Chapter 443 The Truth of That Year

Chapter 443: The Truth of That Year

Ren Shan stared back at Chen Aru fearlessly.

"You’re really leaving me standing at the door?"

Chen Aru’s breathing grew rapid. She stiffened but shuffled aside to let her in.

Ren Shan checked outside for onlookers before entering.

Chen Aru quickly closed the door and went to pour water for Ren Shan, though her shaky hands gave away her nerves.

Ren Shan stood in the living room, surveying the Ai family’s house.

It was an old-fashioned two-story self-built home, stocked with all the usual appliances. The setup showed it used to be a cozy home.

Now, though, the thin layer of dust on the sofa and the clutter haphazardly placed on the TV stand showed that the owners had long neglected tidying up.

"Please, have a seat."

Chen Aru set the teacup on the table, her gaze sharp and eager as she stared at Ren Shan.

Ren Shan sat without drinking.

Chen Aru squirmed in her seat. She wanted to ask something but didn’t dare, so she simply watched Ren Shan with hopeful eyes.

Ren Shan looked up toward the second floor. "Xiao Lan said that after Ai Xiaoqing arrived, her room was taken away. She basically lived in the attic storage."

Chen Aru froze. "You’re that friend Xiao Lan talked about, right?"

"You—you said you came for Xiao Lan. Do you know where she is? Is she okay? Why hasn’t she come home?"

"Cops said the last sighting of Xiao Lan before she left A City was when she went to meet her young friend. I’ve been trying to find you, but I didn’t know where to look. No one would tell me."

Chen Aru’s voice cracked with desperate hope.

Ren Shan nodded. "Yes, it was me."

"Ai Xiaolan’s gone from this world. You know she was in constant pain. Walking away freed her."

Chen Aru jumped up. "What do you mean, 'release'? I know she was suffering, but I was always there for her! We were seeing a doctor—he said she was getting better! She was getting better! The night before, she even slept beside me! Bullshit! You’re lying! I won’t believe you! I refuse! My Xiao Lan must still be fine—she’s just too scared to come home! I came down too hard on her before, and she’s afraid I’ll blame her, so she’s hiding!"

Ren Shan waited out Chen Aru’s meltdown until she collapsed onto the sofa, panting heavily.

"You are Xiao Lan’s mother, but you don’t understand the pain she endured every day."

Chen Aru shouted back, "I do! I do! How could I not know?"

Ren Shan sneered. "No, you don’t."

"You’re no mother to her. You still haven’t even figured out why she became like this, have you?"

"She wouldn’t tell you, would she? Because she didn’t trust you. None of you earned her trust. You drove her to this. You ‘family’ drove her to this!"

Chen Aru gaped, speechless.

Ignoring Chen Aru’s shock, Ren Shan continued.

"Remember her running off at eleven?"

Chen Aru said nothing.

Ren Shan smirked mockingly. "How could you possibly remember? Your whole family only had eyes for Ai Xiaoqing back then."

"Let me refresh your memory—do you remember the time Xiao Lan fought with Ai Xiaoqing over the New Year's clothes, pushed Ai Xiaoqing down the stairs, got slapped by her father, and ran out? Later, Ai Xiaoqing went out to look for her sister and caught a cold from being out in the rain?"

A dim memory surfaced for Chen Aru. That was the time Xiao Lan disobeyed, ran out, and then came back.

Ren Shan watched her evasive gaze, growing angrier for Ai Xiaolan's sake. Xiao Lan's entire life had been ruined, yet neither of her parents knew—or even remembered—that their little girl had stayed out all night without a single question asked.

But the moment Ai Xiaoqing's cold from being out in the rain was mentioned, Chen Aru remembered.

"Xiao Lan told me about it. That day, she just saw the New Year's clothes she had carefully prepared being worn by Ai Xiaoqing, and she was furious."

"She said that because her uncle was getting married, you gave all the family's fabric ration coupons to her grandmother. She hadn’t had new clothes for two years. That outfit was something she begged you for a long time before you finally traded coupons with a colleague to make it for her."

"She went with you herself to the tailor’s shop to pick the fabric—it had plum blossoms printed on it. She treasured it so much she kept it stored in the wardrobe, saving it for New Year’s Eve."

"She said she had already told her classmates in the compound and her cousin that her mother had made her a new padded jacket, and she would wear it when visiting family for New Year's."

"But this precious outfit she couldn’t bear to wear was suddenly on Ai Xiaoqing’s body. Resentment filled her. She pulled Ai Xiaoqing aside, demanding she take it off, but all of you blamed her. You called her petty and selfish, scolded her for being unreasonable, accused her of being narrow-minded."

"She was the one who'd been wronged. It was her new clothes that were taken. Yet, the moment Ai Xiaoqing gave you all a pitiful look, you all jumped to her defense, forcing Xiao Lan to apologize. When she refused, Ai Xiaoqing deliberately rolled down the stairs, then hinted that you shouldn’t blame Xiao Lan."

"Xiao Lan said she would never forget that day—how you pulled Ai Xiaoqing, who had stolen her clothes and framed her, into a pitying embrace. Her brother glared at her hatefully. Her father slapped her without hesitation, calling her cruel and heartless for disregarding family bonds."

Chen Aru stood there, stunned into silence. There had been so many conflicts between Xiao Lan and Xiaoqing over the years that she could barely recall them clearly. She only vaguely remembered something like this happening.

But that's not how it really happened.

Ren Shan smirked. "Because of that slap, Xiao Lan said she sobbed as she argued with her father, shouting that you were all biased. Then she ran out of the house."

"It was dark outside, and she was scared. She stood under a tree at the corner, watching the house, waiting for you to come looking for her so she could go back with you."

"But not a single one of you came out. You were all inside, comforting Ai Xiaoqing, who had stolen her clothes and framed her."

"She waited in the cold wind for a long time. Finally, in frustration, she ran toward the alley entrance. Then she saw you finally step out of the house. Afraid you wouldn’t notice her, she deliberately walked forward a few steps, standing under the light."

"Ai Xiaoqing spotted her. She said something to you, and you all followed her in the opposite direction."

Chen Aru’s heart clenched with unbearable pain. She pressed a hand to her chest, trying to ease the pain.