Because I Cannot Hurt You

She froze.

"Because I wanted to let your bastard father have a taste of his own medicine! I wanted to see him suffer like how I did. I wanted to see him helpless like how I was. I wanted him to feel pathetic and sorry for you like how I felt for my daughter, who suffered that fate. I wanted him to see his daughter be miserable like how my Zongying was."

Caihong's complexion turned ashen.

"That's why I never agreed to Zhiyuan and your relationship. Are you crazy? Will I choose a woman for my grandson whose father destroyed Zongying's life!? I don't care if you are innocent or not. People say that children mustn't suffer the consequences of their parents' actions. Hah! Screw that! Welcome to the real world. I am Han Huizhong. I wanted revenge. I didn't care whether you got dragged into it. He ruined my daughter's happiness. I vowed to snatch his daughter's happiness too. I don't give a fuck if you blame me."

An Guoting shook hard. He just shut his eyes and felt helpless.

"Of course, I knew that it wasn't your fault. You were hardly a year old when this all happened. You were still in your cute baby la-la land. But the moment your father crossed the line and touched my daughter, he set your fate in stone too. You were bound to be miserable one day. I promised myself to make sure of that. Heh. But that Xiaosi boy intervened. But what do I care? The result was what I wanted to see. You looked just like how my daughter did. Call me cruel, ruthless, or anything you want. I don't give a damn."

Caihong trembled hard.

He narrowed his eyes. "Han Huizhong holds grudges. He targeted my daughter. He forced her to end her life. You and he were bound to suffer. I have trampled upon many things to stand at this position and make my name in the business world. I didn't achieve that by being nice and forgiving."

He laughed. "And see? Everything happened just as I wanted. Or more precisely, just as my daughter suffered. You felt miserable, and you hated your daughter Chyou just like how…" his eyes stung in tears, "Zongying hated Zizi."

Caihong said nothing. But her cheeks continued to remain wet.

Shuang stared at An Guoting. "Dad…"

He said nothing. After almost twenty-eight years, he came to know that Zizi was his daughter with Han Zongying. He was in no position to respond. The truth had shaken him hard.

Han Huizhong pointed his trembling finger at him. "You deserved what happened to you, An Guoting! You are the culprit who brought your own daughter to that night seven years back. My daughter and your own daughter suffered because of you!"

"Is that really so, Grandpa?" Yunru asked.

Han Huizhong paused and looked at him. "What?"

"I mean...is the truth really that simple?"

"What the hell are you talking about? My daughter suffered, she gave up her life, and you are asking if the truth is that simple? An Guoting attacked my daughter because he couldn't bear the accusations against him anymore a-and he lost it! He ruined her in a fit of rage. What was her fault in that? She was telling the truth!"

"She wasn't!" Shuang exclaimed. "That's not the truth! Dad never cheated on Aunt Han. He never slept with that bitch He Lijuan."

"Says who? Your father? And you trust him?"

"No. Not Dad. Says the woman herself, who he 'seemingly' slept with. He Lijuan confessed it herself that she had set the trap years ago to break Dad and Aunt's Han relationship."

"What nonsense are you saying?"

"It's not any nonsense. I met her, and with the right kind of persuasion that she always needed, she confessed that they never slept together. She wanted Aunt out of her way because Dad's business was flourishing. She wanted a rich thigh to hug. Of course, she would want to throw her out of his life. And Aunt fell for it."

Han Huizhong angrily laughed. "Do you think my dead daughter lied?"

"No. She misunderstood the whole thing."

Xia Liqin asked in disbelief. "That woman...she really said that?"

"Yes!"

Han Tian exclaimed. "I don't believe it!"

Han Huizhong sneered. "I cannot believe that you will try to malign my daughter. At least respect the dead!"

Xinyi quickly said, "Grandpa, please. You cannot shout like that. Just listen to them once. Please?"

"You!" He glared at her.

Yunru gravely said, "It's the truth, Grandpa. I know this will come out sooner or later. That's why I already brought her here."

Yunru stepped out. A minimum later, He Lijuan was brought inside. "What is going on? Why-"

She froze seeing Han Huizhong. And more when her gaze fell on Shuang. Her hand automatically touched her cheek in defense as if she would lunge at her again.

"Y-you! You are the one who beat me that day!"

Then she finally glanced at An Guoting, who was staring at her, dumbfounded.

Yunru coldly said, "Save your shock for later. I didn't bring you here for a reunion. I think you have something to say. The same things you told Shuang that day."

She froze.

"W-What are you talking about?"

Shuang sneered. "She needs more of my slaps."

She trembled.

He Lijuan glanced at Han Huizhong, who didn't look any less than a ferocious tiger right now. Then there was Han Tian, who emanated a similar aura.

"I-I…"

Shuang took one step towards her, and she automatically spilled it. "I did it! T-that night was a lie. Nothing had ever happened between Guoting and me. I just wanted Zongying out of the way, so I mixed a drug in his drink. But he managed to lock himself in the bathroom to avoid any accident between us! I somehow got him out of there and just... slept beside him. Nothing had really happened between us. Guoting had passed out anyway!"

She wiped her forehead in fear.

The elders stared at her, stunned.