Volume 1, Chapter 151: If you do not want her, I do.

Liang Muzhi had only provided Xu Heping with the hotel address. Whether it was because Liang Zhengguo was wary of him or not, he hadn't been told the floor or room number during his previous visit to find Xu Zhi.

Xu Heping had no choice but to ask at the front desk. Naturally, the staff refused to disclose guest information. Stubbornly, Xu Heping refused to leave, insisting that the receptionist call Liang Jinmo. After a long, tiresome negotiation, the receptionist finally made an internal call to Liang Jinmo's room.

When Xu Zhi received the call and learned that Xu Heping had arrived, she felt nothing but annoyance. She certainly didn't want him coming up; if he learned exactly where she was staying, it would lead to endless trouble. She had no choice but to head downstairs.

When they met in the lobby, Xu Zhi glared at him coldly. Xu Heping, shedding his usual arrogant demeanor, began to fuss over her, asking how she had been lately and whether Liang Jinmo was treating her well.

With people passing through the hotel lobby, they were forced to talk near a sofa in the corner. Xu Zhi finally understood why Zhao Nianqiao had been complaining about Xu Heping’s hypocrisy lately; she found this insincere act unbearable as well. Xu Zhi remained cold and reticent, offering only a few words. As Xu Heping’s one-man show faltered, the atmosphere quickly turned awkward.

Just as Xu Zhi was anxiously wondering how to get rid of him, she heard footsteps. She turned her head and froze—it was Liang Jinmo.

Liang Jinmo approached with long, quick strides. He took her hand and gently pulled her behind him, looking at Xu Heping with a frown. "What do you want with Xu Zhi?"

The man’s palm was warm and dry. As he held her hand, he shielded most of her body and her line of sight. From her vantage point, his tall frame completely blocked Xu Heping. She had been truly irritated to find Xu Heping there, but in that instant, the fog in her heart seemed to dissipate, clearing away completely.

He was protecting her.

Seeing Liang Jinmo, Xu Heping couldn't help but feel a surge of agitation, though the look in Liang Jinmo’s eyes was clearly unfriendly. He hurried to explain, "I just came to see how Zhi and you are doing... You both left so suddenly on the day of the engagement, and as a father, I naturally worry about my daughter."

Xu Zhi was speechless; she couldn't believe Xu Heping could utter such a hollow lie.

Liang Jinmo didn't buy it. His tone remained cold. "Well, you've seen her now. She's fine. You can go."

"You..." Xu Heping started, wanting to demand how he dared speak to him like that, but the words died in his throat. In his heart, he looked down on Liang Jinmo for being an illegitimate child, but he couldn't ignore the fact that the man was successful now—his reputation carried more weight than a hollow, spoiled heir like Liang Muzhi.

He tried to soften his tone. "I know I said some unpleasant things last time... but now that you are Zhi's fiancé and I am her father, we are all family. There’s no need to hold onto grudges. Friction is inevitable among family, but blood is thicker than water, don't you think?"

Liang Jinmo didn't respond.

Xu Heping suddenly remembered that the man before him had been unceremoniously shoved into the Liang family by his own mother as a child, and even his biological father, Liang Zhengguo, had rarely shown him any kindness. He regretted speaking without thinking; Liang Jinmo had never experienced the warmth of familial love and must be indifferent to such notions.

After half a minute of awkward silence, Xu Heping forced a smile. "Of course, every family is different. As for our Zhi, I raised her all these years and provided for her education. Now that she's grown and found someone like you... I’m truly happy for her." Unable to play the emotional card, he began to emphasize his past contributions to his daughter.

This time, Liang Jinmo finally reacted. His voice was calm. "If I remember correctly, on the day of the engagement, you said you didn't acknowledge Zhi as my fiancée. You also said she must be brainless to be with an illegitimate child like me, and that she was ruining her own life."

Xu Heping’s face turned from pale to livid. He had known he might be confronted with old grievances, but when it actually happened, his pride still stung. "I..." He gritted his teeth. "I was just caught off guard! You know how sudden things were that day... It was supposed to be Muzhi. Changing partners so abruptly... I was just worried about what people would say about Zhi. She’s a young woman... I’ve been reflecting on it these past few days. I admit my words were harsh, but please don't take them to heart. There is no obstacle a family can't overcome."

Xu Zhi couldn't hold back anymore. She leaned out from behind Liang Jinmo. "How can you be so disgusting? The engagement with Liang Muzhi was forced by you! If you hadn't threatened me with my mother, that ceremony would never have happened! The humiliation I suffered was your doing!"

Xu Heping was rendered speechless. After a moment, he rubbed his hands together. "Zhi, please forgive your father... I didn't have a choice, did I?" Unable to come up with a defense, he began to play the victim. "These past few days, with you and your mother away, I haven't been well... and the company has been so demanding. No matter how poorly I’ve treated you over the years, didn't I raise you? If I haven't earned any credit, surely I’ve at least put in the effort..."

Xu Zhi was genuinely incensed. Just as she was about to speak again, Liang Jinmo turned his head and tightened his grip on her hand. She paused, looking at him.

He rubbed his thumb gently over the back of her hand, as if to soothe her, before turning his gaze back to Xu Heping.

"Uncle Xu, when I was a child, you came to the Liang house to drink with my father. Do you remember what you said about Zhi back then?"

Xu Heping froze. How could he possibly remember that?

Liang Jinmo continued, "I remember it very clearly. You said you really wanted a son, and that a daughter was useless. You said seeing Zhi at home every day made you angry, that raising such a 'waste' was an eyesore. You even said you suspected that Zhi was blocking your fate with a son, and that you wanted to find a master to ask if you should send her away to see if you could have a son afterward."

Xu Heping looked as though he had been stabbed; his face flushed a deep, bruised purple. "I... I..." He couldn't speak.

He might have been drunk back then; he didn't remember. He had said such things often in the past and had indeed entertained those twisted thoughts. But hearing them repeated by Liang Jinmo now felt like one slap after another across his face. He had intended to use Liang Jinmo to seek cooperation for his investors, but now, how could he possibly bring that up?

Xu Zhi stood beside Liang Jinmo, listening quietly. She had long been numb toward Xu Heping, but hearing that he had once considered sending her away still stirred deep pain. Xu Heping reminded her of Gao Ying, though the difference was that Gao Ying had actually succeeded in sending Liang Jinmo away.

She couldn't help but squeeze Liang Jinmo's hand. He sensed it and held her hand even tighter.

His gaze remained fixed on Xu Heping. "As a father, you did not treat Zhi with kindness. But that doesn't matter. You didn't want her, but I do."