The Supporting Male Characters Who Died Alone All Those Years Later

He Juan covered her mouth and shook her head. “I didn’t go anywhere. I was just inside, knitting hats, trying to meet the factory’s deadline.”

The officer glanced at a basket of yarn and hats in the corner, nodded, and then turned to ask He Dongchen, “What about you?”

“I was sleeping at home,” He Dongchen replied. Before he finished speaking, he felt a sharp pain in his arm. He gently patted He Juan’s hand to reassure her.

The police questioned the neighbors, who confirmed they hadn’t seen either of them leave the house. Reluctantly, the police put aside their suspicions. The security footage from the alley showed someone holding an umbrella walking through the alley the previous night. It was just an ordinary checkered umbrella, covering the person completely, leaving no clues.

After a thorough investigation, the death was ruled accidental.

With no other relatives, He Gou’s funeral was hastily concluded.

It seemed as if everything had finally settled.

He Dongchen and He Juan tacitly agreed to forget that rainy night.

The tattered umbrella disappeared from the He family’s home at some point.

A week later, He Dongchen returned to school. There were now only 2 months left until the college entrance exams and just 3 months since the He family had sought him out.

That’s right, the He family had actively come looking for him.

He Dongchen didn’t plan to do anything special. He went to and from school each day, maintaining his solitary and aloof demeanor, always keeping to himself.

It’s worth mentioning that He Juan also worked at the school, in the cafeteria, serving food to the students.

Their relationship was never hidden, but no one really cared.

Only He Sijia had once privately remarked, “Auntie is so kind, she always gives me the most food, piling it up high.”

He Sijia was sweet-tongued, beautiful, and academically excellent. She was very popular at school; teachers, students, even the guards and cafeteria staff adored her.

He Dongchen paid attention a few times and noticed that He Juan always gave He Sijia the most food. On one occasion, she even switched workstations just to serve He Sijia.

This was quite interesting.

Was it really an accidental switch at birth all those years ago?

***

2 months passed quickly, and the college entrance exams arrived. Although the original owner had kept a low profile, he performed exceptionally well in the exams, earning a place at a prestigious university. This became a point of contention when he was attacked on the mediation program.

He Dongchen had no intention of deliberately failing the exams; on the contrary, he did exceptionally well, scoring even higher than He Sijia, who had been meticulously taught from a young age.

On the day he returned to school to collect his records, He Dongchen happened to run into He Sijia and her best friend, Sima Peiting, who was also her future niece.

“He Dongchen, tomorrow is my eighteenth birthday. We’re having a few tables at home. Will you come?” He Sijia blocked He Dongchen’s path with a bright smile, her voice soft and gentle, naturally easing the tension in the air.

“I’m not going,” He Dongchen said as he walked past them, holding his documents.

“How rude,” Sima Peiting grumbled in dissatisfaction. So many people were eager to attend He Sijia’s coming-of-age ceremony, yet He Dongchen had the audacity to decline! He truly didn’t know what was good for him!

“Come on, he’s actually a good person, just not very talkative,” He Sijia said with a smile.

“Only you can tolerate his cold attitude.”

The two of them laughed and chatted as they walked out of the school gates. A black Porsche slowly pulled up, and the rear window rolled down, revealing a handsome face. He Sijia’s cheeks flushed slightly as she softly called out, “Uncle.”

Sima Yongqing nodded slightly and old his niece, Sima Peiting, “You get carsick, so sit in the front.”

Sima Peiting didn’t think anything was amiss and happily opened the door to get in. Curiously, she asked, “Uncle, why did you suddenly come to pick me up?”

Sima Yongqing glanced at He Sijia as she got into the car, adjusted her skirt for her, and casually replied, “I just happened to be passing by.”

He Sijia lowered her head, her fingers quietly hooking onto the corner of Sima Yongqing’s coat.

The driver in the front seat caught sight of it in the rearview mirror and pretended not to see anything.

Meanwhile, He Dongchen left the school and headed to his workplace. After the college entrance exams, he didn’t want to live with He Juan anymore, so he found a part-time job as a tutor and stayed at the employer’s house. The employer was a father and son, so there was no need for any awkwardness.

Time passed steadily. The exam results were released, the college applications were completed, and the admission letter arrived.

As expected, the He family soon came knocking.

***

“Son, I’m your mother,” Lin Xiumei cried as she rushed toward him, her eyes filled with tears. The middle-aged man in a suit beside her was much calmer, carefully explaining the entire mix-up.

“Son, come home with us,” Lin Xiumei said softly, looking at the tall, slender He Dongchen. She had heard that he had been accepted into a top university, even outperforming He Sijia. She couldn’t help but feel proud.

He Zhenglan adjusted his glasses and echoed, “That’s right, let’s go home.”

He Dongchen looked at the two of them and slowly spoke, “I’ll go home, but what about He Sijia?”

They were both taken aback and exchanged a glance. Lin Xiumei gently replied, “Sijia is your sister. You’re both my good children.”

“Exactly. No one intended for that mix-up to happen all those years ago, but now the truth is out, and you and Sijia share a bond.”

“Heh, a bond? What bond?” He Dongchen scoffed. “For her, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. For me, it was 18 years of hell. This bond is one I can’t accept.”

The He couple’s intentions were easy to discern; they wanted to keep both children. After all, they had the money to support them. They didn’t care if He Dongchen would feel hurt or resentful; they just wanted a happy, harmonious family filled with laughter and joy.

He Dongchen didn’t wait for them to speak and continued, “I can go back with you, but you’ll need to bring He Sijia’s mother along too, so we can all live together as one big, happy family.”

After all, he was certain that he wouldn’t be the one feeling uncomfortable in that situation.

The He couple frowned at the suggestion. They had no issue with arranging a job for He Juan, but bringing her home to live together? That was out of the question.

He Dongchen remained resolute, leaving the He couple with no choice but to compromise. At the same time, they mentally labeled their son as difficult and sharp-tongued. Both had a bad feeling, suspecting that their future life might be filled with chaos.

On the other side, He Sijia was restless. Ever since she learned that she wasn’t the He family’s biological daughter and that the cold and distant He Dongchen at school was, she had been on edge, unable to eat or sleep properly, with her mind in turmoil.

Buzz, buzz, buzz. Her phone vibrated.

He Sijia hurriedly answered, clinging to it like a lifeline. With a trembling voice, she said, “Uncle, what should I do? I’m so scared. Will I be kicked out of the house?”

A deep voice from the other end of the line responded, “Don’t worry, I’m here. The He family won’t kick you out.”

Feeling somewhat reassured, He Sijia held the phone and rambled on incoherently.

Just then, the door opened, and a group of people entered.

***

He Sijia quickly stood up, her gaze immediately locking onto He Dongchen as he walked in. He was dressed simply in a white shirt, tall and slender, with his hands in his pockets. His previously long hair had been styled, revealing a pair of beautiful, deep-set eyes that bore a striking resemblance to He Zhenglan’s.

Suddenly, those eyes turned toward her, cold and mocking, causing her heart to skip a beat. She instinctively looked away.

Amid the tense atmosphere, a tearful voice cried out, “Sijia, my child.”

He Juan dropped her luggage and ran over, embracing He Sijia with tears streaming down her face.

He Sijia stood frozen, unsure of how to respond, like a puppet being manipulated.

Lin Xiumei frowned slightly and stepped forward to separate them. “Let’s sit down and talk.”

“Yes, after all, we’ll be living under the same roof from now on. There’ll be plenty of time to talk,” He Dongchen interjected casually.

He Sijia was stunned. What did that mean?

Noticing her confusion, He Dongchen kindly explained, “Isn’t it great? You now have two mothers; Mrs. Lin to take you shopping and Mrs. He to make soup for you at home. Mr. He will handle the bills. You’re the little princess of the He family, with everyone revolving around you.”

In the original story, the original owner had returned to the He family alone, with all attention focused on him. The conflict revolved around the true prince and the imposter princess.

Now that He Juan had moved into the He family home, He Dongchen was determined to ensure she always remained in the spotlight, shifting the conflicts elsewhere; such as between the adoptive mother and the biological mother.

How would He Sijia handle the situation between her adoptive and biological mothers? Which one would she prioritize, and could she treat them equally?

With He Juan living in the He family home, freeloading and giving orders, would He Zhenglan and Lin Xiumei eventually find her presence intolerable over time?

Imagine if He Dongchen cared more about He Juan, and He Sijia grew closer to her; how uncomfortable would that make He Zhenglan and Lin Xiumei? They’d be the ones funding everything, only to see He Juan take over, becoming the dominant force in the household.

Now imagine if He Dongchen cared more about Lin Xiumei, and He Sijia grew closer to her; how would He Juan feel, watching her biological daughter and the son she raised reject her?

Feeling uncomfortable would be exactly the point.

Why should the original owner be the only one to suffer?

Let everyone feel the discomfort and chaos together.