Chapter 383 - Her Family Background Is Crystal Clear (1/2)

Liu Ronghua clutched onto her intricate red tang jacket. “I’ve spent my prime on you. Is it wrong to ask for something in return? Even if my biological children treated me badly, others will consider them to be unfilial. I’ve raised you up into an adult. Don’t you think that you owe me for that?”

Ruan Danchen’s face turned pale. Her body swayed, seeming to collapse at any moment. Qi Chenglin had his arm wrapped around her to support her.

“Do you really think she’s in your debt? Anything owed has already been repaid in full earlier on,” said Qi Chenglin coldly. “The things that she was made to do is sufficient. Since you’re feeling so much grief, why not let her go? You’re not her biological mother, so there’ll be nothing between you anymore. You’ll both be free.”

“It’s not enough! The things that she did was insufficient to repay me! She owed it to me, she owed it to me! She should help me!” Liu Ronghua shrieked hysterically.

Qi Chenglin’s lips were pursed solemnly. After a short while, they curled down and he asked mockingly, “Was Danchen really picked up from the roadside?”

“Of course,” Liu Ronghua answered without a doubt.

Qi Chenglin sneered, “Do you think we believe that? Seeing that you’re such a selfish person, did you really have enough compassion to bring home a baby from the roadside? Let alone being so young at that time, just at the right age to enjoy yourself. Even being over forty years old now, you still look delicate, hoping that your man and daughter can get things done for you all the time. Were you really keen on looking after another when you can’t even take good care of yourself?”

Ruan Danchen turned her gaze towards Liu Ronghua absentmindedly.

Liu Ronghua could not keep her face straight when she heard Qi Chenglin’s question. “Who are Danchen’s biological parents?”

Although Qi Chenglin did not have any proof to show that Liu Ronghua might know something about Ruan Danchen’s biological parents, he just felt it in his gut that she had some idea about that.

“She was picked up! Adopted! I don’t know who her parents are!” Liu Ronghua insisted. “I’m the one who raised her up, painstakingly.”

Liu Ronghua stared at Ruan Danchen. “Danchen, you cannot be so heartless. I have done so much for you. You cannot just turn your back on me like this.”

Ruan Danchen had always felt that even if Liu Ronghua did not consider her as her daughter, Liu Ronghua was nevertheless her biological mother. That gave Ruan Danchen something to hold on to.

However, the thing that she had been clinging onto was nonexistence. Seeing Liu Ronghua’s hysterical expression, Ruan Danchen felt that the woman in front of her was sinister. The only reason for Liu Ronghua’s refusal to let her go was her ability to provide Liu Ronghua with more benefits.

In Liu Ronghua’s mind, Ruan Danchen could never ever repay her debt. She would only consider Ruan Danchen’s debt fully paid off after Ruan Danchen was sucked dry.

Ruan Danchen stiffened. She watched as Liu Ronghua moved closer to her, her face growing bigger in her eyes every second. Liu Ronghua’s shriek rang in her ears, repetitively telling her that she owed it to Liu Ronghua.

Ruan Danchen felt suffocated. She could not get enough air even with her mouth open wide. Liu Ronghua’s voice faded and she blacked out.

Ruan Danchen could not let herself faint at that moment. Her short nails dug into her palms. The pain had helped her regain some consciousness.

“You know in your heart that she owes you nothing.” Qi Chenglin ignored Liu Ronghua and turned his cold gaze toward Shen Jialiang. “Since everything has cleared up, I believe that the Shen family no longer needs to claim kinship with us. It’s Chinese New Year, so please show yourselves out.”

Shen Jialiang glared at Ruan Danchen maliciously. He did not expect things to turn out this way. Liu Ronghua was not Ruan Danchen’s mother. Looking back at what Liu Ronghua did, Ruan Danchen would never acknowledge her in the future.

Thus, the relationship between the Shen family and the Qi family was surely broken off. The Shen family even downright offended the Qi family.

Shen Jialiang glimpsed at Grandfather Qi and Grandmother Qi. He could only hope that their interference would rouse further displeasure toward Ruan Danchen, stopping her from obtaining any benefit as well.

As Shen Jialiang left with Liu Ronghua and Shen Zhijing, Grandmother Qi was still massaging her aching head.

…

…

Shen Jialiang kept his silence in the car where the driver was present.

Once they entered the Shen Residence and saw Aunt Li, Shen Jialiang spoke through his gritted teeth, “Aunt Li, if there’s nothing else to do, please go back and have a rest.”

Aunt Li did not utter a word. She merely lowered her head and returned to her room.

Only then did he glower at Liu Ronghua. “Why didn’t you tell us earlier that Ruan Danchen is not your daughter?”

Liu Ronghua had also pressed her luck that night. Facing Shen Jialiang’s seething expression, she raised her voice at the uncommon sight, “Even if you knew, would you have stopped using Danchen? You would still have used her as you like! Today’s event has turned out too suddenly. You’re angry because you’ve just lost your chance to continue using her.”

“You’re clear about this,” scoffed Shen Jialiang.

Liu Ronghua was definitely aware of it. If she was no longer related to Ruan Danchen, Shen Jialiang could send her on her way anytime.

The Qi family’s speech that day had assured her that Ruan Danchen would not recognize her as her mother in the future. If she was ousted from the Shen family, she would truly have no one to rely on.

She was too shocked and furious at the Qi family earlier that she blurted out the truth without much consideration. She had regretted her actions.

Merely thinking about it drove her mad. She had looked after Ruan Danchen for so many years, and Ruan Danchen could just disown Liu Ronghua after her life had turned for the better.

Ruan Danchen had refused to help her when she still thought of Liu Ronghua as her mother. Now, Ruan Danchen would only ignore her further.

Nonetheless, Liu Ronghua told Shen Jialiang, “Even if we’re not blood-related, it remains a fact that I’ve raised her up. Ruan Danchen is a softie. From this alone, she’ll not leave me out. Despite being her adoptive mother, I still have some value left.”

That coincided with Shen Jialiang’s thought. He remained silent, worried that he might appear too heartless. He felt nothing toward her. It was how he was able to use her. After all, Liu Ronghua still had some value left to him.

When Liu Ronghua had spoken out his thoughts, Shen Jialiang acted as if his anger still lingered and let out a sigh after a moment.

“Ronghua, I’m not blaming you. Today’s event happened too suddenly that I’m not well prepared for it. I’m furious at Ruan Danchen. She just sat there putting up such a fragile pretense and even turned her back on you.” Shen Jialiang said in distress.

Liu Ronghua sniggered in her heart, yet she nodded her head, tears rolling down her face.

Shen Jialiang clapped her shoulder and hugged her lightly. “Don’t be sad. Think nothing of tonight’s event and get some rest.”

Liu Ronghua nodded and followed Shen Jialiang back into the room.

…

…

At the Qi family manor, Qi Chenglin wiped Ruan Danchen’s eyes dry. He frowned at the sight of her soulless expression and held himself accountable for announcing the truth too suddenly.

The other Qi family members did not say a word. The elders scrunched their brows in deep thought.

Qi Chenglin said, “I’ll bring her to the washroom to wash her face.”

Ruan Danchen’s mind was empty, her face drenched in tears. She merely allowed Qi Chenglin tow her to the washroom.

Lifting Ruan Danchen onto the countertop in the washroom, Qi Chenglin gazed at her.

He wiped her face softly with a wet towel and apologized, “I’m sorry. It was too sudden. I had planned to show you the documents after going back home today. I didn’t expect the Shen family to visit us out of the blue.”

Ruan Danchen shook her head. “I just… just don’t know what to do. Even though I was sad, I could still hold on to the knowledge that I have a mother. However, that mother I have desperately clung onto is not real. I…”

“Danchen, do you remember what I told Liu Ronghua?” Qi Chenglin placed his palms against her cheeks.

Her cheeks were damp. Considering that it was winter, Qi Chenglin had intentionally wiped her face with a warm wet towel. Nevertheless, her face turned cold after a short while.

Ruan Danchen blinked. She had not paid attention to their conversation.

Qi Chenglin chuckled and moved half a step nearer to the countertop, pulling Ruan Danchen into his embrace. When he noticed her gaze on him, he said, “You’re aware that Liu Ronghua is a very selfish person. She had never taken good care of you since you were young. She even coerced you to get into bed with me and bear my child so that she could be accepted into the Shen family. After giving birth to our child, she tricked you into believing that the baby was dead, persuading you to give up on the baby so that this incident doesn’t come to light in the future. She did not even stay with you during your confinement, which was important after giving birth to our child. I know that the period of confinement for a woman who successfully gave birth and a woman who had a miscarriage is different.”

“Do you know that you treated yourself like a woman who had a miscarriage despite giving birth to our child. What’s going to happen if it left a lingering effect on your health? She was not concerned about all this and left you alone at the hospital,” explained Qi Chenglin calmly, even though he was stuck with worry at the possibility.

His heart ached for Danchen, while at the same time loathing Liu Ronghua.

“Based on her selfish character, do you really believe that she would be so kind as to pick up any child from the roadside?” Qi Chenglin asked, his expression solemn.

Ruan Danchen was stunned. Her eyes darkened as she realized that that was indeed something that Liu Ronghua would not do.

Qi Chenglin continued, “I believe that she might be kind enough for having at least some decency to call the police but adopting you was something that she would never do.”