Gong Shaoyu couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about what was said.

"Forget it, you’re not in a good mood right now, I won’t talk about this with you."

He stepped forward to pull her closer, but Lan Shan avoided him, seemingly lost in deep memories. After a while, she spoke, "When I first met Xinluo, she wasn’t talkative. I was the one pestering her to play with me. Sometimes I even acted shamelessly, and many people said I shouldn’t hang out with her. But I didn’t listen. Several times, I found Xinluo surrounded by a group of boys, pointing at her nose, calling her an orphan, and saying she was adopted. Do you know the feeling of being slandered like that?"

"I guess you don’t! But Xinluo didn’t say a word, enduring silently... Maybe sometimes even she despises herself. So I treated her doubly well, hoping to make her feel warmth, because I knew she was lonely inside! Just because of the so-called ’having difficulties,’ ’being helpless,’ Xinluo has to accept such a life?"

"Lan Shan!"

Gong Shaoyu’s expression darkened, and it was the first time since they got married that he called her by name.

What surprised him even more was that their quarrel was actually about Ye Xinluo. "I know you care about Xinluo. Honestly, I feel sorry for her too, but you have to understand, the Ling Family hasn’t had an easy time these years!"

Lan Shan laughed coldly, "Yes, not easy. I heard that after the Ling Family’s eldest daughter went missing, they cut off all ties with Hua Country, except for Ling Haoyu who returns annually to honor his grandmother. Basically, no one else visits. Damn it, if the Ling Family had the slightest bit of reason, and suspected just a little, sending someone to search through Z City, they might have found her, and Xinluo wouldn’t have suffered so much!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Gong Shaoyu’s face changed, and he spoke again, "Don’t try to argue with me; what I said is the truth. Ling Haoyu spent years searching all over the country yet overlooked the starting place. It’s ridiculous, isn’t it? A five-year-old child back then—how could she have sprouted wings and flown abroad?"

"Just because his mother couldn’t accept the reality, she severed all contact, which is precisely the reason Xinluo ended up wandering outside for so many years."

"Right now, I don’t want to argue with you; you’re not calm. You say they didn’t search, but how could they? The house was burned down, searched several times but yielded nothing."

Upon hearing this, Lan Shan wanted to laugh even more, "The house burned down and didn’t find anyone, that just proves Xinluo wasn’t there, right? Shortly after the incident, the Ling Family was powerful enough—even if suppressed by other families—searching for someone in Z City shouldn’t have been an issue. But they just didn’t do it; not only that, they severed all ties with here, indirectly pushing Xinluo away. Now they come claiming their ’difficulty,’ no one can forgive easily!"

Gong Shaoyu was at a loss for words, watching Lan Shan turn and leave.

He knew Xinluo was someone Lan Shan valued greatly, almost regarding her as family, or maybe more accurately, Xinluo was the untouchable point of Lan Shan.

Important to this extent...

No wonder the anger reached such a boiling point.

He couldn’t help but feel regretful in his heart; had he just given in a bit earlier, it might not have spiraled out of control.

...

In the hospital room, Beichen Rui was gently wiping her hands with a wet towel. Earlier, the doctor came to check and mentioned that she had suffered previous brain shock and might sleep for a while longer, suggesting that she be more cautious!