Truth of Yesteryears
Translator: _Min_ |
Xu Kuan, facing Father Su’s disbelief, earnestly said, “This is great, you are alive, and that’s all that mattered.”
Father Su, still skeptical, questioned, “If you hadn’t abandoned me, why was I alone when I woke up? And despite your outward relief at my survival, you must be disappointed inside, right?”
Gu Dai watched the exchange, her gaze filled with concern towards Xu Huan.
Xu Huan, however, was composed and firmly replied, “I’m not disappointed. I’m genuinely happy!”
Father Su, momentarily taken aback by Xu Huan’s resolute tone, hesitated before asking, “Really?”
Xu Huan affirmed, “Yes.”
Dropping his gaze, Father Su coldly demanded, “Then explain how, without abandoning me, I ended up alone in a desolate place!”
Gu Dai interjected, “Grandma actually did that to save you. That’s why she left you there.”
Father Su scoffed at the explanation, “Do you think I’m an idiot? Such a foolish excuse, expecting me to believe it just because you do.”
He continued, “Now that you’ve captured me and I can’t resist, there’s no need to fabricate these stories. I won’t believe them, and they only make me sick!”
Gu Dai insisted, “What I said is true.”
Father Su scoffed.
Xu Huan, lowering her gaze, softly added, “When I took you and Gu Zhe out that day, we encountered a man who wanted to take you both. I had no choice but to hide each of you in different places and lead him away. When I returned, I could only find Gu Zhe and not you.”
Father Su was stunned before he coldly asked, “Then who was that man, and why did he want us?”
Xu Huan took a deep breath, “That man was your father.”
Father Su’s mockery deepened, “Impossible!”
He continued, “If he was our father, why wouldn’t you let him see us?”
Xu Huan’s expression darkened with conflict.
Seizing on her hesitation Father Su pressed, “Run out of lies? To support your favored granddaughter, you’d even lie? Why, after all these years, are you still so biased? You preferred Gu Zhe over me, and now Gu Dai. When will it be my turn to be favored?”
Gu Zhe stepped forward, “Su Shen, what mom said is true. I remember clearly hiding from that man, and then we looked for you but couldn’t find you. We thought you were dead…”
Father Su sneered at Gu Zhe, “Do you really think I’ll believe you?”
Xu Huan, taking another deep breath, revealed, “I promised Ye Yun not to tell you, but given the circumstances, I must… You and Gu Zhe aren’t my biological children; you were adopted, and that man was your real father.”
Father Su froze, “What are you talking about? Who’s Ye Yun?”
Xu Huan continued, “Ye Yun is your mother, my friend.”
It was also news to Gu Zhe, who was momentarily stunned, “What happened to our mother?”
Xu Huan lowered her head, whispering, “She died giving birth to you due to malnutrition and the strain of delivering twins… She was just a young woman, full of hope for life, who never imagined being raped and pregnant…”
Father Su struggled to accept this revelation, “This is completely different from what I found! Even if it’s true, didn’t you try to find me all these years?”
Tears streamed down Xu Huan’s face, “Your father came to me claiming he had killed you. I suspected he was lying, so I kept looking for you. It seemed like someone was erasing your traces; I couldn’t find you, so I thought you were really dead…”
Father Su’s face stiffened at her words..