Chapter 481: The Pitiful Ones

Chapter 481: Chapter 481: The Pitiful Ones

Outside the sanatorium was a vast forest. It was spring, and although the birdsong and flowers weren't particularly remarkable, the lush greenery provided a beautiful view.

Yang Chen sat at the edge of the woods in an old pavilion that seemed seldom used, as the benches were covered in dust. He didn't mind and sat down anyway.

A middle-aged man stood at the other end of the pavilion, wearing a white shirt and black suit pants. His face showed signs of weathering and contemplation, as if unsure of what to say.

Another young man stood outside the pavilion, his expression cold and his posture straight. Occasionally, he glanced at Yang Chen, his eyes showing a hint of complexity.

These two men were Fang Zhongping, who had pursued Tang Wan for decades without success and was Tangtang's biological father, and his bodyguard, Dugu Zui, whom Yang Chen had once easily defeated.

Seeing these two appear at the sanatorium was somewhat surprising to Yang Chen. In fact, he thought he would never have dealings with Fang Zhongping again. Not that he particularly disliked Fang Zhongping, who was actually a very well-mannered man. Though initially somewhat arrogant due to his high status, who doesn't have their moments of pride?

However, their relationship was complicated because of Tang Wan. Tang Wan hadn't accepted Fang Zhongping, who had pursued her for over ten years, but had shown favor to Yang Chen, whom she had known for less than a year. From Yang Chen's perspective, this wasn't something an average man could endure.

If Fang Zhongping didn't know that Yang Chen was someone he couldn't afford to offend, he might have already found a way to dismember him.

So, to avoid further aggravation, Yang Chen found it surprising that Fang Zhongping had requested to talk to him.

After a long while, Fang Zhongping seemed to have had enough of the greenery and turned around, saying with a hint of sentimentality, "I first met Old Tang when I was a child. My father took me to visit him in Yanjing once. Unknowingly, over twenty years have passed."

Yang Chen remained silent, listening. He knew Fang Zhongping wasn't finished.

"The impression of Old Tang that stayed in my mind was that of a stern, commanding elder. When I was in Yanjing for a meeting recently, I intended to visit him but heard he had been sent to Zhonghai to recuperate," Fang Zhongping said, frowning slightly. "Seeing Old Tang in such a state today, I feel very uncomfortable."

Yang Chen thought, who wouldn't feel uncomfortable seeing him like this?

"Tang Wan didn't tell me about this," Fang Zhongping suddenly said. "If I hadn't happened to hear about it, I still wouldn't know that the Tang family had gone through so much trouble."

Yang Chen blinked and said, "What are you trying to say?"

Fang Zhongping sighed. "Although I feel very angry and frustrated, I have to admit that in her eyes, I am indeed not as important as you."

Yang Chen smiled slightly. "Maybe she thinks you're busy, and besides, she needs my help."

"You're right; she needs your help, but she doesn't need me," Fang Zhongping said with a bitter smile. "To her, our Fang family is just a prominent household in Zhonghai. For a woman like her, it's something she doesn't really value. My power and influence are insignificant to her."

When Tang Wan's younger brother, Tang Jue, was born, Tang Lun's mental illness had reached an unprecedented level.

Although outsiders couldn't tell, some core members of the family gradually noticed a series of problems between Tang Lun and his wife. However, Old Tang, always concerned about the family's reputation, suppressed all rumors and gossip, hoping to adjust his eldest son's psychology over time.

One morning, the Tang family couldn't find Tang Lun and his wife. Eventually, they discovered that Tang Lun had brutally killed his wife and then, in a fit of madness, committed suicide in their room.

This incident from over twenty years ago caused quite a stir in Yanjing's upper society. If it weren't for Old Tang's strong control, the Tang family's reputation would have been completely ruined.

Nevertheless, this tragic event caused significant psychological changes in both Old Tang and Tang Wan and her brother.

The shadow of their father's cruel abuse of their mother was an indelible trauma for young Tang Wan, who already understood what was happening. Naturally, this led to her keeping a respectful distance from men. Although it didn't twist her psyche, it made it hard for her to accept men.

Moreover, internal factions within the Tang family made the siblings' growth difficult, even under Tang Zhechen's protection. Tang Jue, although obedient to Tang Wan, lacked the necessary capabilities. Tang Wan, acting both as a sister and a mother, grew up worrying that once she married, Tang Jue would be oppressed by some within the family.

However, for a noble lady not wanting to marry was not simple. Often, her status was more attractive than she herself. With her stunning beauty, many sought to form alliances with her family through marriage.

In the end, at just twenty, Tang Wan decisively chose a path no one expected: artificial insemination to have a child.

Such an event, almost a top-level scandal, did not meet with opposition from Old Tang. He suppressed the public outrage and even handed the family's Fenglin Group over to Tang Wan, making her one of the most powerful heirs of the Tang family. This background, having a child, freed Tang Wan from the nuisance of arranged marriages. No family would want to cause trouble or invite public criticism by aggressively pursuing Tang Wan just for the family's influence. Thus, Tang Wan could rightfully stay in the Tang family, manage the business, and take care of her only brother, Tang Jue. However, due to the significant opposition within the family, Tang Wan spent most of her years in Huinan.

With Fang Zhongping's recount, Yang Chen roughly pieced together the sequence of events.

Recalling their first meetings, Yang Chen realized Tang Wan's distant attitude toward men was due to these psychological shadows.

"She is a pitiful woman," Fang Zhongping sighed sincerely.

Yang Chen looked up at him, "And you are a pitiful man."

Fang Zhongping was taken aback, then laughed heartily, "That's right, fellow sufferers in life."

Seeing Fang Zhongping laugh and cry simultaneously, Yang Chen felt somewhat uneasy. However, relationships could not be forced, and there was nothing more he could say. He stood up and said, "If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving."

Fang Zhongping turned his back, seemingly unwilling to face Yang Chen directly, and nodded.

Yang Chen walked slowly to his car. As he opened the door, he glanced back at the man standing still in the pavilion, then at the seemingly calm and silent sanatorium. With a few mixed emotions flashing in his eyes, he turned back and got into the car.