Ji Yifeng definitely wasn't expecting this kind of a reply from her but nonetheless, he was still curious to know about Ru. Who wouldn't be? With Ru's demeanor, it wasn't hard for an aristocrat like him to understand that she didn't come from a simple background.
The aura around her could neither be feigned nor it could be practiced over the years. It was something that came from within herself.
"Complete opposite?" He repeated her words as if trying to look for an answer.
"Indeed, the complete opposite. You're a strong father, mine wasn't so." Ji Yifeng frowned at her reply. It was hard to believe that a strong character like Ru had a weak father. It didn't seem to fit in.
Sensing his confusion, Ru decided to ease up the knots a bit. "Here you are standing tall with a strong spirit even when your sons have accused you of ruining their family. Your willpower is remarkable. Especially considering that you have never committed a crime, to begin with."
Ji Yifeng's eyes widened up not only because he realized that she had heard Yuan's words earlier but also because he could tell she knew something.
"But I did ruin our family." He insisted, trying to avert his eyes away from her.
"You wouldn't be Ji Yifeng if you really had committed those crimes which your sons loathe you for. I honestly don't know what conspired back in those years but somehow I still have faith in you."
Ji Yifeng could only give a bitter smile. Wasn't it ironic that this person whom he met a couple of times had faith in him but his own sons didn't?
"You really have a perceptive mind." He could only say that. "Anyways, why do you think your father is weak?"
"Oh, because he is," Ru answered calmly and went on, "Let me tell you a little secret, I have an obsession with black color and it came from my father."
"What do you mean?"
"I was eight years old at that time, I loved to wear white. It was just my color. But one day, during my training I fell from the cliff and rolled down. Let's just say that the injuries were minor but the blood-stained white robes of mine told a different story."
The memory of that time was still vivid in her mind...
*Flashback*
There was barely any space without bloodstains on her white robes as she stood with her head lowered in front of her father.
His stormy eyes stared her down making her lower her head even more.
"If the ground looks that interesting, should I help you bury a hole to lie down?"
Ru immediately raised her head to face her father's raging face. Something flashed in his eyes which the young her couldn't possibly decipher as he waved her off saying, "Just go back to your courtyard. And don't show me your face for a while."
At that time, Ru took her leave with a heavy heart. She was a light sleeper from the beginning and when at midnight, she felt feather-like footsteps approaching, she was ready to strike. But couldn't do so.
As she had turned, she saw her always mighty looking father kneeling on the floor with her blood-stained clothes in his hands. Under the dim lights, she could see his trembling hands and when he turned, she pretended to sleep again.
She felt his soft breath close to herself but it was easy to feign her sleep until she felt something wet touching her face. Her whole body froze at the realization that her father was crying. The man she revered was actually crying and that too... Because of her.
His strong hands stroked her hair with a rare tenderness as he whispered, "Can't you stop being stubborn? Why are you always hurting father like this?"
Perhaps that was the night she decided, she'll never hurt her father again. And that's where her obsession with black came from. Because even if she'll be drenched in blood, no one will know if her clothes would be black.
*Flashback*
Coming back to the present, she felt lost again. Because now she could understand that emotion she used to see her father's eyes.
"Do you know Mr. Ji that my father is the only person who rebuked me, thrashed me and even left me to starve? But at the end of the day, he was the one hurting the most. He had his responsibilities and I was the troublemaker challenging his authority. If he couldn't even discipline me, how could he keep his clan in check?" She didn't know why she shared all this with Ji Yifeng. But it helped her heart to lighten up a bit.