In the Years When I Was a Father-Chapter 9: The Playboy Dad (9)

Who would have thought, that brat was so stupid that he’d rather tell Grandpa Qi the truth than give her a single cent. In her anger, Xu Ning revealed the truth about switching the children all those years ago.
She clearly remembered the scene that day. Her eldest son, who was only two years older than her youngest, just stared silently at her, making her feel like all the dark secrets and schemes in her heart were being exposed. His gaze was like a whip, ruthlessly lashing at the guilt and unease buried deep inside her. Furious, she could only watch as he remained indifferent, silent.
The first time she failed, she thought it was because he couldn’t accept it, but after several attempts, each one was more humiliating than the last.
She tried to move him with motherly love, crying as she told him how much she had missed him over the years. He just smiled faintly and asked, “Really?”
She threatened and tempted him, using his future in the Qi family to try and force him into compromise. He remained unmoved. She exhausted every method, but still couldn’t get the result she wanted, only making a fool of herself.
Thinking about her eldest son made Xu Ning furious. She angrily poked her rice a few times before finally losing her temper and cursing out loud, “That brat has been living a life of luxury all these years, but now that we’re in trouble, he won’t give us a single penny. He deserves to be kicked out of the Qi family. I think the Qi family doesn’t need him anymore. Shen Yan is just an ingrate. After returning, he never called me once. If I had known back then, I should have just thrown him out!”
Hearing this, Shen Yao began complaining again. “Mom, you really don’t get it. If you knew back then that Shen Yan was from the Qi family, why didn’t you treat him better?”
Shen Yao couldn’t understand his mother’s behavior. He resented that she hadn’t told them sooner. If he had known that the person he had been bullying was the Qi family’s heir, he would have treated him well. Back then, Shen Yan had tried everything to win the favor of him and his father. Ah!
“I never thought about sending him back to the Qi family! If that brat had just agreed to help us, would we have been caught by that person’s tricks?” Xu Ning replied. “Anyway, now that we have money, we’ll buy a new house after the New Year and never have to live in this run-down rental place again!”
Xu Ning had no more expectations for the Qi family. Her own son wouldn’t give her a penny, and as for the child she had raised, she didn’t expect anything either.
She had never been kind to him, often taking out her anger on him. As long as that child appeared in front of her, she couldn’t help but feel guilty and afraid.
She wasn’t someone who had never tried to be kind to this child, but life wasn’t a drama. Day by day, year after year, she couldn’t keep up the act, and now that everything had settled, she felt a sense of relief. With the money in her bank account, she considered herself content.
Shen Yao said nothing. Looking at his mother’s satisfied expression, he couldn’t help but feel disdain for her short-sightedness. A few hundred thousand was all she could settle for. To a top-tier family like the Qi family, that amount was nothing.
Thinking of the Qi family, he couldn’t help but feel regret and pain. If only his mother had treated Shen Yan better, he wouldn’t have been influenced by his parents’ attitude to bully him. Even if Shen Yan returned to the Qi family, he could have still benefited from it. But now, their family was left with “that little bit of money.”
Xu Ning’s husband, Shen Ping, furrowed his brow but didn’t say much.
He appeared to be a mild and honest person, always obedient to Xu Ning. Even when Xu Ning had a child from another relationship, he didn’t exactly love the child, but he didn’t mistreat him either. He had never considered sending the child away, even after having his own son. The issue was that he couldn’t genuinely love a child that wasn’t his, so at home, he treated his stepson like a transparent person, letting his wife deal with him however she saw fit, as long as she didn’t neglect their son.
Luckily, throughout their years of marriage, Xu Ning had always favored their son. She always made sure their son had the best food, drinks, and toys. This reassured Shen Ping. His wife always thought of their family, treating their biological son far better than the stepson. Their family wasn’t well off, but Xu Ning even went as far as to make their stepson give up on his education so that their son could attend a prestigious school. Shen Ping was very moved by how much his wife cared for their son.
But back then, he had thought simply, considering that the stepson was still young and just entering high school. Although his grades weren’t top-notch, they were decent, and he was very diligent, helping out with many of the household chores. If they didn’t let him continue his education, it would seem like he was being unfair, so he reassured his wife that both children would be supported in their studies.
It was only recently that he found out that his well-behaved and transparent stepson was actually the heir to the Qi Corporation. He regretted not having a better relationship with him. If he had, their family could have had a better life with a little help from the stepson. But this was something he kept to himself, showing no outward opinion.
The Shen family each had their own thoughts, but Qi Sheng, although not a worm in their stomachs, knew the truth and wouldn’t let them off easily.