Chapter 77 - Hidden Concern (1)
The clues connected in her mind and the thought became clearer.
Just as she pondered about that, Shen Feng suddenly called for her.
“Shen Duan, you shall be responsible for receiving the guests from the God Realm. Shen Ling, if the Vermilion Bird has any requests, you have to satisfy him immediately. As for the rest, go and do what you’re supposed to be doing! Xiaoxiao, come and walk with me to my study room.”
…
That was the first time Shen Yanxiao had entered Shen Feng’s study. It was simple and unadorned, with a bookcase that was tightly packed with ancient books and a table. The Vermilion Bird Family was very rich, but Shen Feng’s way of life was unexpectedly simple and plain. He was frugal, but he would never mistreat any member of his family.
“Have a seat.” Shen Feng smiled and looked at Shen Yanxiao.
Shen Yanxiao complied with the request and sat down. She did not know why Shen Feng wanted her in his study, so she waited for him to start the conversation.
Shen Feng took a scroll painting from behind his desk and gave it to Shen Yanxiao.
She unfolded the scroll and saw that it was a painting of a couple who stood side by side. The man was in his early twenties, and he looked a hundred times better than Shen Yifeng. Even though it was only a painting, the man’s elegant appearance was vivid and lifelike. His smiling eyes would have attracted favorable opinions, and the woman who was nestled against him seemed dainty. She was beautiful and had huge, lively eyes along with perfect facial features that appeared very likeable in general.. It was as if a fairy had descended onto the world, and they could not shift their gaze away from her.
The two people in the painting were so perfect that they did not seem real.
“They are your parents. Unfortunately, they passed away soon after you were born.” Shen Feng’s voice was low, and there was obvious regret in his tone of voice.
Shen Yanxiao was confounded. She finally understood why Shen Yue and the rest had always denied her to be Shen Yu’s child. How could such a perfect pair of couple give birth to such an unattractive child? Even Shen Yanxiao had doubts about her identity, let alone Shen Duan or Shen Yue.
“I don’t look like them.”
Shen Feng smiled and said, “Although you don’t resemble them, I can see a shadow of your father when you smiled after you had recovered.
Shen Yanxiao touched her ordinary-looking face, and it was hard to believe her smile was similar to the man in the scroll painting.
Her appearance was like an ugly duckling, and it was not even enough to describe the couple in the scroll painting as beautiful swans.
Even if it was a genetic mutation, was the change not too outrageously excessive? There were no cosmetic surgeries in that era, and yet that couple looked perfect. If she were their daughter, why was her appearance so… repulsive?!
Shen Yanxiao pursed her lips. The heavens must have really disliked her. Even with such gorgeous parents, her appearance still lacked. She felt as if she let them down somehow.
“Your father was my youngest son, and he was also my pride and joy. I had hoped that he could become the Vermillion Bird’s master if we were to wake the mythical beast. He was brilliant and talented in battle aura. Everyone saw Shen Yifeng as a rare prodigy in this century, but he was not even comparable to your father.” Shen Feng stood behind Shen Yanxiao and looked at the image of his son on the scroll painting, the son that he was most proud of. He had passed away for such a long time, but there was still sadness in Shen Feng’s eyes.