Chapter 241 You Love Yourself More Than Her

Chapter 241 You Love Yourself More Than Her

Li Zhishen paused.

He never expected her to ask him something he himself dared not even think about.

Seeing him staring blankly, Jiang Ruan asked again, "Do you like it?"

"Love." He answered firmly, his expression more composed and serious than ever before. "It has never changed over the years."

If it weren't for love, why would he have remained unmarried for life despite pressure from his family?

Jiang Ruan met his gaze: "But I feel you don't love it."

Li Zhishen frowned slightly.

I don't understand why she said that.

“If you truly loved her, you wouldn’t let your mother bear that kind of reputation.” Because Jiang An and Jiang Chenren had been good to her since childhood, Jiang Ruan saw things very clearly, “and she wouldn’t remain indifferent after seeing others say those things.”

“I will make them pay the price,” Li Zhishen assured her.

"And then?" Jiang Ruan asked.

Li Zhishen was puzzled for a moment.

Jiang Ruan pointed out incisively: "They will still say the same thing when you are not around, and they may even escalate their behavior because of what you did."

“I can’t control what other people say, but I will try my best to avoid it within my capabilities.” Li Zhishen couldn’t guarantee that he would stop talking to her, “and I won’t let you and An’an hear it either.”

"That's why I said you don't love her." Jiang Ruan changed her tone abruptly, even dropping the honorific.

Li Zhishen's eyes darkened slightly.

Jiang Ruan gave him the simplest example: "Do you know why, even though my family background is clearly mismatched with Huo Zhizhou's, no one has dared to say a word about it outside all these years?"

"Because he told me he loved me in front of everyone."

"He said I'm his only one, and anyone who makes things difficult for me is going against him."

“My situation with your mother is rather complicated,” Li Zhishen explained, not wanting her to misunderstand. “Some things can’t be brought up in the open.”

“We can’t let things be complicated now, just because they were complicated then.” Jiang Ruan pointed out directly, “When you hear those people talking, have you ever said to anyone that you love your mother? When they said your mother ruined your relationship with your fiancée, did you clarify anything?”

Li Zhishen paused.

No……

“You don’t,” Jiang Ruan said, enunciating each word clearly.

"It was my oversight that I didn't consider it thoroughly." Li Zhishen didn't try to deny it and faced the issue squarely.

“It’s not that you didn’t think things through, it’s that you love yourself more than she does.” Jiang Ruan bluntly exposed her, her heart only set on Jiang An. “If you cared even a little bit, you wouldn’t have let her get pregnant when you knew there was no chance for us to be together.”

In those days, unmarried pregnancies faced far more gossip and slander than they do now.

The mother paid the price for her impulsiveness, but Li Zhishen did not.

After it's all over, they just pat their butts and leave without taking any responsibility. Even when people are blamed, they instinctively blame the woman.

“I will handle these things you mentioned.” Li Zhishen thought about Su Zhu’s words and did not argue. “I will also give you and your mother a satisfactory answer.”

Jiang Ruan didn't say anything more.

I just feel that this so-called father isn't as affectionate as he imagines.

If you truly love someone, how could you stand by and watch her be gossiped about and slandered by those around her for so many years without doing anything?

A brief silence fell between the two.

After a while.

Looking at her distant and indifferent eyes, Li Zhishen couldn't help but ask, "After this matter is resolved, can you call me Uncle Li? Chairman Li sounds too aloof."

“Okay.” Jiang Ruan’s attitude did not soften. Instead, she looked at him and asked a question that she had not received an answer to before, “But before that, I want to know what Grandpa Qin meant by ‘that the child you forced to beat was already being beaten.’”

She didn't ask her mother because she didn't want to reopen her wounds.

But at this point, she had no choice but to ask this self-proclaimed affectionate father.

Li Zhishen was taken aback.

Memories of the past are gradually emerging clearly.

To protect Qin An and prevent her from being targeted by his family, he obeyed his family's wishes and forced her to abort the child, saying some cold and heartless things.

At that time, he felt that if he lost a child, he could have another one, and if An'an was lost, he could try again, but if she lost her life, he would lose everything.

"Is it hard to answer?" Jiang Ruan could tell from his expression that it wasn't a good answer.

"No." Li Zhishen didn't know how to explain it in a way that would be more acceptable to her. "The situation was complicated at the time..."

Jiang Ruan didn't listen to what was said after that.

What complicated circumstances would force your partner to abort the child?

Anyone who truly loves their mother should discuss things with her instead of forcing her. The saying "love can overcome all difficulties" is not just a saying; the two of you should work together to solve problems.

“It was my fault, and I apologize to you and your mother.” Li Zhishen didn’t offer any further explanation. “I will do my best to make it up to you in the future.”

The two didn't talk again after that.

Jiang Ruan left the meeting room to find Su Zhu.

She didn't have high expectations for Li Zhishen; she just felt that such a good mother shouldn't be treated that way, using her pregnancy to climb the social ladder and ruining other people's relationships...

These obviously false rumors are being spread with great relish by men who have once lost to their mothers.

"Didn't you have a pleasant conversation?" Su Zhu had been waiting for her, and went over to ask as soon as she came out.

"It's not a matter of whether it's pleasant or unpleasant," Jiang Ruan said as she walked upstairs with her. "I just feel that this industry is very hostile towards women."

Because the mother was a woman, everyone worked together to force her to give up her shares, blaming her only for the premarital pregnancy and not mentioning the man at all.

It was clearly Li Zhishen who was two-timing, but the rumor spread that his mother was the one who ruined his relationship.

"It's not just this circle, it's the whole world!" Su Zhu understood clearly. "Remember that pink car I bought before, worth hundreds of thousands?"

Jiang Ruan nodded: "Mm."

Su Zhu complained, "When I drive that car, people deliberately cut me off several times a day."

When she said that, Jiang Ruan recalled that she had had a similar experience.

These problems only occur when driving brightly colored cars; they don't happen with slightly more business-like vehicles.

"Let's not think about these unhappy things anymore. Let's go get something to eat." Su Zhu took her arm. "As the main character of most of the conversation tonight, you need to make more appearances to ensure that the discussion is high enough so that those in the Qin family who want to take action will have to think twice about whether they can withstand the public opinion."

Jiang Ruan temporarily put Li Zhishen's matter out of her mind: "Okay."

Li Zhishen watched her go downstairs.

Seeing that she was in a better mood after meeting up with Su Zhu, he felt a little better.

"Boss." The secretary appeared.

"Give Su Zhu more resources." For the time being, the only thing Li Zhishen could think of was to win over his daughter's friends. "If her family has any difficulties in the future, we should help them as much as possible."

The secretary replied, "Okay."

He immediately took care of it.

A short while later, an elderly man with wrinkled face and good health appeared next to Li Zhishen.

He followed Li Zhishen's gaze to Jiang Ruan downstairs, his voice serious yet slightly authoritative: "Has this child acknowledged you?"

Li Zhishen: "I didn't admit it."

Old Master Li looked down on him with utter contempt: "Useless thing."

Li Zhishen's expression remained unchanged as he calmly replied, "This wasn't your fault?"

"What does this have to do with me?" Old Master Li was adept at shirking responsibility. "Back then, it was I who held your hand and controlled your mouth, making you say those things to Qin An and do those things?"