He Changning paid no attention to the shouting downstairs. He had more important things to deal with—like calming Aunt Qin and thinking about the letter his mother left him before she died.
He was twelve when Aunt Qin gave it to him, just as his mother had instructed: to hold onto it and give it to him when the time was right. The letter was long. In it, his mother admitted that she hadn’t been a good mother. She no longer had the strength to go on living, and for that, she begged her son’s forgiveness. She asked him to keep living—not just for himself, but to carry the love she never got to enjoy. She barely mentioned his father’s betrayal. At most, she hinted that she’d been too naïve, believing that love could conquer all. She admitted she hadn’t known how to be a proper wife, that she’d failed to handle her relationship with her in-laws. She hoped that her son wouldn’t repeat her mistakes—that he would treat his future partner with sincerity and patience, with more care and understanding.
Thinking of her words made He Changning’s heart ache. He could never truly understand the pain and despair she must’ve endured to write such things. But it was clear what she’d wanted most from his father—loyalty, understanding, and a love that stayed the same. Sadly, she never got it.
Less than six months after she passed, Cong Min moved into the Yin family home with her three children and became the official mistress of the house. His father had welcomed them with open arms, all smiles and affection, as if the woman he had once sworn to love had never existed.
What puzzled He Changning most, though, was the final part of the letter. His mother had asked him to stay in the Yin household until he got married and started a family. Only then could he leave. She also said that if he married a girl he truly loved, there was no need to inform the He family.
He still didn’t understand what she had meant. She had already cut all ties with the He family. Aunt Qin once told him that she barely spoke about them, and when she did, it was always filled with regret, saying she no longer had the right to call them family.
He suspected that keeping the surname “He” was his mother’s way of clinging to her roots, a final connection to the family she’d lost. But He Changning had never considered reaching out to them again—whether he was marrying a woman or, like now, being forced to marry a man.
Back in his room, Aunt Qin sat across from him, quietly sobbing.
“Changning… what are we going to do?” she murmured through her tears. “You’re really going to marry a man? What if your mother knew? She’d be heartbroken. My poor boy… How could they be so cruel? I’ve never even said a harsh word to you, and now they’re pushing you into the fire for their own gain. My poor child, what are we going to do? Minglan… if your spirit is watching from above, please protect Changning. Don’t let them ruin him like this…”
Her cries grew louder, grief completely overtaking her.
He scrambled to grab tissues, wiping her tears and trying to comfort her. “Please, Aunt Qin, don’t cry. If you make yourself sick, that’ll hurt me even more.”
His own eyes were red now too. Aunt Qin had always truly loved him. She’d never had a child of her own and treated him like her own son. Since his mother’s death, it had been Aunt Qin who raised him. Their bond was no less deep than that of any biological mother and child—maybe even deeper than some.
He steadied himself and held her hand tightly. “Aunt Qin, don’t be sad. Things might not be as hopeless as they seem. Remember what my mom wrote in her letter? You know I stayed in this house all these years only to fulfill her wish. Now that I can finally leave the Yin family… does it really matter how?”
Aunt Qin sniffled, “But not like this. This isn’t right. And what about your future?” Her sorrow surged again. “You’re only twenty, your life has just begun, and now they’ve ruined it. How will I ever face your mother in the afterlife?”
She was truly devastated. She’d watched Changning grow up, knew how brilliant he was—not only tall and handsome, but incredibly talented. Especially when it came to languages, he had a gift like no other. And he treated her like a real mother. How could she not love and cherish him?
Her tears dripped onto their clasped hands, burning into He Changning’s heart like fire.
“Aunt Qin,” he said gently, brushing her tears away with his long fingers, “you have to live a long, long life. Otherwise, who’s going to cook for me? I’ll starve!”
She gave him a watery glare. “How can you joke at a time like this?”
He grinned. “If our beautiful Aunt Qin keeps crying, you’ll age faster.”
She rolled her eyes and poked his forehead. “You’re too old to be this childish.”
He managed to coax her into a smile and slowly shifted the conversation. “Aunt Qin, don’t be so quick to despair. Just listen to me for a second.” He paused, then said, “The Shang family—they’re not ordinary. They’ve got deep roots, influence in both the legal and the shady sides of society. In business, they’re absolute powerhouses. So why would a family like that let their heir marry a man? Doesn’t that strike you as odd?”
Aunt Qin frowned. “Could it be… that the young master is some kind of pervert?” Her hands went cold at the thought. “If that’s true, then what should we do? Changning, you should run. Get out of here, as far as you can.” She made to get up and start packing.
He quickly grabbed her hands. “Aunt Qin, no—calm down. Just hear me out.” He gently pushed her back into her seat. “I don’t know if the Shang heir is… like that. But in families like theirs, power struggles are inevitable. If this marriage isn’t because he likes men, then it’s probably just a move in some internal game. Who he marries doesn’t matter—just that it’s a man.”
Aunt Qin looked even more worried. “And if that’s true, then you’ll be in even more danger once you’re married in. You have no idea how brutal these power plays can be. If the family doesn’t like you, how will you survive in that house?”
He shook his head, trying to reassure her. “Aunt Qin, don’t you see? I’m just a prop to them. Maybe even a tool to annoy someone. Everyone knows about the Shang heir marrying a man. If they treat me poorly, people will talk, and that would hurt their reputation. Even if it’s only for show, they’ll have to keep up appearances. And once the time is up, I can leave. Then you and I will leave this city and start over somewhere else. We’ll be just fine. Don’t you think?”
He could only hope things would go the way he imagined.
