Su Jiang slammed down his chopsticks and barked, "Have you caused enough trouble yet?" Content originally comes from NoveI★Fire.net
"No! Do you think I don’t know what you’re all plotting? You want Fu Bing to come to you on her own, you let people pester her, making her face difficulties so she’ll seek you out. Then you can continue to look down on her from your high perch, with your hypocritical faces!"
"And what about you? What have you done for her? Aside from crippling yourself and making your family worry, what else can you do?"
Su Jiang felt the embarrassment of being exposed.
He was not concerned about his daughter. He prided himself on his great tolerance for his children, or else he wouldn’t have spoiled Su Kexin to the skies. To the Su Family, Su Kexin was just like raising an extra canary. They’d play with her when they had time, or give her money to occupy herself when they didn’t. They thought a girl wouldn’t be able to stir up much trouble. When she reached a certain age, they’d choose a good match for her, throw money into a dowry, and let her marry amidst envy from others. They’d also gain a strong in-law family. With the Su Family as her maiden family, her life would be carefree.
His daughter had become Fu Bing. He was both shocked and pleased, yet he didn’t know how to interact with her. Fu Bing was not only stunningly beautiful and had a delicate figure that was very feminine, but what she did was simply beyond what a woman was capable of. She had been in and out of prison, and her reputation was damaged. Everyone knew about her affairs with Qin Jinhai.
Subconsciously, Su Jiang considered Fu Bing a troublemaker. Even though she had amassed a fortune of tens of billions in just one year, her foundation was unstable. She would face countless troubles in the future.
There was an even more important reason. Fu Bing was outstanding, but her journey had been anything but smooth. Abducted in her early years, forced to work in her teens, and imprisoned not many years later. No matter how high her achievements, people like her were not blessed.Moreover, she had left the Su Family.
Since learning of Fu Bing’s identity, Su Jiang had been struggling to adjust. He could never treat her with the same regard as Su Junxian and the others. Su Jiang didn’t want to speak ill, to further harm Fu Bing. He could only diminish his own presence, letting Su Junxian maintain the relationship between Fu Bing and the Su Family. He didn’t care about the money, nor about the Su Family’s connections.If Fu Bing needed them, he was willing to give.But affection, fatherly love, he couldn’t offer in the short term.
Han Liying found herself unable to swallow after being rebuked by Su Junling.
"Junling, I know you’re upset. Xiaobing is flesh of my flesh; I love her and ache for her. I’m an unqualified mother, but I’m learning."
"All I can say is that you’re a very slow learner," Su Junling retorted.
Han Liying indeed skirted responsibility; she had been in a coma for twenty years. As a patient, no one could make demands of her. Even after her recovery, they indulged her where they could. But they felt even sorrier for Auntie Mei. Auntie Mei was the one who had been with them as they grew up. When they were sick, it was Auntie Mei who stayed by their side, caring for them with meticulous attention. They shared no blood relation with her, yet they felt a kinship.
After Han Liying woke up, the whole Su Family became awkward. They didn’t know how to interact with Auntie Mei, fearing that getting too close to her would hurt Han Liying. If they distanced themselves from Auntie Mei, she would be heartbroken. Without her own family or children, she became the superfluous one in the Su Family. Su Junling thought about it and felt a pang of heartache for her.
Su Jiang snapped, "Is that how you speak to your mother?"
Su Junling replied coldly, "If you don’t like my attitude, then get lost and let Auntie Mei come to keep me company!"
"What place do you put your mother in?" Su Jiang truly lost his temper.
"She has a husband, her own family, and a son. What about Aunt Mei? What does Aunt Mei have?"
For the first time, Su Junling formally lifted the veil of feigned amicability that shrouded the Su Family. Everyone said that the Su Family of Jiangcheng was the perfect template for a prestigious household, and over the years, the Su Family had come to believe it themselves. No large family clan could possibly have two women acting as the family head. It was a choice between Han Liying and Aunt Mei, and only one could be chosen. He would choose Aunt Mei.
Han Liying had led a mostly smooth life. She loved children, so she had many. But none of the children were close to her. Confronted by Su Junling, she felt both embarrassed and wronged.
"I had no idea you harbored so much dissatisfaction toward me in your heart."
"You are mistaken. I have no dissatisfaction toward you. To me, you’re more like an acquaintance, nothing more."
"Now, both of you, get out at once! Get out of my sight!"
Su Jiang took Han Liying and left immediately. They were childhood sweethearts, and though they hadn’t spent every moment together, their affection for each other remained. Su Jiang wouldn’t allow Han Liying to be wronged.
It wasn’t until Han Liying got into the car that she couldn’t help crying.
"If I hadn’t woken up, you and Mei Xue could have lived a happy life together. But my waking up threw everything into chaos. Mei Xue’s position became awkward. She has no one else to rely on besides us, so even if she wanted to leave, she couldn’t."
"I won’t mistreat her," Su Jiang promised.
"I need to think carefully," Han Liying wiped her tears. "I need to reflect on my approach. I’ve made everyone uncomfortable, and there must be a reason for it on my part. You and Mei Xue are the most important people to me, including Xiaobing. I can’t continue holding onto past pride and thoughts. I need to settle down and consider this properly. I’m not afraid to give, and I’m willing to give, but this path is too difficult to navigate."
Su Jiang felt the same way.
One problem after another arose in the Su Family. With work, you handle things as they should be handled, without much fuss. But family matters cannot be dealt with in the same way. Family matters require heart.
Upon receiving Han Liying’s call, Mei Xue immediately packed her things and went to Su Junling’s villa. Seeing the spotless interior of the villa, she felt pleased.
"Junling."
The gloom on Su Junling’s face lightened considerably upon hearing Mei Xue’s voice.
"Didn’t I ask you to come tomorrow morning? Why did you come over in the middle of the night?"
"Your mother asked me to come and keep you company." Mei Xue went into the kitchen to draw water, then brewed a pot of clear tea.
Su Junling watched the steam gradually rising in the transparent pot. The water was boiling. Mei Xue washed the tea leaves and brewed the tea. Each movement was full of grace.
Su Junling couldn’t help but be captivated and said softly, "Aunt Mei, it’s not that I didn’t want to see you these past days. I am..."
"I understand your thoughts. You’re afraid I’d be heartbroken, afraid it’d be tough for me being caught in the middle," Mei Xue said with a tender smile.
The word "mother" felt more genuine when it came to her.All of Su Junling’s feelings about a mother stemmed from Aunt Mei. Being involved in artistic creation, Su Junling had a sharper eye and was more sensitive. Once he set his mind on something, that was it.
Looking into Mei Xue’s eyes, Su Junling suddenly felt very aggrieved.
Mei Xue stood up and embraced him.
"Aunt Mei knows you’re feeling stifled and hurt. We’ll take it slow; there will come a time when we can get through this. Xiaobing is getting better and better, and you surely can too."
When Su Junling heard the name Fu Bing, it was as if a needle pricked his heart.
"I truly love her. I have never loved anyone else so deeply. I can accept that she doesn’t love me. I can gradually try, hoping that someday she will see me in her eyes..."
But she was his biological sister!
All the closeness came from their shared bloodline...