Chapter Forty-Nine: Always Abandoned Because of Shangguan Renran

Ye Xin brought everything back from her car. Her phone was no longer usable, but thankfully, her paintings were unharmed.

She removed the old SIM card and inserted it into her new phone, saving Huang Pu Shenqing’s number into her contacts. Then she carefully mounted her artwork, sending them—along with two other pieces she’d completed over the past few days—to Bell.

“Mother, I want to go home,” Shangguan Renran said, gazing at Ye Xi, who was preparing the meal.

“Then let’s have a final checkup. If everything is fine, we’ll head home this afternoon, all right?” Ye Xi paused in her work, gently caressing her daughter’s face.

“All right,” Shangguan Renran replied.

After lunch, they went for one last examination. Confirming there were no lingering issues, they asked Shangguan Xing to pick them up that afternoon.

At the Shangguan family villa—

“Wait a moment, Madam, Sir. When Miss comes home, you must apologize sincerely. Do you hear me?” Shangguan Yang had dragged Shangguan Miaomiao over by force.

No sooner had Shangguan Miaomiao been released than her father, Shangguan Yang, confronted her—not a word of concern for his daughter who had just been kidnapped, his eyes only for Shangguan Renran.

Sometimes, she doubted if Shangguan Renran was truly his biological child.

Her mother had died in childbirth, leaving her to be raised by the housekeeper. She rarely saw her father more than a few times a year.

She had always thought he was busy with work, never guessing he was taking care of someone else’s child.

This was already the second time she’d been beaten because of Shangguan Renran.

Perhaps this time would be worse—her father was even threatening to send her to the police.

“Isn’t this what you want? You just want me to apologize to them so you can keep staying in the Shangguan household, don’t you?”

Shangguan Miaomiao’s eyes were red, her face a mess, the marks across her cheeks only partially faded, still faintly visible up close.

“Shangguan Miaomiao, do you really mean what you’re saying?” He never imagined his daughter would think of him this way.

He had asked her—this time she had not done any real harm to Miss, but she had taken part in the incident.

But there was no evidence. If she turned herself in, the matter would be treated leniently. All that remained was to obtain the young lady’s forgiveness, so the Shangguan family would not pursue the matter, and Shangguan Miaomiao would be spared. This, too, was a father’s selfish hope. Yet his daughter…

“Am I wrong? Ever since I was little, you’ve always abandoned me for her. Shangguan Renran must be your real daughter, right?” Shangguan Miaomiao’s voice was raw with rage, her face twisted with madness.

“You…” Shangguan Yang raised his hand, but seeing her haggard state, he let it fall.

“Go on, hit me! It’s not the first or second time you’ve hit me for Shangguan Renran,” Shangguan Miaomiao sobbed uncontrollably. She couldn’t understand why other fathers doted on their children, while hers gave her nothing but stern lectures and punishment. She had never truly felt the love of a mother or father.

“Madam, Sir, Miss—” Zhang Sao’s voice came from the foyer.

Soon the three of them walked in. The heated argument between father and daughter had been impossible not to hear.

There was no clear right or wrong between them, but in matters concerning Shangguan Renran, Shangguan Miaomiao had gone far beyond the pale.

“Madam, Sir, Miss, I am sorry,” Shangguan Yang said regretfully. He had failed to raise his daughter well; he felt both guilt and frustration.

“Uncle Yang, you don’t need to apologize. In my heart, you and Zhang Sao are family. As for Shangguan Miaomiao, you needn’t worry. After all, she didn’t actually hurt me this time.”

Huang Pu Shenqing had told her he’d arrived just in time—otherwise Shangguan Miaomiao would have done her harm. Then again, he’d also said he was too late, for Huang Pu Qingyin had already hurt her.

Though she also resented Shangguan Miaomiao, in the end, Miaomiao was Uncle Yang’s only child. Uncle Yang’s devotion to her had left his own daughter neglected; perhaps this time, it would be best to let matters rest.

Shangguan Xing and Ye Xi sat on the sofa, leaving the decision to Shangguan Renran. Whatever she chose, they would support her.

“Miss, it is I who failed to raise her properly. I have let down her mother. From today, I wish to step down from my position as housekeeper and will no longer be able to serve you.”

“Uncle Yang, there’s no need—”

Shangguan Yang cut her off, bowing low to her and then to the Shangguan couple.

“Shangguan Yang, what are you doing?” Shangguan Xing and Ye Xi stood up at once.

“I’m sorry, Sir, Madam.”

Shangguan Yang left with Shangguan Miaomiao. Since the police could not find evidence of any actual harm, Shangguan Miaomiao escaped unscathed.

Shangguan Renran sighed at the unpredictability of life; in the end, all must part ways.

She remembered that as a child, it had been Uncle Yang who kept her company. There was a swing in the back garden, woven of fresh flowers—he had made it for her himself.

Truly, Uncle Yang had given her much warmth. Suddenly, she could understand the loneliness Shangguan Miaomiao must have felt as a child. Her resentment faded, as though she, too, had left with Miaomiao.

—— Fog Night Bar ——

Huang Pu Qing’an stumbled out with nothing on. Damn it, was everything going wrong at once these days?

The small company he’d managed had been swindled out of its investment; he hadn’t seen a penny, and the business had gone bankrupt.

All his cards had been stolen. When he’d gone to the bank to report the loss, every cent had been drained.

He’d come to the bar to drink his troubles away, only to be stripped of his clothes after passing out drunk.

He tried to ask the bartender for something to wear, but without money to pay his tab, he was thrown out.

Now, wanting to call someone for help, he found even his phone was gone.

With nothing else to do, he threw on someone else’s clothes—only to be photographed at just that moment.

In an instant, he shot to the top of the trending searches: Second Young Master Huang Pu spends the night at a bar, unable to pay his bill, strips to compensate.

Even the announcement that Huang Pu Group would officially rename itself Lianran Group, severing all ties with the Huang Pu family, made the trending news, the surge in attention showing no sign of abating.

People rushed to comment, unleashing a torrent of abuse beneath the top trending post.