HBWMA -Chapter 56 Redemption at Twelve

After the three younger members of the Shen family left the entrance hall, the four wooden doors carved with plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum closed once again.

Shen Zhuang slowly took his seat, leaning on his walking stick with both hands.

Cold sweat had already gathered in Fu Jiaming’s palms. He looked at Shen Jiao, then at Shen Zhuang. “Old Master, this is a lawful society now. Don’t do anything reckless.”

Shen Zhuang smiled faintly. “You should indeed be thankful times have changed.” As he spoke, the old man lifted his gaze to the fierce-looking man beside him. “Break one of his legs.”

“!”

“Dad! Save me! Save me!”

Fu Lingnan hadn’t expected Shen Zhuang to be so ruthless. He pointed at the main seat with a sharp look. “You… you dare… my Fu family…”

Without his dentures, his speech was slightly slurred.

The man frowned, then lifted Fu Jiaming like he was a chick and threw him to the ground. “Old Master, which leg?”

“Any one,” Shen Zhuang replied calmly.

The man nodded and pulled an iron rod from behind him.

Fu Jiaming’s face changed drastically. He scrambled on the floor and crawled toward Shen Jiao. “A-Jiao! Save me! Please beg the Old Master for mercy! Please!”

Shen Jiao stepped aside, her expression full of disgust. The Fu family was considered top-tier in Whale Harbor, and Fu Jiaming himself had once been seen as a proud son of high society—but now he looked utterly pathetic.

She really must have been blind back then.

Fu Jiaming, in despair, turned and kowtowed toward Shen Zhuang. “Old Master, I was wrong! I let A-Jiao down, I betrayed your trust. Please show mercy! Old Master, please, for the sake of relations, for Fu Sui’er!”

His eyes suddenly lit up. “Old Master, I’m still Sui’er’s father!”

Shen Zhuang’s gaze turned icy. “You betrayed my daughter, used my granddaughter. If not for the fact that you are still Sui’er’s biological father, do you think the laws of A country would protect you?”

Fu Lingnan clutched his chest and pointed at Shen Zhuang. “You dare!”

Shen Zhuang waved his hand.

“AHHHHHH!!!”

Meanwhile, as Jiang Huashan and the others were walking out of the flower hall toward the corridor, they suddenly heard a piercing, bloodcurdling scream from behind them.

Fu Sui’er’s steps faltered. Her face turned deathly pale. Just as she turned around, Jiang Huashan grabbed her.

Shen Zhi had also intended to stop her, but Jiang Huashan was faster.

Fu Sui’er’s voice trembled. “Don’t pull me… he’s my father.”

Jiang Huashan frowned. Fu Sui’er was shaking all over, looking like she might shatter at any moment.

After a moment of silence, she let go.

Fu Sui’er’s eyes lit up slightly. She took a step forward toward the main hall—but then stopped halfway.

Jiang Huashan sighed softly, hesitating over whether to interfere further.

Suddenly, Fu Sui’er turned around, tears streaming down her face. She looked completely lost. “Jiang Huashan… what do I do? I really don’t know what to do… please teach me… don’t lie to me anymore, please don’t lie to me! I’ll never make you angry again, just help me, okay?”

Jiang Huashan froze, her mind going blank.

After a long pause, she let out a soft sigh and walked forward, grabbing Fu Sui’er’s hand. “Come with me.”

Fu Sui’er didn’t move, stubbornly staring at her.

“I won’t lie to you,” Jiang Huashan said, tightening her grip and pulling her forward with force.

Fu Sui’er hesitated, then looked down at their clasped hands—and finally followed.

Jiang Huashan led her through the flower hall, walking away from the cries behind them.

They entered Langyuan. Summer light filtered through the latticework, casting shifting patterns of brightness and shadow across their path. Their footsteps moved through the floating light.

Suddenly, Fu Sui’er heard her own heartbeat.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

She lifted her head to look at the person before her. The white silhouette gradually came into focus. For no clear reason, a thought suddenly flashed through her mind—this might be the best encounter of her twelve-year-old life.

Just as their figures were about to disappear, Shen Zhi finally realized something was wrong and was about to chase after them, but Shen Guiling stepped forward and blocked his path.

“Steward Shen, let them go.”

Shen Zhi frowned uneasily. “But Miss Sui’er…”

Shen Guiling tilted his head slightly, his gaze passing through Langyuan and landing on the two tightly joined hands. “If Sui’er doesn’t want to leave, no one can take her away.”

Shen Zhi froze, only then realizing what had just happened in the main hall—Fu Lingnan and Fu Jiaming had both said they would take Sui’er away, but Miss Sui’er had refused them all.

In the blink of an eye, the two figures completely disappeared.

Shen Guiling withdrew his gaze, smiling gently. “Steward Shen, Grandpa still needs you here. I can go back on my own.”

Shen Zhi came back to his senses and couldn’t help but feel increasingly fond of the young man before him. “Thank you, Young Master A-Ling.”

Shen Guiling shook his head. “No need.”

Ever since Fang Mei and Jiang Wanyi were driven out, the Chrysanthemum Garden was rarely entered except for morning cleaning, making it the perfect place to share secrets.

Jiang Huashan brought Fu Sui’er to the Flower Realm Embroidery Pavilion.

The furniture inside had already been completely replaced, even more refined and elegant than before.

Fu Sui’er was still very childish at heart. She had been somewhat moved just moments ago, but as soon as she entered the embroidery pavilion, she got upset again.

“As expected, Grandpa likes you the most.”

Jiang Huashan let go of her hand and crossed her arms.

Fu Sui’er sniffed. “I’m just jealous, is that not allowed?”

Her red, swollen eyes, combined with her colorful rainbow hair, made her look both ridiculous and pitiful.

Even in this state, she was still jealous over who Grandpa liked most—it seemed Fu Sui’er still cared deeply about him.

Jiang Huashan suddenly didn’t feel like arguing anymore and pointed at a soft sofa.

“Sit.”

Fu Sui’er, remembering what had happened in the Qin Garden, looked gloomy and obediently sat down.

Jiang Huashan tapped her on the forehead. “Fu Sui’er, don’t be sad. You did very well this time.”

Fu Sui’er froze, then gave a smile that looked even worse than crying. “Stop comforting me.”

Jiang Huashan shook her head. “I’m not comforting you. I don’t know how to comfort people. I’m praising you because you really did do well.”

Back then, when she realized Fang Mei had only been using her and never truly loved her, she hadn’t felt much better than Sui’er did now.

She had screamed and questioned Fang Mei, fallen into self-doubt when she received no affirmation, resented many things, and even once had thoughts of self-destruction. Fortunately, she endured all of it.

Even if she had been given a second chance, facing Fang Mei again, she still couldn’t be completely calm.

In the end, that was still her mother—someone she had once expected love from and once loved. So even though she knew Fang Mei might harm the Shen family, before she actually did anything substantial, Jiang Huashan had only given her a mild punishment and driven her out.

She knew her own limits—so how could she expect anything more from Fu Sui’er, who knew nothing at all?

She was truly only twelve years old, without awakening, without any cheat abilities. The fact that she could make that choice was only because her desire to protect Shen Jiao had overcome everything else.

Jiang Huashan felt that such Fu Sui’er deserved a little red flower.

“Sui’er, do you still remember the word I wrote in your palm before?”

Fu Sui’er nodded.

Jiang Huashan said, “Then I’ll tell you again—Yu Siwen was eventually elected the 72nd President of Country A with 51.36% of the vote.”