Xia Mingyu remained silent, her eyes lowered, refusing to look at Si Konghuai or give him any reaction.
Si Konghuai didn’t mind. He gazed at Xia Mingyu and slowly continued, carrying on his one-sided conversation.
“Five years ago, I was on a mission down south. On my way back, I passed through this area.”
“While in the wilderness, I misjudged and accidentally ate poisonous mushrooms. By the time I realized it, it was too late—my consciousness was already fading.”
“I had no choice but to enter the village to seek help. I remember pushing open a courtyard gate and walking in. By then, I had almost lost all awareness.”
Si Konghuai wasn’t lying. Even now, after seeing Xia Mingyu, he still couldn’t recall any details. Her face was completely unfamiliar to him.
“I could barely remember what the house looked like. When I woke up again, I was already by the roadside, and the mushroom’s poison had been neutralized.”
“My clothes were somewhat disheveled, but I didn’t think much of it. I assumed that entering a villager’s home for help was just a hallucination from the poisoning.”
“At the time, I was in a hurry to return and report on my mission, so I didn’t dwell on it. I never expected it wasn’t a hallucination—and that I had taken advantage of you…”
At this point, Si Konghuai felt particularly remorseful. If he had been more careful back then, or if he had taken the time to investigate afterward, he wouldn’t have had to wait five years to learn the truth.
“I’m sorry for the suffering I caused you. You endured being taken advantage of, gave birth to my children, and raised them all on your own. These past five years, I’ve failed you.”
“Whatever resentment you hold, I accept it. It’s what I owe you. However you choose to treat me, I won’t resist.”
“All I want to say is that I’m willing to take responsibility—to marry you, bring you to Jing Shi, and provide a good life for you and the children.”
Si Konghuai looked earnestly at Xia Mingyu, offering his full sincerity.
“Of course, if you’re unwilling to accept me, I respect your choice. I’ll give you money and send monthly supplies—either way, I’ll ensure your well-being.”
“I will be responsible for the rest of your lives.”
“Whether you despise me or not, I hope you won’t refuse these things. They are what you and the children deserve.”
Having said all he needed to, Si Konghuai tensed up, his eyes fixed intently on Xia Mingyu, hoping for some response from her.
He had laid everything out and considerately given her a choice, making it clear he wouldn’t force her.
Yet, to Xia Mingyu, every word he said was utter nonsense.
She could hardly believe someone would use such a clumsy excuse. She had intended to stay silent, but now she couldn’t hold back her anger as she glared at Si Konghuai.
“Mushroom poisoning? Who carelessly eats unfamiliar mushrooms? And you’re a soldier—how could you not know better than to eat something like that?”
“Even if you really did eat the wrong thing and got poisoned, how did you just happen to wander in here? And how did you have the strength to… with me…?”
“And how did you manage to slip away without alerting anyone? Without even remembering a thing! Who do you think you’re fooling?”
Even if everything you said were true, how could you have such an intimate encounter and not have any awareness of it at all?
Didn’t he find anything strange about it?
How could this be simply dismissed as negligence? If it were intentional, that would be somewhat more plausible.
Xia Mingyu’s sharp, word-by-word retort made it clear she wouldn’t allow Si Konghuai to treat her like a fool.
Faced with her questioning, Si Konghuai had no defense.
If he weren’t the one involved, he wouldn’t believe such an explanation either.
How could it be such a coincidence—not only entering, acting, and leaving, but also having no memory of it at all?
Yet the truth was, Si Konghuai remembered nothing.
Moreover, aside from his slightly disheveled clothes and two misbuttoned buttons, he hadn’t noticed anything unusual at the time.
Apart from that one incident with Xia Mingyu, Si Konghuai had never had such experiences before, so he might not have been able to distinguish between reality and dreams.
Now, thinking back carefully, his body had felt somewhat off that day…
But it was too late for any of that now. Si Konghuai could only apologize.
“I’m sorry, it was my fault.”
“Please give me a chance to make it right.”
Bowing his head in remorse, Si Konghuai let Xia Mingyu reprimand him.
Tall and robust, he stood before her with his hands clasped, obediently taking the scolding like a large wolf dog being admonished by its owner.
When had he ever shown such a posture before?
Lu Ning, watching from a distance, couldn’t help but widen his eyes in surprise.
Though he couldn’t hear what they were saying, their expressions and movements told him enough.
Goodness, this Comrade Xia certainly had a way with reprimands!
She had Si Konghuai behaving more obediently than the soldiers under his command!
“No need!”
“I will raise the children well on my own. They don’t need a father!”
Xia Mingyu was too angry to accept any apologies or compensation.
She turned to leave immediately.
She hadn’t even escaped the pit that was Qiao Hongye yet—how could she recklessly jump into another one?
Moreover, now that the children were older, Si Konghuai’s sudden appearance made her wonder if he was deliberately scheming to take Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan away!
Xia Mingyu was highly vigilant.
“If you truly feel sorry for me, then leave right now and never come looking for us again!”
“You helped Tuan Tuan, so I’ll consider our matter settled!”
Pointing toward the train passage, Xia Mingyu spoke calmly.
She had already thought it through thoroughly, her pale, delicate face now wearing a composed and intelligent expression.
“It can’t be settled just like that—this is my mistake.”
“Tuan Tuan is my child. Saving him was my duty, and it doesn’t make up for my previous wrongs.”
“Comrade Xia, please don’t be agitated. If you don’t want Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan to know I’m their father, I won’t tell them. I respect your decision.”
Si Konghuai took a step back, creating distance to lessen the pressure on Xia Mingyu and show he meant no harm.
“Please don’t send me away just yet. Your current husband, Qiao Hongye, treats you poorly. At least let me stay and help you deal with him.”
“Otherwise, even if I leave, you and the children won’t have an easy life. He’s a soldier, and military marriages are hard to dissolve.”
“Do you want him to have another chance to secretly send Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan away? Surely not, right?”
Raising his hands in surrender, Si Konghuai asked gently.
His voice was deep and magnetic, his profound eyes fixed intently on her as if she were his entire world.
Xia Mingyu gazed into his pitch-black eyes and found herself momentarily bewitched by Si Konghuai for a second.
Her resolve wavered slightly.
Si Konghuai wasn’t wrong—she currently lacked confidence in her ability to deal with Qiao Hongye on her own.
As a high-ranking official, Si Konghuai’s assistance would undoubtedly make things easier.
Besides, it was his fault to begin with. Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan were his children too—he had wronged her and their two children. What was wrong with letting him help a little?
She should stand her ground without guilt!
Xia Mingyu resolved not to be a timid woman anymore. She ought to prioritize her interests—as long as it didn’t harm others and helped her achieve her goal, anything was acceptable. What did it matter to use a man who had wronged her?
Good women only earn a reputation, while bad women gain everything!
A shadow of determination flickered in Xia Mingyu’s bright almond-shaped eyes. Gritting her teeth, she made up her mind and agreed.
“Fine! You can stay for a few days then!”
“Help me get rid of Qiao Hongye, and we’ll call it even.”
“You are not allowed to reveal your identity to Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, nor mention it to anyone!”