Chapter 308: A forgotten memory of the past

The Liu hall was greeted with complete silence as Huian confessed her biggest mistake.

Xiang Qingge put her hand over her mouth and stepped back in utter shock. Xiang Wei lowered his head like a slow-motion movie, and blankly stared at his daughter.

Grandma Liu and Nana were equally dumbfounded.

Grandma Liu thought back to the time when Huian was so desperate and terrified in the hospital. She wanted to hide it so badly that it took her by shock that today the same Huian was in front of everyone, admitting her fault on her own accord.

Jing and Yukira were looking at her with a complicated gaze.

The most taken aback was Jinhai, of course. He thought that just like last night, Huian would spill everything.

But he still wasn’t so sure. So, he waited for how more she wanted to say.

Liang Zou shared a questioning glance with his wife and son, who were just as confused.

“We don’t understand. What is she talking about?”

Huian readied herself.

“I will say everything that happened…”

As she began to retell the incident, the expressions on their faces turned from shock, to dread and to anger in stages.

“Nana…” Liang Xiao Dan’s mouth slowly dropped as she asked, “Is this true?”

Nana stared at Huian. She smiled. “Go ahead, Nana. I came here ready for everything.”

Nana slowly nodded.

Liang Xiao Dan broke down in tears. She was trembling as she imagined the pain her daughter went through. It felt as if a dagger stabbed her heart and cruelly twisted it.

Shin’s jaw tightened at the thought of his sister helpless at that night.

She has suffered so much…

His temper came to a boiling point as he glared at Huian. He really wished to squeeze the life out of her right now. He never thought that Huian was such a woman.

Nana was so close to death!

Liang Zou’s voice thundered in the hall. “Mr. Xiang! What is your daughter saying! How could she do that!?”

Xiang Wei was himself bewildered with her revelation.

Huian quickly said, “Mr. Liang. Please don’t say anything to my parents. They were unaware of everything. Don’t blame them. It is all my fault. If they knew about it, then they would have already punished me for it.”

Xiang Wei was disappointed with Huian.

First, she tricked Jinhai and then this…

Huian pursed her lips. Tears filled the corner of her eyes, but she remained firm.

“I know that everybody is furious with me. Anger is even an understatement.”

Her gaze fell on Shin, and she clearly sensed the murdering intent in his eyes.

“But I have realized my mistakes. I don’t know if it’s too late, but I don’t want to hide it anymore. I have wronged both Jinhai and Nana. I sincerely want to ask for forgiveness in front of everyone.”

Jinhai was calmly watching her every move.

Huian was still unable to stand. She slowly bowed her head.

Xiang Wei and Xiang Qingge were stunned.

Is our daughter bowing for an apology?

No matter how much they wanted her to change, Huian always remained stubborn. Her ego didn’t let her admit her mistakes.

Huian’s voice faltered. Her lips were slightly shaking. “Jinhai, Nana. I’m really sorry for being so selfish. I always thought about my own happiness. I always disregarded yours. I have hurt you two. I have insulted Nana a lot. I take full responsibility. I know it may be impossible, but I still beg for your forgiveness.”

Huian raised her head and looked at Nana with tears in her eyes. “I’m so sorry for leaving you alone that night. I cannot change the past. But I will do my best in the present to change myself. I know that you have so many people by your side now. But if you still ever need my help, then I will be really, really glad to help you. I will do anything and everything within my power to support you.”

Nana faintly smiled. She had forgiven Huian in the hospital that day itself, but what she did today won her heart.

Nana slowly got up from her seat.

Shin immediately came to her side. “Nana, don’t stress yourself.”

Nana shook her head. “I am fine big brother.”

She slowly walked up to her. Huian was getting nervous. She was fidgeting with her dress.

Last night, Nana was so furious with me for accusing Jinhai.

She shut her eyes as Nana stood in front of her. Nana slowly put her hand on her shoulder.

Huian slowly opened her eyes and saw Nana smiling at her. “I had already let go of what happened. But what you did today made me even sure of my decision now. It must have taken a lot of courage, to tell the truth, but you did it in front of everyone. Thank you so much.”

Liang Zou interrupted. “Nana, what are you saying!? How can you forgive her!?”

Liu Chunhua also asked, “Yes, dear. Are you sure?”

Nana said, “Dad, Mom, I have thought about it carefully. And I have already made my decision. It was so difficult to come out, but Huian still did it. That is not easy knowing that everybody will be disappointed with her. Everybody will hate her. And I commend her for that. If she was guilty of hurting me that night, then she is praiseworthy to say the truth now.”

Huian softly gasped as she sobbed.

Nana smiled. “There was once a time when she came to me, saying not to tell the truth to anybody. She was so afraid. But now she herself stepped up to own her mistakes.”

Nana glanced for a second at Jinhai before she retracted her gaze.

The Liang trio was still a little skeptical. After all, they suddenly came to know the truth. It wasn’t so easy for them to forgive her just like that.

Xiang Wei turned grave. “Huian…Nana might have forgiven you. I am also proud of you that you confessed everything. But still…”

He let out a deep breath. “I don’t know where did Qingge and I go wrong in raising you? We have always taught you good values as much as we could, yet how did you turn like that?”

Huian lowered her head in shame.

Xiang Qingge was grateful to Nana. “Thank you, dear. You always do the right thing. You always decide with such sound reasoning. Thank you for forgiving Huian.”

Liu Hai asked, “What do you think, Jinhai?”

Jinhai stared at Huian as if he wanted to suck the soul out of her. His piercing gaze was too much for anybody to bear.

He said after a beat of silence. “I can forgive her for what she did to me, but I still can’t let it go how she hurt Nana.”

Nana glanced back at him.

“Nana, I know that you have forgiven her. But it’s still difficult for me.”

Huian nodded. “It’s alright. That is good enough for me. At least, I got a part of your forgiveness.”

Jinhai said nothing further.

Huian apologized. “I am sorry for ruining your plan today. I made the atmosphere too awkward.”

Liu Hai shook his head. “It’s alright, dear. You are always welcomed here.”

—

The rest of the day gone by in a flash. It was decided that Nana would come two days later to live in the Liang villa.

At night when everyone went back to rest, Nana was restlessly shifting in her sleep as she saw a dream.

She was at a traffic signal, selling her homemade cookies.

She heard a man’s annoyed voice. “What?”

She was startled. “I apologize for suddenly calling out like that. But can I ask you to please taste the cookies I baked? I have recently opened my own restaurant, and I am advertising some of the recipes.”

“Not interested.” Came his indifferent tone.

The man’s face was a little hazy and unclear. But Nana, who was seeing the dream, felt the voice familiar.

That man…He seems like…Jinhai…

Huh? No…How is it possible?

I have never met Jinhai before.

Nana, in the dream, was handing him her flyer when he snatched it from her hands.

She still remembered that she was quite feverish that day. She had worn a mask around her mouth.

But Nana had this nagging feeling.

I cannot be wrong. The voice…

Suddenly the face of that man that was hazy in her vision cleared bit by bit. She saw him tasting her cookie, and his expression was of utter surprise.

The order of the memories was jumbling in her mind.

“I hope it eases your pain even a little bit.”

Nana suddenly opened her eyes. She was in her room, lying on the bed. Jinhai was beside her, his arm wrapped around her tummy and sleeping. She heard him breathing evenly.

The last she saw in her dream was Jinhai looking back at her from his car after he ate the cookie.

Nana stared at Jinhai’s sleeping face.

It was you that day…