[But your father is already dead.]
Han Junqing's slight sense of expectation that had just risen was instantly crushed, and his expression was somewhat bitter. "Can you speak without gasping?"
Every child expects their father, especially for boys. Han Junqing was no exception. When he was young, he saw that other children had both parents, and he also fantasized about his father. But his mother never mentioned it, so he didn't ask.
From childhood to adulthood, he never knew who his father was. The first time he heard about it was when his mother's past was exposed, and netizens said his father was a gigolo. In fact, he knew deep down that this speculation was very likely true, otherwise his mother wouldn't have refused to refute.
However, this result was difficult for him to accept. In his fantasy, his father might be an upright police officer who sacrificed himself while on duty; perhaps he was a doctor who saved lives and helped the injured, but had no time for his family, so his mother divorced him; or maybe he was just an ordinary office worker who died in an accident... among all his guesses about his father, there was no gigolo.
The more beautiful the fantasy, the more disappointed it was. Maybe deep inside, he couldn't accept this explanation, so after his mother's death, he never thought about his father again. He unconsciously avoided the discussions about his father's identity. Now, suddenly hearing the system talk about his father, implying that his father was some kind of important person, he suddenly felt a slight sense of expectation again.
But this expectation was instantly crushed by the system's ruthlessness before this thread of hope would turn into joy. It seems that he was destined to have no family ties; as soon as he received news of his father, he was already dead.
[Don't expect anything. Your dad was a playboy, a womanizer. If he's alive, he might not even want to see you! Your father is dead, but you still have your grandfather!]
Han Junqing was speechless now, and he was waiting for the system to finish speaking.
[Your grandfather is the famous stock king Lin Tiance, and you are left behind by his youngest son in a one-night romance.]
Han Junqing immediately recognized Lin Tiance due to his fame and near-billionaire status. However, he became famous not because of his wealth, but because of the Lin family's property dispute war. Lin Tiance was romantic and heartless, and when he was young, he married several wives, but only had three sons. The fact that the three sons were not from the same mother and all three mothers were still alive added to the level of excitement in the family. Lin Tiance was getting older, but he had not yet established an heir. Wasn't it something to remember?
Two years ago, the Lin family was in chaos, just like ancient times. First the eldest son's only son was kidnapped and extorted for money, and then the second son's wife and children were in a plane crash, none survived. The youngest son, who had no ambition, only knew how to enjoy life with food, drink, and entertainment. He was a regular visitor at all sorts of leisure activities, not picky about meeting new or strange women, and lived a carefree and extravagant life. Last year, he died in a car accident and never got married, let alone leaving behind a son or a daughter. Then this year, the eldest son of the Lin family came forward saying that the third son was killed by the second son, but the second son denied it and bit back, saying that the first son framed and implicated him for killing his younger brother... In the end, the Lin family's eldest and second sons both suffered defeat and died together, and Lin Tiance, in his old age, had no one left behind! This matter caused a lot of noise in China, and Han Junqing naturally heard about it.
At that time, he was just a spectator, and did not take it to heart, but he never thought that the Lin family had a connection with him.
[So, the Lin family only has you as the sole heir. If Lin Tiance knows of your existence, wouldn't he treat you as a treasure? Forget taking care of the Gu family, even if the king of heaven dares to harm you, he would fight with all his might.]
Han Junqing suddenly felt bewildered. He felt that the events he experienced in the past few days were too thrilling. He was just a child from a single-parent family, and suddenly he was told that his mother was a wanderer from a noble family and his father was a prince from a super-rich family. Among the three of them, he was the most ordinary!
[No, no, no! How could you be ordinary? You're just like the typical protagonist in a novel who is a poor guy making a comeback! Any male lead who starts off in a tough situation must have a hidden identity that is off the charts. You have already achieved that. Why don't we change the main storyline? Instead of becoming a superstar, why don't you cultivate into a dragon who can rival the sun and moon?]
Han Junqing was awakened by Wen Qing's enthusiastic proposal, "No, I still like acting!"
Wen Qing was a little disappointed, [There's nothing we can do about it then.]
Afraid that she would have another whimsical idea, Han Junqing quickly changed the topic, "I think it's best to forget about it. The Lin family's business is huge, let's not stir up trouble. I'll just be banned for a year, right? I'll take this opportunity to attend more acting classes."
[Aren't you tempted by the family's wealth?]
"I am indeed tempted...," Han Junqing answered honestly, "but a gentleman loves wealth with principle. The money is hot to handle. I'm happy being a simple man, acting, singing, and spending the money I earn in peace."
"Most importantly, I'm afraid Lin... I'm afraid he'll make me go back to inherit the family business and won't let me act anymore."
[...]
Did she encounter a real-life version of 'if you don't work hard, you'll have to go back and inherit a fortune'?
Wen Qing refused to give up and kept trying to convince him. [Being alone is lonely for anyone, including you and Lin Tiance. You wouldn't want an elderly man to spend his remaining years in loneliness, would you? And as his only grandson, he would likely follow your lead. When it comes to the family business, the grandson is more important than anything else. Throughout Lin Tiance's life, he's been very open-minded. Your concerns may not even be a reality!]
Han Junqing was moved by her words, deep down he still had expectations for his family. He always envied the children who were taken by their grandparents to buy toys and snacks, but he didn't even have a father, he could only look on with envy.
[Otherwise, you risk encountering the Gu family today and facing a year-long ban, only to come across the Shen family tomorrow. It may not be simple. Powerless or powerful individuals can both crush you. When will this cycle end? Having Lin's support as a strong backing, like leaning against a big tree for shelter, provides peace of mind. Then you can do whatever you like to do.]
"Alright." Wen Qing persuaded Han Junqing, finally making him change his mind. Then Wen Qing went off excitedly to do something. Although the Lin family's private life was chaotic, there were still rules. Lin's own morality was also known, and he never interfered with his son's romantic affairs. However, in order to avoid the situation where offspring would fall outside, he specifically kept some people to record the private lives of his sons. Who they slept with, where they slept, etc were all recorded, like an ancient emperor's daily record.
Although it's a bit weird, it's also a method, and overall the effect was good. Even though the Lin family was so chaotic, there hasn't been any hearsay of illegitimate children. But there were still fish that slipped through the net, such as Han Junqing's mother.
Lin Laosan and Han Wenqing had a rocky relationship, but Lin was quirky and indiscriminate in his tastes. He was willing to try anything new and unusual, as long as it looked appealing to him. Han Wenqing was naturally very beautiful, so they ended up having Han Junqing due to a series of unexpected events.
After Lin Laosan went back, he even forgot about this matter, so Han Wenqing was not recorded in the "Household Record" of the Lin family. But Wen Qing didn't mind, she simply added Han Wenqing in. Meanwhile, Lin Tiance was in a hurry to see a doctor, finding women who had slept with his sons and administering paternity tests to determine any missed offspring. When the Lin family eventually discovered Han Wenqing and conducted a paternity test, they would have to express gratitude towards her.
Since they had to deal with the Gu family's difficulties, they naturally had to do it quickly, so that night the Lin family "checked" Han Wenqing, and the next day Han Junqing's paternity test report was on Lin Tiance's desk.
Lin Tiance held three identical paternity test reports. This was to prevent accidents. He had three groups of people do it at the same time. His excited hands were shaking, his cloudy eyes were tearful, "Good good good! God bless, I didn't let my Lin family go extinct! Prepare the car, I will personally go and pick up my grandson home!"
On the other hand, Wen Qing knew that the situation was determined. She wanted to play along with the Gu family. She deliberately arranged for the Gu family to know Han Junqing's identity.
So the Gu family was also collectively stunned. They found their long-lost biological daughter! She dropped out of junior high school, she had an early love affair, she was vain and greedy, she was a young lady... she was dead! After a brief surprise, mixed feelings, heartache, and loss, the Gu family's old man decided to take back the only son of their daughter, the bloodline of the Gu family couldn’t flow outside. Because they neglected their daughter so much, they must compensate their grandson well.
The old man felt relieved after finding out about Han Junqing's information. He was glad that the child had not grown crooked. Not only was he of good character, but he was also remarkable, being able to defeat eight of his cousins! He was indeed their family's seed.
"But what about Xiaoying?"
One sentence, like pouring a bucket of cold water, suddenly cooled the atmosphere.
Ah, Han Junqing's return to the family and the young princess' crush on him - a tricky situation indeed! Wouldn’t she feel heartbroken? The person she liked was her own cousin. How was she supposed to cope with that?