Because I Cannot Hurt You

Han Tian had almost jumped on him, but Yunru stopped him. "Uncle, please."

He gritted his teeth. "You think you had earned any right to know about that? In the situation that she got pregnant, do you think you deserved to know about Zizi? No! Never! It was Dad and my decision never to let you know about this! You had already ruined her life enough!"

Zizi's fingers trembled as she held the corner of Yunru's sleeve. "Y-Yunru...th-this is not the truth, right?" Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her speech was stammering, and her slim figure seemed to become small, looking as white as a ghost.

Yunru felt a sharp pain in his chest seeing her state. He knew this truth would devastate her. That's why he didn't want to tell her ever. That's also why he understood why Han Huizhong and the elders were so tight-lipped about this past.

It wasn't just about Han Zongying's reputation that was tarnished. 

Zizi's reputation was at stake too.

If the world came to know that Zizi was an illegitimate child, she would have suffered a significant setback. Illegitimate children were looked down upon, especially someone born out of a sexual assault. 

The truth would have made her life miserable.

Zizi rushed past him towards Xia Liqin and asked, "M-Mom. He is lying, right? You are my mom. Of course, you are my mom! Why did this discussion suddenly take this turn? It doesn't make sense!"

Xia Liqin sobbed harder. Her shoulders quivered, and she couldn't face her. "Zizi. It's true that you are... Zongying's daughter…"

Zizi blankly stared at her.

"But it is equally true that you are my daughter. I don't care what the blood says...You are my daughter, and you always will be. We are sorry for hiding this from you. But-but we had no choice…"

"Lie...y-you are lying too…Dad!" She pulled his arm and stared at him, her eyes wet and looking at him as if he was the last hope. "Dad, now you really need to fight with Mom. Look, she is lying. Say something to her!"

Han Tian trembled. He pulled her in his hug and patted her head. "I am really sorry...I really wanted to make this the truth. Trust me. I was so desperate. For countless times now, I have wanted this to be the truth. But this won't change anything between us! You are MY daughter. Nobody can change this fact!"

Zizi felt her heart skip several beats in fear.

Her mind went blank. She didn't know what to think anymore. She didn't know what to say anymore. Her last hope dissipated into thin air.

It was as if somebody just cruelly stepped on the fairy tale life she lived until now. 

Yunru had aptly named her.

Princess.

That was her life. She lived like a princess. She was pampered by Zhiyuan a lot. Even though Han Huizhong said bitter things to her most of the time, he loved her in his own way. Her parents' divorce had hurt her for sure; nevertheless, she lived a good life.

But now, she felt as if somebody poured ice-cold water on her. 

She wasn't the Han family heiress.

Instead, she actually belonged to the An family. 

She wasn't even a legitimate child anymore.

Her birth was a result of a forced one-night stand.

Han Zizi felt her whole identity snatched away from her in just an instant.

Her birth, her name, her family...

It took just one moment to flip the world upside down. 

Her parents weren't her real parents. Her brother wasn't her real brother. Suddenly, she felt as if she didn't even belong in the Han family.

She wanted to collapse, but Yunru didn't let her. Before she could fall, he caught her waist and firmly held her. He felt his eyes sting seeing her gaze so empty.

Xinyi rushed towards her and hugged her. "Zizi. Don't cry, okay? We...we will sort this out," she whispered.

Zhiyuan felt a lump in his throat. "Grandpa…"

Han Huizhong said, "Had you been in my place, would you have wanted for Zizi to know this?"

His gaze was blurry, and his eyes were slightly red. He knew the answer.

No. Of course, he wouldn't have ever wanted her to know this. Otherwise telling would have made her feel like an outsider. As if they were rubbing salt on her wound.

Han Tian said, "When Zongying learned about this, she was heartbroken…" It pained him to say the next words, "The other reason why we never came out with it was because we didn't want Zizi to know that Zongying…" he felt breathless, "that Zongying…"

Zizi sadly laughed as tears came out. "Despised my existence?"

The elders stiffened.

"I see now... It's like Xiaosi's mother, right? Who hated him because how his father...It was just like that, right? She hated me because I reminded her of that night."

There was an intense silence.

"Perhaps she didn't even want me to be born into this world."

"Nonsense!" Han Huizhong roared.

"No, Grandpa. I am making perfect sense now. She hated me… she loathed me. Maybe she even wanted to kill me. But you didn't let her."

Shuang kneeled before An Guoting and asked, "Dad."

He said nothing.

"Did that really happen? Did you really…" she felt losing all the strength she had.

Caihong gritted her teeth. "Come in your senses, Shuang! Dad will never do it! Are you out of your mind!?"

"Then tell Dad to deny everything…" she cried. "Please tell him to say that he is innocent, and Zizi cannot be his daughter."

An Guoting tiredly said, "It's the truth."

They froze.

"I...did sleep with her. I had forced myself on her. I am the culprit."

Caihong and Shuang stood rooted. The last thread of trust they held for him seemed to break as he finally admitted.

Han Huizhong burst into laughter. "So you finally admit it, An Guoting. You finally broke your silence."

He said nothing.

Han Huizhong looked at Caihong and sneered. "Now, did you get your answer why I plotted against you seven years back?"