The clinking of porcelain echoed softly through the bright, sunlit dining hall of Su Mansion. The long mahogany table gleamed under the morning light, laid with delicate breakfast dishes. Yet, the air felt unusually tender, heavy with the kind of silence that came from emotions held too tightly.
Su Ruoyan sat at the far end of the table, her composed posture contrasting with her drifting gaze toward the koi pond beyond the glass doors. Lost in a sea of unresolved feelings, she felt adrift as her mother, Shen Yuxin, sat beside her, pouring tea with trembling hands, each gesture hesitating as if it could shatter their fragile bubble.
"Eat something, Ruoyan," Shen Yuxin urged gently, her voice rich with concern. "You barely touched your bowl."
Ruoyan blinked, startled out of her thoughts. "I'm full, Mother," she replied, her tone dismissive yet subdued.
"You didn't eat much, Ruoyan. At least have some soup. It's lotus root with ribs, your favorite. You always asked for it whenever you caught a cold," Shen Yuxin said, her voice softening further with memories of better days.
A faint smile tugged at Ruoyan's lips, a flicker reminiscent of a time when her mother's care felt sufficient to ward off the world's harsh edges. "Do you still remember this, Mother?" she asked, surprise coloring her voice.
"Of course I do," her mother replied, her tone filled with a quiet ache. "A mother will never forget anything about her children."
The warmth in her words stirred something profound in Ruoyan's heart. After years in a house that felt like anything but home, she gazed into her mother's tear-filled eyes and felt her heart soften, a tear escaping down her cheek.
Shen Yuxin noticed immediately and set her chopsticks down as she moved closer. "Oh, my poor girl," she whispered, her voice catching as she reached out to comfort her.
Ruoyan attempted to smile, hastily wiping away a tear. "I'm fine, Mother, really," she insisted, though the tremor in her voice revealed her true feelings.
Shen Yuxin pulled her daughter into her arms, desperate to erase the years of pain between them. "You're not fine, Ruoyan," she whispered, her voice breaking. "You've been hurt, and I should have been there to protect you. I failed."
Ruoyan stiffened, torn between her mother's embrace and guilt. "Mother, please don't blame yourself. It was my choice to walk away from my own family, believing that I could build something real with him, with my own worth. But I was wrong." Her voice turned cold at the mention of Lu Shenyang.
Shen Yuxin's eyes blazed with anger. "That man has no heart."
Though her voice was soft, it carried the sharp edge of a woman who had witnessed cruelty and could not forgive it.
"Please, Mother, don't waste your anger on him," Ruoyan said quietly, pulling back slightly. "He's not worth it."
"But you are," Shen Yuxin said, gripping her daughter's hands tightly. "You are worth everything, Ruoyan. And I will make him regret what he has done to you."
Ruoyan's expression remained unchanged, but an internal storm stirred within her. Deep down, she wanted revenge, too, but she understood that vengeance required patience, precision, and power.
From the doorway, a familiar baritone voice interrupted them. "Your mother is right."
Both women turned, startled. Su Haoran stood in the doorway, his tall frame casting a long shadow across the threshold. His calm, authoritative, and unyielding presence filled the room.
"Father," Ruoyan greeted him, rising instinctively.
He nodded, his sharp gaze softening slightly as he looked at her. "I can see you've grown, my girl," he remarked.
Ruoyan offered a faint, wry smile. "And yet, I've never felt smaller."
Su Haoran stepped closer, examining his daughter's face. She had once left his side filled with radiant hope, but had now returned with eyes that seemed far older than her years. He could sense that strength and exhaustion coexisted within her.
"Can I sit here with you?" he asked, his tone gentler than usual.
However, Shen Yuxin stood to face him. "Haoran, please. She's barely settled in, and now is not the time to bring business into this."
He met his wife's gaze, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly. "This isn't business, Yuxin." His eyes returned to Ruoyan. "This is personal."
Ruoyan remained seated, watching him warily. "Father, please sit down first. And please, I don't want you to do anything reckless because of me."
Su Haoran let out a low chuckle, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Reckless? You know I'm fully aware of what has been done, Ruoyan."
He walked to the window, clasping his hands behind his back. "For years, I respected the Lu family. I thought that by allowing you to follow their son, it might lead you to a happier life. How wrong I was in making that decision; I should have stopped you. I was blind to see how ambitious he was." His voice darkened. "Everything was a façade."
Ruoyan looked down, her hands tightening around her napkin as the image of Lu Shenyang's indifferent face flashed across her mind, stirring old wounds within her.
"You've suffered enough, Ruoyan," her father said, his tone calm and steady. "I want you to stay here with us, your family. No one else needs to know about your return, and let them believe whatever they want."
Ruoyan looked up and met his steady gaze. "That's exactly what I want, Father. I don't want anyone to know my true identity just yet."
"Let's do that, until you are ready to reclaim what belongs to you," Su Haoran stated firmly.
A flicker of emotion crossed Su Ruoyan's eyes. Maybe gratitude, but also something colder. "But what if I don't want to reclaim my identity? What will you do, Father?" she challenged softly.
He turned to face her completely, his expression hardening. "You're my daughter, Ruoyan. As much as I want you to soar high, I will respect your decision. If that's what you want, we can do that too. My net worth is more than enough to shield my daughter from the sinister thoughts of others."
For a moment, silence hung heavily between them, filled with unspoken fears and unfulfilled promises. Then Shen Yuxin stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on her husband's arm.
"That is enough, Haoran. She needs her rest. Let's allow her to breathe before we discuss anything further."
Su Haoran's shoulders relaxed slightly as he looked at his wife, the tension easing slightly. The burden of their daughter's pain hung between them like an open wound, but the love they shared served as a healing balm they all needed.