Addiction sets in at night; even the abstinent older man has fallen for it.

Fu Ziliu was so sleepy that she almost fell asleep sitting up, but was woken up by Fu Zhenlong's exclamation.

She turned on the light and saw the fear in Fu Zhenlong's eyes. With concern, she asked, "Dad, what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"

Fu Zhenlong was still breathing heavily.

That dream felt so real.

It's so real it sends chills down your spine.

Not wanting to show her fear in front of her daughter, she shook her head, trying to appear calm.

Fu Ziliu thought Fu Zhenlong was having a nightmare about Fu Zhengting's death, and comforted him, "Dad, let's not scare ourselves. It's only the first night, isn't it? The doctor said that in three days, maybe we'll hear good news when we wake up tomorrow?"

As she spoke, she pulled out a tissue from the table to wipe Fu Zhenlong's sweat, yawning as she did so.

Although she had the same nightmare, she was so sleepy that she couldn't be bothered with fear anymore and just wanted to get some sleep.

She pulled the blanket up to cover Fu Zhenlong more tightly, turned off the light, and sat down by the bedside, this time lying face down to sleep.

In the darkness, Fu Zhenlong lay awake, not sleepy at all.

Images of her and Qin Dongyang from their younger days flashed through her mind.

At first, she and Qin Dongyang got along very well. They were the same age and both were quite mature in their thinking, so they could talk to each other easily.

He was even closer to Wen Kerou's father than to Wen Kerou's father.

They're not blood brothers, but they're closer than blood brothers.

The brotherhood turned sour when Qin Dongyang started doing business and excitedly shared his first pot of gold with him.

In his view, Qin Dongyang was showing off.

He and Qin Dongyang did business together, but Qin Dongyang made a fortune while he lost money, putting away his savings of over a million yuan.

Although Qin Dongyang generously helped him and shared his experience, he still felt unbalanced.

That feeling of jealousy was like being corroded by poison.

I simply can't control myself.

Before Qin Dongyang started his business, he was so poor that he couldn't even afford to eat.

He felt heartbroken to see his brother suffering like this.

But when he saw his brother making money, he became afraid.

He feared that Qin Dongyang would leave him far behind.

I'm really afraid my brother will suffer, and I'm also afraid my brother will drive a Land Rover.

Seeing Qin Dongyang's business getting better and better and he making more and more money, she felt very resentful.

He had been plotting in his mind how to bring down Qin Dongyang.

One day, a customer vomited severely after eating and almost went into shock after being taken to the hospital.

The customer was allergic to seafood, so it wasn't a problem with the ingredients. However, due to misleading media reports, the incorrect information spread quickly.

When Qin Dongyang confided in him over drinks, he hatched a sinister plan, thinking it was a great opportunity. He happened to be chatting with an old classmate who had just been promoted to a management position in the health bureau and learned that the classmate needed to achieve some results to establish his authority.

So he bribed his old classmate to cause trouble for Qin Dongyang and also bribed the media.

Originally, they only wanted to use public opinion to make Qin Dongyang's business suffer a bit, but unexpectedly, the news spread like wildfire, and the situation escalated too much. In addition, other classmates were also jealous of Qin Dongyang's money and sent people to Qin Dongyang's restaurant to deliberately cause problems while eating there.

The situation escalated beyond his expectations.

That was the first time he realized how terrifying public opinion could be.

Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. People can praise a brand if they like it, but they can also bring it down if problems arise.

I just didn't want to see Qin Dongyang earn so much, but I never expected to completely ruin him.

I don't know what happened back then, but jealousy was like a demon, living inside him and controlling him.

He never expected that this incident would lead to a series of unforeseen events for Qin Dongyang.

In fact, he has been living with guilt all these years.

I had been secretly following and learning about Qin Dongyang's situation from my colleagues.

But feeling ashamed, they deliberately avoided meeting each other in the same city to avoid embarrassment.

Knowing that Qin Dongyang had been searching for his lost daughter, he secretly helped him search as well.

He did these things not to ask Qin Dongyang to forgive him, but only to hope that his guilt would be lessened.

Xiao Hailan was right; he was indeed a despicable and shameless person.

He is unkind to his friends, wife, and son, and likes to use underhanded tricks.

He glanced sideways at the window, where moonlight shone.

I can't help but wonder if my son's injury is the result of the many bad things he has done, and that it is retribution on his son.

He shook his head at the air, until his head started to ache again.

One should bear the consequences of one's actions; the sins he committed should be punished upon him.

The son is innocent; this has nothing to do with the son.

He closed his eyes and silently prayed over and over again that the retribution would not fall on his son.

He was willing to bear all the punishment alone, as long as his son could wake up.

Recalling the past, he was filled with mixed emotions.

I couldn't help but ponder a question: what have I gained in the end?

He fell out with his brother, couldn't win his wife's love, and his son almost severed ties with him.

He has a very strong sense of pride, and often can't let go of his pride and attitude, plus he likes to say harsh things.

Although he felt guilty towards Qin Dongyang, he was also afraid that Qin Dongyang would laugh at him for his misery when he saw him in such a sorry state.

With this falling out with his son causing such a stir, I wonder if Qin Dongyang feels a sense of satisfaction seeing it trending online?

Dongcheng Hospital.

Qin Dongyang stood outside the operating room, holding his cell phone and answering a call.

The calls were from colleagues, asking about his father's fall.

Those who were close to him casually asked if he had found his daughter. Qin Dongyang frowned, his already heavy expression becoming even more solemn.

He gradually tightened his grip on the phone.

Over the years, he has searched almost everywhere in China, even in small towns and rural areas, but he just can't find it.

Before hanging up, my colleague casually mentioned that Fu Zhengting's injury had become a trending topic.

Qin Dongyang gave a resentful sneer. The company's public relations manager had told him about the trending topic online about Fu Zhengting being injured and unconscious that morning.

It would be so gratifying if Fu Zhenlong were to cover the rear.

He wouldn't stoop to such vile curses, but if Fu Zhenlong's son really died, he would celebrate.

Many people in the industry know about his feud with Fu Zhenlong back then.

However, many people are unaware of the specific causes and consequences.

Fu Zhenlong was too good at disguising himself. Only a few of his close colleagues knew that Fu Zhenlong had maliciously reported him and ruined his business back then.

His friend on the phone angrily cursed Fu Zhenlong for covering up the crime, and as before, promised to continue helping him find his child.

He expressed his gratitude, hung up the phone, looked at the closed operating room door, and sighed sadly.

The father has been holding on until now, hoping to find his granddaughter.

If he still can't find his daughter, the father will die with regrets.

My mother died of grief and sorrow.

We cannot let my father leave with regrets.

He must find his daughter!

But after searching for so long, I still can't find her. I'm afraid my daughter is already dead!

The biggest culprit in their daughter's disappearance is not him and his wife, but Fu Zhenlong, that despicable scoundrel.

If Fu Zhenlong hadn't maliciously reported him out of jealousy, causing his business to suffer, his temper wouldn't have become so volatile, his wife wouldn't have argued with him, and without the arguments, his daughter wouldn't have gone missing...

He hates Fu Zhenlong!

He once treated Fu Zhenlong like a brother, but he stabbed him in the back, causing him to lose the happy life he had finally achieved.

His wife, Xia Guiying, stood to the side, looking down at photos of her daughter when she was little on her phone, her eyes filled with self-reproach and longing.

She silently repeated it to herself over and over again:

"Ruohan, my dear Ruohan, please come back soon, or Grandpa will leave this world."

In the years since her daughter went missing, she hasn't had a single good night's sleep.

Every night I live in torment of guilt, and when I close my eyes, all I see are horrific images of my daughter being abused by human traffickers.

If the daughter is found and taken in to be raised, that would be fine. But I'm afraid she'll be picked up by inhuman human traffickers who will cut off her hands and feet and leave her to beg on the streets.

She hated herself every moment.

She regretted that she lost control of her emotions and argued with her husband, neglecting her daughter.

She has endured not divorcing her husband until now in order to find her daughter.

Unable to find a way out, he contemplated jumping off a building several times to atone for his sins.

But without finding his daughter, he doesn't even have the right to die.

"Uncle Qin, Aunt Xia!"

Ling Jieyu's voice broke their thoughts.

The two of them looked up at the same time.

Ling Jieyu strode over and first explained, "Sorry, I was rear-ended on the way and had a minor car accident. I'm late."

The two looked at Ling Jieyu with concern and asked in unison, "Are you alright, A-Yu?"

Ling Jieyu shook his head to indicate that he was fine, then looked at the closed operating room door and asked the two of them, "How is Grandpa Qin?"

Qin Dongyang recalled the doctor's words not long ago and said gravely, "The doctor said the fall wasn't fatal, but the old man has a mental illness. His long-standing emotional issues are having a significant impact on his health, and given his age, he could pass away at any time!"

Xia Guiying chimed in, "I had just gotten up to use the restroom when I vaguely heard the old man calling Ruohan's name. He must have missed Ruohan so much that he was hallucinating, which is why he fell down the stairs!"

As she spoke, she lowered her head and covered her face, tears already streaming down her face.

Seeing his wife's grief-stricken state, Qin Dongyang felt as if a large hand was clenching his heart, making it hard to breathe.

Xia Guiying opened her daughter's photo on her phone, tears dripping onto the screen, her voice pleading, "Ruohan, my dear baby, please come back soon! If you don't come back, you'll never see your grandfather again! Your grandfather won't be able to die in peace if he doesn't see you."

Ling Jieyu glanced at Xia Guiying's phone screen, was reminded of something, and was shocked to grab the phone to look at it.

He finally understood why he felt that sense of familiarity with Mu Tiantian!

Seeing that Ling Jieyu's expression was clearly off, Xia Guiying asked in confusion, "What's wrong, Yu?"

Ling Jieyu was both excited and thrilled, and truthfully said, "I met a girl who looks a lot like Xiao Ruohan!"

Upon hearing this, Xia Guiying and Qin Dongyang both reacted strongly, grabbing Ling Jieyu's arms. "Ayu? What did you say?"

Ling Jieyu's arm was a little sore from being gripped so tightly. He frowned slightly, tugged at the corner of his mouth, and looked at the couple, teasingly saying, "Uncle Qin, Aunt Xia, I understand how you feel, but could you please not be so rough?"

My father and Qin Dongyang were very close friends. When he was a child, my father often took him to the Qin family to play. My father also brought him to Ruohan's 100-day celebration.

At that time, Qin Dongyang and Fu Zhenlong had not yet fallen out, and Fu Zhenlong was also invited over.

Fu Zhenlong also brought Fu Zhengting with him to the event.

During the meal, Qin Dongyang joked that he wanted to arrange a marriage between the Ling family or the Fu family, and then see if Xiao Ruohan would like Fu Zhengting or him when she grew up.

Fu Zhengting is three years older than him and 12 years older than Xiao Ruohan. I can't remember who said it, but the age gap between Fu Zhengting and Xiao Ruohan is too big. It's not good for an old cow to eat young grass.

Fu Zhenlong probably felt embarrassed, so he replied half-jokingly and half-seriously: "Maybe Xiao Ruohan just likes Lao Niu."

If Mu Tiantian really is the lost Ruohan from back then...

She and Fu Zhengting are truly destined to be together!

Because Xiao Ruohan was so young at the time, her appearance as an infant and as an adult is completely different.

The reason he felt Mu Tiantian was familiar was because before Xiao Ruohan got lost, Qin Dongyang had taken Xiao Ruohan to a gathering at the Ling family.

Little Ruohan was only three years old at the time, and she was already toddling around.

When I first met Mu Tiantian, I would never have made that connection.

The second time he met Mu Tiantian at the martial arts gym, he felt a sense of familiarity.

He guessed that the reason Fu Zhengting didn't recognize Mu Tiantian was because he had only seen Xiao Ruohan at the 100-day celebration.

Initially, Qin Dongyang's relationship with Fu Zhenlong was better than his relationship with his father. Later, Fu Zhenlong betrayed Qin Dongyang, causing them to become enemies. His father firmly stood by Qin Dongyang's side, and only then did Qin Dongyang's relationship with his father improve.

Qin Dongyang and Fu Zhenlong drifted apart and eventually stopped seeing each other altogether.

Unexpectedly, Qin Dongyang's daughter fell in love with Fu Zhenlong's son...

The two of them really have a tragic fate.

They haven't been in contact for so many years, but now they're still entangled because of their offspring.

Xia Guiying and Qin Dongyang simultaneously loosened their grip.

Seeing that Ling Jieyu still looked thoughtful, Xia Guiying anxiously pressed, "Ayu, do you know how worried we are? You just said you met someone who looks a lot like Xiao Ruohan? Where is she? Take us to see her quickly!"

As she spoke, she pulled Ling Jieyu away.

There was only one thought in my mind.

That means we should go and see if that's really the case.

Once Xiao Ruohan is found, her father-in-law will naturally recover.

Ling Jieyu realized it was so late and he had just arrived, so he didn't want to make another trip. He stopped Xia Guiying and said, "Aunt Xia, it's too late now. She must be resting. I just feel that she looks familiar. As for whether she is Xiao Ruohan, we still need to get her blood for a paternity test to get an accurate answer."

The hope that had just been ignited in Xia Guiying's heart was extinguished again.

If the paternity test shows no paternity, then all your hopes have been dashed.

She had experienced that kind of disappointment many times.

Over the years, we have found many children who resemble Xiao Ruohan, but paternity tests have shown no blood relation.

She dared not hope for it, yet she couldn't help but hope.

She gradually loosened her grip on Ling Jieyu's hand.