Night Rose

"Fang Yuan! You can't talk about your sister like that! You don't know her difficulties!" Grandpa Fang said sternly.

He was always kind and gentle, a benevolent elder to his children and grandchildren, but one day he was driven crazy by his own daughter.

Fang Yuan's older sister, Fang Meng, is Zhou Zheng's mother. She was well-behaved and sensible from a young age and never competed with her younger sister for anything.

When her younger sister wanted a toy, she generously gave up her own beloved toy. When her younger sister wanted to eat the chicken leg in her bowl, she would give it to her sister even though she herself was drooling with desire.

She met Zhou Zheng's father, Zhou Ruian, when they were teenagers. At that time, Zhou Ruian had not yet built such a large business. With his outstanding appearance and seemingly refined but actually ruthless nature, he won Fang Meng's heart.

Zhou Ruian wants to start a business, but he doesn't have enough money. He asks Fang Meng for help and promises Fang Meng a bright future.

Fang Meng borrowed one million yuan from her parents for the first time to fully support Zhou Ruian's business. She shared the hardships with Zhou Ruian during the initial stage, and she never gave up no matter how tough or tiring it was.

At that time, my younger sister was still in school and had a boyfriend who planned to marry her, but he kept probing the Fang family's financial situation.

Upon learning that the Fang family had lent so much money to his brother-in-law for his business, he immediately berated Fang Yuan, saying that his family was going to let his brother-in-law go broke, and that he wouldn't be a sucker, so he resolutely broke up with Fang Yuan.

Fang Yuan harbored resentment towards her parents and sister because of this. Although her sister often took her out to play and bought her new clothes and bags, she still felt that she and her first love broke up because her brother-in-law borrowed one million from the family, which made her first love distrust her family.

The once close sisters drifted further and further apart, and the family failed to provide timely care for them, keeping many things from them until later when they learned of the bitterness and resentment in their daughters' hearts.

Later, after the most difficult and challenging phase of starting a business was over, Fang Meng unexpectedly became pregnant. She did not resist and gladly accepted it.

Zhou Ruian's business flourished, and he became incredibly popular, attracting many women who flocked to him.

Even if you are young and deeply in love, and promise never to be apart, these words are just empty words.

One day, Fang Meng smelled an unfamiliar perfume on him and saw half a lip print on his shirt. All of this evidence pointed to Zhou Ruian cheating on her.

Fang Meng couldn't talk to her sister. Her parents were getting old, and she didn't want them to worry, so she swallowed her bitterness alone.

From being unable to sleep to needing medication, she endured those dark nights alone until her son's tenth birthday, when Zhou Ruian brought home his illegitimate son, who was two years younger than Zhou Zheng.

Fang Meng's mental world, which had been tormented for so long, finally collapsed, and he chose to commit suicide by overdosing on pills in the dead of night.

The sweeter Zhou Ruian's promises were, the colder he became when faced with Fang Meng's corpse. He didn't even care about his own son until Grandpa Fang took Xiao Zhou Zheng away and completely severed ties with him.

Sometimes, when Grandpa Fang missed his daughter late at night, he would reflect on whether he hadn't been good enough to Fang Meng, making her learn to accommodate others from a young age, giving in again and again, and developing a mild-mannered personality. This led her to choose to endure and back down when faced with a third party in her marriage, which ultimately resulted in an irreparable tragedy.

"She has difficulties? Don't I have them too? Dad! Open your eyes and look, my life is already a complete mess! My sister gave up the life of a rich wife and chose to abandon her son and die. I think she's doing it for the best!" Fang Yuan shouted through tears.

Grandpa Fang raised his hand, as if to hit her.

Fang Yuan raised her face, her neck tense. "Fine! Hit me then, hit me!"

Grandpa Fang closed his eyes in pain and withdrew his hand with trembling hands.

"I didn't want to bring this up, but I heard everything you said. Okay, I'll tell you why your sister can't understand why she wants to leave."

"That heartless man Zhou Ruian brought home an illegitimate child, and that kid is only two years younger than Zhou Zheng! What do you know? You know nothing! All you know is how to throw a tantrum at your sister!"

Fang Yuan had never heard of this past event. In that instant, her mind seemed to freeze, and all the beautiful fantasies she had about her sister living a good life turned into bubbles.

"How is that possible..."

"She bought you bags, new clothes, and toys for the children. What did she lack? She did nothing wrong to you! Her son is still taking care of me now. He paid for everything before the surgery, right? What else do you have to resent her for?" Grandpa Fang slumped onto the sofa.

Upon hearing about the surgery cost, Fang Yuan's lips moved as if asking, "Did Zhou Zheng tell you?"

"As expected." Grandpa Fang looked up at her.

After years of being father and daughter, Fang Yuan immediately understood his deeper meaning.

Zhou Zheng didn't tell him that he was just bluffing.

"I...I need money for too many things, I don't have any money to spare," Fang Yuan said in a hoarse voice.

"Is it that you can't get it out, or that you're unwilling?" Grandpa Fang asked.

Fang Yuan avoided his gaze, not wanting to see the disappointment and sadness in her father's eyes. She did have some money left, enough to pay for his surgery, but she always felt that her sister had passed away early, leaving all the burdens on her shoulders, and that her sister's son should rightfully shoulder the responsibility.

Therefore, when Zhou Zheng discussed medical expenses with her, she deliberately made things difficult for him.

"Alright, I won't ask about that anymore." Grandpa Fang sighed softly, took out a card from the inside pocket of his clothes, and pushed it in front of her.

Fang Yuan stared blankly at the card, not understanding what her father meant.

"I only found out a few days ago that your sister set up a trust account for you because she was worried that you would be dragged down by your ex-husband. She set it up so that the money would be deposited into your account when Xiaozheng turns twenty."

I originally planned to give it to you on Xiao Zheng's birthday, but you guys actually set your sights on Zhou Ruian instead.

Grandpa Fang paused, then looked up at his youngest daughter.

"Let me remind you, Zhou Ruian is in his current position with a new wife and two sons. If you mess with him, you'll definitely regret it."

The money your sister gave you is enough for you to live on for the rest of your life. Take it! Don't try to take advantage of Zhou Ruian again.

Grandpa Fang didn't want to say anything more, so he walked out with his hands behind his back, but was stopped at the door.

"Does she want me to adopt Zhou Zheng?" Fang Yuan couldn't help but shed tears.

Grandpa Fang brushed her hand away. "She never intended to blackmail you with this. Oh well, she probably didn't expect to die so young when she set up the trust account for you."

When talking about his eldest daughter's death, Grandpa Fang was so heartbroken that he couldn't speak. He opened his mouth again and again, then waved his hand and left.

Looking at her father's weathered back, Fang Yuan was overwhelmed by guilt and regret. She clung to the door frame and wailed, just like the little girl who had been carried on her sister's back when she accidentally bumped into the door frame.

Her older sister cupped her little face and followed the wound, bursting into tears as well.

She cried as she tried to comfort her sister, "It doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt, sister, don't cry."

The pain of the past years finally surfaced from those faded memories, dragging her into an endless purgatory.