Daddy, Mommy Ran Away

“Alright, I’ll tell you, but you must promise me that no matter what you decide after hearing it, you won’t leave me, you won’t abandon me.” He held her tightly, tears involuntarily falling from his eyes. At this moment, fear gripped him; he was terrified that if he loosened his hold, she would disappear like a bubble blown away by the wind. He couldn’t bear to lose her, he simply couldn’t.

An Ruoxi’s face was cold, biting her lip to keep the tears swirling in her eyes from falling. Her voice was firm, filled with resolve: “Speak.”

An Ruoxi’s body trembled, her eyes widening as she looked at him. She had a premonition that he was about to reveal something that would be hard for her to accept.

“This matter goes back over twenty years,” Leng Haoyin began, his hands gripping her trembling shoulders, his deep voice slowly unraveling the tale. “Uncle An originally worked as a bodyguard for your biological father, Ouyang Pei. For reasons unknown, he secretly fled with your mother and sought refuge with my father to escape Ouyang Pei.”

“Uncle An was skilled, whether in marksmanship or agility, which greatly impressed my father. My father agreed to protect him, gave him a new identity, and helped him start a family. He even hired him as one of our family’s chief bodyguards, secretly working for the Leng Family. The skills I possess were taught to me by Uncle An himself. He always cared for me, treating me like his own son, and I respected him deeply.”

“A few years ago, due to my emotional turmoil, the Leng Corporation faced a crisis. So, He and I secretly ventured into the arms trade, with Uncle An assisting us covertly. He was mainly responsible for hiding the arms. That time, the transaction was supposed to go smoothly, but a traitor betrayed us, and the information leaked. The Longsha Gang, Shadow’s rival, came after us. I narrowly escaped death, and after shaking off the enemies with the goods, I asked Uncle An to meet me for the handover. Uncle An was supposed to take your mother to the hospital for a follow-up, but upon hearing I was in danger, he rushed over. As he turned the corner, I noticed Uncle An’s car speeding in an erratic S-shape, heading straight for me. I quickly swerved, crashing into the guardrail, sustaining severe injuries and spending a month in the hospital. Uncle An tried to avoid me, made a sharp turn, but crashed into a concrete wall. The wall collapsed, shattering the glass, and took Uncle An and your mom away.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. If it weren’t for me, Uncle An wouldn’t have died.” Seeing her pain, Leng Haoyin’s heart twisted with sorrow and fear. No matter what, if it weren’t for avoiding him, Uncle An wouldn’t have crashed into the wall. “For the past five years, I’ve been wracked with guilt, wanting to compensate Uncle An’s family. But when I was discharged, I found out Uncle An’s only daughter had gone abroad. My assistant told me he had compensated them multiple times over, so I didn’t pay much attention. I didn’t know Uncle An’s daughter was you.”

An Ruoxi could barely stand; if he hadn’t held her tightly, she would have collapsed. It felt as if someone was choking her, making it hard to breathe, almost suffocating.

Tears soaked her lashes but never fell. Her voice trembled: “So, you’re saying my dad died because he tried to avoid hitting you and crashed into the wall?”

“When did you find out I was Uncle An’s daughter? Why are you only telling me this now?” She was on the verge of breaking down, her body swaying, barely able to stand. She had always suspected her father had secrets from her and her mother, and now she understood why he often left in the middle of the night, why he could afford the high medical bills whenever her mother was hospitalized.

“I found out by chance. When I encountered Ouyang Pei in the Golden Triangle, he suggested a deal with me. I angrily refused, but later, when I calmed down, I realized his gaze towards you wasn’t typical. So, I had someone investigate, and during your surgery, I discovered the truth.” His deep voice was filled with endless guilt and pain, holding her tightly. “I didn’t dare tell you, fearing you’d leave me because of it. I’m scared. Please, don’t leave me. I can’t live without you.”

“Enough, don’t say anymore.” She shouted, forcefully pushing his hands away, stepping back, turning her face away, refusing to look at him. Her heart was a chaotic mess, unable to sort through the emotions, unsure how to face him.

But no matter what, her loving parents were lost because of him. Even if it wasn’t intentional, even if it wasn’t his fault, how could she pretend nothing happened? She couldn’t. Five years had passed, and every time she thought of her parents, her chest ached.

“Don’t say anymore, don’t say anymore. Leave, let me be alone. I don’t want to see you right now.” She pointed to the door, coldly asking him to leave. If he stayed a moment longer, she feared she might break down completely.

“Ruoxi,” he stepped forward, wrapping her small frame in his arms from behind, hot tears spilling from his eyes, dripping onto her neck. Her cold demeanor terrified him, leaving him at a loss for words, only able to plead with her: “Don’t leave me. I can’t live without you. You can vent however you want, do whatever you wish, just don’t leave me, don’t abandon me.”

But she couldn’t hear him now. Every plea he uttered only deepened her pain.

“Ruoxi,” Leng Haoyin tried to say more, but An Ruoxi interrupted with a shout: “I don’t want to see you right now. Leave, leave. If you don’t go, I will.”

With that, she rushed forward, trying to escape.

“Ruoxi.” Leng Haoyin reached out, grabbing her in her agitation, his face twisted with pain and conflict, his voice breaking. Yet his gaze remained steadfast: “You can do whatever you want, just promise not to leave me. I’ll wait outside the door until you agree to see me.”

“Waah-” An Ruoxi couldn’t hold back anymore, crouching on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. Why, why, when she discovered he was the brother she had secretly loved, did he cruelly reveal that her parents died because of him? Why, why was fate so cruel?