"No," Grandpa Tang's voice softened as he continued. "Your mother didn't inherit the gift. She was bright and capable in many ways, but the power… it skipped her."
Tang Ning, still absorbing the weight of everything she'd just learned about her grandmother and the uncle she never knew, shifted slightly. She sensed the story was far from over.
"But your mother had her own struggles," Grandpa Tang continued, his voice tinged with sadness. "There's more about her that you need to understand."
Tang Ning straightened, curiosity mixing with a faint sense of dread. "What do you mean?"
Grandpa Tang sighed deeply, the wrinkles around his eyes tightening. "She grew up unaware of her brother's fate—unaware of the full story about our family's abilities. I chose to keep it that way, thinking it would protect her. And in many ways, she lived a normal life. But things changed when she went to university."
A pang of anticipation shot through Tang Ning as she realized this part of the story would touch on her father—a topic her grandfather had always approached cautiously.
"She was accomplished, ambitious, and loved learning. It was there she met your father."
Tang Ning felt her breath catch slightly. She knew about her father's darker side, about the shadow his Mafia connections had cast over their family. But hearing it from Grandpa Tang made it feel heavier.
"They fell in love quickly," Grandpa Tang continued, his voice steady but filled with an old resentment. "He was charming, intelligent, and kind. But he had a secret—one that even your mother didn't know at first."
Tang Ning swallowed, already knowing what would come next.
"Your father came from a Mafia family. He was entangled in a world of crime and danger. But like your mother, he kept his family's background hidden. They built a relationship based on passion, but also on secrecy."
The weight of her parents' choices pressed down on Tang Ning as she imagined the uncertainty they must have felt, falling in love while keeping such critical parts of their lives hidden.
"Then," Grandpa Tang said, his voice thickening with emotion, "everything changed when your mother was kidnapped."
Tang Ning's heart skipped. She had heard only fragments of this story over the years but had never been told the full details. Now, sitting beside her grandfather, she could feel the gravity of the moment.
"Enemies of the Mafia targeted her, seeing her as a way to hurt your father. It was then she learned the truth—the world he came from, the dangers he faced."
Tang Ning's pulse quickened, imagining her mother's fear and betrayal upon discovering the truth. "What did she do?" she asked quietly.
"She broke up with him," Grandpa Tang said, his tone sharp with the memory of it. "She walked away to protect our family, fearing the consequences of being tied to him. She thought it was the only way to keep her distance from the violence and protect me—my political standing."
A sharp pang hit Tang Ning's chest as she thought of the love her mother must have sacrificed for the sake of her family. "But they didn't stay apart," she whispered, already knowing the outcome.
Grandpa Tang's expression softened. "No, they didn't. Despite her decision to leave, the love they shared was too strong. Not long after, your father was nearly killed in an attack. That incident shook her. She rushed to his side, torn between the danger he carried with him and the love she still felt."
Tang Ning's heart ached for her mother's internal conflict, the pull between love and safety. "What happened next?"
"They made the decision to stay together," Grandpa Tang said, the weight of his disapproval still faintly present in his voice. "But your mother chose to leave our family for a time. She lived abroad, finished her studies, and stayed close to your father. For a while, I thought I had lost her too."
Tang Ning could almost feel the distance and pain that must have filled those years. The image of her mother, strong but isolated, weighed heavily on her mind.
"When they returned to China," Grandpa Tang continued, "she told me everything. At first, I was furious. I didn't want her tied to that kind of life. But… I saw the love she had for him, and over time, I reluctantly accepted their relationship."
Tang Ning took a deep breath, processing everything her grandfather had just revealed. She had known bits and pieces, but hearing the full story—the pain, the sacrifices, the complicated love her parents shared—made it all feel more real. Her mother's choices, her father's dangerous world… it was all part of her identity too.
"And now," Grandpa Tang said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "you know the truth. The weight of our family's past, both from your grandmother's side and your father's. It is yours to carry."
Tang Ning nodded, feeling the gravity of her family's legacy pressing down on her like never before. But deep inside, she also felt something else—a quiet determination to understand who she was, where she came from, and how this complex history would shape her future.