The Liu residence was in disarray.
Liu Wanquan had just returned from the police station. The lawyer's advice was to settle. Xia Weiliang had stated publicly that she would not press charges. This time, as long as they publicly apologized and used public opinion to pressure her, she would accept the settlement.
After all, fighting a lawsuit was time-consuming and draining. She was a popular artist; there was no need to use a lawsuit to gain attention, as it could damage her image if not handled carefully.
Liu Wanquan sat at home, drinking alone. When Xia Yiran pushed the door open, he didn't even look up, merely saying in a cold tone, "I will go with the lawyer to see Xia Weiliang tomorrow."
Xia Yiran reacted intensely, "You're going to beg her?"
Liu Wanquan slowly raised his head, his eyes devoid of their usual light. He looked as if he had aged a decade in an instant. "If I don't beg her, what else can I do? You don't expect me to go to jail, do you?"
The lawyer had said that losing the lawsuit was a certainty. Moreover, the person they truly had to face was not Xia Weiliang. Xia Weiliang was manageable, but that other person's background was unfathomable. His involvement in this matter was a clear signal that they would pay the price. Therefore, at this juncture, Xia Weiliang was their savior.
"No! You can't go beg her!"
Xia Weiliang was Xia Yiran's last shred of self-respect. If she crossed that line, she feared she would become the very person she despised.
"Can't? Hah, then what do you suggest? I go to jail?"
Xia Yiran pursed her lips, afraid to look at him, her voice growing softer. "Actually… I also consulted with a prominent PR expert in the industry. If one person takes the blame, our family won't be implicated… Plus, it would catch Xia Weiliang off guard. In a way, we'd have the advantage…"
*Crack—*
He smashed his wine glass onto the floor, his eyes red as he looked at her. "What do you mean? You want to send me to jail?"
"Not 'send' you… it's… you turn yourself in."
She dared not look at him, staring at the shattered glass on the floor.
"Ha! Look at the good daughter I've raised! To protect herself, she's pushing her own father to prison at a critical moment?!"
Xia Yiran suddenly looked up at him, her eyes about to spit fire. She questioned loudly, "Shouldn't it be like this? What contribution have you made to this family? If you didn't gamble, wouldn't we have lived so miserably since childhood? And who forced me into this situation? Back then, when you took the risk and had me impersonate the Xia family's daughter, did you ask for my opinion? You didn't even tell me the truth, letting me vaguely believe that heaven had finally favored me, that my destiny was about to change! As a result, I became a thief who stole another young lady's identity!! You never considered what would happen to me when the truth came out!"
By the end of her outburst, tears streamed uncontrollably. She wiped them away resentfully. "You say I'm unfilial now. Why didn't you say that when you spent the money I gave you? When the Xia family gave you a large sum of money, didn't you accept it righteously? You raised me to the clouds and then let me fall hard into the mud, cruelly telling me that you never flew to the branches. Not only that, but you're not even a magpie anymore! You ruined my life, my entire existence. What's wrong with you going to jail for a few years to atone? Isn't that the retribution you deserve?"
This was the anger and grievance she had suppressed for a long time. After pouring it all out, she was already sobbing uncontrollably.
Finally, she slammed the door and left.
The room suddenly became quiet.
Liu Wanquan sat blankly for a while, then numbly picked up the wine bottle and drank it all in one gulp.
—
Liu Wanquan turned himself in.
Before that, he had also written a "confession" and published it online. He took all the blame upon himself, detailing from how he had deceived his biological daughter to asking her for money repeatedly with various excuses. He even included screenshots of their conversations and bank transfer records, all of which matched.
He even confessed his preference for sons and how Xia Yiran had suffered greatly at home, including not being able to attend her preferred school. Although she wasn't forced to give up her education, her future was indeed affected. He also mentioned how she had to endure strange looks when taking on jobs, accepting any obscure program as long as it could earn money, and the ridicule she must have faced. He included how unscrupulous programs would deliberately exploit her popularity, asking embarrassing questions. She endured all of this. For what? To help them repay their debts. Because he was a gambler.
This confession lacked literary flair and even contained many grammatical errors and incoherent sentences. However, it was authentic in its emotions. It appeared to be a genuinely remorseful father seeking forgiveness from his family, even though he could no longer hear it himself.
At the same time, Liu Yaozong sat with a grim expression in the hospital room, while Bao Fang quietly wiped away tears.
"It must be Xia Yiran! It must be her!"
Liu Yaozong knew his older sister well; she would stop at nothing to achieve her goals! Furthermore, in their father's confession, she was portrayed as kind and innocent, more like a little white dove than a little rabbit! Even if she didn't force him, she was definitely not innocent. Seeing his mother's mixed emotions of sadness and relief, he swallowed all his doubts and remained silent.
"He… he finally did something he should have done. As he said, we failed Yiran…"
Next, it would be her turn. Otherwise, she would never find peace for the rest of her life.
Liu Yaozong slowly looked up at his mother. Even without her saying anything, he understood.
"Mom, we'll go together tomorrow."
Bao Fang looked at her son, her eyes filled with guilt. "This should have had nothing to do with you."
"The money I lost in investments was all given to me by Xia Yiran. As long as I spent her money, this matter concerns me."
Bao Fang's eyes reddened, and she slowly lowered her head.
"Son, you make your mother prouder and prouder."
The person frequently mentioned in the confession was now expressionlessly closing her phone. He had at least some humanity, stepping forward at the critical moment to shield her from this disaster. Xia Yiran had already guessed last night that Liu Wanquan would help; it was the only thing he could do now, his last value of existence.
As soon as this confession appeared, the internet exploded again. Sina Weibo was not paralyzed but almost buckled. Most people expressed that no matter how detestable Liu Wanquan had been before, he was taking responsibility in his own way, and by trying to protect his daughter at the end, he was still a man and a father, which changed their previous impression of him. Furthermore, news emerged that not only Liu Wanquan but also Bao Fang and her son had gone to the police station.