Stay Home Daddy: I Was Reborn After My Daughter Passed Away
Chapter 209: Two hundred and ten This matter always feels not simple_1

Chapter 209: Two hundred and ten This matter always feels not simple_1

Ji Pianran had heard her second uncle’s words and had originally planned to go out and hide for a while, waiting for the situation to settle down before returning.

On the fourth day after she left, a middle-aged man found her in a small hotel.

He was wearing a black uniform from the Ji Family’s company. She had seen him before; he had come to Gu Chen’s house to deliver things to her father, and he was a manager.

The man said it was her father who had arranged for him to find her at all costs and to convey a message to her, which was,

that she should run as far as she could because the Xu Family would not let her go so easily.

If she returned, there would only be two outcomes: Either marry Xu Qingmu or witness the downfall of the Ji Family’s company.

At the time, Ji Pianran was only in her late teens, still young and trusting towards everyone.

She only knew that it was her father’s instruction, but never considered why her father would do so.

She just focused on fleeing overnight. She had no money to begin with, and soon she ran out.

She couldn’t even afford to buy a steamed bun.

During the hardest times, she even ate wild grasses and tree leaves; leftovers and soup thrown out by restaurants became delicacies to her.

Because she was on foot, as time passed, she no longer knew where she was.

All she knew was that her father had told her never to return.

Where exactly was she, and how could she even think about returning?

So she continued fleeing for three months, wandering for three months, until one day, not far from a marketplace, she collapsed.

Luckily, Shen Cuizhi happened to be on her way home from grocery shopping and rescued her.

And so by a twist of fate, she entered the Gu Family’s house and, in the end, became Gu Chen’s wife.

As Ji Pianran encountered more and more people and events, her mental maturity grew by the day.

Gradually, she began to feel that this matter was perhaps not so simple.

She knew her father Ji Guangsheng all too well. The Ji Family was a prominent clan, but the reason Ji Guangsheng inherited the family’s wealth wasn’t just because he had a talent for business; it was also because of his backbone.

Everyone knew Ji Guangsheng was a tough nut to crack. He would not easily bow down to anything, nor would he admit defeat lightly. Entrusting such a vast family business to someone like him seemed like the wisest choice.

He took over the Ji Family’s business.

All he did every day was work; in business, his word was law and no one dared to challenge it.

However, everything has its dual nature.

Over time, he had become somewhat dictatorial.

That was the direct reason for treating Ji Pianran in such an extreme manner.

But how could such a firm man be afraid of the Xu Family?

How could that be possible?

Even if an alliance through marriage was needed, and the Ji clan required an infusion of new blood, it would certainly not be through the sale of a daughter.

Ji Guangsheng was perhaps dictatorial, but all of this was based on a misunderstanding.

He kept saying to himself that Xu Qingmu truly liked her. The Xu Family was also a major clan, well-matched in social status. Marrying Xu Qingmu was the best option for her.

It was his stubborn belief that all of this was for the best, especially since the Ji Family indeed needed the support of the Xu Family.

That’s why he acted the way he did.

But to truly use his own daughter as a sacrifice, for a father, a father who loves his daughter, something about that didn’t quite add up.

Ji Pianran felt that this matter might not be as simple as it seemed.

However, after marrying Gu Chen, she became pregnant, and soon after, she gave birth to their child, Tangtang, living a life mired in mediocrity.

She was so preoccupied with her own troubles that she had no time to ponder over this matter.

Gradually, she stopped thinking about it.

But today, when her mother unexpectedly brought it up, she wanted to ask her father in person what exactly was going on?

Was it that I didn’t understand my father enough, or was that incident back then actually a conspiracy?

If it really was a conspiracy, then who was the mastermind?

Wu Shuhui had no idea about what had happened back in those days.

Seeing Ji Pianran’s increasingly serious expression, she took it as her daughter still being angry with her own father. With a sigh, she felt a profound sadness.

"We really didn’t expect you to run away from home back then. If we had known how determined you were, your dad would never have pressured you like that. He is your biological father, after all, not a bad person."

Ji Pianran understood that her mother had misunderstood. With a smile in her eyes, she gently placed her hand on her mother’s, speaking softly, "Mom, the past is the past. I just want to see Dad."

She chose not to share her experiences with her mother, because she knew her mother was a simple and kind-hearted person, raised as the apple of everyone’s eye and, after marrying her father, had always lived a life without worries about food and clothing.

Such matters were not something she might be able to handle.

Speaking of them would only cause her mother heartache.

Seeing her daughter’s face full of relief, Wu Shuhui’s anxious heart finally settled down.

She nodded, relieved, "That’s good, that’s good."

She truly hoped her daughter could forgive her husband. Ji Guangsheng was so seriously ill now; it was uncertain how much time he might have left.

She hoped he could see his daughter one last time before he died.

To see that she had her own children and that her family was harmonious.

"Dad is in the hospital. He had stomach cancer and underwent a gastrectomy, and now his condition isn’t very good," said Wu Shuhui with a somber voice.

Over the years, Ji Guangsheng suffered greatly because of the illness. His child had gone, and in business, he was still oppressed by the Xu Family.

If one were to call this retribution, then the retribution he faced was indeed a bit too heavy.

Wu Shuhui saw it all and felt the pain in her heart, but she was powerless to do anything.

Hearing that her father had cancer and had undergone surgery, Ji Pianran’s heart clenched in an instant.

Her father wasn’t even fifty yet, responsible for caring for his mother and brother, managing the family business, and now suffering from such an illness. When she had been in the hospital herself, she had heard the doctors talk about stomach cancer and the necessity of gastrectomy.

Only about a third of the stomach might be left intact.

Although it could regrow, that was also related to age. Young people definitely had a much stronger regenerative capacity than the elderly.

Her father was about to turn fifty, and at such an age, regrowth would likely be very difficult.

This meant that his body would endure even greater suffering.

Thinking about this, Ji Pianran’s expression became pained.

In just a few years, how could things have become like this?

"How is Xiao Chu doing?" she continued to ask.

Xiao Chu was Ji Chu.

Hearing this, Wu Shuhui shook her head, her expression becoming even more desolate.

"Xiao Chu has taken a break from school. He’s staying at home and learning business with Uncle Guang. There’s no choice; there are things at home that someone needs to take care of."

Hearing that her brother had taken a break from school, Ji Pianran couldn’t help but take a deep breath.

"Isn’t Xiao Chu a good student? I remember him saying that his dream was to complete college and study abroad. Now, it seems likely that he hasn’t even finished college..."

Knowing the family was in such a situation, Ji Pianran genuinely felt distressed.

"It’s good, it’s good that you found me," Wu Shuhui said, and without realizing it, she clutched Ji Pianran’s hand a little tighter.

...

By this time, Gu Chen had already washed the fruit. Uncle Guang was holding a half-eaten cherry and brought out a plate of glistening cherries and fresh goji berries with a wrinkled smile.

"They’re really sweet, try some. The taste is really exceptional!"

He had taken some of these cherries home last time, and Ji Chu ate quite a lot of them after he came back. Even Ji Guangsheng, who had always lacked appetite, ate a couple more than usual. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been able to buy them afterwards.

Unexpectedly, Gu Chen’s house still had some. This was indeed a nice surprise.