Chapter 92

Chapter 92: How Could He Bear to Leave First? (Revised) When Chu Tang woke up again, it was already one in the afternoon. The other side of the bed was empty—Jiang Shixu had already gotten up. Chu Tang ran her fingers through her hair, threw off the covers, and got ready to head to the bathroom to wash up. Last night, he had come back to the bedroom to sleep, saying he would only hold her and do nothing else. But as he held her, he started getting restless again. Chu Tang walked out of the bedroom to find Jiang Shixu sitting on the living room sofa with his legs crossed, a laptop resting on his knees. When a man was focused on his work, he exuded a captivating charm. The snow had stopped. The soft, warm winter sunlight streamed through the glass window, casting a faint golden glow over Jiang Shixu, softening even his deep, cold, and sharp features. The heating was on in the room, so Jiang Shixu was only wearing a black shirt, with the collar buttoned up tightly. He stared intently at the computer screen, his face expressionless, his long, elegant fingers dancing rapidly across the keyboard. At this moment, the man looked the picture of restraint and abstinence. Only Chu Tang knew that last night, it was those very hands with their distinct knuckles that had slowly undone her buttons, clinging to her and demanding her again and again. Only she knew how wild Jiang Shixu was beneath his refined, restrained exterior. It was the first time she had seen Jiang Shixu so absorbed in work, and the contrast with last night was simply too stark. For a moment, Chu Tang found herself lost in watching him. Jiang Shixu sensed her gaze and looked up. His cold eyes instantly softened, and a gentle smile appeared on his previously expressionless face. "Tangtang, you're awake?" Chu Tang hummed in response, walked over, and sat down beside Jiang Shixu, crossing her legs on the sofa. She tilted her head and leaned in to peek at his computer screen. Jiang Shixu said softly, "Grandfather has officially handed the company over to me. I've been quite busy lately." Chu Tang found it a little strange. Wasn't Uncle Jiang the one in charge of the Jiang Group now? But this involved internal matters of the Jiang family, so she didn't feel it was her place to ask. She hadn't expected Jiang Shixu to bring it up on his own. "That business with Chen Jingsu earlier—it was related to my father's illegitimate son." Jiang Shixu kept his eyes fixed on the computer screen without looking away. As he spoke, his expression remained calm and unruffled, as if he were mentioning something utterly ordinary. Chu Tang, however, was so shocked her eyes went wide. "What illegitimate son?" A ripple passed through Jiang Shixu's tone. His typing fingers paused, and a hint of reluctance and sorrow seemed to flicker in his eyes. It was the first time Chu Tang had ever seen such emotion in his gaze. Jiang Shixu's voice was soft. "More than twenty years ago, while my mother was pregnant, my father had an affair. When my mother gave birth to me and was still in confinement, the woman outside came to my father with a hospital pregnancy report, trying to use the child to pressure him into making her his legitimate wife. When my mother found out, she had a complete emotional breakdown and developed postpartum depression. She nearly jumped off the building to kill herself." "At the time, my grandparents pressured my father to have the child aborted, but my father was genuinely serious about that woman, so he couldn't bear to get rid of their child. He pretended to agree to the abortion, but in reality, he hid it from my grandparents and secretly sent the woman abroad." Chu Tang was too stunned to speak. She never imagined the Jiang family had been through such a scandal back then. She hadn't heard even a whisper of it—they must have kept it tightly under wraps. Jiang Shixu continued, "If we're being honest, the one my father truly loved in his heart was probably the woman outside. Unfortunately, they could never have a proper ending. My grandmother detested women like that—those with no moral bottom line who destroyed other people's families. And my grandfather, who had lived his whole life with integrity, absolutely refused to allow such a woman into the family and let her ruin our reputation." "At first, everyone in the family was fooled by my father. They thought he had really aborted the child and cut ties with the woman outside. When I was about five or six, my mother discovered the truth and had a huge fight with him. They made a big scene about getting a divorce, which even alarmed the elders of both families. Because theirs was a marriage of alliance, it wasn't just about the two of them—it was a matter of vital interest between the Lin and Jiang families." "Naturally, the divorce never went through. Under pressure from both families, my father cut off contact with that woman. But my mother was left with a grudge because of it. When I was young, they often fought over that woman and her son." "Later, I heard that woman passed away. My father wanted to bring the illegitimate son back to acknowledge his ancestry, but he could never get past my grandparents on that front. In the end, it just fizzled out. After a period of being despondent, he gradually returned to the family." Chu Tang was left speechless with shock after hearing all this. She never would have thought that Uncle Jiang, who appeared so refined, gentle, and courteous to others, was actually such a heartless, irresponsible family man who loved to fool around outside. Thinking of how the gentle Aunt Lin had nearly jumped off a building, Chu Tang couldn't help but feel both sympathy and lingering fear. If she had really committed suicide, then Brother Shixu would have become a child without a mother. If that woman had brought her illegitimate child into the household, Brother Shixu's life would certainly have been difficult. Fortunately. Fortunately, such a tragedy never happened. Seeing that Chu Tang remained silent, Jiang Shixu shifted his gaze from the computer screen and turned to look at her. In his deep, dark eyes lay a barely perceptible plea. "Tangtang, do you think my family is a mess? Don't worry, I'm not like my father. When I was very young, I secretly vowed that I would love only one person in my entire life—with absolute loyalty, absolute devotion." His demeanor at this moment was almost humble. As if he feared that Chu Tang might mistake him for the same kind of man as his father because of all the chaos in his family, and thus distance herself from him. Chu Tang's heart was a mix of emotions—both bitter and sweet—and her eyes began to well up with tears. The bitterness came from her heartache over what he had suffered as a child, and from seeing him so humble before her, actually afraid that she might abandon him. The sweetness came from knowing how much he cared for her. Chu Tang sniffled, opened her arms, and wrapped them around Jiang Shixu, giving him a big hug. Her eyes glistened with tears, and her voice was slightly choked as she said, "Brother Shixu, I know. I know all of it." She knew he wasn't that kind of person. Ever since they had been together, she had never once doubted his sincerity. Jiang Shixu hugged Chu Tang back, closed his eyes, and greedily breathed in her scent, feeling utterly at peace. Chu Tang's voice was soft and gentle, soothing the restlessness in Jiang Shixu's heart. "Brother Shixu, as long as you don't leave me first, I will never abandon you." Hearing these words, the string in Jiang Shixu's heart was gently plucked, and he felt tears welling up in his eyes. His Tangtang was so wonderful—how could he ever bear to leave her first?