Jing was with Yukito and Yukira settling them in their room. He wanted to talk to Yukito about what happened, but he didn’t get the chance. His love story hasn’t even started yet, and already there was a possibility of a big misunderstanding.
Yukito saw him fidgeting and twiddling with his fingers. He sighed.
“Yukira, I’m just going outside for a bit.”
He nodded.
Jing realized this is the golden chance. He said to Yukira, “I will also leave now. If you need anything, you can call the maid.”
He nodded again.
They went out, and after walking a distance, before Jing could call out, Yukito himself said, “So, tell me. It seems you want to say something.”
Jing couldn’t help but feel happy.
We are yet to become a couple now, but Yukito already understands me.
Jing held his hands and said, “I just wanted to say to please not misunderstand my brother. He really loves sister Nana. Please trust him in whatever he is doing. He will do anything but never hurt her. You may think I’m biased towards him, but I’m-“
“I know.”
“Huh? What?”
Yukito said, “I already knew since long back that brother Liu Jinhai loves Nee-chan, and so does she.”
This came as shocking news to Jing.
Yukito narrowed his eyes. “And it seems like you did too, even uncle Liu. You both didn’t seem surprised at all when he confessed his love in front of everyone. I know uncle likes Nee-chan, but it feels odd. He seemed to come to terms with all of this very easily. On the contrary, I felt he was very eager and happy about her pregnancy.”
That old man! Jing screamed inside his head.
I knew he would ruin everything! Stupid dad! Why couldn’t you control yourself?
Somewhere, Liu Hai sneezed.
“Achoo! Who dares to insult me!? Come forward!”
Jing laughed nervously. “Its nothing like what you are thinking. Just ignore him. He has few screws loose anyway.”
Liu Hai sneezed again. “Just wait till I catch you!”
Yukito’s mouth twitched.
Openly insulting your father like that…
But he felt envious. He wished to have such a nice and playful relationship with his father too. But that was…impossible.
Yukito sadly smiled and ignored the melancholy in his heart. He looked at Jing. “Alright, I will trust brother Liu Jinhai because Nee-chan does too. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have endured all this.”
Jing excitedly hugged him. “Thank you, Yukito! You are the best!”
“May I remind you that you have not yet won over me to hug me like this.”
He cheekily smiled. “I soon will.”
—
At the dinner table, the atmosphere was quite awkward. Nana was sitting with the twins while Huian sat opposite them. As usual, Liu Hai and Jing didn’t give her any chance to sit beside Jinhai.
Huian cursed them in her mind but plastered a smile outside.
Jinhai dutifully put some chicken in Nana’s plate. “Taste this.”
She coughed and nodded. She felt a little embarrassed.
Grandma Liu said, “Jinhai, why don’t you offer the fried shrimp to Huian? You know she likes seafood, right?”
Huian looked at him hopefully.
But, Jinhai didn’t utter any response.
Grandma Liu got angry. “Jinhai, I’m talking to you.”
Liu Chunhua said, “It’s alright. I will do it.” She passed on the plate to Huian.
Huian could only awkwardly take it.
She clenched the chopsticks in her hands.
“Jinhai. Aren’t you going to the hospital tomorrow with Nana? For her ultrasound? Can I come too? After all…” she smiled condescendingly, looking at Nana. “I’m going to raise the baby. I should also be-“
“No.” He cut off.
Nana was tensed at first, but then got relieved with Jinhai’s reply.
Jing scoffed.
Like hell! It is the first time they will be seeing their baby. Your esteemed presence is not required to ruin the moment.
He rolled his eyes.
She bit her lips. “Jinhai, are you still angry? I genuinely want to be there with you.”
“I won’t repeat myself.”
“But Jinhai, how can you go there with just Nana? If any paparazzi catches you both going to a hospital, it won’t take long to dig out the truth. And if it leaks out that Nana is pregnant with an illegitimate child, then what about our reputation?”
Liu Chunhua froze. Even Jinhai stopped eating like everybody else.
Huian frowned.
What? Did I say something wrong?
“What?” he asked in such a low voice that could make anyone’s skin crawl in goosebumps.
Huian said, “I know you will not like it, but that is the truth. The child is illegitimate. Everybody will gossip and think of him as a stain in Liu family reputation.”
Nana and the twins got furious.
“Mrs. Liu, you-“
Liu Hai smiled. “One minute Nana.” He looked at Huian. “So, Huian. We didn’t know that you thought of Jinhai as a stain too?”
She blinked her eyes rapidly.
Nana was confused.
He looked at Huian meaningfully. Liu Chunhua also gave her a resentful glare.
Then Huian slowly widened her eyes in realization.
That is right…Jinhai was also conceived illegitimately.
Liu Hai and Liu Chunhua were studying at University when she first learned that she was pregnant. Though they got immediately married in her first month of pregnancy, their social circle figured out that if they had to tie the knot that early, then she was pregnant.
Even though Liu Hai handled everything afterward and didn’t tell her, but she understood that people said terrible things about her unborn child. They would sneer and taunt him as illegitimate behind their backs.
But as Jinhai grew older, he proved that he was more than that illegitimate tag. He excelled in everything he did, and when he was fourteen, he created his first business strategy that gave Liu Corps an enormous profit that year. Those same people started singing praises of him.
So, in the process of insulting Nana’s child, Huian indirectly demeaned Jinhai’s birth as well.
