Cannon fodder in the Interstellar

Although there were nearly a hundred people at the Queen’s birthday banquet, the scene was eerily silent. Everyone seemed frozen, staring blankly at Lixi Amber and the young girl standing in front of her in the garden.

Mina-Olli suddenly realized what was going on and glanced at Hua Deli. So that’s why! No wonder he and Ruo Manni looked so alike.

Mina-Oli noticed that Hua Deli, usually stoic, showed a rare expression of excitement.

Dean Atchison, who had been gaping in shock, finally remembered to close his mouth and managed to cry out, “Could it be that Ruo Manni is actually my cousin?”

Hua Deli glanced at him and, with a hoarse voice, corrected, “She’s your older cousin.”

“Ah, really? What’s going on here?” Dean Atchison looked at Hua Deli in confusion. Why did a cousin suddenly appear from his uncle’s family, and how had he not known about such a big event?

“It’s said that back then, our mother was pregnant with twins. After she was attacked and we were born in the chaos, someone told her that the girl had died at birth due to a genetic disorder,” Hua Deli explained, speaking loud enough for the people around them to hear.

Those who heard Hua Deli’s words immediately understood. The girl hadn’t died but had been taken away from the Hua De family. It was clear that Hua Deyu and his wife had been victims of a malicious plot.

Who could have known that not only did the girl survive and grow up, but she also became so accomplished? She even ended up by the Second Prince’s side, was brought to the Queen’s birthday banquet by him, and then discovered by the Hua De family.

For those who didn’t know the girl’s true identity, they simply thought she was incredibly lucky. Being recognized by the Hua De family meant that her future would be bright—after all, the Hua De family had only one young girl in the main bloodline, and she would undoubtedly enjoy endless prestige and fortune.

However, the noble families who were aware of her identity were filled with envy and resentment toward the Hua De family.

The Hua De family really did have incredible luck. In Hua Deyu’s generation, none of the direct descendants were particularly outstanding, and many had quietly speculated that in a few decades, the Hua De family’s main branch would decline, replaced by side branches, and that their influence would drop out of the top ten noble families.

But who could have expected this? First, there was Hua Deqi, followed by Hua Deli, and now, suddenly, a talented telepath turned out to be a member of their family. It was unbelievable.

Ruo Manni is his cousin? What a twist of fate! Feeling like he had just been hit by an enormous revelation, Dean Atchison excitedly exclaimed, “Let’s go over and take a look!”

Before his words even settled, Hua Deli had already walked over.

Before coming here, Ruo Manni had prepared herself to act according to her wishes, intending to communicate privately with the Hua De family to express her desire not to return to the Hua De family and that everyone should go their own way in peace.

However, she had underestimated the coercive power of the situation and the degree of difficulty in being helpless. Her assumptions were based on the premise that everyone would engage in a calm and rational discussion.

For that premise to hold, there must be no excessive emotions involved. As a counterfeit, Ruo Manni could indeed remain composed, but how could parents who desperately want to reclaim their daughter still be calm?

“Ruo Manni, it’s all my fault. It’s my fault that you had to suffer…” Lixi Amber couldn’t help but embrace the girl, quickly breaking down into hysterical tears, completely disregarding her usually aloof image.

The heart-wrenching sobs and burning tears made Ruo Manni deeply understand the pain Lixi Amber had endured as a mother, having lost her daughter due to her own mistakes, and the anguish she must have felt over the past years.

In this situation, Ruo Manni couldn’t push her away coldly and say, “Don’t call me, don’t hug me. I don’t want to acknowledge you.”

She couldn’t, she couldn’t do it. Her eyes couldn’t help but grow warm, and empathy surged within her. She didn’t dare to think too deeply about how her mother must have suffered after losing her in her past life… No matter the world, separation through life and death is always deeply painful.

“Manni, losing you was our fault as parents, but we never meant not to want you. You are our little treasure,” Hua Deyu said, his eyes also filled with tears. He couldn’t help but reach out to embrace the mother and daughter.

Embraced by both a man and a woman, Manni, with reddened eyes, looked dazed and helpless. How was she supposed to respond to this situation?

Seeing Hua Deli approaching, Ruo Manni suddenly remembered that she had forgotten about him. Anxiety surged in her heart—her identity was exposed; what would happen to him?

Ruo Manni felt a great deal of sympathy for Miss Gina, who never knew she was being used, so she didn’t harbor any resentment toward Hua Deli. To be fair, Hua Deli was innocent in this matter.

However, her return could be a fatal blow to him because, in the eyes of others, his existence was a sin. He had replaced Ruo Manni, taking everything that should have belonged to her.

In the novel, Hua Deli is portrayed as a righteous young hero. In the real world, after half a year of being classmates, Ruo Manni didn’t dislike him at all. She didn’t want him to suffer such a blow, as the experience of falling from the clouds to the mud was likely something a mere fifteen-year-old boy couldn’t endure.

His eyes were red—was it due to his awkward background?

Even so, there was no hatred in his eyes, only pain.

Hua Deyu noticed Manni’s gaze and pulled Hua Deli, who was standing aside with red-rimmed eyes like a dazed goose, toward Ruo Manni. He said to her, “This is your brother, your twin brother.”

Ruo Manni was incredibly surprised, widening her eyes. This could be done like this? It was indeed the best solution to resolve this tangled and complicated ethical dilemma in their lives.

Of course, this came at the cost of Lixi Amber suppressing her grievances. In this matter, Hua Deyu did not suffer; instead, he gained a son. The only ones who were wronged were Lixi Amber and her daughter.

Seeing the girl’s dazed and confused expression, Hua Deli couldn’t help but gently pat her head and call out softly, “Sister.”

Since he first suspected her identity, Ruo Manni’s little gestures had seemed especially endearing to Hua Deli. He had long wanted to touch her head like this.

Ruo Manni really didn’t want to return to the Hua De family; her feelings hadn’t changed. But the issue was, she didn’t even need to agree—Hua Deyu and Lixi Amber hadn’t even asked her directly; she hadn’t had the chance to say a word.

As Lixi Amber cried while hugging her, Ruo Manni, feeling empathetic, couldn’t hold back her own tears. To Hua Deyu and the others, it seemed like she was acknowledging and accepting her new identity. However, despite the grievances she felt, she couldn’t instantly forgive them.

Although Lixi Amber had once lost control and wept loudly, after her most intense emotions had subsided, as a soldier, she quickly regained her composure and returned to a more controlled state.

Dean Atchison’s mother, Hua Defei, arrived at the scene when Lixi Amber began crying. Upon learning of this earth-shattering revelation from her son, she was not particularly surprised.