late at night.
It's raining outside.
There was a chaotic knock on the door downstairs.
Su Yi came out of the room and stood in the corridor. Through the darkness, he saw Lu Zhen wearing a white sweater and went to open the door.
The person who came in was Su Youzhang.
He fell to the ground, his face and head soaked with rain, totally unlike his usual gentle and aloof self. He was quite drunk, and his eyes were blurry and a little distracted.
"Why are you here again so late?" Lu Zhen helped him up helplessly.
Su Youzhang refused to get up. He shook his head and looked up at Lu Zhen above him. His vision was a little blurry. "Where's Xiaoyi..."
"He's sleeping upstairs. Get up. You're so drunk. Come sit on the sofa."
Su Youzhang was helped up, as if he hadn't heard her words. Raindrops dripped from his chin. He looked at the ground with an unfocused gaze, and then said in pain and repression, "Why is this happening?"
Lu Zhen did not respond to his nonsensical question.
Su Youzhang chuckled twice, and then he fell to the ground without Su Yi's support. He smiled bitterly and said, "Who have I, Su Youzhang, let down in my life? When I was young, there were obviously a lot of girls chasing after me, right? How did I end up like this today?"
Lu Zhen squatted down and supported him, "You've drunk too much, go to the sofa and have a rest."
Su Youzhang didn't go up, but lay on the carpet and shook his head, "Lu Zhen, you also liked me when you were young, right?"
Lu Zhen said nothing.
Su Youzhang asked her: "Why has our home become like this today?"
His voice was light, but every word he spoke was bitter, as if it could create a hole in Lu Zhen's heart.
"Lie down." He didn't know how to respond, so he just helped him up and glanced at him, his eyes filled with memories of the past. "Would you like some hangover soup?"
He continued to shake his head, covering his face with his hands, and his usually cold lips sank, as if he was crying silently. Then, he said softly, "Lu Zhen, I'm sorry..."
The wind in the rainy night was very cool. It blew in from the yard and ruffled Lu Zhen's hair.
Her face was pale and shocked in the pouring rain.
After an unknown amount of time, she shook her head and said, "You haven't let me down. Back then, I was the one who insisted on doing what I wanted."
Su Youzhang lowered his head and didn't speak for a long time.
After an unknown amount of time, he opened his eyes. His drunken eyes were so dark that no light could penetrate them. "These years... Actually, I have never been truly happy... Promising Xiao Dong and wanting to get married is actually unfair to her. I know... I no longer have the desire for her that I had when I was young. When I think of her as Xiao Dong's woman, I naturally think of her as my sister-in-law. I don't even want to go home and face her... Lu Zhen, do you think I did too many sins in my previous life? So much so that I have been losing and tasting for my whole life?"
Lu Zhen felt a lot when she heard what he said, but she was no longer so moved. She said softly, "You are drunk. Take a rest."
"The only thing I want to do is to be close to my daughter, right?" Su Youzhang's hoarse voice was filled with deep fatigue. "I know I owe you my whole life, and I don't dare to ask for your forgiveness, but... I just want to be close to my daughter..."
Lu Zhen didn't say anything.
Su Youzhang suddenly grabbed her hand and pressed her onto the sofa.
Then, he knelt down straight, all wet.
Kneel in front of Lu Zhen.
Lu Zhen was slightly stunned, and her eyes gradually revealed complex emotions.
Su Youzhang spoke softly, "I'm sorry, Lu Zhen. Regarding He Jiao's matter, I admit that it was because of loneliness... You know how our life was after we got married. It was a loveless marriage..." At this point, he smiled bitterly, "And I am still a normal man. I have certain physiological needs. I didn't touch you because I knew I was sorry for you. I don't want to keep making mistakes, otherwise this mistake will get out of control..."
"Of course, I never knew that you loved me so much that you later developed bipolar disorder... If I knew that I would harm you like this, I would never marry you no matter what..."
When Lu Zhen heard these words, the emotions in her eyes were like an inkstone being spilled.
Su Youzhang said: "As for thinking, I have never let you down. She and I have never slept together until now..."
Lu Zhen was stunned, then looked at him, with a smile in her eyes that she couldn't tell whether it was happy or bitter, "So, after all she fought for, it was nothing more than this..."
Su Youzhang saw a clear feeling of happiness in her eyes. Then Lu Zhen looked at Su Youzhang and said, "Do you know why Xiaoyi hates you?"
Su Youzhang looked at her.
Lu Zhen smiled with tears in her eyes: "Because you married Ruan Zai Xiang."
Su Youzhang said nothing.
Lu Zhen said: "Back then, when she jumped from the building and falsely accused me of pushing her down, you slapped me. Xiaoyi, she saw it..."
Su Youzhang's pupils shrank slightly.
Lu Zhen continued, "You don't believe that I didn't do this, but Xiaoyi believes me deeply. You should know how much she hates Ruan Zaishi and her daughter. If you marry her, she won't recognize you anymore. What's so strange about that?"
Su Youzhang was speechless.
Lu Zhen looked at his regretful expression and did not feel any pleasure of revenge at all. Perhaps she really did not care anymore. When she said these words, it was as if she was making a statement, taking out the words that had been in her heart for many years and putting an end to them.
Su Youzhang covered his head, as if he was out of control. After a long time, he calmed down and looked at the ground silently without saying a word.
After a few minutes of silence, he suddenly fell to the ground, looking very miserable, but he did not get up. Instead, he curled up his body in his wet and no longer decent suit, and a faint laugh escaped from his throat, as if he was crazy.
Lu Zhen sat on the sofa, looking at him, and finally couldn't bear it anymore, so she squatted down to help him, "Get up."
Su Youzhang just laughed painfully and self-deprecatingly.
Lu Zhen said, "Xiaoyi, come and help me support your father. I can't do it alone."
She thought: All the grudges of so many years should be let go. No matter what happened in the past, everyone should let it go and live a good life, so as not to be in vain for the detours they have taken and the hardships they have suffered in the past. Otherwise, what good will it do to hold on to resentment all the time
A thin figure walked out of the darkness.
She bent down and helped Su Youzhang up together with Lu Zhen.
Su Youzhang looked at the person holding his arm, his eyes filled with astonishment, then he hugged her, his voice trembling slightly, "Xiaoyi..."
Su Youzhang was pitiful at this moment.
Su Yi did not push Su Youzhang away, but her big eyes looked a little confused. She had heard the conversation between him and Lu Zhen just now, and she also knew her mother's inner thoughts. Her mother had forgiven him, but she didn't know how to forgive him.
"Xiaoyi." On a rainy night, Lu Zhen held Su Yi's hand and said in a light and calm voice, "Forgive him, he... is still your father..."
Those words penetrated into Su Yi's heart and instantly dispelled the haze that covered his heart.
In fact, she doesn't even know what forgiveness is.
I just knew that listening to my mother's words, my heart became lighter and lighter...
She thought that she could not help but choose to forgive, perhaps because she had a blood relationship with this person...
Su Youzhang fell asleep.
Lu Zhen put him in the guest room.
Su Yi returned upstairs, stood in front of the window, crossed her arms, and silently looked out at the dark rainy night. She didn't know why, but she felt that the rain tonight made her feel very comfortable. She thought it might be because she had let go of her worries...
*
The next day.
Su Youzhang woke up slowly with a headache.
The door opened and a pretty girl in grey home clothes came in. Su Yi stood in front of him, crossed her arms, and raised her eyebrows. "How is it? Does your head hurt after your hangover?"
The corners of her lips were raised and her eyes were kind.
After a few seconds of shock, Su Youzhang's eyes turned red.
Su Yi frowned unbearably, "I say, you are already this age, can you please not show such a sentimental expression?"
Su Youzhang looked at her and tilted his head, his eyes showing forced happiness and vulnerability, "Why did you get up so early?"
"I haven't slept yet."
Su Youzhang was stunned, "Why aren't you sleeping?"
"I don't know." Su Yi shook his head, trying to look relaxed, and said, "I just can't sleep."
"Can you tell me about it?"
"You won't understand even if I tell you." Then he went out. A voice came from the corridor behind the door, "Wash up. I made you some hangover soup. Come out and drink it."
Su Youzhang sat on the bed, holding his coat, and suddenly smiled.
*
In an instant, the three-foot-thick ice in the cold pond was melted away.
Su Yi forgave him, but she didn't want to mention the unhappy things in the past anymore, so she didn't say a word.
Su Youzhang understood that the past was a gap that could not be crossed, but the fact that he could be forgiven now was the most perfect ending he had ever gotten in his life.
Lu Zhen made his share of breakfast today.
Su Youzhang sat at the table and ate with them, occasionally saying a few simple words, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious.
*
The second evening.
Lu Zhen and Mr. Da were dancing tango in the hall.
Su Youzhang came over. It was Su Yi who opened the door. He was holding a black briefcase in his hand. He was a charming and mature man in his fifties. He was energetic and heroic.
Su Yi laughed, silently.
I have forgiven you, but it will take some time for me to get used to calling you dad again.
Mr. Da put his arm around Lu Zhen's shoulders. He saw Su Youzhang from the corner of his eye, raised his eyebrows, and said unhappily, "Isn't it over? Why is he here again?"
Lu Zhen continued to dance with him and said with a smile, "He is here to look for Su Yi."
“Do you need to come every day?”
"You know that Xiaoyi is his life."
Mr. Big sighed, "Well, I can only comfort myself."
"Comfort what?"
"Comfort yourself by not having a glass heart, and having a heart of cement."
Lu Zhen pursed her lips and smiled, "What are you talking about? You are already this age, and you are still talking like a child."
"That's not the case. We must keep a young heart at all times." The master smiled with deep eyes.
Su Yi and Su Youzhang stood aside and watched the two people dance.
Su Youzhang asked casually: "She can dance?"
"Not only that, but I can also play the piano. You just didn't bother to understand it before."
"..." Su Youzhang was embarrassed by what his daughter said and shut up.
The two of them sat down on the sofa in the living room.
Su Yi looked at her mother dancing in perfect harmony with Mr. Da in the hall and asked Su Youzhang, "Do you mind if mom talks about other people?"
Su Youzhang looked up at the hall and shook his head, "There are many such cases abroad. This is nothing."
"Then you are really generous."
Su Youzhang nodded with a smile, "Xiaoyi, I brought this to you today."
"What is it?" Su Yi took a sip of water, took the document handed over by Su Youzhang, looked at it for a few seconds, and asked in surprise: "Are you really going to give me the company?"
"All my things are yours."
"Then aren't you afraid that Ruan might have other ideas about them?"
Su Youzhang took a sip of water and said calmly, "Nothing has happened between her and me over the years. Marrying her is to fulfill your uncle Xiaodong's wish. I think she should be clear about it. I will explain it to her and give them a house to settle down in."
Su Yi looked at the documents under his command, thought for a while, and suddenly said, "Okay, if your company wants to give it to me, then I'll take it, but you have to give them the house, and I don't agree."
Su Youzhang looked at her and said, "Isn't this a bad idea?"
"Just divorce her." Su Yi put forward another condition.
Su Youzhang was shocked and hesitated: "Over the years, they also..."
"Then do you still want me as your daughter?" Su Yi ignored his words and asked directly.
Su Youzhang looked embarrassed.
Su Yi smiled again and said, "I was just kidding you, but if you said you would give the company to me, then I will really accept it."
"Well, the contract has been drafted. Just sign your name and all the shares under my name will be transferred to you."
Su Yi heard this and signed her name readily, then said with a smile: "Anyway, you are not allowed to give them the house. Without my permission, you are not allowed to give it to them."
Su Youzhang: “…”
"If you dare not listen to me, I will not support you in your old age." Su Yi threatened him jokingly.
Su Youzhang was helpless.
Su Yi smiled and bent her eyebrows, "As for what they did to my mother, I will go and settle the accounts with them myself, so you don't need to interfere."
Su Youzhang: “…”
Su Yi was angry that he didn't express his opinion, and said, "Do you understand? Don't interfere!"
Su Youzhang sighed helplessly, "I know."
"That's right, we are a family, you should have stood by my side a long time ago, and..."
"What?"
Su Yi looked serious and said in a deep voice: "I want to prove to you that back then, mom really didn't push Ruan Zai to go downstairs."
Su Youzhang looked into her eyes and said softly, "Hmm."
"So, starting tomorrow, I'll live at your house."
"Ah?" The topic changed too quickly and Su Youzhang was a little uncomfortable.
Su Yi sat forward a little and said seriously: "I'm going to stay at your house for a few days starting tomorrow."
"Okay." Su Youzhang nodded, his eyes full of joy.
(End of this chapter)