Chapter 173 Day 5 of Transmigrating into a True and False Young Master Novel

Chapter 173: The Fifth Day of Transmigrating into a Story About a Real and Fake Young Master

Not dissatisfied with you, not dissatisfied with the Song family—just dissatisfied with the act of changing my name itself.

This answer caught everyone off guard.

It was so direct, yet coming from his mouth, it carried a strange, irrefutable certainty.

The atmosphere became completely tense.

Lin Wan's tears welled up in her eyes, heartbroken and at a loss.

Song Chengye’s face darkened, clearly unable to understand where this "dissatisfaction" came from.

Song Xinghai’s face turned even paler. He bit his lower lip hard, his fingers twisting together nervously, clearly blaming himself for this conflict.

He felt like an unwanted sinner, disrupting what could have been a happy family atmosphere.

"Mom."

Song Xinghai suddenly looked up, his voice as soft as a feather, trying to break the suffocating silence and shift the topic: "I... I want to go back to school tomorrow. My advisor has a new project and wants me to help organize some materials."

Lin Wan’s attention was indeed diverted. She immediately turned to Song Xinghai and asked with concern, "What project? Is it tiring? Your health only recently improved a little; you shouldn’t push yourself too hard. If it’s too much, just tell your advisor—we don’t need you to worry about that kind of experience."

Her natural worry and doting contrasted sharply with the cautious, almost breakable way she had treated An Yi just moments ago.

"It’s not tiring, Mom." Song Xinghai forced a reassuring smile, a pure, slightly dependent smile.

"Just some literature sorting and data entry. It’s simple. I’ve been cooped up at home anyway, so it would be nice to go back to school."

Lin Wan’s affection deepened. She quickly said, "That’s good. Let the driver take you there. Make sure to come back for dinner tonight. I’ll ask Wang Ma to make your favorite sweet and sour ribs."

"Okay, thank you, Mom." Song Xinghai replied obediently.

An Yi observed the entire scene, understanding it without being ruffled.

The Song parents weren’t bad people. When they reclaimed him, they were driven by an instinctive bond of blood, as well as deep guilt for not finding him sooner.

But twenty years of daily companionship and emotional investment had already made them see Song Xinghai as their own son. That ingrained habit and preference was an unconscious instinct, not something easily reversed by reason or guilt alone.

And their treatment of the original An Yi was more like handling a precious, fragile porcelain that was lost and returned—after being apart for so long, they didn’t know how to handle it or get close to it.

Cautious, courteous, yet unavoidably tinged with a sense of awkward estrangement and distance.

He could understand why the original An Yi had become more sensitive and extreme over time.

Living in such a subtle environment for so long, feeling this unconscious differential treatment—how could a heart already shaken by the sudden change keep from tilting?

Truly... if a bowl of water is destined to be uneven, why force everyone to crowd around the same bowl?

He set down the almost untouched bowl of bird's nest soup. The porcelain spoon clinked against the bowl again, making a clear, abrupt sound.

Successfully drawing the attention of all three back from where Song Xinghai had redirected them.

Comments section:

"Ugh, so frustrating. An Yi hasn’t done anything wrong."

"The Song parents aren’t exactly bad, but it just feels... like there’s a barrier."

"I should be rooting for the main character, but I just can’t get into it!"

"An Yi did right by refusing to change his name. A name is the most enduring symbol of who you are. Why should he change it just because they say so?"

"But... hahahahaha, Wang Ma again? Does every rich family have a Wang Ma?"

"Wang Ma is probably so busy!"

"..."

He leaned back into the soft sofa, his gaze calm, even carrying a hint of detached curiosity, as he slowly swept over the Song parents with their differing expressions.

"I’m curious," he said, his voice clear and steady, without a trace of anger, yet it inexplicably made Song Chengye and Lin Wan’s hearts tighten.

Lin Wan felt flustered under his gaze. She quickly forced a smile, with a soothing tone: "Xiao Yi, what is it? What are you curious about? Tell Mom..."

Song Chengye also set aside his earlier gloom, trying to put on a fatherly demeanor. He adjusted his glasses and softened his tone:

"Yes, Xiao Yi, is there something you’re not used to? Or do you have any thoughts? You can tell us. This is your home; no need to hold back."

"Home?"

An Yi repeated the word lightly, the corner of his mouth lifting into a faint curve. The smile was still gentle, but his eyes were clear and calm, as if watching a performance that had nothing to do with him.

"I’m just curious—what exactly are you thinking?"

He paused, and in their somewhat bewildered eyes, continued in a tone that was almost polite: "What makes you think I would..."

His gaze briefly passed over Song Xinghai, whose face had gone deathly pale:

"Coexist peacefully with him, or even have a brotherly relationship?"

The question was too direct. It instantly sliced through the warm veil of emotions, revealing the complex and awkward reality beneath.

Lin Wan’s lips moved as if to say something like "You’re brothers" or "You should support each other."

But under An Yi’s penetrating gaze, those words stuck in her throat, unable to escape.

Song Chengye frowned again, trying to explain: "Xiao Yi, Xinghai has been with us for twenty years. You can't just cut off feelings overnight. But we are absolutely sincere with you. We want to treat you right..."

"Treat me right?"

An Yi interrupted him: "Then, don’t you realize that the most basic requirement for keeping up appearances is for you to at least try to keep the scales balanced?"

The word "balanced" struck Song Chengye and Lin Wan’s hearts like a hammer.

Their expressions changed slightly. They instinctively wanted to protest.

"We..."

Lin Wan said hastily: "Of course we treat you the same! Whatever Xinghai has, you’ll have too. Mom hasn't..."

"Haven't?" An Yi gave a light laugh, very soft:

"From the first day I came back, the natural worry and love in your eyes when you look at him has never matched the guilt and caution you show me."

He began listing, his tone flat, as if stating unrelated facts, yet every word struck Lin Wan and Song Chengye deep in their hearts.

"At meals, you subconsciously move his favorite dishes in front of him, but you only remember to ask about my tastes after being reminded."

"The moment he coughs even slightly, you act like it's a crisis, fussing over him."

"When he goes out, you habitually tell him to drive safe and come back early."

"Like just now."

His eyes fell on Lin Wan’s face: "When he mentioned going back to school, you were concerned about whether he’d be tired or if his health could take it." "Weren't you just talking about my name change a moment ago?"