Situ Jin approached Rufen, looking at her intently. “Daughter, you must think carefully. Changing your mind midway is more cruel than never giving hope. It will destroy him and destroy you.”
Although he had always been supportive, he was aware of the devastating consequences if something went wrong — not just for Qifeng, but for Rufen as well.
Rufen leaned her head on his shoulder. “Dad, I should have understood long ago that Second Brother and I are inseparable. I had forgotten about him.”
She realized she had neglected his nightmares and silent expectations, leaving him lonely in this black and white world. She understood that in Second Brother’s world, there was nothing besides her.
Situ Jin stroked Rufen’s hair, saying, “Rufen, you must understand. This is not about responsibility, sympathy, or constraint. This is love!”
He met Qifeng’s gaze from the staircase and continued, “If it were only sympathy, your Second Brother wouldn’t want to limit you. Your happiness is what matters most.”
Rufen closed her eyes, a satisfied smile forming. “Dad, I understand.”
“Is it not because he can’t live without you?”
“No.”
“Not because he loves you most?”
“…”
“Rufen, tell me your answer.”
Rufen stood straight, her eyes shining. “Dad, isn’t it Second Brother who can’t live without me, who loves me most? If I’m willing, why can’t I try?”
She sensed someone’s deep gaze from upstairs and turned to meet it. “If I don’t think about anything else, I’m willing to try. Even if the love isn’t intense right now, I don’t want to separate. I want to be together, always.”
Qifeng walked to her, pulled her into a tight embrace. “Rufen, this is enough. As long as you’re willing to start, I believe we’ll make it to the end.”
Situ Jin looked at his rare smile and turned away.
Go, child, if this is your only redemption.
Waking up in the middle of the night, Qi Feng was startled by the scorching temperature beside him, his face flushed and drenched in sweat. However, he didn’t move away; instead, he held her in his arms, letting her coolness soothe his heat.
Ru Feng wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing against his sweaty face. “Second Brother, it’s okay. We will find a solution.”
“Don’t worry, I’m fine,” Qi Feng gasped, struggling against waves of heat.
He looked anything but fine, and Ru Feng’s heart ached as she helplessly held him through this moment.
The next morning, Ying Feng’s voice rang out from outside the door with unusual urgency. Their calm eldest brother showing such a reaction meant something must have happened.
They quickly dressed and went downstairs to find Si Tu Jin sitting on the sofa, radiating a cold and stern aura. Ru Feng noticed the newspaper on the table and, upon picking it up, her face turned pale. The front-page headline read: “Future Daughter-in-law of Si Tu Group Actually a Prostitute!”
The article detailed Qiu Ru Feng’s tumultuous background, including an unknown father and a mother with numerous affairs. She was entangled with the wealthy Qiu family, discarded by Qiu Chi, and involved with both Si Tu brothers. Rumors suggested she spent nights with both, ultimately gaining Si Tu Jin’s favor and becoming engaged to Si Tu Qi Feng. Despite her status, she continued to flirt among the three Si Tu men and son-in-law Ning Yuan.
Accompanying the text were intimate photos of Qiu Ru Feng with various men, vividly showcasing her face, smile, and demeanor. Of note was a revealing photo with Ning Yuan, clearly depicting his expression and her pitiful gaze.
The report created an uproar. The Si Tu family, known for their wealth and impeccable reputation, faced shocking allegations due to Qiu Ru Feng’s unclear background and simultaneous involvement with multiple men, including complex familial relationships. The story rapidly gained traction, and the Si Tu family mansion and company were besieged by media.
Ru Feng’s cake shop was trampled by surging crowds. Her mother, escorted by police, was left covered in wounds.
In the hospital, upon seeing Ru Feng, she wept bitterly, “I’m sorry, Xiao Feng, I’m sorry. It’s mother’s fault.” She never imagined her youthful mistakes would haunt her entire life and impact her daughter.
She knew the Si Tu family’s status; this scandal meant Xiao Feng would never enter their doors again. “Sorry, sorry!” she repeated, disregarding her injuries.
“It’s okay, Mom,” Ru Feng comforted her while silently cursing whoever orchestrated this. Though she wasn’t the actual Qiu Ru Feng, the events wouldn’t significantly affect her. For the Si Tu family, however, it was shocking—a woman from the past brazenly entangled with multiple Si Tu men.
The company’s stock plummeted, and her father and brother hadn’t returned home since yesterday. He looked clearly in the photo, with a doting expression towards her.
“She’s just a woman. If the second young master likes her, there are ways to handle it discreetly. Why let it affect the company?” someone suggested. Situ Yingfeng’s expression changed, his smile fading as he swept his gaze over the speaker.
“Handle it discreetly? How?”
Situ Jin slammed down the teacup, silencing the room.
Situ Yingfeng scanned the gathering, his expression shifting as he stood. “Today, some of you are family elders or uncles who have worked with my father for years. The development of the Situ Group relies on everyone’s efforts and contributions. However,” his tone turned icy, “Qiu Rufeng is a private matter of the Situ family, and no one has the right to interfere. I apologize for the impact on the company’s stock price. I hope everyone can give me a month; after that, the stock will return to normal levels. If anyone cannot accept this, they can sell their stocks. I promise to repurchase at the price before the drop.”
After he finished, everyone exchanged unreadable looks.
In recent years, the group’s business had thrived, yielding substantial annual dividends. Despite dissatisfaction with the stock price’s impact from the Qiu Rufeng incident, confidence in the company remained intact. Selling shares would incur too great a loss for most.
Thinking this, the shareholders stopped talking.
Situ Yingfeng inwardly sneered but maintained a calm exterior. “If there are no other questions, we’ll end the meeting here. Those who want to transfer their shares can go downstairs.”
People began to leave but were halted by another statement. Situ Jin tapped the table, “Oh, there’s one more thing I forgot to mention. 20% of personal shares will be transferred to Qiu Rufeng’s name effective immediately.”
“Chairman, how can this be?”
“Qiu Rufeng is just an outsider!”
“What is the chairman thinking?”
The room erupted in shock. Even Situ Yingfeng was surprised, as his father had never mentioned this before.
“Dad, why are you doing this suddenly?” Yingfeng asked after everyone had left.
Situ Jin shook his head, looked at the sunshine, and said, “I realized that Feng’er now has nothing, and anyone can bully her.”
“Dad, we won’t let Feng’er suffer, will we?”
Situ Jin lightly laughed, “The world changes, and who can guarantee anything remains constant? I just want to give Feng’er some protection.”
He didn’t want her to depend on others to survive. If she were to rely on someone, it should be her father.
“By the way, where’s Qifeng?”
The person who should have reacted most strongly was surprisingly calm.
Situ Yingfeng frowned, “He said he was going out and didn’t say anything else.”
Situ Jin patted his eldest son’s shoulder, “Pray!”
“For what?”
“For the people at Nanchen Weekly! Let’s go out for a walk. Even in a hospital, there’s a small garden.”
Ru Feng closed the door, sighed, and looked around. Everything was white.
This was a hospital he never wanted to step into, especially this particular one, so familiar.
“Ru Feng!” A familiar voice called out. Ru Feng turned and saw Ning Yuan.
