Daddy, Mommy Ran Away

Ouyang Pei stood by the window for what felt like an eternity, his gaze fixed on the horizon as it blurred into a haze. He wanted to speak, but the fear of disturbing his daughter’s fragile peace held him back. A bitter taste filled his throat, and his voice, when it finally emerged, carried the weight of years: “Xi’er, can we talk?”

An Ruoxi turned, her eyes meeting his deep, shadowed ones. In that gaze, she saw her own reflection, along with the tangled threads of fatherly love, guilt, and hope. Her heart trembled slightly, and though her lips moved hesitantly, her voice came out soft and clear: “Alright.”

A gentle breeze swept through, carrying with it the faint fragrance of lotus blossoms and the echoes of memories long past. The sunlight slanted across the pavilion, casting a golden glow over the father and daughter as they sat in silence, the air around them heavy with unspoken words.

Ouyang Pei began to speak, his voice low and hoarse, as if recounting someone else’s story-or perhaps bidding farewell to his own youth:

“Back then, I was just a young man with nothing to my name, consumed by the drive to make something of myself. When I finally succeeded, I thought I could give your mom the life she deserved, to make her my wife. But that night, when I pushed open the door to our home, I saw her… with another man… lying in our bed.”

His voice faltered, choked with emotion, and his fists clenched tightly as if the memory itself were a physical wound.

“I lost my mind. I was furious, heartbroken, consumed by a hatred so deep I didn’t know what to do with it. I couldn’t let her go, though. For a time, I kept her locked away, tormenting her day after day. Then one day, she told me she was pregnant. I refused to believe the child was mine. I… I lost control and sent her to the hospital… to have the baby aborted.”

His hands trembled as he spoke, and tears glistened at the corners of his eyes.

“But she never came out of that operating room. Later, I found out that my bodyguard, An Jiangsheng, had helped her escape. An Jiangsheng… the man you’ve always called ‘Dad,’ An Guoqiang. He had been in love with your mom for years and risked everything to take her away. After that, I never saw her again.”

The only sounds were their breathing, heavy with emotion. An Ruoxi’s tears streamed down her face, soaking her cheeks. She had never known the truth behind her parents’ past, never realized that her so-called “perfect family” was built on a foundation of scars and sorrow.

Ouyang Pei wiped at his eyes and continued, his voice steadier now: “Xi’er, the man by your side, Leng Haoyin, is someone you can trust with your heart. I came here not just to seek your forgiveness but to tell you the truth about the car accident all those years ago.”

He pulled a photograph from his pocket and handed it to her. “This is the car An Guoqiang was driving that day. The brakes… they had been tampered with.”

An Ruoxi’s heart clenched, her voice trembling as she asked, “You’re saying… the brakes were sabotaged? It was… deliberate?”

Ouyang Pei nodded solemnly. “I had someone investigate. It was indeed sabotage. Do you remember Du Yunxi? She’s known all along who the driver was. And she… she’s the one who did it.”

“What? That’s impossible…” An Ruoxi’s mind buzzed with disbelief, her thoughts a chaotic whirlwind.

Ouyang Pei’s tone grew heavier. “Du Yunxi was once An Jiangsheng’s fiancée. When your mom entered the picture, their relationship fell apart. Out of jealousy and resentment, Du Yunxi schemed to get close to An Guoqiang and became his mistress. Her original plan was to harm your mom, but instead, she ended up causing a tragedy. After the incident, she lost her mind. When Leng Haoyin tracked her down, she was already a broken shell of a person. He didn’t hold her accountable, but she turned all her hatred toward him.”

An Ruoxi’s tears fell uncontrollably, her voice choked with emotion. “But why… why didn’t he ever tell me?”

Ouyang Pei’s voice softened, filled with a father’s love and helplessness. “Because he knew you’ve always seen An Guoqiang as the perfect father. He didn’t want to shatter that image for you. He wanted your memories to remain beautiful, even if it meant carrying the burden of the truth himself.”

“Sometimes, a single moment of turning away can lead to a lifetime of regret.” Ouyang Pei gazed into the distance, his face etched with both strength and sorrow. “Xi’er, I’m telling you all this not just to seek your forgiveness but to remind you to cherish what you have now. Don’t let happiness slip through your fingers. Life is too short, and when you find someone who truly loves you, hold on tight.”

The fog of misunderstanding began to lift, and An Ruoxi finally saw the full picture of love, hate, misunderstanding, and missed opportunities. She wiped away her tears and looked at her father with newfound softness in her eyes. Her heart was a storm of emotions, a mix of pain, understanding, and gratitude.

“Dad…” For the first time, she called him that in her heart. The word was barely audible, but it was enough to bring tears to Ouyang Pei’s eyes.

Her emotions still churned, refusing to settle. After a long pause, she murmured, “I need some water… to calm down.”

She descended the stairs, her cheeks still streaked with tears. Pouring herself a large glass of water, she drank it in one gulp, but the burning in her chest refused to subside. Just as she was about to return upstairs, the sound of the children arguing in the living room caught her attention. They were fighting over the remote control and had accidentally switched to a news channel.

The television screen displayed a breaking news report, the anchor’s voice clear and urgent: “In the latest update, at 10 a.m., Zuo Corporation narrowly outbid Leng Corporation for the Golden Triangle property by a margin of just one million yuan. However, just an hour later, Leng Corporation’s president, Leng Haoyin, collapsed during a company meeting and was rushed to the hospital. Sources indicate that Leng Corporation’s bidding price may have been leaked by corporate espionage. Authorities have launched an investigation, with Zuo Corporation as a key focus…”

“Crash!” The glass slipped from An Ruoxi’s hand, shattering on the floor with a sharp, piercing sound.

Her mind went blank, the news report and the images on the screen blurring together in her vision. On the television, Leng Haoyin’s pale face was shown as Shen Jun carried him down a flight of stairs, the wail of an ambulance siren echoing in the background. It was like a nightmare come to life.

Her heart turned cold, a mix of fear and regret surging through her. With trembling hands, she picked up her phone, the screen filled with a long list of missed calls from Shen Jun-more than a dozen, lined up one after another. Her fingers froze, and the panic in her chest could no longer be contained.

…