Chapter 1052: Chapter 1043: Saying Goodbye to the Old and Welcoming the New (1)
Xia Youbiao said nothing, following him into the elevator and going all the way down.
While waiting downstairs for the driver to arrive, Xia Youbiao said, “Siyu, sometimes her temper isn’t great. Please be patient with her.”
“I know that.” Bo Yan had understood Xia Siyu’s personality from the very beginning. Though she’s a bit hot-tempered, she lights up like a child when praised. She’s also incredibly spoiled, always getting him to do things instead of doing them herself.
But what could he do? He loved her.
Xia Youbiao nodded and added, “Siyu is a good child. But when she was younger, I was busy with work and didn’t really take care of her. It’s only natural that she resents me. I didn’t become a good father.” When he saw Xia Siyu trust Bo Yan unreservedly, and watched Bo Yan slowly rein in what had once been a wild, untamed horse, he felt both comforted and pained.
Comforted because Xia Siyu had finally found a man who cared for her and cherished her.
Pained because, as her father, this should have been half his responsibility too. Yet, whether in her childhood or now, he had always been lacking. Even if he wanted to make things right, the divide was impossible to bridge.
Bo Yan glanced at Xia Youbiao, hesitating for a moment before speaking up: “Dad, there’s something I’m not sure if I should say. It might come across as a bit presumptuous.”
Xia Youbiao froze for a moment, then said, “Go ahead.”
Bo Yan rarely spoke much, but whenever he did, it was often well-considered.
Bo Yan’s gaze was both deep and steady: “Actually, Siyu doesn’t mind that you care more for Xia Ju’an and Xia Sicai. She doesn’t mind that your fatherly love might pale in comparison, and it’s not about any issues concerning inheritance. What bothers her most is her mother.”
Xia Youbiao was rendered completely motionless by Bo Yan’s statement. He froze there for a long time, his once-straight back slowly bending forward, as though his entire body had shrunk. His head likewise drooped slightly as he muttered, “It’s true, it’s true. Actually, I…”
He took a deep breath, his final words trembling faintly, before swallowing them back down.
He steadied his breathing, took another deep breath, suppressing all the emotions within himself. His figure seemed to shrink even further: “It’s me who wronged them.”
Bo Yan had plenty of questions himself, like why seven years ago when they broke up, her mother had still been alive—something must have happened to cause her mother’s eventual decline. But since Xia Siyu didn’t talk about it, he couldn’t possibly ask Xia Youbiao either. He could only keep it bottled up inside.
Every family has its share of troubles, and his was no different. Some things didn’t need to be probed too deeply—better to just touch on them lightly and leave it at that.
Xia Youbiao paused for a long time before finally looking up: “Siyu, I leave her to you. Whatever happens, make decisions together. If she does something wrong, help me guide her gently. She doesn’t bear any ill intentions. I won’t interfere with you two; you can live however you want. If, one day, you find you can’t go on anymore, I won’t force you. There are many things I failed to do, many things I didn’t do well. I only hope you both can live happier lives. No matter what happens, her father will always support you.”
Bo Yan nodded.
Before leaving, Xia Youbiao took another look at Bo Yan. His expression was calm, his posture tall and upright. Though he seemed indifferent, his heart was clear and open. He was forgiving, and he knew how to fight for his daughter.
—Far better than himself.