CHAPTER 195: CHAPTER 195: NO MATTER HOW DARK THE PATH, I’LL WALK WITH YOU

Han Liying’s heart sank.

If the old lady gets involved, this won’t be easy to handle.

Han Liying was the daughter-in-law of the Su Family matriarch, and their relationship wasn’t marked by the usual discord and squabbles between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law.

But, the old lady had never liked her.

The Su Family matriarch had always preferred a distant relative from her own maternal family, persistently trying to matchmake that girl with Su Jiang.

Su Jiang, however, insisted on choosing Han Liying and didn’t marry the old lady’s distant relative.

Thus, even before marrying into the Su Family, Han Liying had already offended the matriarch.

The two maintained a superficial harmony but had minimal private interaction.

After her daughter went missing, the old lady hadn’t spared Han Liying from mockery. The fact that Han Liying had been so angered she fell into a stupor was also partly the old lady’s doing.

Su Junhui was no naive, sheltered fool.

On the contrary, among all his brothers, he had arguably experienced the most of society and the dark side of human nature.

"I’ll go ask Grandma," Su Junhui said.

Han Liying stopped him. "If your father didn’t give it to you, your grandmother won’t either. Instead of wasting time on your grandmother, you’d be better off trying to persuade your father."

Su Junhui reconsidered. "We’ve been searching for my sister all these years. Those people involved in the search must have her photo."

Mei Xue said, "There are no photos."

Su Junhui was shocked. "How can we find her without a photo?"

"The official story back then," Mei Xue explained, "was a fear that culprits, upon seeing Missy’s photo, might harm her. Consequently, none of the missing person notices included Missy’s picture."

Han Liying staggered a few steps, bumping into the flower stand behind her without registering the pain.

She had been so heartbroken at the time, she had no capacity to manage anything else.

She had never imagined so many inconsistencies were hidden in the past events.

How could they have accurately found her daughter if they didn’t even distribute her photo when it was still possible to find her?

Han Liying hated her own weakness from that time. If only I had been stronger, she lamented internally, if I could have withstood the devastating pain and turmoil, my daughter might have been found long ago. Not only did I fail to endure, I even slept for twenty years in an apparent escape from reality.

Mei Xue subtly signaled Su Junhui with her eyes to leave first.

Su Junhui hadn’t expected his single question to tear away the Su Family’s mask of calm and harmony. Beneath it, however, lay just as much filth, he realized.

Su Junhui quickly departed.

Mei Xue consoled Han Liying, "Miss, so many years have passed. Blaming yourself now won’t change anything."

"I truly don’t deserve to grieve any longer," Han Liying said, her voice firming. "I will talk to Su Jiang."

「Night.」

The first snow of the year had fallen in Jiangcheng.

The snowfall was heavy.

Fu Bing, warmed by the heating in the room, felt overwhelmingly drowsy.

She hugged a cushion and drifted off to sleep.

She dreamed a dream from a long, long time ago.

It was her real life, before she met her mother.

She was taken by an adult to a remote mountainous area.

It was cold.

She wore a pair of ill-fitting shoes, and her small feet were rubbed raw and painful.

Behind a fence stood a couple, their eyes harsh and indifferent.

"A hundred thousand yuan for such a little thing? Are you trying to rob us?" the woman sneered.

As they spoke, they roughly turned her over and over, examining her.

"She’s good-looking, and there’s a spark in her eyes. Take her or leave her," the adult who brought her said. "If you don’t want her, I’ll break her legs. Then she’ll be perfect for begging on the streets. With a face like hers, she’ll definitely earn more than a hundred thousand."

The man and woman were full of disdain, but in the end, they bought her.

She thought she could finally have a home.

But it seemed that wasn’t to be.

The couple beat her every day. The woman, after becoming pregnant, grew even more violent.

Unable to endure the constant beatings, one snowy night she snuck into the open bed of a passing truck. The bumpy ride carried her away from that small village.

That night was also cold.

Bone-chillingly cold.

The darkness was like thick, undiluted ink.

She was scared; she was terrified.

She couldn’t understand why she didn’t have parents to love her.

But later, she had a mother...

"Fu Bing, Fu Bing, wake up."

Fu Bing’s eyes snapped open.

She blinked, confused, meeting Wu Shi’s gaze.

It took her a moment to gather her senses.

She had just been dreaming.

Those memories were from so long ago, like distant dreams.

The pain I endured back then... I’ll never have to experience anything like that again, she resolved.

Wu Shi gently wiped the tears from her cheeks with his fingertips.

"Had a nightmare?" he asked.

The tenderness in his voice was something he himself wasn’t fully aware of.

Fu Bing nodded.

She glanced at the clock; it was three in the morning.

"Why are you still awake?" she asked.

"You were talking in your sleep just now."

"What did I say?"

"You said, ’Save me.’"

Fu Bing fell silent for a moment. "I guess I took the dream too seriously."

Wu Shi poured her a glass of warm water.

Fu Bing took it with both hands and sipped slowly.

She whispered, "I’m not my mother’s biological child. Before I met her, I went through a period of displacement and hardship. I just dreamed about that time... I was so scared."

A flicker of distinct pain crossed Wu Shi’s eyes. "Do you still remember the people who hurt you?"

"I remember one of them. The trafficker who sold me was arrested a few years ago. He was sentenced to thirty years and died in prison two years ago."

"That trafficker sold so many people, he didn’t even remember who he’d sold me to. And I don’t remember where that place was, either."

She thought she had long forgotten those childhood nightmares.

Tonight’s chill was too similar to that day long ago.

The memories buried deep within her resurfaced, sending a shiver down her spine.

"I will find them, and I’ll make them pay!" Wu Shi said coldly.

A murderous rage flared in his usually indifferent eyes.

How could her life have been so bitter? he wondered, his heart aching for her. She’s such a good person; why was she always the one getting hurt?

Fu Bing placed the warm water glass back into his hand. "If I ever get the chance to meet them, I will make them pay for the suffering I endured."

She leaned back against the headboard, fatigued. "I can’t leave all the dirty work to you and the others, while I remain completely untouched."

"You were always meant to be pristine, above all that," Wu Shi said without thinking.

Fu Bing gave a bitter smile. "I’ve been in the grimiest places since I was little. I suppose I must have done too many bad things in a past life. It’s late; you should go to sleep."

"I’ll get the Lego pieces. I’ll assemble them while you slowly fall asleep."

Fu Bing didn’t refuse.

Deep down, she was still afraid.

She desperately wanted someone to stay with her.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Wu Shi returned quickly.

He sat cross-legged on the carpet, his back straight against the soft bed.

Fu Bing hugged a plush toy, her eyes watching his nimble fingers fit the tiny pieces together.

While Wu Shi assembled the Legos, most of his attention remained on Fu Bing.

Fu Bing lay on her side, her eyes constantly on him.

Neither of them spoke.

The gentle indoor light, the warm temperature, the soft bed... everything in the room felt perfectly harmonious.

The deep-seated fear still lingered in her heart, despite all the warmth she had encountered. The wounds remained. At any unexpected moment, they would suddenly flare up, as if tearing a new gash across her heart. It was an aching, burning pain, and she felt utterly helpless against it.

Fu Bing thought, There are so many things I need to let go of.

Wu Shi suddenly spoke, his voice soft but firm. "Don’t dwell on the past. You have us now. We won’t leave you, and we’ll never hurt you."

His words pulled Fu Bing back from her thoughts. "I’ll be fine tomorrow. Right now, I’m just a little afraid of the dark."

"From now on, I’ll be with you." He paused, then added, "No matter how dark the road ahead, I’ll walk it with you."