Chapter 56: Family of Origin
Ruan Yu tightened her grip on the chopsticks.
The person before her had always been dazzling from the moment they first met. She had assumed he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth—carefree, invincible, living an effortless life. Yet she never imagined his past was also riddled with scars.
"I hated her. I hated her for refusing to tell us the truth about our father. I hated her for leaving us powerless against the taunts of being called illegitimate children."
But later, as he grew older and wiser, seeing his mother humbled to the dust yet receiving no response, he suddenly pitied her. This woman had trusted the wrong person, squandering her youth and her most beautiful years. She had already been punished and didn’t deserve his pointless hatred.
Later still, when his mother finally decided to break ties with that cold-blooded man, he watched as his once-timid mother wiped away her tears, cut her hair short, and fought tooth and nail to give him and his brother a better life. At that moment, he forgave her completely.
The three of them relied on each other, striving to sever their past. Yet there were still those who dredged up old wounds, mocking him for being illegitimate. He had raged, but in the end, he let it go.
The initial mistake was his mother’s, but those who kept reopening old wounds were others. He shouldn’t let their mistakes trap his life forever in a lightless black box.
"No matter how broken or shameful the family we’re born into, it wasn’t our choice. It shouldn’t become a stain on our lives—because it wasn’t our doing."
Likewise, no one has the right to dismiss a person entirely because of their broken or shameful family.
Family of origin is merely everyone’s starting point. Whether one takes a narrow, winding path or a broad, sunlit road afterward—that is the choice truly their own. No matter how high someone’s starting point, the moment they lash out with hurtful words, they’ve already lost.
Tears streamed down Ruan Yu’s face again.
This time, she didn’t try to hide them.
She knew that in front of him, she could cry, she could show weakness. He wouldn’t mock her—because they were the same.
"Alright." After a moment, Teng Yi pushed the tissue box toward her. "Wipe your tears. Don’t let people think I’m bullying you."
"There’s no one else here," she sniffled.
"Oh?" Teng Yi raised an eyebrow. "So I’m one of your own now?"
Ruan Yu’s face burned. She hastily grabbed two tissues and pressed them to her eyes, avoiding his gaze.
A draft slipped through the room, the window creaking softly in response.
After a long while, Ruan Yu lowered her hands.
Bits of tissue clung to her damp lashes.
"Your eyes," Teng Yi reminded her.
"Hmm?"
She touched them but found nothing.
Teng Yi reached out directly to pluck the bits away. Ruan Yu instinctively blinked, her lashes brushing against his fingers, leaving behind a faint, lingering dampness.
The fragments fell.
He withdrew his hand and, under the cover of his teacup, subtly rubbed his fingers. Yet the sensation on his skin refused to fade. He hadn’t noticed before—her lashes were so long.
The brush of his fingertips made Ruan Yu’s face burn even hotter. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, leaving her more dazed than if she’d just run three kilometers.
"Eat. The food’s getting cold," Teng Yi said.
"Mm."
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