CHAPTER 77
Shocked
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Edited and proofread by pumpkingirl920
T/N: Lao (老)- old
Han Liuhai makes a conscious effort not to take any of the servants. Even steward Han wasn"t allowed to follow. The four of them drive away from the Han mansion.
Jiang Yuan sits in the driver"s seat to keep herself from talking about the bad news. She is apprehensive of the fact this might easily become An Chuxia"s home. An Chuxia and Han Qilu silently sit in the back. Occasionally, An Chuxia responds to Jiang Yuan"s questions.
“You have to respond like a good child,” Han Liuhai instructs her once they part in front of the villa. Two servants open the car doors.
Compared to Liuhai"s home, the architectural style of the home is vintage European inspired. It is similar to Stein Royal College, but more low-key.
“Chuxia, don"t you think this house looks like one of those houses you see on-screen? The kind vampires live in: all gloomy and dark? Should we leave?” Jiang Yuan asks. She can"t wait to have her back in their home.
“She needs to know her lineage,” Liuhai tries to persuade Jiang Yuan. “No one can take An Chuxia away, not even you.”
The four of them walk slowly down the hall. There are three people already waiting.
As they appear, An Yishan greets them warmly. “Lao Han, Aren"t you nimble? I expected for you to arrive at least half an hour later! Instead, you"re a few minutes early.”
“Actually, I"m not here… .” The two joke with each other.
“An Chuxia?” An Chenchuan cannot believe she has appeared before him. He knows An Chuxia"s history: her mother saved Liuhai, and now, she lives with the Hans. In order to not get bullied in school, she has to create an ident.i.ty. What he doesn"t know is, “that girl”, as his father often calls her, is his daughter.
At first, he was reluctant to stand in line. It"s a waste of time. But now, everything is different. He"s excited, but at the same time, very lost.
If father became her father, then wouldn"t that make him her brother? He doesn"t want that ident.i.ty!!!
“Chenchuan?” An Chuxia is as startled. She settles down. An Chenchuan… .
“You two know each other?” A red-headed woman asks. She must be Chen Chuan"s mother. Why does the woman seem familiar?
“Look at me monopolizing the conversation. I almost forgot why this meeting is important. Are you An Chuxia?” An Yishan asks as he looks at An Chuxia.
Shocked, she stares at his eyes.
The master of this house is… she refuses to admit it, even to her death! She doesn"t know how to respond. She didn"t think she"d be facing her biological father, An Yishan!
The master who walked away from her and her mother, as he walked away with other women. Her father… .
“What"s wrong? Is there dirt on my face?” An Yishan finds it strange staring at Chuxia. She looks very cute, like a lovely doll.
CHAPTER 78
His Hugs
Translated by newbienoona
Edited and proofread by anks
“No, you are not… .” An Chuxia shakes her head violently. She turns around and runs as quickly as she can outside the house.
“An Chuxia!” Han Qilu chases after her.
“An Chuxia!” Jiang Yuan and An Chenchuan call after her in chorus.
The older gentlemen try to chase after her but Han Liuhai pulls Yishan to a halt.
“Let us go!” Jiang Yuan wants to break free. She feels helpless and small. “I did not want to bring Chuxia to this strange place!”
“Don"t get too worked up about it. Qilu will catch up to her. This will be resolved,” Han Liuhai rea.s.sures his wife. However, he can"t dismiss the nagging feeling from within. Chuxia"s reaction is bizarre. She has always been well-behaved and sensible. What happened?
She runs through the streets, quickly tiring herself. When she can"t run anymore, she stands in place and then squats on the ground, hugging her knees.
Han Qilu sees Chuxia three meters away. He stops. He hears her chanting, “Not him, not him… .”
Not him. What does she mean? He is puzzled. As he recalls her story, he has a moment of revelation. If he"s right, An Yishan is the one who abandoned Chuxia and her mother, right?
The world is not that cruel. But if that"s not the case, how can he explain her unexpected emotions?
He lifts his feet and walks slowly toward Chuxia. Once he is at her side, he reaches out and grabs her wrist and arm. Despite not liking her, and maybe disgusted with her, he feels she needs a shoulder to cry on. Otherwise, she"ll collapse and if that happens, he won"t be able to forgive himself.
He suddenly wraps his arms around her. She doesn"t struggle, knowing it"s Qilu. Despite being the devil, she knows he"ll always be there for her when she needs him.
“He is not. No… .” Her tears stain his collar, messing up his white shirt. She b.a.l.l.s her fingers around his shirt as she chants, he is not, while her tears keep pouring.
He raises his hand and strokes her hair. He says quietly to her, “If he"s not, then he"s not.”
“But he is!” She suddenly pushes Han Qilu away. “He is… ah… even if it"s a faint memory, I remember what happened. I don"t know… .”
As she speaks, she retreats. Han Qilu takes two steps to her and secures her wrist and says, “An Chuxia, you"re not even afraid of me. How is it seeing An Yishan throws off your confidence?”
Han Qilu finds the situation ironic. He stares at her small eyes. If he didn"t go after her, would he have understood? Was it An Yishan who left her the dog and causing her to hate them?
“You"re not me. You won"t understand,” she says, her eyes filled with sadness.
“I may not understand how you"re feeling but I know what kind of person you are. You"re stronger than most people. Forget the past. He doesn"t remember you. You don"t have to remember him.”