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"Alright, Dad, Linda won't be in any trouble, so stop scolding her. She already knows her mistake,"
Shangguan Changning, looking at his son's pale face and pitiable appearance, couldn't bear to be harsh and ended up interjecting, which immediately implicated himself.
"I have also told you, if anything happens to Linda, it won't be just Fengfeng who will be expelled from the house. You, Shangguan Changning, will be expelled too, and your names will be stricken from the Shangguan Clan records," the old master warned his son with renewed threats.
"Dad, you can't be serious. If you have to expel someone, just expel Zifeng. I can pretend I never had this son, just don't drag me into this. I've been just as obedient, staying at home, not doing anything wrong,"
Once Shangguan Changning heard those ruthless words from the head of the household, he was immediately terrified and hurriedly disassociated himself from Shangguan Zifeng. This resolute attitude elicited in the witnesses present a great deal of sympathy for Shangguan Zifeng; the Shangguan Family's lack of warmth was truly appalling. However, it was precisely because of the Shangguan Family's cherished attitude towards Linda that everyone became even more curious about Linda's background.
"The father who does not teach is the father's fault; this is your reason," Shangguan Yongyou reproachfully said.
"So if Fengfeng's problem is my fault as a father, now that you're blaming me for my mistake, can I push the blame onto you, and should you also ask for punishment?" Shangguan Changning talked back again, damn it, who asked him to raise such a troublesome son like Zifeng, who made him, the father, appear so weak in front of his own dad.
"You're right, if Linda does not wake up, I will commit harakiri and keep her company," Shangguan Yongyou said earnestly.
"Dad, I was just kidding with you, don't do anything rash. I'm sure Linda will be fine, don't scare me like that. Fengfeng, you rascal, take good care of Linda, do you hear me? Otherwise, neither your dad nor your grandpa will have a way out,"
As he passed by Shangguan Zifeng, Shangguan Changning gave his own son a heavy pat on the head, urging him to buck up and look after Linda properly. If something were to happen to Shangguan Yongyou, he himself wouldn't be able to live on, for the Shangguan family elders would drown him with their combined spittle. The mere thought of such a scene made Shangguan Changning shudder uncontrollably. It was utterly terrifying.
"Understood, I'll stay here and take good care of the Empress. Dad, you and Grandpa take it easy. I've got this under control," Shangguan Zifeng, now more deeply aware of Linda's significance in his family, felt like a wild child that no one cherished or cared about. If anything happened to the Empress, he was certain his vicious relatives would chop him into pieces and feed him to the dogs.
"Are you Xuanyuan Wuji?" suddenly, Shangguan Changning addressed the man of power.
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"Yes, Uncle Shangguan, hello. Grandpa Shangguan, please take care, I will personally watch over Miss Shangguan here. You don't need to worry. As for today's incident, I also bear responsibility. If it wasn't for my insistence on Miss Shangguan's presence here, this might not have happened. For this, I offer my deepest apologies," the President said, feeling considerable self-reproach. Although it was an unintentional mistake, he still could not forgive himself.
"You needn't blame yourself anymore, this is all Linda's fate. Alright then, we'll leave her in your care and take our leave," Shangguan Changning gently patted Xuanyuan Wuji on the shoulder, then heaved a sigh.
"Nalan Fusui, could you come with me for a moment? I have a few words I'd like to speak with you in private," Shangguan Changning suddenly addressed Doctor Nalan, who wore a look of sorrow and seemed lost in thought.
Nalan came back to his senses, nodded to Shangguan Changning, and then led him towards his office. Old Master Shangguan Yongyou still hadn't adjusted his mood and didn't look kindly upon Nalan Fusui; after all, it was this young man who had caused such suffering to their living ancestor, Shangguan Linlang. Although the old master also knew that he had neither the standing nor the qualification to treat Nalan Fusui like this. If the Empress hadn't mistaken the person, this young man's seniority would be much higher than theirs by countless degrees, and all they could do was to show respect instead of such rudeness. Unfortunately, the old master was in the heat of anger and naturally would not care about that.
"I'll go to the entrance to wait for you, come pick me up as soon as you're finished, and we'll go home together," Shangguan Yongyou said indignantly, before leaving in a huff.
"My old man is hot-tempered, please be patient with him," Shangguan Changning apologized to Nalan Fusui.
"Uncle Shangguan need not do so, I indeed bear fault in today's event, and I apologize to you," Nalan sighed softly.
"Actually, I'm not in any position to lecture you, but let me overstep just for today. Mr. Nalan, perhaps you could try to accept Linda. To meet is to share a destined affinity; some relationships take a thousand years of cultivation to exchange for a mere brush of shoulders in a crowd. How many people go through endless hardships just to find the one they carelessly lost? Perhaps unaware, an entire family gets caught up, affecting the destinies of countless individuals. Many search over and over, but to no avail, and numerous people die filled with regret and self-reproach, their souls unable to find peace even in death, still tormented. They would sell their souls, even deal with demons, forsaking reincarnation forever, all just to find that one person. Such pain is incomprehensible to those who've never felt it. The persistence of some is backed by untold suffering. Ignorance isn't your fault, but it is wrong to hurt others. Young man, heed my advice; don't judge merely by appearances. Perhaps you share no ties with certain people in this life, but that doesn't mean there were none before. Why be so absolute in your actions? To spare others is to leave yourself a way out, lest you deeply regret it later on," Shangguan Changning suddenly let loose such mystifying words that left Nalan feeling even more bewildered. He felt as if he understood, yet at the same time, it was as though he understood nothing. Hence, he murmured again, "What exactly is my relationship with Shangguan Qingchen? And who in the world is Shangguan Linlang?"
Nalan Fusui seemed to be asking Shangguan Changning as much as he was talking to himself.
"If even you don't know, how would outsiders know?" Shangguan Changning sighed lightly, then left straightaway, leaving Nalan alone with his heavy thoughts.