't been able to let go of all these years..."

Pei Dongzhou's heart raced upon hearing this, and his eyes lit up: "Really?!"

Seeing Pei Dongzhou's agitated state, Madam Liang's heart raced as well: "What does Young Master Pei mean by that? Could it be that Miss Shen's background is problematic?"

If that's the case, is it possible that Miss Shen is really her daughter?
Xiao Liang's question stumped Pei Dongzhou. The matter of switching children was, after all, a family scandal that shouldn't be discussed with outsiders, but what if his cousin really was Xiao Liang's daughter?
“My cousin’s background is indeed a bit complicated, but I don’t know how to explain it. May I ask how your daughter got lost? Would it be convenient for you to tell me, Madam?” Pei Dongzhou asked cautiously.

He had calmed down by now and told himself not to overthink it. His aunt had taken his sister away before, so there was no reason for her to abduct Xiao Liang's daughter as well; it didn't make sense.

But deep down, he still clung to a last glimmer of hope.

“It’s a long story. That year, during the Lantern Festival, my husband took me and the child back to see the lantern festival. My husband was clearly holding Huan’er’s hand, but in the time it took to buy a candied hawthorn, the child disappeared.” As she spoke, Xiao Liang’s eyes reddened slightly. “Countless days and nights I have thought that I should have been holding the child at that time, otherwise I would not have lost the child.”

"Was Madam in the capital at that time?" Pei Dongzhou pressed.

But back then, the old lady brought my cousin back to the Marquis's mansion from Hengzhou when my cousin was five years old.

“It was in the capital, Huan’er was three years old that year,” Madam Liang replied.

"May I ask what distinctive features your daughter possesses?" Pei Dongzhou pressed further.

Madam Liang shook her head: "Huan'er has been like a little jade dumpling since she was little, without any particularly distinctive personality traits, but her skin is very fair, just like Miss Shen's. Seeing Miss Shen is like seeing myself when I was young. Is it possible that Miss Shen is the child I lost? I liked Miss Shen the moment I saw her. Even though I adopted a daughter that year, I have never forgotten Huan'er for a single moment all these years. I hope a miracle can happen..."

Pei Dongzhou was somewhat surprised to hear this: "Madam actually adopted a daughter?"

"No one else knew that my Huan'er was missing. On the third day after she went missing, a little girl about Huan'er's age collapsed in front of my house. The child was very sick, and it took a lot of effort to save her when I found her. After she recovered, my husband and I took her in. Later, because we couldn't find Huan'er for a long time, we raised the child as our own, which can be considered as accumulating good karma for Huan'er..."

While Madam Liang continued her rambling, Pei Dongzhou felt more and more that it seemed to be the work of his aunt.

But why did my aunt want to switch children again?

Could it be that my aunt never left the capital at that time, and the reason for changing the child was because the child was seriously ill and she didn't want the Marquis's mansion to know that she hadn't left the capital?

Was the child sent to the Li family because they couldn't cure the seriously ill child? But was it really necessary to take Xiao Liang's child away?

(End of this chapter)