Quentin Hua gently patted her head, a hint of confusion in his voice. "What's wrong?"
Roxy Shangguan looked up at him and said, "Let’s go!" She only wanted to help him vent his frustration, never considering how he might feel. She could sense that Quentin Hua’s mood had dimmed ever since stepping into the Hua Mansion—clearly, the memories here were anything but pleasant. She shouldn't have insisted on bringing him back to the Hua Family.
Seeing the pain and guilt in Roxy Shangguan’s eyes, Quentin Hua couldn’t help but smile. It was impossible to treat her as just a two-year-old.
He kissed Roxy Shangguan’s little cheek and smiled, "I’m fine. I was the one who left the Hua Family, not the other way around." Those memories were unpleasant, yes, but they didn’t matter to him anymore.
Roxy Shangguan desperately wanted to know why he’d left the Hua Family. That woman said he’d run away from home, but Roxy knew Quentin Hua would never do such a thing without reason—especially to sever ties so completely. The Hua Family must have done something to shatter his trust, making him abandon these so-called relatives.
Even though she was curious, she was afraid to bring up Quentin Hua’s painful past, so she didn’t dare ask.
Watching her struggle with her thoughts, Quentin Hua let out a soft laugh. Her concern warmed his heart, and the faint sadness he’d felt vanished completely.
He flicked Roxy Shangguan’s forehead with a lazy smile. "Curious about what happened to me in the Hua Family?"
Roxy Shangguan rubbed her forehead, catching sight of that mischievous smile on his lips. Suddenly, she lunged forward and nipped at his lips, mumbling, "Quentin, I’m just a kid—you can’t tease me like that!"
"Haha..." Seeing Roxy Shangguan’s little face twisted in frustration as she looked at him, Quentin Hua burst out laughing. He thought he was the one suffering, unable to have what he wanted—how had the tables turned?
Roxy Shangguan tilted her head up to gaze at his enchanting face, a quiet pride blooming in her chest. No wonder she had fallen for this man—he was beautiful from every angle.
Quentin Hua chuckled, gently pinching her cheek. "It's really not such a big deal," he said, his voice warm.
Seeing that he wasn’t upset, Roxy Shangguan didn’t stop him from continuing. She genuinely wanted to know.
Quentin Hua pointed to his own face. "Because of this face," he said simply.
Roxy Shangguan interjected, "It’s because you’re too beautiful, isn’t it? They’re just jealous of you!"
Quentin Hua flicked her forehead and laughed, "Don’t interrupt." Seeing Roxy squint her eyes at his playful gesture, he found himself liking the motion more than he expected.
Roxy Shangguan obediently fell silent. Quentin Hua continued, "This face doesn’t look like Charles Hua, nor Autumn Du, but it does resemble Charles Hua’s sworn brother. That man used to live at the Hua Mansion."
Roxy Shangguan realized what he meant—Charles Hua must have suspected Quentin wasn’t his own child.
Thinking back to how Charles Hua treated Quentin Hua at the gates of the Hua Mansion, it was obvious—he despised Quentin. No matter the truth, Quentin’s very existence was a shame in Charles’s eyes. Of course he’d never show Quentin any kindness.
Quentin Hua said quietly, "Charles Hua refused to acknowledge me. Because of this, Autumn Du nearly lost her place as the family matriarch, and she resented me for it. She hated to see my face, and hated even more for Charles Hua to see it, so she left me to rot in a small courtyard, never asking after me. Eventually, I left the Hua Family for good."
Roxy Shangguan shook her head and sighed, "It’s all trouble brought by being too beautiful!"
But a flash of coldness passed through her eyes. Quentin Hua had summed up the story in a few words, but Roxy Shangguan knew it wasn’t nearly so simple.
In truth, it was far more complicated. Unloved by his father, unwanted by his mother, even the servants took pleasure in tormenting him. Because of Quentin, Charles Hua grew cold toward Autumn Du, and the concubines, emboldened by Charles’s favor, bullied Autumn Du as well. Her resentment toward Quentin only deepened. Whenever she suffered, she took it out on Quentin—once she nearly strangled him to death.
Several times, Quentin Hua barely clawed his way back from the brink of death. He knew that if he stayed at the Hua Mansion, sooner or later he’d lose his life. So he made the decision to leave—he just wanted to survive.
Fate was kind to him, but also cruel. He survived, only to fall into the hands of the Blood Wraith, powerless to escape. It was like trading with the devil. But he never regretted it—at least, he was alive.
Back then, Mason Ma was the only one who cared about him. If not for Mason, Quentin wouldn’t have survived those darkest days. So, no matter what, as long as there’s hope, Quentin would save him—because his own life was saved by Mason Ma. If only...
Roxy Shangguan couldn’t bear to see him sad, so she hurriedly changed the subject: "So, Quentin, are you really Charles Hua’s child?" The moment she said it, she wanted to bite her tongue—this wasn’t changing the subject at all.
But by accident, she’d hit on the real issue. Quentin Hua felt low only when he thought of Mason Ma; as for the Hua Family, he hardly cared. The moment he left, they ceased to matter to him.
Quentin Hua smiled and asked, "If I say I am, do you believe me, Roxy?"
Roxy Shangguan looked him in the eye and said, "If you say so, I’ll believe you!"
Quentin Hua was taken aback, then hugged her closer. Maybe fate really had been good to him after all.
Looking at Roxy Shangguan’s earnest little face, Quentin Hua laughed. "Autumn Du told me herself—she never had anything to do with that man. She wouldn’t have dared. Besides, he was supposedly mysterious, not an ordinary person at all. He probably wouldn’t even look twice at her!"
That man disappeared before Quentin was born, but ever since he was a child, Quentin heard the servants gossip. They swore he wasn’t that kind of person, and said Autumn Du must have seduced him. Quentin was curious what kind of man could inspire such loyalty, so he investigated. All he found were a few stories from the time the man stayed at the Hua Mansion—and none of them suggested he was that sort at all.
"Mm." Roxy Shangguan nodded. "Only a blind man would fall for that scheming woman!"