Shang Yushang stormed out, leaving everyone behind staring at each other in silence.
Old Master He wore a pained expression. “Sister-in-law, I won’t bring up the past, but this time I came not only to see you, but also to meet my grandson. Now that our families are in-laws, I hope you can persuade Yushang to let us meet, just to fulfill a dying wish. I’m old and don’t have much time left. I don’t want to pass with regrets. If you help make this happen, I can face Old Shang with peace when I go, and the He family will always remember your kindness.”
Madam Shang smiled pleasantly. “You flatter me, old friend. I dare not accept such praise. Please understand Yushang’s protectiveness over Changning—their bond runs deep. He only wants to shield him from further harm, which I believe you can understand. As for seeing Changning, that’s not difficult. But the truth from back then must be made clear. Right or wrong, give the child an explanation, and any misunderstanding can be resolved. Don’t you agree?”
Old Master He’s face darkened. He hadn’t expected the Shangs—especially Yushang—to be so resolute, nor had he realized how deeply they cared about He Changning. Yushang guarded him so closely that even his personal visit hadn’t granted a meeting. As for the past, that could never be revealed to Changning. If he ever found out, it wouldn’t just be about a failed meeting—being hated would be a blessing.
He considered fabricating a lie, but Yushang’s intelligence was a headache. Even the smallest inconsistency would turn into a disastrous joke, and if it came to that, not only would they lose Changning, they’d also offend the Shang family—an utterly worthless trade-off.
Torn and unsure how to proceed, Old Master He left the Shang residence with his son and grandson.
In Madam Shang’s study, mother and son sat across from each other. “Guozhang, is there something you want to ask?” she asked with a warm smile.
Shang Guozhang looked at his energetic, elderly mother and chuckled. “Mom, you and Yushang are hiding something from me, aren’t you? That He family visit today, especially their insistence on seeing Changning—there’s something behind it, right?”
Madam Shang looked at her son kindly. “Yes, there is—and it’s a big deal. But you must promise me you won’t tell anyone. If you do, I’ll tell you.”
Her eyes sparkled with excitement, like a child hugging a long-desired toy. Her joy was unmistakable, softening even the wrinkles on her face. It had been many years since she’d looked this happy, and Guozhang couldn’t help but be affected. He chuckled, “Come on, Mom, don’t you trust your own son?” His tone was helpless but cheerful.
She shook her head, still smiling. “Nope. You have to promise, or I won’t say a word.”
Unable to resist her, Shang Guozhang gave in. “Alright, I promise. Whatever you say today, my lips are sealed.”
Satisfied, she finally revealed, “You’re going to be a grandfather—and not just to one little bundle, but two.”
Shang Guozhang froze. “Mom, what did you say?”
“You’re going to be a grandfather—two little ones will be calling you Grandpa.”
The sudden news left him speechless, his mind spinning through a hundred explanations for the appearance of two grandchildren.
Madam Shang gave him no time to guess. “They’re Yushang and Changning’s biological children, so don’t go imagining nonsense.”
His eyes widened. “Mom, do you even hear what you’re saying?”
“Of course I do. I also know both babies are almost eight months along. In less than two months, you’ll be able to hold them. You have no idea how happy I am—happier than when I first saw Yushang. The Shang family has heirs now. I can smile when I see your father in the afterlife. No—actually, I need to live a few more years. I want to hear those little ones call me Great-Grandma!” Her smile was so wide it practically lifted her cheeks.
Shang Guozhang tried to process the shock, forcing himself to stay calm. “Mom, don’t just be happy—please tell me how all of this happened.”
Seeing her son so anxious, Madam Shang felt amused and proud. So she slowly shared everything she knew about He Changning.
By the end, Shang Guozhang’s jaw had dropped and stayed open for a long time. Once the full story sank in, he felt both joyful and a little hurt. Joyful that his son now had children tied to his own blood, born of the person he loved most. But hurt that something so important had been kept from him. If not for his mother, he might never have known—Yushang clearly hadn’t planned on telling him. That left a bit of disappointment.
Still, there was no denying it—there were heirs for the Shang family, and that was a cause for celebration. And those two little babies would soon call him Grandpa. Just imagining them toddling around him, chirping the word, made him feel like he could laugh in his sleep.
“Our ancestors must be watching over us, to let Yushang marry someone as wonderful as Changning—and even give us descendants. We must never mistreat that child.”
“Yes, Yushang is truly lucky to have married Changning. Their love is solid, and now they have children—what could be better?”
“Mom, I want to go see Changning.”
“Go ahead, he’s your child too, and your grandchild is on the way. Of course you should see them. But don’t let Huilin or Yuchen or Yuhe find out. The fewer people who know about Changning’s pregnancy, the better. I don’t mean anything else—this is purely for his safety.”
“Mom, I understand. I’m sure Yushang has already arranged everything regarding the kids’ identities. I just want to see Changning. I won’t say a word about anything else.”
“I trust you.”
“Mom, the He family visited today and kept asking to see Changning. Do you think it has to do with his background?”
The old madam frowned. “I doubt it’s that simple.”
Shang Guozhang also frowned. “Could they be after the children?”
“I wouldn’t rule it out. They haven’t acknowledged him for twenty years and suddenly show up now? How could that not be suspicious?”
“Has Yushang taken all the necessary precautions? If they really are here for the children, we have to be careful.”
“Don’t worry. Yushang never leaves loose ends—especially when it comes to Changning and the children.”
“Yes, I believe Yushang has thought this through even more than we have. He’ll protect them.”
Back at the hotel, the old master He finally sat down with a cup of tea after a furious outburst.
He Mingfan adjusted his glasses. “Dad, this is a bit tricky. Shang Yushang is blocking us from seeing Changning, and Old Madam Shang won’t help either. What do we do next? Please decide.”
Although the old master had vented his anger, his expression remained dark and cold. “Hmph. They think they can keep me out that easily? Tomorrow, we’re going straight to their residence. I don’t believe they’ll keep hiding from us. And if they do, don’t blame me for being rude.”
After leaving the old residence, Shang Yushang didn’t return to Fanjin’s villa, but went to a café instead.
The waiter led Shang Yushang into a private room that had been reserved. After serving the coffee and pastries, the waiter quietly shut the door behind him. A few men stationed outside the room exchanged glances but wisely left without saying a word.
At the round table sat Shang Yushang and Gu Cheng.
Both men radiated equal intensity. They sat silently, drinking coffee, without exchanging a single word or glance—as if the other didn’t exist.
They were seeing who could hold their composure longer. But clearly, Gu Cheng was the one with something to say. He had requested the meeting; he had something to share. Shang Yushang, on the other hand, was merely responding to the invitation. It involved He Changning, but even without this man’s information, Shang Yushang was confident he could protect the three of them. What interested him was this man’s identity, and he was happy to see what he might reveal—so long as he kept the upper hand.
From the moment Shang Yushang entered, Gu Cheng had been openly scrutinizing him. He knew his son was being well cared for, but rumors are always distorted. So today’s meeting was partly to see this man for himself, and partly to share information that might help protect Changning and the kids. He could have done it himself, but didn’t want to disrupt their peaceful life. Unfortunately, the He family just wouldn’t let go, and now he had no choice but to show up like this.
Gu Cheng took a sip of coffee. “Mr. Shang, aren’t you curious why I asked to see you?”
Shang Yushang’s expression didn’t change. “Mr. Gu, you’ll speak when you’re ready. I’m in no rush.”
Gu Cheng’s mouth twitched ever so slightly—what a tough nut to crack. He couldn’t imagine how his son dealt with him. “Fine, I’ll get to the point.” He set his cup down. “I’m Changning’s biological father.”
The moment Shang Yushang heard that, his eyes turned ice cold. “Mr. Gu, please watch what you say.”
Gu Cheng waved his hand. “I have no reason to lie to you. Yin Zhiyen is indeed not Changning’s father.” He paused. “Changning is a pure-blooded male of the Muyi clan, isn’t he?”
Shang Yushang’s eyes were full of suspicion. “What are you trying to say?”
“Pure-blooded men of the Muyi clan have the ability to bear children. If they give birth to twins, no matter which family raises those children, that family will flourish—blessed with wealth, power, and endless generations of talented offspring.”
Shang Yushang was surprised. He had only a general understanding of the Muyi clan, and hadn’t heard anything about twins.
Gu Cheng continued, “The He family came to see Changning for the child he’s carrying. They’ve always known about him, but weren’t sure if he could bear children. When they found out he married you, they wanted to meet him to see if he was pregnant. If confirmed, the old master of the He family would stop at nothing to take Changning back. And if they discovered he was pregnant with twins, they’d go to any lengths to take both him and the children. That’s why I came to speak with you today.”
“The He family is in decline. The old master knows about the legend of the Sacred Child, which is why he’s desperate to see Changning.”
Shang Yushang scoffed. “Pinning a family’s future on a child? That’s absurd.”
Gu Cheng ignored his disdain. “In fact, the Gu family also rose to power through children born from Muyi males. The He family heard about the Sacred Child and set their sights on Changning.”
Shang Yushang’s expression turned cold. “Whether the He family lives or dies means nothing to me. No one can touch what’s mine.”
“Open threats are easy to guard against—hidden ones are not.”
“You don’t need to worry about that. I’ll make sure they don’t leave alive.”
“The problem must be dealt with at its root.”
Shang Yushang narrowed his eyes. “What are you planning?”
Gu Cheng looked relaxed, but his heart was heavy. “I want to do everything I can to give Changning and the children a peaceful, comfortable life. I want them to live without fear.”
Shang Yushang frowned. “I can do that too. And frankly, I’ll do it better than you.”
“I know. Just think of it as me making amends to Changning and his mother. Or even atoning for my sins.”
Shang Yushang remained unmoved. “Tell me what happened back then.”
Gu Cheng gave a bitter smile. “Changning’s mother and I were both sacrifices for the sake of family prosperity.” He paused. “Twenty-one years ago, I was an insignificant figure in the Gu family. So they didn’t care about my wishes. The legend of the Sacred Body producing a Sacred Child, who would bring prosperity for generations, was known among the major families. The Gu family was the first to acquire a Sacred Body and paired it with one of their finest men to produce a Sacred Child. After generations, they rose to become the top family. Other families knew of this and tried to get Gu family blood, hoping to produce their own Sacred Body. The He family was one of them.”
“Changning’s mother was the only girl of her generation in the He family. The old master intended for her to bear a Sacred Body, then produce a Sacred Child, and raise him to save the family. But this could only happen by mating with a Gu man, because the Gu family’s blood contains the gene that can create a Sacred Body. However, not all Gu men have it. So the match was a gamble—if they won, everyone benefited. If they lost, it was just two irrelevant people sacrificed.”
“The He family’s old master struck a deal with the Gu family’s head. My younger brother was chosen, but he had been spoiled his whole life and refused. On the night it was meant to happen, he ran away.”
“And I,” Gu Cheng took a deep breath, “became the substitute. Even though I was already married.”
His face was filled with bitterness. Even now, the betrayal still cut deep. “It’s pathetic, but to appease the He family, my own father drugged me and sent me to the bed they had prepared. Changning’s mother was also drugged by her father. After that night, the He family found out it was me, and the two families broke ties. Changning’s mother had always known about their plan, but she had threatened to die if forced. She never imagined her father would do that to her. She’d been tricked into returning. At the time, she’d been married to Yin Zhiyen for years. But the old man of the He family never gave up. He orchestrated the entire plan, and ruined both Changning and his mother.”
“Because it was me that night, the He family believed they had lost the bet and let her go. Changning’s mother, married to Yin Zhiyen for years without a child, soon discovered she was pregnant after returning. But…” Gu Cheng’s voice grew tight, “the dates didn’t add up. She must have realized the child wasn’t Yin Zhiyen’s. That shock, coupled with Yin’s infidelity, broke her. She chose the most direct and cruel way out. Changning was not even three.”
“A child was left to bear the consequences of everyone else’s sins.” Gu Cheng closed his eyes in pain.
Shang Yushang’s fists clenched tight. If not for a shred of reason, he would have punched this man’s skull in. His Changning—the person he cherished most—had been trampled by people blinded by greed, his dignity crushed for a fantasy. How could he endure that?
