Chapter 537 — Someone Who Looks Just Like You

At Shen Yushu's words, Gu Mengyao was struck dumb for a moment. Was that really what Zhong Yongliang meant? She turned a doubtful look on him.

Zhong Yongliang's expression froze at Shen Yushu's remark. He had not expected her to be so obliging, to come up with such a brilliant excuse. He cleared his throat twice and explained, "That's not what I meant..."

"Oh? Then has he found out that Shield Bro is Uncle Chu's illegitimate son?" Shen Yushu pressed on, curiosity undimmed.

"Xiaoshu! Don't talk nonsense!" The moment Shen Yushu brought up Shield Bro, Gu Mengyao's heart clenched and she shot her a glare. How could they let Zhong Yongliang know about that?

Shen Yushu stuck out her tongue. "I was only joking..."

"Shield Bro? What's that?" Zhong Yongliang was lost in fog. What were these two girls talking about?

"Nothing. If you have something to say, say it." Gu Mengyao plainly had no intention of explaining.

Zhong Yongliang let it drop. Shield Bro, whatever — he would worry about that later; first he had to get his own business settled. So he said, "What I mean is, Mengyao, do you have any sisters, or anything of the sort?"

"Sisters?" Gu Mengyao blinked. "What sisters? My sister is Shen Yushu."

"I don't mean that kind of sister. I mean Uncle Chu — does he have any other daughters?" Zhong Yongliang asked cautiously.

"Other daughters? Zhong Yongliang, what exactly are you getting at? Why are you hemming and hawing? Can't you say what you have to say all at once?" Gu Mengyao was growing angry. What on earth did he mean, finding roundabout ways to tell her that her father had an illegitimate son or daughter out there?

"Ah, Mengyao, maybe I was mistaken. It's nothing, nothing..." Zhong Yongliang waved a hand in a feint of indifference and made to leave, adding at the last: "How can there be two people so alike in this world?"

Gu Mengyao had felt no interest in what Zhong Yongliang was saying; if he left, let him leave, and she had not meant to call him back. But at the second half of his sentence she was slightly startled, and cried out, "Zhong Yongliang, what do you mean, someone who looks like me? Someone looks like me?"

"Yes. Last night I went with my father to the Twin Swallow Mountain Resort. While we were climbing, I saw a woman who looks very much like you — I should say, cast from the very same mold! At the time I thought it was you, so I called your name..." Seeing that he had indeed caught Gu Mengyao's interest, Zhong Yongliang felt a surge of satisfaction and went on: "The woman's body gave a jolt. She turned her head, glanced at me, and then hurried away..."

"What? She really looks like me?" Gu Mengyao's breathing clearly quickened. She fixed her eyes on Zhong Yongliang and asked.

"Yes. But once she turned around, I got a good look — she should be a bit older than you..." Zhong Yongliang shook his head. "I thought she might be your elder sister or something. Otherwise, why would she turn around when I called out Gu Mengyao?"

"Then... then did she say anything?" Gu Mengyao asked urgently.

"She didn't say a word. She gave me one look and walked off quickly!" Zhong Yongliang shook his head. "I was curious, so I followed her, but the further I followed, the more I lost her..."

"Ah!" Gu Mengyao gave a cry of alarm. She stood there beside her seat, staring blankly at nothing, lost in thought...

Mother! It must be Mother! In Gu Mengyao's heart a voice was calling, setting her pulse racing. How could there possibly be two people so alike in this world? So that person must be her mother!

Gu Mengyao had seen photographs of her mother when she was young — she looked exactly like her! In fact, in looks she had inherited none of Gu Pengzhan's genes; she had taken wholly after her mother's fine features. So the instant Zhong Yongliang mentioned this woman, Gu Mengyao's first thought was that he had seen her mother!

One look at Gu Mengyao's expression and Zhong Yongliang knew his plan had worked. He had pursued Gu Mengyao for three years — how could he not know her family history? He had long known that Gu Mengyao's mother, when Gu Mengyao was small, had quarreled with Gu Pengzhan and left home, and in all the years since there had been no word of her.

It was impossible that Gu Mengyao did not miss her mother, and Zhong Yongliang had seized precisely on that weak point in her heart, luring her step by step into the trap. And now it seemed he was already halfway to success.

"Since you have no sisters, then I must have been mistaken. Never mind, pretend I never said it." Zhong Yongliang shook his head and turned to walk out of the classroom, silently counting as he went: one, two, three...

"Wait!" Sure enough, Gu Mengyao's voice came from behind him. A faint smile flickered at the corner of Zhong Yongliang's mouth. I knew you would take the bait.

"Mengyao, is there something else?" Zhong Yongliang turned back, his face fawning. "Are you finally going to give me a chance to court you?"

"Stop that!" Gu Mengyao frowned. "If you keep this up, I won't speak to you again."

"No, no, I'll behave. So what did you want with me, Mengyao?" Zhong Yongliang had said that on purpose, so that Gu Mengyao would think he no longer cared about the woman who looked like her and cared only about courting her — and thus would suspect nothing.

"I'm asking you: at Twin Swallow Mountain, did you really see a woman who looks like me?" Gu Mengyao asked.

"Yes, but she's older than you, so of course I wouldn't be interested!" Zhong Yongliang declared with great earnestness. "Mengyao, rest assured, your place in my heart is irreplaceable. She only resembles you; I would never transfer my affections."

"Who asked you about that!" Gu Mengyao was rather displeased. "Zhong Yongliang, spare me the useless talk. I'm asking you: exactly where did you see her?"

"Where? That's hard to say. It was up on the mountain ridge. If I went there I might be able to find the spot, but just describing it, I couldn't make it clear..." Zhong Yongliang scratched his scalp, looking troubled.

"Take me there!" Gu Mengyao could not care about anything else. Years of longing for her mother burst out in that instant. She gave no thought to school or no school, nor had she the reason left to weigh whether Zhong Yongliang's words were true or false. She had only one thought, one single thought: to see her mother as soon as possible!

"Ah? Now? It's quite late now, and school isn't out yet!" Zhong Yongliang said, looking put out. "How about we find somewhere to eat first, and talk about going up the mountain after?"

"Zhong Yongliang, are you deliberately making excuses to get close to me? I don't want to eat now! Are you taking me or not?" Gu Mengyao's worry had clouded her judgment. She only thought Zhong Yongliang was using this chance to get closer to her; it never occurred to her that all of it was a lie he had made up!