He Changning’s sharp words nearly made Old Master He pass out. He Mingfan hurriedly patted his back and tried to soothe him, managing to keep the old man from having a heart attack.
After ten minutes of heavy breathing, Old Master He finally calmed the pounding in his chest. “Changning, no matter how much you argue, your blood still carries the He family’s lineage. You are a part of the He family—this is not up for debate.”
He Changning was unimpressed. “So what?”
It had to be said, these two husbands were sometimes so alike, it was as if they were one person—the tone, the manner, all matched. Whoever crossed paths with them was destined for misfortune and heartache.
“So what? As a member of the He family, it is your duty to be prepared to sacrifice for the family’s continuation and prosperity. Of course, Grandpa isn’t going to ask you to do anything—after all, you’re already married, and the He and Shang families have always been close. So you just focus on being the young mistress of the Shang family. As for your two children, they must be brought back to the He family and raised there. This isn’t something you get to decide. I will discuss it with Madam Shang.”
He spoke as if the future of the children was entirely a matter of the He family’s generosity, as though He Changning should feel only gratitude and acceptance.
Shang Yushang gave the old man a glance, then turned to He Mingfan. “Mr. He, I think it’s time you took Old Master He to a psychiatric hospital. We won’t be entertaining you any further.” He waved his hand. “Escort them out.”
At once, several burly men appeared in the living room, ready to act.
Old Master He glared. “Yushang, what do you mean by that?”
Shang Yushang sneered. “If there’s nothing wrong here,” he tapped his head, “then why would Old Master He think my children need to be raised by the He family?”
Old Master He’s face turned red with anger. “Changning is a He. What’s wrong with the He family raising his children?”
Shang Yushang looked at him with pity. “Seems like it’s beyond saving now.”
He Mingfan was utterly humiliated by Shang Yushang’s words. He had nothing left to say about his father’s stubborn obsession. How could the powerful Shang family possibly allow their descendants to be raised by someone else?
Old Master He huffed, “I don’t care what you say. I will take the children back to the He family. As for Changning, if you want to come, I welcome you. If you want to stay here, I won’t stop you.”
Shang Yushang’s face darkened, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “So I can take this to mean the He family is planning to steal the Shang family’s children?”
Just then, a deep male voice interrupted, “Who’s trying to steal my Shang family’s children? Quite the nerve!!”
The eldest butler respectfully led Shang Guozhang into the living room. “Young Master, sir has arrived.”
Shang Yushang stood up. He Changning tried to stand too, but his body was heavy, and even with Shang Yushang helping him, he moved slowly. By the time he was up, Shang Guozhang had already walked up to them. He quickly said, “Changning, sit, take care of yourself. Yushang, help him—there’s no need to stand up for me, I’m not an outsider.”
He Changning sat down slowly, cheeks flushing with embarrassment as he looked at Father Shang. A man being pregnant and having his father-in-law see him like this—there was no way to feel comfortable. Even though he had guessed Father Shang might already know, it still felt awkward.
Seeing Changning’s embarrassment, Shang Guozhang smiled kindly. “Changning, don’t be shy. I know everything. I won’t say a word, and I won’t tell anyone who doesn’t need to know. I just wanted to come check on you. Your grandma told me—if it weren’t for her, with how tight-lipped Yushang is, I wouldn’t have heard a thing. I just wanted to see how you’re doing. If there’s anything you want to eat, just tell me. I’ll make sure it’s prepared for you. Yushang will probably give you more, but let me show a little care too, alright? Think of it as me bonding early with my two grandsons. Sound good?”
Shang Guozhang’s words made He Changning feel deeply moved and, at the same time, guilty for having overlooked the elder. He looked apologetic. “Dad, I’m sorry. We didn’t think things through and made you worry. Please don’t be upset. I’ll eat what you’ve prepared. Your kindness to the children—I accept it on their behalf.”
Shang Guozhang was visibly touched. He Changning’s recognition was the best comfort he could ask for. Although the boy had called him “Dad” before, today it carried a different weight. He was truly delighted. “Good, good. Whatever you want to eat, just tell me. Don’t be polite with me. You and the children are the most important people to our Shang family.”
Shang Yushang interjected coolly, “Dad, your grandsons aren’t even born yet and someone’s already eyeing them. I’m quite puzzled—since when has our Shang family fallen to the point where we can’t even raise our own kids and have to let others do it?”
Shang Guozhang didn’t dwell on the way his son said “Dad.” Right now, they needed to unite against an external threat. The warmth that had just appeared on his stern face from He Changning’s words instantly vanished at Shang Yushang’s remark, and his expression dropped to freezing. “What’s this? Someone actually dares to question the capabilities of the Shang family? Then I’d like to see exactly who’s bold enough to look down on us.”
To a family like the Shangs, with centuries of heritage, the He family was barely worth mentioning. In terms of foundation, wealth, power, and influence, the Hes were like children playing dress-up in adult clothes, flaunting themselves before real adults. They were simply not on the same level. So when Shang Guozhang asked that question, the He father and son involuntarily shrank back.
They may have disregarded Yushang despite his control of the Shang family’s core power, thinking his youth made him less intimidating. But Shang Guozhang, though not in power for long, was a true Shang heir. His natural aura left no room for disrespect.
He Mingfan coughed lightly to mask his unease. “Brother Shang, don’t misunderstand. My father only meant that we hope the He family can also help raise Changning’s children.”
Shang Guozhang frowned. “Oh? So you think the Shang family can’t raise their own children?”
He Mingfan waved his hands quickly. “No, no, Brother Shang, please don’t take it the wrong way. We just hoped that the He family could also be involved in raising Changning’s children. That’s all.”
Shang Guozhang’s frown eased slightly, and his tone softened a little. “I see. Then perhaps I was being overly cautious. However, the Shang family’s children don’t need anyone else’s help. My mother holds those two little ones very dearly. I doubt she’d allow her great-grandchildren to be raised elsewhere. Your kind offer, I must politely decline.”
Old Master He was clearly displeased with Shang Guozhang’s attitude. “Guozhang, that’s not right. How could Changning’s children be considered ‘raised elsewhere’ if they’re in the He household? The He family is their maternal family—it’s perfectly natural for them to live there.”
He Changning smiled faintly. “Dad, my sons carry the Shang surname.”
Shang Guozhang immediately beamed at him. “Exactly. Shang family children should naturally bear the Shang name. They’ll grow up in the Shang family, be cherished by us all, and one day they’ll become our pride. Just imagine—two handsome young men standing before us twenty years from now. What an achievement that’ll be. I can’t wait to meet them.”
Old Master He was burning with jealousy and frustration. The Shang family would never allow the children to be sent to the He family. But without those two children, the He family was finished. “Guozhang, how about this—let the He family raise the children until they turn twenty, then they can return to the Shang family to inherit the family business. What do you say?”
He Changning’s voice turned cold as he looked at Old Master He. “I will personally raise my children. I won’t entrust them to anyone else. As for your little fantasy, let me give you a direct and firm response: I won’t let my children step one foot into the He family. I have nothing to do with the He family. Did you hear me clearly, sir? If your memory is slipping due to age, then Mr. He, who’s still in his prime, should understand what I’m saying. I hope every member of the He family understands my words. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being impolite.”
Old Master He exploded in fury. “That’s a disgrace to the ancestors of the He family! You’ll be punished for this! Don’t forget—you still carry He family blood. That’s not something you can deny with a few words!”
“I only recognize the blood my mother gave me. It has nothing to do with the He family.”
“Don’t forget—your mother was a He too!”
“A member of the He family? What a joke. If she truly belonged to the He family, then where were you, her father, when she was being forced to sacrifice everything for that family? Oh, I forgot—it was you, her own father, who tried to use her life as a bargaining chip, pushing her into a pit of fire. And when that failed, you came up with another scheme—luring her back, drugging your own married daughter, and sending her into another man’s bed. Is that what you He people call family? In the dead of night, do you ever dream of my mother? Do you know what she was thinking when she left her three-year-old son behind and jumped off that building? Did she have regrets? Did she say how shameful it was to be a member of the He family? With a family as filthy and disgusting as yours, what makes you think I’d ever hand my children over to be raised by you?”
“And don’t forget, I don’t just carry the so-called noble He family blood you talk about. There’s another bloodline flowing through me. I think you know exactly whose that is, don’t you?”
He Changning suddenly smiled. “I’ve never had a blood test, you know. What if my blood only matches my biological father’s? That would mean my children don’t carry even a drop of the so-called noble He family blood. Would you still try to take them back to raise in your house?”
Old Master He’s lips turned a dark purple from rage, trembling uncontrollably. His finger pointed at He Changning, shaking, “You… you…” but he couldn’t get another word out.
He Mingfan rushed to help, patting his father’s back. “Dad, breathe! Calm down—deep breaths, Dad, come on!”
Just as Old Master He looked like he might collapse, He Changning said slowly, “Please don’t faint here, sir. If you passed out in my house, the world would call me a heartless beast. I may not have many strengths, but I’m very good at holding grudges. If I were pushed too far and revealed some of the He family’s dirty secrets, that wouldn’t be good, would it? After all, my man would cover me unconditionally, no matter what happened. If something were to happen to the He family, it could speed up your downfall—or even wipe you off the map entirely. That wouldn’t be worth it, would it, sir?”
Though he was on the verge of collapse, Old Master He miraculously pulled himself back together. The faint smile on He Changning’s lips nearly made him black out again, but he couldn’t afford to faint. If He Changning really exposed the He family’s secrets, they wouldn’t need to be taken down by anyone else—the public alone would drown them in scorn.
Propped against He Mingfan’s shoulder, Old Master He weakly muttered, “Son, my heart’s not well… Let’s go back to the hotel and rest.”
He Changning put on a worried expression. “Are you sure you’re alright, sir? Maybe you should lie down here a while. If someone sees you leaving our home like this, they might think we, the younger generation, neglected you. That wouldn’t be good for the Shang family’s reputation—or my husband’s. Don’t you agree?”
He Mingfan, who had held back until now, finally snapped. “Changning, you’ve gone too far. Your grandfather is old and can’t handle this kind of stress. If something happens to him, how can your conscience be clear?”
He Changning scoffed. “Conscience? The He family dares talk about conscience? Then why don’t you first return justice to my mother before preaching to me?”
He Mingfan was so choked with anger that he nearly coughed up blood. “You…”
He Changning wasn’t finished. “The He family—really a prestigious family of a hundred years? I seriously doubt it.” He paused. “A family full of men, yet they put the entire family’s fate on the shoulders of a defenseless woman. Isn’t that just laughably pathetic? The men of the He family sure know how to sponge off a woman. I wonder if any of you can taste the blood and tears mixed into that spoonful—was it delicious?”
He Mingfan’s whole body trembled, and he really did taste a bit of iron in his mouth. Was that blood?
The He father and son fled the villa in disgrace. A hundred meters outside the gate, He Junsheng was crouched, trembling, waiting for his grandfather and second uncle. He didn’t even dare look at the two imposing bodyguards watching him. When he saw his second uncle helping his grandfather out, he didn’t dare go over, only stood there waiting for them to approach.
Seeing the grim looks on their faces, He Junsheng wisely stayed silent. He hailed a cab, tail between his legs, and slipped away.
Inside the living room, Shang Yushang looked at He Changning with heartache. His warm hand gently rubbed his fingers. “Changning, don’t be upset. Your mood affects the babies. Let’s forget about all the unpleasantness, alright? Don’t think about anything else. You have me.”
“My love, tell me what you want to eat. I’ll ask Aunt Qin to make it for you. Here, have some juice. If you want milk, I’ll warm up a cup for you.”
Shang Yushang’s careful care eased He Changning’s frustration, and a smile returned to his face. “Jianzhi, I’m fine now. Don’t worry. I feel much better already.”
“Don’t bottle things up. If something bothers you, tell me. I’ll stand up for you, always.”
Seeing how loving and caring his son and son-in-law were toward each other, Shang Guozhang felt both comforted and lonely. If he hadn’t made those mistakes, the four of them—plus the two unborn grandchildren—could’ve been a perfectly complete family.
