On the way back, the atmosphere in the car was stifling.
It had been quiet on the way there too, but mostly because Nanyu was nervous. At this moment, however, the air was truly heavy.
Seeing Tan Linyuan wearing a solemn look all the time, Nanyu wanted to ease the atmosphere. "You don't have to be angry on my behalf. I didn't take what Uncle said to heart."
"You didn't, but it doesn't mean I didn't."
Nanyu fell silent.
Oh no, Tan Linyuan was really angry this time.
From her angle, the knuckles of his hands gripping the steering wheel were pale, clearly indicating that he was holding back his emotions.
Logically speaking, being questioned by her future father - in - law was an insult and a sign of non - acceptance.
It should be her who got angry.
However, when she saw Tan Linyuan getting angry before her and resolutely defending her, her first reaction was to worry about him.
She was afraid that he might do something irrational in a fit of impulse.
Facts proved that Tan Linyuan had great self - control over his emotions. Even when extremely angry, he just coldly said a few words and left.
It was only when it came to Nanyu that he would lose his cool.
Thinking of this, Nanyu's heart softened a bit.
She stole a glance at Tan Linyuan. Seeing that his expression had softened a little, she mumbled, "If it really comes to that, I don't mind going for a check. A clean hand wants no washing. I..."
"I do mind."
Tan Linyuan refused flatly. "My wife and child don't need to prove their chastity and innocence in this way."
As he said this, Tan Linyuan's tone was calm, showing no signs of emotion.
Only the line of his jaw on his side face tightened.
Nanyu was stunned.
"He wasn't really targeting you," Tan Linyuan said casually. "He was just beating about the bush."
Beating about the bush...
Nanyu turned to look at him.
He slowed down the car and gradually pulled over to the side of the road.
"I heard from the older generation that many years ago, my mother had a big fight with my father, and they separated for a while. She got pregnant with me soon after she came back."
The air in the car grew colder.
Nanyu quickly guessed what had happened and tried to stop the topic. "Tan Linyuan, stop talking..."
"So, my father has always thought that my mother did something to betray him and that's how she got pregnant with me."
Tan Linyuan looked calm, and there was no trace of other emotions in his voice.
But only he knew how bitter he felt inside.
Actually, it wasn't as romantic as the outside world said. Things like "considering He Yunqiu's safety", "an older mother is prone to difficult labor", and "Tan Siqi couldn't bear to let his beloved take such risks" were just self - serving disguises.
The truth was that after Tan Linyuan's mother got pregnant with him at an older age, everyone doubted the father of the child in her womb.
Especially Tan Siqi. He even asked her to abort the child several times.
However, Tan Linyuan's mother had a strong sense of pride. She didn't care about anyone's doubts and even disdained to do an amniocentesis to prove her innocence.
No matter how much she was doubted, she just said lightly, "You'll know once the child is born."
But on the day the child was born, she died of massive bleeding during a difficult labor.
Although Tan Siqi had doubts about his wife, his love for her was real. So he transferred all his anger to the newborn Tan Linyuan.
It was Tan Linyuan's grandfather, Tan Wenli, who waved his hand and said that after all, it was a life and it came from their Tan family. No matter what its identity was, they should just raise it up.
Then later, his elder brother died in a tragic car accident. Tan Wenli fainted on the spot and died after being sent to the hospital for rescue.
And once again, Tan Linyuan became the target of public criticism.
The atmosphere in the car became more and more stifling.
Nanyu reached out to hold his hand and found that his fingers were ice - cold, as if they had been soaked in frost and snow for a long time.
His voice was also cold. "Why don't you ask me why among so many temples in Jiangcheng, I was sent to Master Wenjing?"
Nanyu's heart skipped a beat.
"When my mother was young, she had a crush on Master Wenjing, that is, Lin Jing'an."
Nanyu couldn't control her expression and covered her mouth with her hand instantly.
"So the reason why Master Wenjing became a monk was also because..."
"Yes, because my mother got married," he said slowly. "They were childhood sweethearts, but they didn't have a good ending."
There was too much information. Nanyu took a long time to sort out her thoughts.
After a long while, she murmured, "So, you're actually not a child of the Tan family. You're Master Wenjing's..."
"What are you daydreaming about?" Tan Linyuan couldn't help but smile softly and gently flicked her forehead. "I'm of the Tan family's bloodline. There's no doubt about that."
Nanyu was already confused. "How do you know?"
Tan Linyuan looked at her as if she were a fool.
Oh right, a paternity test could be done.
Tan Linyuan told Nanyu that after Master Wenjing told him all this, the first thing he did was to do a paternity test.
He had no blood relation with Master Wenjing.
And he was a direct - line father - son relationship with Tan Siqi.
"Back then, my mother didn't betray him and only loved him. Master Wenjing was just unrequitedly in love."
Nanyu finally sorted out the relationships.
That is to say, Tan Siqi and He Yunqiu were originally in love. But because Master Wenjing and He Yunqiu were childhood sweethearts, and when they had a fight, He Yunqiu went to the temple to pray. As soon as she came back, she was found to be pregnant.
The suspicious Tan Siqi began to wonder if his wife had an affair with his childhood playmate during that cold - war period.
But in fact, He Yunqiu had never done anything to betray him.
Not even once.
After Nanyu sorted all this out, she suddenly remembered that she had once pestered Tan Linyuan to tell her about his past, but he was reluctant to talk about it.
She thought he had built a high wall against her. Now that she knew everything, she finally understood why he never said a word about his past.
It was just too heavy.
After hearing all this, Nanyu's heart felt as if it was filled with sand and was constantly sinking.
"Then why did Shen Yanche still say you were..." She didn't finish the last two words because she thought they were too hurtful.
Tan Linyuan sneered. "Because I went for the check myself. I didn't tell anyone."
She didn't ask why he didn't make it public.
Presumably, like his mother, Tan Linyuan also had a strong sense of pride.
If one has done nothing wrong, why should one be blamed?
If someone wants to blame you, they'll always find an excuse.
Whether he was of the Tan family's bloodline or not, there was no need to prove it to anyone.
Tan Linyuan held her hand back. The light in the car was dim, but she could clearly see his calm eyes.
"Yuyu," Tan Linyuan looked into her eyes. "Since my mother didn't need to prove herself decades ago, then neither do we need to prove ourselves to anyone decades later."
"You love me, and I love you. This is an incontestable truth that we both believe in. Who else do we need to prove it to?"