Chapter 67: Bloody

Xiao Nian stared into Xiao Moyan's eyes, seeing the anxiety and uneasiness that she couldn't hide no matter how hard she tried. It made him feel a little sad in his heart. There was a time when Xiao Moyan cared deeply for him as her father and was close to him. But now, he had to use his daughter's vulnerability to bring them closer as father and daughter. Thinking of this, Xiao Nian's gaze carried a trace of bitterness as he looked into Xiao Moyan's eyes. He let out a sigh and shook his head.

"Xiaoxiao, do you still remember last week when you and Hu Feifei were at the bar—" 

Xiao Nian stopped mid-sentence, his eyes fixed on Xiao Moyan, closely observing her reaction. Upon hearing this, Xiao Moyan's body stiffened. Her face looked uneasy as she stared at Xiao Nian, lifting her head to ask,

"What are you asking this for?"

As soon as the words fell, Xiao Moyan seemed to understand something. She pursed her lips and looked at Xiao Nian nervously.

Could it be that Xiaxia...

Seeing Xiao Moyan’s expression, everything became clear to Xiao Nian. He gave a light cough, nodded calmly, and said, “I know everything about what happened at the bar, Xiaoxiao. You’ve really been too careless. Although Hu Feifei helped you when you were in a tough spot, it doesn’t mean she doesn’t have selfish motives. Hu Feifei has loved you for so long. How could she let go so easily? You’ve underestimated a woman’s possessiveness. When someone loves deeply, they’ll naturally want something in return. Since she can’t openly separate you from Xia Lingying, of course, she’d come up with some clever tricks. After all, the daughter of President Hu is no pushover.”

Xiao Moyan shook her head in frustration. Her fists tightened as she felt a deep bitterness in her heart. Is it really this difficult to trust someone? Does everyone in the world who approaches her have hidden motives and ulterior goals? She looked up at Xiao Nian’s smugly confident expression, and a rush of anger surged in her chest. Impatiently, she said, “Even so, there’s no need for you to lecture me!”

Ignoring Xiao Moyan’s harsh words, Xiao Nian looked into her eyes and calmly stated the outcome she least wanted to hear.

“That day, Gu Yuan brought Xia Lingying to that bar as well, and she saw everything.”

Xiao Moyan lowered her head and remained silent for a long time, her heart is in chaos. No wonder she had felt like someone’s eyes were watching her that day. After a moment, Xiao Moyan raised her head and tilted her face toward Xiao Nian, her expression firm and unquestionable.

“She won’t believe it.”

Xia Lingying had accepted her messy past, tried to understand her, and believed in her. One Hu Feifei and one unwilling kiss—how could these even matter to her? Xiao Moyan clenched her fists, steadied her emotions, and squinted, tightly staring at Xiao Nian. 

How did Xiao Nian know about all of this? What was the point of saying it now? Did he want to see her heartbroken, chasing after Xia Lingying, only to please his own woman again?

Faced with Xiao Moyan’s questioning look, Xiao Nian remained composed and continued his words unhurriedly.

“Maybe Xia Lingying won’t believe it, but if she truly loves you, seeing you kiss someone else would definitely make her uncomfortable. And at this moment, if there’s a handsome and charming man with a powerful background who has waited for her for years and is deeply liked by the elders, humbly putting aside all his pride and sincerely proposing to her, what do you think would happen?”

Xiao Moyan naturally knew whom Xiao Nian was referring to. Her lips tightly pursed, her face pale. She slightly turned, her eyes fixed on the direction Xia Lingying had left, without uttering a word.

Xiao Nian could guess that at this very moment, Xiao Moyan’s heart was undoubtedly overwhelmed with pain, just as he intended. He wanted Xiao Moyan to see everything clearly and never trust others so easily again. It was better for her to inherit the Tianhuang he had worked so hard to secure than for Xia Ran to take it back. After all, she was his biological daughter, and the knots of the past would eventually untangle with time. This Tianhuang...

He understood Xiao Moyan all too well. As time passed and hatred faded, if Xia Lingying was no longer by her side, she would still hate him—perhaps even more than she did now. He would never allow himself to miscalculate again.

Xiao Nian remained silent for a moment, quietly observing Xiao Moyan’s grief-stricken expression. Then, the words he spoke next, one by one, cut into Xiao Moyan’s heart like a curved blade.

“Xia Lingying firmly refused in front of her parents. After being pursued repeatedly, she resolutely declared that she loves you and doesn’t need anyone’s comfort. Even if it hurts, only you can cause that pain. Don’t talk about love—how could Xia Ran allow his daughter to have any connection with my Xiao family? Ha! When he returned to the country, he hit his daughter for the first time. I wonder how he felt about it. And what about you, Xiaoxiao? You can hate me, but ask yourself honestly—can you understand why I treated your mother the way I did? Love isn’t about giving or not giving. Even if Xia Lingying and you hurt each other like this, who can truly forget the other? Me and Qiu—”

“Enough! Don’t say another word!!!”

Xiao Moyan roared and screamed, her bloodshot eyes fixed on Xiao Nian, her body trembling slightly with anger. She knew Xiao Nian wouldn’t comfort her sincerely or truly wish for her to find true love. Everything he did was merely to absolve himself, to wash away his sins. All those words he said were just to make her see things from his perspective, to understand his struggles back then, and to forget her mother who had died unjustly. Xiao Moyan looked at Xiao Nian, at the face that had once shown her love and care in her memories, and her heart turned ice-cold.

Could someone who had personally hurt the woman she loved ever be worth it?

Faced with Xiao Moyan’s almost frenzied screams, Xiao Nian remained unmoved. His patience had worn thin. He stared into Xiao Moyan’s eyes and spoke the words buried deep in his heart, coldly.

“Xiao Moyan, every part of you carries my blood, Xiao Nian’s blood. No matter how unwilling you are, you can never sever that bond. You’re just like me—you only know the sweetness of love but don’t know how to protect happiness. Being with you, Xia Lingying is destined to suffer. Only when you truly lose her one day will you understand her value. I want you to forgive me, but even more, I don’t want you to repeat my mistakes and experience the bitterness that once tore my heart apart.”

"You never cared about me all these years. And now, you’re lecturing me because of Xia Lingying? Xiao Nian, don’t you think you’re ridiculous?" 

Hearing Xiao Moyan’s mocking words, Xiao Nian’s face darkened, and his voice dropped. 

"If she weren’t Qiu Muying’s daughter, would I waste so many words?"

The words hit like a heavy blow to her heart. Xiao Moyan felt a suffocating pain in her chest as she looked at Xiao Nian with a forced smile that didn’t reach her eyes. 

"I hurt the daughter of the woman you love, and you’re heartbroken? What about me? Where do I stand in all this? Do you even know how much I wish I could replace this filthy blood of mine and sever all ties with you forever?!"

Xiao Nian shook his head and sighed softly. 

"Xiaoxiao, after all these years, your temper still hasn’t changed. You’re so impulsive—how can you survive in the business world, let alone protect the one you love? No wonder you’ve hurt Xia Lingying so deeply. Do you really think that by hurting Xia Lingying and causing Qiu Muying pain, I, Xiao Nian, would feel sorrow or guilt?"

Xiao Moyan bit her lower lip, glaring fiercely at Xiao Nian. Her long, beautiful eyes burned with anger. 

No matter what, as long as she could make Xiao Nian suffer, make him regret and feel remorse, she, Xiao Moyan, would endure the pain even if it tore her heart apart.

Xiao Nian stared into Xiao Moyan’s eyes and spoke softly. 

"After more than twenty years apart, even the deepest love has long faded. What I feel for Qiu Muying now is nothing more than nostalgia for the past. Now that her family is reunited, I, Xiao Nian, can no longer interfere. Someone else’s woman—no matter how sad she is—how deeply could it hurt me? But you, Xiao Moyan—"

Xiao Nian’s voice suddenly rose, and his gaze turned sharp as he looked into Xiao Moyan’s eyes. 

"Compared to me, Xiao Nian, are you any better? Have you ever thought about the pain Xia Lingying has endured? What bond could be stronger than the love between a mother and daughter, or deeper than true love? With her personality, how could she share her pain and suffering with Qiu Muying? She’s been enduring it all alone. Your coldness and Gu Yuan’s infatuation—what kind of determination must she have to keep begging for your forgiveness? And you, Xiao Moyan, what have you done? Instead of understanding her, you’ve gone to great lengths to torment and humiliate her. Tell me, compared to the person I was back then, how are you, Xiao Moyan, any better?"

Xiao Nian’s words struck Xiao Moyan’s heart like hammer blows. She covered her face with her hands, shaking her head desperately. The strong facade she had worked so hard to maintain in front of Xiao Nian crumbled in an instant. Slowly, she crouched down, wrapping her arms tightly around herself, as sobs from the depths of her heart poured out.

She didn’t cry when she lost Tianhuang.  

She didn’t cry when she was betrayed by her family.  

But now, at this moment, she hung her head and wept softly.

Heartache, such deep heartache... She had no idea how much pain and suffering Xia Lingying had endured because of her.

While she was consumed by Xia Lingying’s betrayal, obsessively plotting her revenge, Xia Lingying was silently bearing the torment in her heart. Such a proud person had lowered herself to plead, begging her not to leave. She suffered under the torment of both her lover and her family. Who could truly know the pain she had endured?

Hatred—was it really just hatred? Xiao Moyan shook her head as tears fell to the ground, shattering into fragments.

It was simply that she couldn’t control her proud heart. Xiao Moyan had never thought she would be deceived. So when the truth came rushing at her like a tide, she became angry, heartbroken, and resentful. She wanted nothing more than to hurt Xia Lingying deeply, with her sharp words, her cold, indifferent expressions. All of it—everything—was just her own stubbornness. Could she really not let go of the hatred? If love could not replace hatred, then why was she moved in the first place?

Just like Xia Lingying had said, the reason Xiao Moyan dared to hurt her so deeply was because of her love.

Because Xiao Moyan knew that no matter how much she hurt or tormented Xia Lingying, Xia Lingying would always foolishly stand in the same place, waiting for her to turn back.

There was something vague and unspoken that lingered in her heart, fading away the sweetness of the past. Even the happiness she once held in her palms was pushed away time and again. Xiao Moyan crouched down, her body trembling, and cried softly. The tears she had been holding back all this time poured out in a flood.

Xiaxia, Xiaxia, Xiaxia…

Her hands trembled uncontrollably, refusing to obey her will. Xiao Moyan no longer spared Xiao Nian a glance. With tears in her eyes, she picked up her phone, her fingers shaking as she dialed the number she had long memorized by heart. The sound of the ringing tone echoed, each beep seeming to tug at the pain of the bloodied wound Xia Lingying had left on her shoulder.

Xiaxia, pick up. Please, I beg you, pick up—

Author's Note:

Finally finished writing… Everyone, please cheer for Yezi and encourage me to stick to daily updates for a while. I really miss those hard working days~ /(ㄒoㄒ)/~~

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