Attention Sir, I Have Your Heart Handcuffed!-Chapter 635 - 472. [The End of the Main Text] The End of Darkness
On the way back to M Country, Shi Nian expressed a small regret to her mother: she couldn’t leave with her father together.
Xu Xinzhen gave a faint smile and said, "It’s okay. Your dad can’t leave that land, and he can’t rest assured unless he sees the peace of that land himself. Even if he is gone, he needs to see with his own eyes, to watch his comrades and students continue his work, only then can he rest easy."
It was already night, Tang Yanqing held Jieyou, the two leaning against each other, seemingly sound asleep.
Shi Nian lowered her voice and said, "Mom, actually there’s something I’ve always wanted to ask you. But I’ve never dared to ask."
Xu Xinzhen glanced over towards Tang Yanqing, "I know, you want to ask about him. Your dad is gone, and it doesn’t matter what anyone says about him; but I’m still alive, and the hardest hurdle for him is actually me."
Shi Nian blushed, but her hands were cold, nervously gripping Xu Xinzhen’s hand: "Mom..."
Six years ago, Tang Yanqing was indeed to blame, so if Mom refuses to forgive, it would be understandable... especially since after returning from the cemetery that day, her mother’s emotions were surprisingly calm, which made Shi Nian even more uneasy.
She felt as if her mom was deliberately suppressing her emotions, but once suppressed to a critical point, it might just explode.
Xu Xinzhen sighed softly and patted her daughter’s hand.
"Actually, I’ve known all along."
"What?" Shi Nian was taken aback.
Xu Xinzhen sighed gently: "During those 17 months when you were missing, in order to deceive Huangfu Huazhang, he acted as if he was psychologically distressed and also stayed at Deep Valley."
Shi Nian’s heart ached slightly.
Regarding the events during those 17 months, Tang Yanqing didn’t say much to her; and everyone around her must have been ordered by Tang Yanqing to keep quiet, so no one dared to say much in front of her. But even so, she could still imagine what he had gone through in those 17 months.
Xu Xinzhen sighed deeply and wiped the corner of her eye: "During that time, he was just like me. Although neither of us was in a true state of illness, we both had wounds in our hearts. He accompanied me through that time, and in private, he would quietly talk a little about the past."
Shi Nian opened her mouth wide in surprise.
No wonder Mom wasn’t too agitated; it was because Mom already knew!
Xu Xinzhen softly exclaimed: "Actually... I somewhat knew about the boy back then. Even though you kept your online friend secret very tightly and didn’t leak a hint, I’m your mom. How could I not see that something was a bit off with my daughter during that time?"
"Maybe you don’t even realize it, but during that time, your face was glowing every day, and you were smiling no matter what you encountered. I could tell you had a little secret. And for a girl, aside from having a crush, what other kind of little secret could make you like that?"
"As a mother, one is always particularly concerned about their child’s first love. So, I also tried every possible way to secretly find out who that kid was."
Shi Nian blushed deep red. Although many years had passed, hearing this made her feel as if she were still that girl caught by her mother back then.
Xu Xinzhen sighed again: "I made the same mistake all mothers do: I peeked at your diary. I saw the face of a boy you had drawn."
Shi Nian felt extremely embarrassed and covered her face with her hands.
Actually, in the past, she hadn’t seen Yan Qi’s appearance online, and she had "painted" him in her mind. To some extent, she also used psychological analysis methods to sketch his possible appearance based on his personality and behavior characteristics.
It was just an unconscious doodle of a young girl’s heart, and it couldn’t actually serve as a basis for recognition.
She murmured gloomily, "It doesn’t even look... did you really believe it?"
Xu Xinzhen turned her head and looked at her daughter earnestly: "You say it doesn’t look like? Then why did I immediately recognize him when he went with you to Deep Valley?"
"Ah?" Shi Nian was startled: "You... recognized him right then?"
No wonder, at first, Mom wasn’t very courteous towards Tang Yanqing, and initially, she even had a bit of preference for Huangfu Huazhang.
Xu Xinzhen sighed: "You didn’t recognize him because you completely forgot that person and that thing."
After Xu Xinzhen finished speaking, she felt as if a weight had finally been lifted from her heart. She leaned back and closed her eyes.
"Originally, I had a bit of resentment towards him, for your dad’s sake... But later, I saw with my own eyes the suffering he endured for you. I just thought, let it go. Your dad’s sacrifice was just what he should have done as a policeman and a father. And all my dad ever wanted was for someone to love you and protect you like he did. Since this kid has done that, even more so than your dad, I think your dad can rest in peace with a smile down below."
All the past has come to an end, and a new dawn is slowly opening with the first light on the horizon.
.
Back in M Country, after a brief rest, Tang Yanqing notified all the Tang Family members, urging them, regardless of whether they’re governors, judges, or wherever they are globally, to arrange their schedules and come back with big gifts promptly.
Because he was going to officially bring Shi Nian back to "collect red envelopes."
Upon receiving Yan Seventh Young Master’s arrogant notice, the elders couldn’t help but laugh and scold, "Isn’t it supposed to be the newcomers entering through the door with trepidation, how come it’s us who have to proactively offer red envelopes?"
Though the Tang Family prepared boisterously, Shi Nian herself was still nervous to the point of being restless for several days.
It was easy to explain to An Cheng, but when it really came down to formally walking through that door to meet and be scrutinized by the Tang family members, she genuinely felt a sense of inferiority.
Because... what should be done, he is so wonderful, and she always feels unworthy of him.
She was even more nervous as she prepared Jieyou by printing out pictures of Tang Family members, pointing them out one by one to tell her in advance what to call them and how to greet them.
She was still a bit worried about her daughter...
Though there was already an example with Tang Yanyi, and she herself had previously used the issue of bloodlines to criticize Tang Yanyi, she couldn’t deny that all the discrimination against Tang Yanyi’s bloodline actually came from outsiders. In the Tang Family, whether it was Old Sir Tang, Tang Yanqing, or even Tang Yansheng, Tang Jian, no one would not treat Tang Yanyi as one of their own.
This reflected the Tang Family’s true heart.
Only... when it came down to it, she couldn’t help but be nervous.
Finally, on the appointed day, when Shi Nian got off the car, holding Jieyou’s hand, her body was still slightly trembling.
Xue Ruke properly saluted, making Shi Nian even more nervous.
Tang Yanqing walked over, held her hand, and whispered, "Don’t think of them all as my elders. You don’t need to overly respect them. Just treat them as ordinary people. Listen to the nice words, and if any words feel unpleasant, just refute them back."
"If it doesn’t work, give me a signal, and I’ll take you away. Honestly, I brought you back today as a gesture of giving them face."
Shi Nian could only sigh and smile, "You, don’t talk nonsense again."
How much he loves his family and how much he cares for his family, how could she not understand?
He just smiled, reached out to ruffle her hair, "In any case, there’s always me, don’t be nervous."
Jieyou, half understanding, cheerfully raised her fist, "Mommy, don’t be afraid, Jieyou will protect Mommy!"
Tang Yanqing laughed heartily, bent down to pick Jieyou up, "Good, Jieyou will protect Mommy. If anyone dares bully Mommy, you scratch them!"
Shi Nian helplessly tapped Tang Yanqing, "Don’t teach the child bad things!"
Tang Yanqing kept laughing and ran ahead holding Jieyou.
Shi Nian, a step slower, couldn’t catch up and follow along, so she just quickened her pace, maintaining her poise.
Up ahead, Tang Yanqing had already turned the corner with Jieyou. Suddenly, from the opposite side of the corner, a figure emerged blocking her way.
Shi Nian almost bumped into that person, startling her.
Stopping to look up, her heart inexplicably sank.
It was James.
Those inherited blue eyes from the Ford family looked cold and harshly at her.
Shi Nian calculated inwardly, not knowing what she might have done recently to offend James. Could it still be about the time after George’s trial, when she came out and told him not to turn into another Huangfu Huazhang, hanging on his mind?
Shi Nian sighed and asked politely, "James, I didn’t expect you to come. What’s the matter?"
"You didn’t expect me to come, ha, you said it right." James’s cold aura suddenly intensified, "This is the Tang Family, I’m not part of it, so naturally, I shouldn’t appear here."
"Moreover, today is the day Tang Yanqing officially brings you to meet his family, which has nothing to do with me, so I should have even less reason to be here now."
"Wrong identity, wrong timing, so of course, you have every right to question me openly."
