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CHAPTER 467
Grandpa Jiang was washed in guilt and shame. As he sat there listening to all the words of truth that Jiang Meilin said.
It was true that he just let everything happen back then. But he was also blinded by his image just like Bai Guiren. He chose to believe in the words of one party and not both.
"Bai Guiren just came home one day and called me a cheat and you and your oh-so-disciplined wife believed," Jiang Meilin said.
"I'm sorry about that. I should–"
"You should have. That is what you keep saying," she rolled her eyes at him.
"But when that same Bai Guiren who pronounced me a cheat came home in a few months with a wife and a daughter... A daughter who is just a month younger than Renxiang, all of you welcomed them with open arms."
Grandpa Bai heaved a pained sigh as he remembered everything like it was just yesterday.
Lin Ying was so docile and had a pure heart or so they thought. At first, she did not want to stay in the mansion as she felt she would be a burden or look like she was breaking his family apart.
But he(grandpa Bai) and his wife along with Bai Guiren insisted that she stayed. After all, Jiang Meilin was no longer Bai Guiren's wife as they had divorced.
Also, Lin Ying was with a child and knowing that their son was the father, they could not let her bear the burden alone. And just like that, they did not care to pay attention to the little detail of Bai Renxiang and Bai Ming's age gap.
"None of you sat down to think that Bai Guiren was the real cheat between the both of us. He had been cheating at an early stage of our marriage but I was the one who got kicked out."
Grandpa Bai snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Jiang Meilin's voice. He looked away from the cup of tea back to her. For a moment there, he thought he saw a flicker of pain in her eyes.
Within a blink, it was gone. It was like he was the one imagining things as Jiang Meilin was quick to mask her expression.
"Listen, Ms Jiang. It was... We were blinded by–"
"By the lies that I cheated and I was a loosed woman," Jiang Meilin completed his words.
"Please, forgive us for being shortsighted," grandma Bai apologised.
"I have already forgiven you for not believing me because, if not for that... I would have been a fan whose husband had a mistress and an illegitimate child. I would look like a fool in the eyes of many," Jiang Meilin shrugged.
Grandpa Bai sighed in relief. He felt a huge weight lift off his chest knowing that she has forgiven them. Then Jiang Meilin's next words dropped.
Leaning on the table with fingers intertwined together, Jiang Meilin said, "But I don't think I can forgive any of you, especially your son, his greedy homewrecker wife and illegitimate daughter."
"But..." Grandpa Bai had no words to say.
"I only forgave you for making me divorce Bai Guiren, but not for the things you all allowed my child to suffer. I did not forgive the Bai family for the wealth that you stole from us."
The weight that left his chest suddenly came back and it was ten times heavier. How could he have forgotten about that? Or rather why did he expect her to forgive such a thing?
"I think I have wasted enough time here, elder Bai," Jiang Meilin said as she stood up. "Do have a good day."
Left with nothing more to say to the old man, Jiang Meilin walked out of the restaurant. Grandpa Bai could say nothing and only watch her leave.
He closed his eyes as he slowed down the lump he felt in his throat. He looked down at the table and saw that Jiang Meilin had not even taken a sip from the tea.
Of course, she did not. What was he expecting from someone who his family had wronged so much that it looked like there was no forgiveness for them?
Sighing to himself, he took a sip from his tea as he let his head replay every word Jiang Meilin spoke to him. He then realised for the nth time since months after his son's divorce from Jiang Meilin, that he was too blind and foolish.
~Outside the restaurant~
Jiang Meilin let out her breath that she had no idea she had been holding in. She gazed up at the bright sky to push back the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes.
She indeed kept a calm and indifferent face while she was talking to grandpa Bai. But deep inside, she was screaming in pain and anger.
Just listening to him and seeing him brought back a pitiful and sad past that she thought she was immune to. It still made her heart ache like it was being squeezed.
Then grandpa Bai's pitiful face flashed through her mind. She knew he was sincerely sorry as the guilt was obvious. But she forced herself to not care.
When she also begged them to not let Bsi Guiren divorce her as she had done nothing, they did not think to care either. Not only that, the time he took to realise and want to make amends was too long.
It was over ten years and he only thought to do that now. What if Bai Renxiang had never agreed to invite them? What if there was no decision in the first place?
What if they did not want to mention the Bai family not even talk of adding them to the list of people they wanted to invite? Would grandpa Bai have come all the way from City X to this city to want to apologise?
"There won't be forgiveness except becomes right."
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