Jiang Da rushed straight to his wife: “Ah Ru, are you alright?”
Han Yunru gently shook her head. “I’m fine.”
But her pale face said otherwise.
Jiang Da clenched his fists in fury, standing still for a few seconds as if trying to calm himself down.
But in the end, he couldn’t hold it back. He stormed in front of Han Qishan: “Old Master, I respect you as Ah Ru’s father, but your actions today are completely unworthy of how a real father should treat his daughter. You’re selfish, narrow-minded—beyond excessive!”
This honest, simple man had never been good at arguing. When pushed to the edge, his instinct was usually to charge in with fists.
But this time was different.
The other person was an elder—his wife’s biological father. He couldn’t resort to violence. Yet even a rabbit will bite when cornered. How could he possibly swallow this humiliation?
So he used the harshest tone, the most severe words—but in the end, could only squeeze out that one line.
Others may have thought it was mild, but to Han Qishan, it was like a needle piercing straight through the eardrum.
Because—he felt pain.
Selfish. Narrow-minded…
Those were the same words he once heard from Shi Qingzhi’s mouth.
Han Qishan’s expression suddenly collapsed. His straightened back slumped.
Was he really that pathetic?
“Little Ru…” he moved his lips, “I’m sorry… I-I just wanted to bring you home…”
As if, by bringing his daughter back, the shattered family could somehow be whole again.
Han Yunru lowered her eyes, not looking at him, nor saying a word.
“Little Ru, I really didn’t have them give you any drugs. I wouldn’t—I couldn’t. You’re my only daughter. I could be ruthless with anyone else, but not with you…”
“Han Qishan, you’re not even worthy of speaking Little Ru’s name, let alone being called her father!”
Qin Yuancheng: “Ah Zhi…”
“Don’t stop me. Since Little Ru and…” she glanced at Jiang Da and Jiang Fuyue, “everyone is here, let’s make things clear once and for all.”
Han Qishan’s pupils shrank. Suddenly, he didn’t want to hear anymore.
“Today… today it was my fault. Little Ru, your father apologizes. I won’t force you to return to the Imperial Capital anymore. Go back with Jiang Da now.”
The old lady sneered coldly: “What, afraid I’ll tell her the truth? Too late!”
“Qingzhi! Little Ru can’t remember the past right now. Don’t upset her! I’m begging you…”
The last words weren’t spoken—only mouthed.
But Shi Qingzhi understood—and the ridicule in her eyes deepened: “What are you afraid of? You dared show up openly in front of your daughter, all because she lost her memory, didn’t you?”
Han Qishan staggered.
Han Shen quickly stepped up to support him, casting a suspicious glance at his mother: “Mom, what do you mean by that?”
“Ah-Shen—” Han Qishan gripped his hand tightly. “They’re starting boarding soon. Let’s just go in now!”
But Han Shen didn’t move. Seeing his father’s obvious avoidance and guilt, a very bad feeling rose in his heart.
“It’s been twenty years. Did you really think you could hide it forever?” Shi Qingzhi curled her lips, but her eyes shimmered with tears.
Qin Yuancheng put an arm around her shoulders, silently supporting her.
His gaze toward Han Qishan carried meaning, and a sigh: “Old Han… some truths can be hidden for a while, but not forever. Little Ru has the right to know.”
“Qin, shut your mouth—!”
Han Shen: “Mom? Uncle Qin? What’s going on? What are you hiding?”
Shi Qingzhi: “Do you know how Little Ru disappeared back then?”
“Wasn’t it a car accident on the way to the wedding hall? And after being taken to the hospital, her whereabouts couldn’t be traced?”
Shi Qingzhi looked at Han Qishan. “Is that what you told him?”
Seeing the mockery and contempt in his ex-wife’s eyes, Han Qishan felt a stab in his heart.
“Qingzhi… don’t look at me like that…”
“You should’ve thought of this day the moment you cheated! I didn’t care that you betrayed our marriage. I didn’t even mind giving up the Han family title to that mistress of yours. But what you absolutely shouldn’t have done—was let the b*stard daughter she gave birth to target my Little Ru!”
There was too much information packed in that statement, Jiang Da’s mind couldn’t even begin to process it.
But Jiang Fuyue narrowed her eyes slightly, her gaze toward Han Qishan sharp as a blade.
Han Shen clenched his jaw and turned to Han Qishan: “Dad, Little Ru’s disappearance—is it related to that mistress and her daughter?”
Han Qishan opened his mouth, trying to speak—but not a sound came out.
Only one thought circled in his mind: It’s over…
The veil he’d used to deceive himself all these years had finally been torn away.
In front of his son, daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter, ex-wife—and even the “good brother” he hated most—
it was completely exposed.
And he, like a clown, stood bare and exposed. The filthiest part of him laid bare under the sun, with nowhere to hide.
“Dad, say something! Little Ru disappeared—was it that woman and her daughter?!”
Han Qishan stood frozen like wood, letting his son shake him back and forth without saying a word.
“Mom?” Han Shen looked to Shi Qingzhi again.
The old lady was already tearful with grief: “The biggest mistake I made in my life was not divorcing your father the moment I found out he was cheating! I believed his sweet lies… and let that woman and her daughter bear a grudge. In the end, they harmed my Little Ru…”
That one sentence confirmed all of Han Shen’s worst suspicions.
He stumbled back a step. Assistant Qin rushed forward to catch him.
“Little Ru…” he muttered.
Only then did the others slowly turn their heads to look at Han Yunru.
