Because I Cannot Hurt You

*Flashback continued*

Days passed by, and it was already a month since An Guoting and Han Zongying had met in the restaurant. Naturally, when Han Huizhong and Han Tian had learned about this, they were extremely furious. 

Han Huizhong was just one step away from confronting him, but Han Liqin stopped him in time. Even before her husband and father-in-law, she tried to defend An Guoting, but it was of no use. Nobody believed An Guoting. So nobody accepted what Han Liqin had to say either.

Since that day, Han Zongying had recused herself in the room, and she barely came out. Han Huizhong, too, didn't try to set up any more dates.

The incident was left behind.

Until the fateful night came when they met again.

It was a banquet party thrown by one of Han Huizhong's business partners. He had told his daughter to attend on his behalf. Han Tian and Han Liqin were busy with a pediatrician's appointment for little Zhiyuan's monthly health checkup.

So, Han Huizhong thought it was a good idea to drag her out of that depression she had gotten into ever since that day. Maybe a party and mixing with socialites would improve her mood.

Except that he never imagined that An Guoting would be a part of that banquet too.

They met again and froze on the spot. But before she could misunderstand him again, An Guoting had promptly left. He kept his distance from her for the whole time at the banquet.

Until a huge fight broke out between them. She had seen him flirting with one of the socialites that hurt her heart and also burned her with jealousy.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you!? You wanted me to watch that…" tears rimmed her eyes as she broke down. "How crueler will you get?"

An Guoting gritted his teeth. "Enough Zongying. I don't expect you to understand me. For the record, nothing was going on between us-"

"Yeah just like nothing was ever going in between you and He Lijuan, right?"

An Guoting finally lost his temper. "When will you stop, Zongying!? Stop bringing that out again and again. Just because you are saying it a thousand times won't make it true! I am tired of hearing that accusation!"

"Tired? I am the most tired here. First, you used me and broke my heart. And now even after nine years, you don't seem to be the least bit guilty. Now what? You slept with He Lijuan at that time. Now will you sleep with that woman? This is just like that party right? This is history repeating all over again…"

"Zongying!"

"Don't shout, Guoting! It won't change the truth. You know what? Maybe I should save that woman from you! She should know that she should think ten times before letting you anywhere near her!"

Suddenly, An Guoting pushed her on the bed and climbed on top of her.

"Guoting! What are you doing!? Get off me!"

"Han Zongying. Every time, you challenge my patience again and again. You already hurt my pride and my feelings once nine years back. You are doing the same thing again! But this time, I won't bear it."

Han Zongying stiffened. She paled, and tears spilled on the pillow.

"Don't you dare An Guoting!"

"If you think that I am a bastard who uses women for their money and sleeps with them just for fun, then be it. If you want to see me as a scum, then I will be one once and for all!"

*Flashback ends*

Han Huizhong's body was trembling, and his eyes were misty as he shot deathly glares towards An Guoting.

"It was all my mistake...From the time I let her meet you to when I sent her on my behalf, everything was my mistake! If not for me, my daughter would have been alive! You ruined her life! You trampled upon her dignity and forced her to give up her life…" he coughed hard.

"Grandpa!" Xinyi and Zhiyuan patted his back as he coughed. 

Zizi cried. "Grandpa, do you want to die? You just almost got a heart attack."

Jack Si sag beside him and helped him calm down. "He shouldn't really talk about this now. This is just causing more pressure."

Han Huizhong weakly snickered. "I have suffered the worst, kid. I have seen my daughter die. This is nothing *cough* What else could be worse than losing your daughter?"

Caihong and Shuang were in disbelief. They tried imagining their father...The man who they grew up with and who lovingly raised them all this time to force himself on a woman…

"Impossible…" Caihong whispered under her breath as her gaze got blurry. "It's impossible! Dad would never do this!"

Shuang stomped her foot. "Grandpa, I really don't want to say this, but have you gone crazy? Dad assaulted Aunt Han? Anything is possible but not this! Just not this!"

Han Tian said, "Accept it An Shuang. Your father is nothing but a scum! Are you taking light of my sister's suffering? She went through hell. The man she loved so much raped her, and the woman I loved so much stood up for him!"

Xia Liqin shut her eyes and began sobbing. 

He clenched his fists. "Only if... only if Liqin had never brought this bastard back in our life! Zongying... Zongying would have been here with us…" he tiredly leaned on the wall and broke down into tears. "Even you though you knew that he was guilty, you wanted us to forgive him just because he repented. Do you know how much have that hurt Zongying and me?"

Xia Liqin only cried and said nothing.

An Guoting was silent for the whole time.

Frustrated, Shuang turned towards him. "Dad, the hell are you so silent!? The Han family is accusing you like this. Why are you not saying anything?"

Caihong nodded. "I won't believe anything they will say! Dad, please speak up. I know you could never do that," she wiped her cheeks and held his hand. Even so, he said nothing.

Han Huizhong sadly chuckled. "You will have to believe it. You have no choice.. The glaring proof is standing right here in this room with us."