"Because you don't care," the man's voice boomed.
Shen Qinglan was shocked.
It turned out that, other than relatives connected by blood, there was someone else who would believe her without a doubt, even if the two of them were barely strangers.
Fu Hengyi looked at Shen Qinglan, his eyes softened, "You are a proud person. You wouldn't have stooped to such methods. But sometimes explanations are required, since not everyone will believe you like I do."
Shen Qinglan stared blankly at the person in front of her. For the first time, her usually calm heart skipped a beat because of a man.
----
The redness and swelling on Shen Qinglan's face remained. It had not improved after applying ice.
Grandpa Shen did not tell Grandma Shen that Shen Qinglan got a beating because he did not want her to worry. He only mentioned that the two sisters got into a quarrel, and Shen Xitong had slipped and hurt her foot. Grandma Shen was relieved to know that Qinglan had not been harmed. There was a lot of commotion, but she did not have the energy to get out of bed and see for herself. She worried about it as she lay there.
It was after dark when Chu Yunrong returned, looking exhausted.
"How's Xitong?" Grandpa Shen asked.
"The doctor says her right calf is broken, but other than that, nothing serious. But Tongtong's performance is coming up. Now, because of this, she surely can't participate. She's quite depressed about it."
The opportunity was hard to come by. Even though Shen Xitong was relatively reputable in the industry, such an opportunity was quite precious to her.
After Chu Yunrong finished speaking, she looked at Shen Qinglan sitting silently at the side, "Qinglan, what happened today was your fault, first and foremost. I don't care about the misunderstandings and disputes between you two, but she's still your sister. You're wrong for pushing her like that. Now, because of you, she's missing out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Tongtong doesn't blame you, but you have to do the sensible thing. You will go with me to the hospital tomorrow and apologize to her."
It was then that Shen Qinglan turned her cold, expressionless gaze toward her mother, "I'm not apologizing to her."
"You... you made a mistake, child! Don't you know remorse? And how dare you talk to your elders like that! What have I taught you?"
Shen Qinglan's lips curled up curiously, "I only know that I am an orphan. I don't have parents. No one has given me proper upbringing, and many have called me a wild child nobody else wants."
Shen Qinglan's voice was very soft, but it had been so quiet in the living room that her words rang clearly in Grandpa Shen's and Chu Yunrong's ears. The two adults' faces instantly turned bitter.
Shen Qinglan realized her mistake right after she said it. She felt somewhat regretful upon seeing Grandpa Shen's miserable face. She did not mean to hurt his feelings.
"That's enough, Yunrong. I said this ends here. Since Xitong can't attend the show anymore, she shall get some rest at home. Lan Lan, don't you have finals tomorrow? You should sleep early tonight."
Grandpa Shen gave the final word, got up, and went upstairs.
Shen Qinglan got up and headed upstairs too.
"Qinglan, I know you have always blamed me. If I had kept a closer eye on you, you wouldn't have been kidnapped, and you wouldn't have endured so many years of hardship. You would have been showered with love as you grew up. You would be the much-loved daughter of the Shen family, the center of attention. You can blame me, but Tongtong is innocent. You don't know it, but I've almost gone crazy when I lost you. If it weren't for Tongtong, I might be a mad woman by now. I know I've indeed been partial to Tongtong ever since you came back, but there's no way around it. If I turn my attention to you right after you come back, what would people think of me? What would they think of the Shen family?"
Chu Yunrong said, her eyes watery.
Her daughter was not the only one who had suffered because of that. Yunrong had suffered much more than she had. She had lost her dear daughter, the child she had conceived for ten months. Who else could understand her pain?
Shen Qinglan paused, her beautiful eyes flickered ever so gently, "You think too much. I have never resented you."
"No, you still hate me. You hate me for losing you, hate me for not looking for you, hate me for treating Tongtong better than you. You still hate Tongtong for taking away everything that should have belonged to you." Chu Yunrong complained.
An odd emotion flashed across Shen Qinglan's face. She did not turn around. "You can go ahead and think like that, if it pleases you."
Shen Qinglan did not want to argue with her.
As though she was provoked, Chu Yunrong stormed toward Shen Qinglan and looked at her begrudgingly, "Again! Shen Qinglan, you're at it again! Do you think I owe you for all eternity? So much so that even when I try to make it up to you, you'll still keep me at arm's length anyway!"
Frowning, Shen Qinglan looked at Chu Yunrong, whose emotions had run loose, "I don't think like that."
"No, you do."
"Qinglan, my mistake is mine alone. Don't be angry with Tongtong. Tell me whatever you're unhappy with, I'll make it up to you. But Tongtong isn't the one who wronged you. You will come with me tomorrow and apologize to her, alright?" Chu Yunrong's tone softened.
Shen Qinglan said with coldness reflecting in her beautiful eyes, "Like I said, I won't apologize to her."
Chu Yunrong raised her hand.
"What, do you want to slap me again?" Shen Qinglan looked straight into Chu Yunrong's eyes, standing tall and straight.
Chu Yunrong took two steps back and stared blankly at the mark on Shen Qinglan's left cheek. Traces of five fingers were still there, clear as ever. They had not faded one bit since that afternoon.
"Qinglan, I... I didn't do it on purpose," Chu Yunrong's eyes reddened again. She reached a hand out, wanting to touch Shen Qinglan's injury.
Shen Qinglan turned sideways and avoided it. Chu Yunrong's hand fell, empty.
She passed Chu Yunrong and went straight up the stairs.
Chu Yunrong stood there, staring blankly at her right hand. It was this hand she had used to hit her daughter, to whom she owed so much.
She seemed to have suffered a major blow. She staggered a few steps and fell directly onto the sofa behind her.
In her room, Shen Qinglan buried her head in the blanket, feeling very upset.
Had she been living at ease for too long? She could not even manage her emotions properly.
Shen Qinglan laughed at herself, wondering where her sharpness had come from. She could not care less anyway.
If they knew about it, they would probably laugh at her. She couldn't even settle such a trivial matter. She had got herself in trouble and even got slapped in the face. Her life had gone backward.
As she thought about it, suddenly she recalled Fu Hengyi telling her firmly that he believed her, despite having only met each other a few times.
Shen Qinglan rubbed her face in an attempt to drive off the heat on her cheeks. She screeched softly in pain, forgetting that her face was still hurting.