Chapter 1293: The Fool’s Daughter (72)

Yuan Shuo carefully kissed the corner of Tang Guo's lips, cherishing her with such tenderness that she found him unbelievably adorable.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Tang Guo kissed him back before saying with a smile, “Brother Shuo, you're really cute. Very lovable.”

“Xiaoguo, the way you compliment people is enchanting, and your compliments are so unique. Since I was little, no one's ever called me cute or lovable.” Yuan Shuo laughed softly. “They've only ever said, ‘What a cool, handsome little boy.’”

“But now, I think the word cute suits me better.”

System: Bleh—can I throw up?

Tang Guo burst out laughing. “Talking to Brother Shuo always makes me happy.”

Hearing that, Yuan Shuo was delighted.

He hoped that whenever she was with him, she would always be happy. When two people were together, happiness was what mattered most. If being together only brought unhappiness, then what was the point?

Starting the car, Yuan Shuo asked, “Where do you want to go now? Should I take you back to the apartment?”

“No, let's go to the retirement home first. We should settle my parents in.”

“Alright.”

In the car behind them, Song Jinghua said quietly, “Lide, you saw it today, didn't you?”

“I did.” Tang Lide held Song Jinghua tightly and replied in a low voice, “Jinghua, I've wronged both you and our daughter. Xiaoguo's coldness and distance toward us now are entirely our own fault.”

“I've made mistakes too. I always believed family ties had to be maintained with devotion. Whenever relatives had difficulties, I thought we should do our utmost to help. I forgot that you and our daughter should have been the people I treasured most in this life. Other people are just that—other people. They have their own families and would never abandon their homes simply because someone once helped them. I was too foolish.”

During those bitterly cold nights in the park, she had thought about many things.

Lying on the hospital bed, she had thought about even more.

And in the courtroom, seeing the familiar, gentle faces she had known for so long turn hideous and vicious before her eyes, she had fallen into deep reflection.

After leaving the courthouse, the people who had once pitifully begged for her help had cursed her.

Even her own mother had pointed at her with a look of agony, calling her an ungrateful wretch and saying she should have drowned her in a cesspit when she was born.

Only then did Song Jinghua finally understand what it felt like to be unloved by one's parents, to be disliked and abandoned by them.

From the very beginning, they had been far too harsh on their daughter.

Other people's children could come into their home and be forgiven for anything, because they couldn't be petty with children. They were afraid of offending others and cared too much about appearances.

Yet when it came to their own daughter, they couldn't tolerate even the slightest mistake.

How could they have treated her like that?

Looking back, despite having money, they had only given their daughter eight hundred yuan a month during college—barely enough for meals.

When she bought a car, they hadn't intended to help at all.

Other parents thought ahead for their daughters and prepared a house before marriage as a safety net.

But their family had done the exact opposite.

They had spent all their energy taking care of everyone else's families.

The thought filled Song Jinghua with regret and pain, and Tang Lide felt no differently.

“Xiaoguo probably doesn't have much affection left for us,” Song Jinghua murmured bitterly. “How did I become that kind of person?”

Tang Lide didn't know how to comfort her.

Because he had been equally guilty.

There was no longer any opportunity to make up for their mistakes.

After a long while, the car came to a stop.

Tang Guo called them out of the vehicle.

As the two gazed at the beautiful landscape before them, with green mountains and clear waters, a bitter ache rose within their hearts.