The journey from trust, to doubt, to regaining faith, and then being harshly betrayed by reality left Jian Yunnao reeling. He had just begun to believe in Mo Shiyun again, only for the brutal truth to shatter his hopes.
Jian Yuncheng's voice was cold and unyielding as he said, "I don't know why she lied to you, but the fact remains—she did lie, and the evidence is right in front of you."
Faced with the undeniable proof on the tablet, Jian Yunnao's mind spiraled. Suddenly, he turned on his heel and made for the door, intent on confronting Mo Shiyun and demanding answers.
But Jian Yuncheng, anticipating his impulsive action, swiftly blocked his path. "Where do you think you're going?" he demanded, his voice sharp.
"Let me go, big brother! I have to ask her—why did she do this? Why would she deceive me like that?!" Jian Yunnao was desperate, his voice shaking.
Jian Yuncheng's expression hardened even further. "You were fooled once, and now you're planning to go back for more? To let her deceive you again?"
"I…" Jian Yunnao faltered, suddenly unsure of what to say. He stood frozen, his resolve crumbling.
After a long pause, his emotional dam broke. He collapsed to the floor, his head buried in his arms, and sobbed uncontrollably. His raw, anguished cries filled the room, piercing the hearts of his parents.
Wen Nuan instinctively moved to comfort her son, but Jian Yuncheng held her back. "No, Mom. He needs to go through this. He needs to learn this lesson. There are some pains and regrets we can't shelter him from," Jian Yuncheng said firmly, though the concern in his eyes was evident.
As Jian Yunnao cried, Jian Shuxing held Wen Nuan close, both parents overwhelmed with helplessness. Their son's world had fallen apart, and they couldn't do anything but watch him suffer.
After a long while, Jian Yuncheng strode forward, grasping his brother by the arm and pulling him to his feet. He turned Jian Yunnao to face their parents. His voice was steady but stern as he addressed his younger brother, "You've lost your hand, and it hurts. You've been betrayed by a friend, and it hurts even more. But you have to understand—every day in this world, people lose more than you. Some lose their lives, their limbs, or their loved ones. You're not alone in your pain, but you have to learn how to face it."
Jian Yunnao remained silent, his tear-streaked face filled with a mix of shock and sorrow.
Jian Yuncheng's voice softened, but his words cut deep, "And now, look at Mom. Do you know how many tears she's shed for you? Do you know how much it hurts her to see you like this? Are you really willing to break her heart further over someone you thought was a friend?"
Jian Yunnao had no answer. His red, swollen eyes flickered with realization as he met his brother's gaze. He had been so consumed by his own pain that he hadn't stopped to think about how much his family was suffering alongside him.
Seeing his brother finally grasp the weight of his actions, Jian Yuncheng continued, "Calm down and think. Starting tomorrow, until we figure out if your hand can be operated on or not, you're staying with me. You can't play the piano anymore? Fine. Then you'll learn how to help me manage the company."
This wasn't a suggestion or an offer—it was a decision. Jian Yuncheng had already made up his mind. He was giving Jian Yunnao a new purpose, whether he liked it or not.
At the Jian family's old residence, Jian Yiling was sitting in her study. She had just finished a conversation with Cheng Yi and closed the chat window on her computer.
Her mind wandered back to what Jian Yunnao had said earlier in the day. From his words, she realized that at one point, the family had believed the sweater and scarf she had given to Jian Yuncheng were gifts from Mo Shiyun.
In the original storyline, Mo Shiyun hadn't done anything like this. She hadn't tried to steal someone else's gift or claim credit for something she hadn't done. So why had things changed this time?
The only significant alteration Jian Yiling had made to the original plot was her decision to return to the old residence. Otherwise, the events should have unfolded similarly. In the original novel, Mo Shiyun had indeed given Jian Yuncheng a birthday gift, but it was a handcrafted ceramic item, not a sweater or scarf. There had been no overlap between her gift and Jian Yiling's at all.
So what had caused the storyline to shift in this way?
At that moment, her phone buzzed with a message notification from Yu Xi:
[Yiling! Your Yu Xi big brother is here to chat with you! If you're feeling upset about anything, just tell me. I'm here to be your personal trash can. Dump it all on me!]
Yu Xi had wanted to say something earlier in the day, but given the presence of so many Jian family members, it hadn't felt appropriate. As an outsider, meddling in someone else's family matters wasn't just unhelpful; it risked making things even more complicated.
[You want to play games?] Jian Yiling responded.
[No, I'm serious this time. I'm genuinely worried about you! How could you accuse me of only wanting to play games? Do I seem like the kind of person whose whole world revolves around gaming?]