He tricked the female lead into becoming his boyfriend, but then went on to criticize the male lead.

Zhao Muze on the other end of the phone was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled softly, his tone full of understanding: "I say, Young Master Wen, this is not like you at all. You've always been thoughtful and meticulous in your actions, you don't need to ask me about this kind of question. You already have the answer in your heart, you just want someone to confirm it."

Wen Zhaoci closed his eyes briefly. He didn't refute, but simply responded with a faint "Mm." Before Zhao Muze could say anything more, he hung up the phone.

He tossed his phone onto the sofa and rubbed his temples with his fingertips.

At the same time, Sang Jiuning had just reached the entrance of the Fu family villa when her hand holding the doorknob paused slightly.

She felt inexplicably flustered and hesitated for a while before gently pushing open the door and going inside.

Only one floor lamp was on in the living room, making the light dim.

Fu Yanchen sat alone on the sofa, his posture upright, exuding a low-pressure aura, clearly waiting for her.

Sang Jiuning's heart leaped into her throat. She walked very lightly to his side, her hands nervously clutching the hem of her clothes. She didn't even have the courage to sit down, her head hanging low, her long eyelashes trembling gently like small fans. She whispered, "Brother, you...you have something to tell me?"

Her voice was soft, with a hint of cautious flattery, but her heart was pounding: Oh no, what if my cousin gets angry and scolds me?

Fu Yanchen looked up at her, his eyes filled with helplessness and a hint of sternness. He gave a soft "hmm" and slowly asked, "Why did you come to my house?"

Sang Jiuning's heart skipped a beat. She lowered her head even further, her fingers unconsciously fidgeting with the hem of her clothes. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she stammered, trying to find an excuse: "Um... how should I put it? He... he just moved next door to us. He lives alone and has no one to eat with. He's so lonely, so I... I just casually invited him over for a meal."

After she finished speaking, she buried her head in her chest, not daring to look into Fu Yanchen's eyes.

She knew she felt guilty. She knew her cousin didn't like Wen Zhaoci, yet she insisted on bringing him home. But she just felt sorry for Wen Zhaoci and couldn't bring herself to refuse him.

Looking at her guilty and timid appearance, Fu Yanchen felt his temples throbbing with anger, and he felt both angry and heartbroken.

He'd seen it in the last few days with his younger sister; she was simple-minded, soft-hearted, and never learned to be assertive.

Wen Zhaoci is a deep and thoughtful man with a lot hidden in his eyes. He is clearly not a simple character. His sister is so naive that she is no match for him. Sooner or later, she will be completely fooled and manipulated.

We must find a way to keep my sister away from Wen Zhaoci; we absolutely cannot let her get hurt.

Fu Yanchen suppressed his anger and softened his tone as he said, "I've noticed that Aunt's spirits have improved a lot these past few days. I was chatting with her just now and casually mentioned Uncle's situation back then, telling her that he had his reasons. Aunt still says that Uncle was a scumbag and that she can't let go of him, but her attitude has clearly softened a lot, and she's not as resistant as before."

"How about this, after Auntie finishes her psychologist appointment this week, you take her out to clear her head, and go directly to Uncle's place. It's time to clear up this misunderstanding that has lasted for so many years. It'll be better for both of them if you talk things out sooner rather than later. You go and persuade her; she loves you the most, and she'll definitely listen to what you say and be willing to go with you."

Sang Jiuning suddenly raised her head, her eyes brightening. Her previously droopy expression instantly came to life, and she quickly nodded, "Yes! I understand, brother. I'll go talk to Mom right now!"

She was overjoyed. She had always hoped that her parents could clear up their misunderstandings and get back together. Now that she finally had the chance, she didn't want to wait a moment longer.

Sang Jiuning walked quickly to Fu Xulan's door and gently knocked.

A slightly tired voice came from inside the room: "Come in."

She pushed open the door and went in, and saw Fu Xulan sitting on the edge of the bed, her face pale and her brows furrowed with deep sorrow, clearly still troubled by what happened back then.

But when she saw Sang Jiuning come in, Fu Xulan still managed a gentle smile and reached out to pat her head: "Ningning, come in, Mommy has something to tell you."

Sang Jiuning obediently walked to the bedside, sat down next to Fu Xulan, and immediately stretched out her arms to hug her mother's waist, gently burying her head in Fu Xulan's arms. Her voice was soft and somewhat cautious: "Mom, my cousin just told me about Dad. Back then... what exactly happened back then?"

Fu Xulan stiffened slightly, sighed softly, and a trace of bitterness and grievance flashed in her eyes. She gently stroked Sang Jiuning's hair with her fingertips and said slowly, "Back then, your father borrowed 500,000 yuan from your uncle. Your uncle agreed to lend the money, but on the condition that your father never contact me or see me again. He agreed, and from then on, he really disappeared. He abandoned me with his own hands."

As she finished speaking, Fu Xulan's voice choked slightly; all the grievances and longing she had endured over the years could no longer be concealed at this moment.

Sang Jiuning snuggled against her mother, then quickly retorted, her tone firm: "No, Mom, that's not true! Dad has always carried your photo with him all these years, looking at it every day. He told me you died in childbirth because of complications. Dad has remained single all these years; he must love you!"

Fu Xulan closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks, her voice hoarse: "I know... I know he had his reasons. Back then, your grandfather suddenly fell seriously ill and was hospitalized, urgently needing a large sum of money for surgery. He had no other choice but to agree to your uncle's request."

Hearing her mother's words, Sang Jiuning felt a pang of sadness and bitterness in her heart. She raised her head, wiped away the tears from the corners of Fu Xulan's eyes with the back of her hand, and cautiously probed, "Mom, then... then should we see Dad? Let's clear up all the misunderstandings from back then, okay? You've both suffered so much all these years."

Looking into her daughter's expectant eyes, Fu Xulan remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a long sigh. With a look of relief in her eyes, she nodded gently: "Alright, let's meet. It's time to untie this knot in our hearts that has been there for so many years."

"That's great, Mom!" Sang Jiuning happily hugged Fu Xulan, her eyes curving into crescents. "Then you get some rest. I'll make some arrangements these next few days, and we'll go find Dad!"

She excitedly ran out of Fu Xulan's room, jogged back to her own bedroom, closed the door, immediately took out her phone, found Sang Tingyan's number, and dialed it without hesitation.

The phone rang a few times before being answered. Sang Tingyan's cheerful yet slightly indulgent voice came from the other end: "Hey, my little darling, why did you suddenly decide to call Daddy? Missing Daddy?"