salt by salt

"What does Aunt San mean?"

Tonight, I was numb from one shock after another. I couldn't make any expression on my face, and I was stiff for a while before asking.

"Your father is as stubborn as you...Xiao Yan, the old man is just asking ordinary questions, and he is not convicting you, so he just needs to answer well. Is it worthwhile to cause a mess just to gain reputation?"

She didn't know about the relationship between me and Xu Yucheng, and thought that I was framed for no reason by my second aunt and easily suspected by Mr. Xu, so she agreed to vent her anger.

I didn't care to explain this misunderstanding, so I followed the point of concern and asked: "Third Aunt knows me... my biological father, can you tell me about it?"

She seemed to be a little hesitant: "You don't need to know about these things, Xiaoyan, you are from the Xu family, so what happens to your father has nothing to do with you."

Doesn't matter?

When I was a child pretending to be ignorant, I had to sit in my seat and endure the vicious sarcasm in the conversations of various relatives. I smiled at those who laughed at me as a bastard and said sweetly, "I listen don't know".

It wasn't until I grew up that they restrained themselves in front of me.

Leaving the Xu family to live alone, I thought all this was finally over.But no, Yang Chen can still use it to threaten me, it has always been my weakness and hidden disease.

Now that the opportunity to learn the truth is right in front of me, how could I not pursue it to the end?

I said, "I'm already an adult, Third Aunt."

She frowned slightly, as if she didn't want to mention it, but she didn't directly refuse, she turned around and asked me to sit down: "It's been so long, what do you want to know?"

For this absent stranger, there are too many things to know... too much.

who is he?How did he know my mother?Why would he do that?He clearly knew of my existence, except for the one time when he was a child, why didn't he come to me after so many years?

Living under the fence and being blinded by others, I also longed for my father to shelter me from the wind and rain, instead of becoming a shame that I hide deeply in my heart.

The only contact, maybe because he was too excited, I only remember his rough action of pulling my school card to identify the name, as well as his weird behavior and chattering questions.

The longing and expectation in my heart completely turned into embarrassing resentment and fear.I didn't even dare to open my eyes to see him.

I'm afraid to see any resemblance between us.

The fingers attached to my side trembled uncontrollably, I maintained a calm expression, hiding my slightly trembling voice, and my overly urgent mood.

"Third aunt can tell me everything you know, don't worry about my ability to accept."

I lowered my eyes and said in a light voice: "The Xu family raised me up. Of course I have deep feelings for you. Without grandpa's permission, I will not recognize him casually. I have long looked down on these things, but even my biological father's I don’t even know the last name, I’m just a little curious.”

The third aunt said that he was my mother's math teacher.During that time, she suddenly became interested in studying and asked my father to be a tutor for extra lessons on her own initiative. At first, no one noticed that their relationship was abnormal.

"She's too young, and she's the only one who has not figured out the character of the other party. No one agrees to such a hasty decision. At that time, the old man was angry and did something thoughtless to your father."

"It was only later that I found out that Keyan was already pregnant at that time, so I was in a hurry to get married."

"But Yan is getting older, and the matter can't be covered up. It's rare for the old man to give in, saying let your father stay with her, otherwise what else can happen, she can't let her hold her head down in the future."

"Your father said he didn't want to."

"The family did treat him a little too much before, but when he becomes the Xu family's son-in-law, they can double the compensation. But he is very angry, because of those things, he insisted that he would never marry."

"...Keyan gave up her mind and insisted on suing him and making him pay the price."

I can't tell how I feel.

relieved?absurd?Relieved?

It was like a heavy burden on my shoulders suddenly disappeared, and I couldn't adapt for a while.

Everything is not the brutal violence I imagined, not the dirty plot I thought.

They have loved each other, even if the relationship was short-lived, even if they tore their faces and became enemies later.

But that's enough.

The Xu family knew the truth, but they still said I was the child of a rapist, probably because they hated my father, hated him as a teacher for seducing my mother who was still a student, and hated his ignorance.

"Thank you." I said softly, "I see."

"Xiao Yan, don't blame your mother, if nothing happened, she would have loved you very much."

"I don't blame her."

I can be ashamed, I can be in pain, I can despise myself because I have been called a bastard for so many years, and I definitely can't blame my mother.

Even if I was born because the moon was too old to abort when she didn't want me, even if she hated my father and therefore hated me, even if she never showed me any kindness afterwards.

But at first she kept me because... I was also the crystallization of love in her eyes.

I even cry because of it.

"Your father didn't mean to do that. Many things happened that year. You have to understand the choice he made."

I rubbed my forehead: "I may need some time to digest."

She nodded understandingly, her well-maintained face showed the concern and warmth of the elders: "It's all over, don't take it to heart, what happens between the elders has nothing to do with you."

"……Um."

I was carrying the gift box that Li Zhiyu had chosen for me, and I didn't say what I wanted to ask in the end.

"Xiao Yan, is there another question?"

"No." I shook my head and looked away from her quiet smile, "...Thank you."

After the initial excitement, doubts in my heart gradually surfaced.

Why did you keep choosing your words carefully during the conversation, as if you were afraid of hurting me?

The third aunt rarely stayed in the main house, and she didn't have much contact with me.I have been in Xu's family for so many years, she has never given more than half a ounce of kindness, and today's sudden change of attitude really makes me think about it.

I wanted to know about my father, and she happened to come forward and tell me.Everything is going so smoothly, I don't need to be bound by the files in Yang Chen's hands, nor do I need to keep the last bit of worry about the Xu family.

The whole process was so perfect that it was almost familiar.I don't want to be paranoid, but I have to be.

Because the sudden good luck happened to Xu Junyan, there is only one possibility.

Song Cheng.

I waited at the top of the stairs, and when I saw three people coming out of the study, I said, "I asked my aunt to make some supper, do you want to eat?"

Xu Yuzhong seemed to be in a good mood and smiled at me.After Hou Guangyue's incident, although the contempt in his eyes became more contemptuous, at least his attitude was much gentler: "Okay, I just happen to be a little hungry."

Even Xu Yuzhong, who has always been at odds with me, appreciated it, so Xu Yucheng and Andre naturally agreed.

We sat at the dinner table and talked about everyday life, never mentioning pharmaceutical companies.

The Xu family's genes are impeccable in appearance.Looking around, Andre is gorgeous, Xu Yucheng is gentle, and even Xu Yuzhong looks like a talented young talent.Of course, it's mainly because he has been busy wooing other members of Xu's board of directors recently, and has no time to spend time and wine, so the frivolous and fierce look on his brows has been restrained a lot.

Although they knew that each other had their own evil intentions, on the surface it still seemed to be a scene of peace and brotherhood.

The servant served everyone a bowl of steaming dumplings.

"The last time we brothers got together was during the New Year." Xu Yuzhong picked up the chopsticks and said with a sigh, "I don't know when the next time will be."

Xu Yucheng said softly: "Whenever big brother wants to get together and tell me, I'll call Xiao Yan and Andre back."

"It's a pity, the company is too busy, and I'm afraid I won't have time in the future." Xu Yuzhong smiled, "You have a lot of free time, so you should take care of me more."

Xu Yucheng didn't show any dissatisfaction, but maintained a smile: "Of course, I should."

"By the way, Yucheng, have you found a house? I still have a few houses close to the company, so it's okay for you to live in."

"It's okay, Grandpa paid attention to my residence before."

Xu Yucheng wanted to move out of the main house, or was it specially arranged by his grandfather, what was he doing?I looked up at the two of them, I didn't understand the meaning of the words, and I couldn't interrupt to ask, so I could only listen quietly.

From the corner of the eye, Andre was biting a fat, white dumpling. The heat made his eyes moist, and his lips turned delicate red.

"Brother, it's delicious." He suddenly brought one to my mouth, and said solemnly, "The last one is for you."

The two people on the opposite side, who were playing back and forth, quieted down. Xu Yucheng looked at me with a smile: "Andre is still the closest to Xiaoyan."

"How old are you, tired and crooked." Xu Yuzhong raised his eyebrows, "Andre, you're the only brother? Why don't you give it to me?"

Andre was not polite: "After eating, you have more than one younger brother, let someone else come."

I swallowed silently, and Xu Yuzhong clicked his tongue: "You were still cute when you couldn't speak Chinese, but now you have become sharp-tongued. I don't know who you learned from."

When he spoke, he glanced at me with a half-smile, and Xu Yucheng spoke in a timely manner, alleviating the possible embarrassment: "Eating too fast will cause food accumulation, it's better to go for a walk. The room has been tidied up, Andre, you still live where you used to be .”

"Yeah." Andre stood up and reached out to me, "Brother, accompany me to the garden."

I got up with him, Xu Yuzhong guessed that he didn't want to sit alone with Xu Yucheng, so he ate a few mouthfuls and went upstairs lacking in interest.

The servant immediately cleared away the bowls and chopsticks, and Xu Yucheng was the only person left on the huge dining table, sitting there enjoying supper slowly.He is well-cultivated, sitting upright, but his straight back looks a bit lonely under the bright light.

When I turned around, I happened to meet his gaze, and Xu Yucheng smiled at me.That smile did not have the slightest bitterness of loneliness, but was as usual, gentle, impeccable, and elegant:

"Xiao Yan, rest early."

He doesn't care at all.

Andrea took me to the garden, where the flowers were lush and swaying gently in the evening wind.Relying on the cover of the leaves, he actually kissed my lips directly, but I pushed him away: "Don't mess around, it's over if you're seen."

"My brother is so stingy." He muttered, "Did I do well today?"

I was sullen, and couldn't help laughing until I saw his aggrieved expression, and rubbed his cheeks: "Well, today is thanks to you. What did the old man say in the study, why did you let Brother Yucheng move away?"

Andre answered irrelevantly: "We will go back after walking around the road twice, be careful of the rain."

I looked up at the clear starry sky, and was a little speechless at his clumsy technique of changing the subject: "How did you see that?"

"Of course I know."

There was a smile on the corner of his mouth, but there was no smile in his eyes staring at the front, deep and cold as to drown people in it.Maybe it was because I frowned too obviously, and Andre blinked, and when he looked again, only pure cunning remained.

He whispered in my ear, with an innocent tone: "Brother, I'm so looking forward to it... the weather is finally going to change."