After leaving Zhang Ran’s room, Su Yitian sighed inwardly.
She had originally intended to tell him about his family’s situation once the negotiations were over.
But after the conversation they had just had, she knew it wasn’t the right time.
She understood all too well that the moment she revealed the truth, Zhang Ran’s emotional defenses would collapse.
Now was not the time.
Only after the negotiations had concluded could she tell him the news.
Su Yitian promptly reported Zhang Ran’s position to her superiors.
They didn’t comment much, but over the next two days she noticed a steady stream of different officials entering Zhang Ran’s room to negotiate with him.
She wasn’t privy to the details.
Only then did she finally understand.
They hadn’t sent her to settle the matter.
Her role had simply been to break the news gently and help ease Zhang Ran into the negotiations so he wouldn’t become overly emotional.
She had merely been the advance guard.
For three straight days, Su Yitian didn’t see Zhang Ran.
On the fourth day, however, she witnessed him shaking hands with the negotiation team.
It was obvious that an agreement had finally been reached.
Yet instead of feeling relieved, Su Yitian’s mood only grew heavier.
She knew her hardest task still lay ahead.
Clutching the folder in her hands, she hesitated outside, unable to bring herself to move.
This was her responsibility.
As reluctant as she felt, it was something she had to do.
After Zhang Ran returned to his room, she took several deep breaths before finally knocking on the door.
“Mr. Zhang, congratulations.”
She greeted him with a smile.
“What is there to congratulate me for?” Zhang Ran asked.
“Congratulations on becoming a billionaire.”
“I was already a billionaire twenty-eight years ago.”
“…”
Su Yitian was instantly speechless.
After a brief pause, she joked, “Then at least tell me how much cash you ended up with. Let us ordinary people broaden our horizons—and maybe give me a chance to cling to your coattails.”
Partly, she was genuinely curious.
Partly, she wanted to lighten the atmosphere before bringing up the difficult topic that followed.
Zhang Ran didn’t hide anything.
“Five billion yuan in cash.”
“And one siheyuan in Beijing.”
He stopped there.
The rest of the agreement wasn’t something appropriate to discuss with her.
Su Yitian didn’t pry any further.
Although she’d already known the figures, hearing them officially confirmed still left her stunned.
The young man before her—who looked barely twenty but was legally over fifty years old—had just become the owner of five billion yuan in cash.
She quickly composed herself.
Looking at Zhang Ran, she said softly, “Mr. Zhang… we’ve finished investigating your family’s situation.”
Instantly, Zhang Ran’s expression stiffened.
His clear mind seemed to freeze.
His entire body became tense with anxiety.
He knew exactly which family she meant.
From the very beginning, he had asked them to investigate her.
As for his family in this life…
He had been an orphan.
A child orphaned in the 1960s.
Finding records of his biological family after all these decades was practically impossible.
Which meant…
There could only be one person she was talking about.
Yu Qingwan.
Su Yitian noticed that Zhang Ran remained silent.
He simply stared at her.
From his eyes alone, she could feel the overwhelming tension consuming him.
She sighed inwardly.
But what had to be said…
Still had to be said.
“Mr. Zhang…”
“Ms. Yu Qingwan passed away on May 20, 2010, due to complications brought on by years of overwork.”
“My deepest condolences.”
Her words struck Zhang Ran like a bolt of lightning.
He froze completely.
His thoughts stopped.
His mind became utterly blank.
Su Yitian hadn’t wanted to be the one to tell him.
But she knew he would learn the truth sooner or later.
There was no point trying to hide it.
No one knew how long passed before Zhang Ran slowly regained awareness.
His eyes were vacant as he looked at her.
With another sigh, Su Yitian continued.
“Mr. Zhang…”
“Please don’t lose heart.”
“Ms. Yu Qingwan left behind a son and a daughter.”
“Our DNA testing has confirmed that they are indeed your biological children.”
“The year you… ‘passed away’—on December 3, 1990—she gave birth to your twins.”
“They’ve both grown up.”
“They’re each married now and have children of their own.”
“You have a grandson…”
“…and a granddaughter.”
She deliberately revealed everything at once, hoping the existence of his children and grandchildren might pull him back from overwhelming grief.
When she had first read Yu Qingwan’s file herself, she had been deeply moved.
Back then, Zhang Ran hadn’t known Yu Qingwan was pregnant.
She herself only discovered it after Zhang Ran had already left the country.
She had planned to surprise him when he returned.
Just as Zhang Ran had secretly been preparing a surprise for her.
But before that reunion could happen…
He disappeared.
After learning of the tragedy, Yu Qingwan never considered aborting the babies.
Not even when her parents pressured and threatened her.
In the end, she broke ties with her family.
She moved out alone.
She gave birth alone.
She raised the twins alone.
She worked alone to support them.
Even after Zhang Ran had been declared dead, she never once considered marrying someone else.
It was as though her heart had left the world together with him.
Years of grief, loneliness, and relentless hard work gradually destroyed her health.
Finally, in 2010…
She could hold on no longer.
Leaving behind their son and daughter, she quietly passed away.
Su Yitian deeply admired such unwavering devotion.
She knew she could never have done the same herself.
“Mr. Zhang…”
“These are their files.”
“I’ll leave them here for you.”
She gently placed the folder on the table.
Not knowing how else to comfort him, she quietly sighed before leaving the room.
At times like this…
The only thing she could do was leave him alone.
She wasn’t worried that Zhang Ran would do anything reckless.
After all…
He wasn’t truly alone anymore.
He still had a son.
A daughter.
A grandson.
And a granddaughter.
He still had family.
He still had something to live for.
After Su Yitian quietly left…
Zhang Ran could no longer hold back his tears.
They rolled silently down his cheeks.
He couldn’t remember how many years it had been since he last cried.
Now, the tears seemed completely beyond his control.
His once-steady hands trembled violently as he picked up the folder she had left behind.
The first page contained Yu Qingwan’s profile.
The photograph attached was the same one taken all those years ago.
The moment he saw her familiar smiling face…
His heart felt as though it had been cut apart by a thousand blades.
With trembling fingers, he gently caressed the photograph…
Staring at the smile that had never changed.
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