The investigation results completely exceeded Xu Liang Han’s expectations—his mother’s suspicions were right.
Cao Man Hui was no longer the innocent young girl from years past. Tempered by time, she had become worldly and unrecognizable.
When he set a trap and caught the person attempting to swap the babies on the spot, threatening to call the police to uncover the mastermind behind it all, Cao Yu Shi confessed everything.
She cried, saying it wasn’t her idea to swap his child—it was her sister’s.
“Please, for my sister’s sake, spare me. I didn’t mean to, I really didn’t mean to. I have children too, I need to raise them…”
“My sister gave me money and told me to do it. She said she wanted revenge on Cheng Xiang Rong, that he was a terrible person for hitting her while drunk.”
…
Ruan Yao Yao: [Oh wow, this is the ‘legendary, unranked female side character N’—a total Cannon Fodder.]
Xu Liang Han’s mouth twitched: What kind of novels has my mom been reading? Even Cannon Fodder is making an appearance?
Then, Cao Man Hui arrived.
Dressed to the nines, she knelt before Xu Liang Han, crying beautifully: “Wuwu… I’m sorry, I just… I just wanted to make it up to you.”
Ruan Yao Yao: I stare! I stare harder!
[The strongest White Moonlight?]
[Could it be…]
Quickly shifting her gaze to Xu Liang Han, Ruan Yao Yao understood. [So all these years, my cheap son has held a place for her in his heart. No wonder he kept raising someone else’s daughter even after learning the ‘truth’ in his past life…]
[Turns out, he wasn’t raising a daughter—he was raising the daughter of his White Moonlight, the embodiment of his lingering feelings.]
[No wonder Xu Liang Han earned the title of ‘History’s Strongest Scumbag Father.’ Sympathizing with my precious granddaughter for another second.]
Xu Liang Han suddenly found Cao Man Hui unattractive.
Although he had indeed liked Cao Man Hui in the past, so many years had passed—he couldn’t possibly become a scumbag father, could he?
Unaware of his thoughts, Cao Man Hui continued crying, tears falling like pear blossoms in the rain: “I know you still care for me, that you’ve been thinking of me all these years, but you were afraid to say anything because of the Yu family’s influence and Cheng Xiang Rong. So I thought, if I swapped my daughter with yours, you’d see her every day, just like seeing me…”
Xu Liang Han was stunned on the spot. His mother thinking that way could be dismissed as wild speculation, but Cao Man Hui actually thought this way?!
Suddenly, he couldn’t understand Cao Man Hui’s logic.
What did she mean, he still cared for her?
He had been married for so many years and had so many children with his wife—how could he still care for her?!
If he cared for her, why would he have gotten married and had children?
Ruan Yao Yao glanced at Xu Liang Han’s shocked expression, looked up at the sky, and thought: [Because it was a marriage of convenience. A marriage of convenience means ‘having no choice.’]
Xu Liang Han couldn’t listen anymore. As if trying to stop something, he shouted at Cao Man Hui: “Are you out of your mind? That’s my daughter, my flesh and blood. If you swapped her away, what would happen to my daughter?”
Cao Man Hui cried, “I didn’t mean to harm her. I planned it out—I just wanted to swap her with my daughter. Since she’s your flesh and blood, I would definitely treat her well…”
Ruan Yao Yao: [Yeah, really well. Sent to an orphanage—that’s just great, isn’t it?]
【As a result, that idiot Xu Liang Han’s daughter is in an orphanage, starving and freezing, while your daughter lives in our Xu Family, dressed in gold and silver, with private tutors, going skiing when happy, traveling abroad when pleased…】
【It’s just pitiful that my precious granddaughter doesn’t even have a warm coat in the dead of winter. At such a young age, she has to work and take summer jobs to earn her own tuition. You’ve truly been good to her—letting her endure life’s hardships so early, becoming self-reliant. Quite thoughtful indeed.】
【Xu Liang Han really ought to thank your entire family! Why didn’t you swap his son too?】
As if suddenly realizing something, Ruan Yao Yao thought: 【Oh, right—the ages don’t match. Can’t swap.】
Originally, Xu Liang Han had been tempted to soften, thinking the two families’ conditions were similar and that if swapped, given Cheng Xiang Rong’s doting on Cao Man Hui, his own daughter wouldn’t suffer.
But as soon as Ruan Yao Yao’s inner monologue stirred, it immediately doused his “wavering” awake.
Cao Man Hui swapped his daughter not to raise her at home, but to dump her in an orphanage, okay?
Damn!
Is that even comparable?
Anger!
Fury!
Once his wife wakes up and learns about this, she’ll definitely turn against him.
“Cao Man Hui, I think you’re really out of your mind,” Xu Liang Han gritted his teeth. “I did like you once, but that was years ago. It ended long before we each got married, okay?
I’ll take care of my own daughter; I don’t need you to do it for me. This matter can’t just be dropped. We must call the police. If I don’t, I’d be failing my nearly swapped-away daughter and my wife lying in the delivery room.”
Hearing this, Cao Man Hui panicked. Crying, she rushed forward and clung to Xu Liang Han’s leg: “No… please, Liang Han, don’t. I really didn’t mean it. I just missed you too much, wanted so badly to mend things between us…”
Ruan Yao Yao: 【A married man and a married woman—mend what relationship? An affair, more like.】
Xu Liang Han shuddered all over and quickly shook Cao Man Hui off, calling for bodyguards to pull her away.
He’s married now, belongs to his wife—how could he let another woman touch him?
If his wife found out, she’d be furious.
The police definitely had to be called. Even if Xu Liang Han didn’t want to, with Ruan Yao Yao watching nearby, he had to.
Otherwise, Ruan Yao Yao’s inner thoughts would curse him to death.
Just as he was about to call the police, Cheng Xiang Rong finally appeared.
Ruan Yao Yao: 【Here he comes, here he comes—the legendary ‘Domineering CEO.’ Let’s see how this Domineering CEO differs from my son.】
After looking, she realized there was indeed a difference.
Because above his head, the words “Domineering CEO” were clearly displayed.
Turning to look at the “History’s Strongest Scumbag Father” above Xu Liang Han’s head, Ruan Yao Yao felt utterly convinced.
Xu Liang Han was indignant: Both are CEOs, both are outstanding young talents—why is Cheng Xiang Rong a “Domineering CEO,” while he’s “History’s Strongest Scumbag Father”?!
Just because he’s the “sucker” whose daughter was swapped?
The thought made him deeply uncomfortable.
Thus, when Cheng Xiang Rong approached, trying to reminisce or something with Xu Liang Han, Xu Liang Han had no desire to engage.
He just felt stifled and angry, wanting to give Cheng Xiang Rong a good punch. He doesn’t hit women, but hitting a man should be fine, right?
But what Xu Liang Han hadn’t expected was that the difference between him and the “Domineering CEO” probably lay in this—Cheng Xiang Rong hit women, while he did not.
Slap!
Seeing that their old friendship hadn’t helped matters, Cheng Xiang Rong slapped Cao Man Hui to the ground.
“Are you out of your mind? Don’t you have a daughter yourself? Why would you try to swap someone else’s child?”
Then he told Xu Liang Han that he didn’t know whether it was because Cao Man Hui had given birth to too many children or something else, but she had developed depression.
He had taken his eyes off her for just a moment, and she had gone out and caused trouble.
“My apologies, brother. Let me make it up to you. How about this—today’s on me. I’ll treat you to a meal. Order whatever you want.”
The beaten Cao Man Hui remained crouched on the spot, covering her face and leaning against the table leg, her eyes brimming with tears, not daring to move an inch.
Seeing this, Xu Liang Han felt a pang of discomfort.
After all, she had once been his White Moonlight. Back then, he and Cheng Xiang Rong had even competed for her fairly.
Moreover, Cheng Xiang Rong actually hit women?!
He had thought Cao Man Hui’s claim that Cheng Xiang Rong hit her was an exaggeration, but this…
Xu Liang Han stared at Cheng Xiang Rong with shock, as if he had witnessed something utterly unbelievable.
Because his upbringing had taught him that a man must never hit a woman.