The Vanishing Lover

"Dad..."

Qin Guan obediently sat down on the rest chair opposite his father-in-law. He spoke steadily, calmly, yet still maintaining humility, gentleness, and respect.

His father-in-law didn't respond. Since Xu Ruyi left, he had been turned away, staring distractedly at the trees by the water, as if deep in thought.

"Dad, are you thirsty? Let me pour you some water..." Qin Guan tried to start a conversation, standing up to reach for his father-in-law's water cup.

"Right now, it's just you and me here. No need for performances. Let's get straight to the point."

His father-in-law finally turned his head. He pushed the water cup away. His face was as cold as ice. His gaze fixed frigidly on Qin Guan. "You, like a man, tell me what you've done."

He was telling him to speak.

Qin Guan placed the cup back. In that split second, his mind raced—should he be direct? Should he lay it all out?

He should lay it out. Be forthright. Be a man—as long as he admitted what his father-in-law knew and bravely accepted responsibility and the consequences, his father-in-law would forgive him.

Just like before, when he had talked back to teachers at school, or even got into a physical fight with a classmate. Back then, when he was still just Uncle Xu, his father-in-law had received the teacher's call but hadn't criticized him.

His father-in-law had only asked him to admit his mistake voluntarily.

What he always wanted was the attitude.

"Dad, yes, I did wrong. I made a mistake."

Qin Guan stood up straight, head bowed, readily admitting it.

His face wore an expression of sincerity, obedience, and remorse, just like when he'd made mistakes before.

"I never imagined that one day I would succumb to temptation, that I would do such a thing."

The affair with Qi Min was non-negotiable; he had to admit it. His father-in-law knew 100%. Only by preemptively admitting fault in this situation was there a chance for redemption.

"In fact, I've been reflecting on myself these past days. I realize I still wasn't grounded enough. I became complacent, arrogant, after just a little success. I've also been constantly reflecting on this marriage—I received too much, too easily, too beautifully, and I didn't cherish it at all. I've also been terrified. I didn't know how to tell you or Ruyi. I didn't know if she would forgive me. Because of this, I've been sleepless every night, unable to sleep. I despise myself. But the mistake is made. I can't undo it, even if I'm willing to pay any price..."

His tone was heavy, sorrowful, filled with sincerity—these words had churned in his stomach for days. He knew them almost by heart. So when this opportunity finally came, the sentences poured out like floodwaters bursting through a dam.

Coupled with his gift for pathos—who in the courtroom hadn't witnessed Lawyer Qin's skill? He could turn black into white. He could make the gallery weep.

Especially facing this father-in-law who was always soft-hearted and regarded him as his own son.

"Spare me your hypocritical nonsense!"

His father-in-law's voice was soft, but this softness carried a force Qin Guan couldn't defy—an unfamiliar force. His father-in-law had never been like this before.

Before, he would always listen seriously, offer earnest counsel—an affair? Wasn't admitting fault and correcting it enough?

Qin Guan fell silent, looking at his father-in-law in bewilderment—what exactly did he want? An affair—did he want him ruined? What good would that do for himself, his daughter, or his granddaughter? Or, simply because the one cheated on was his daughter, the crime and punishment should be escalated?

If that was the case, why pretend to be so high-minded all the time?

"When did you start seeing Qi Min?" His father-in-law didn't mention punishment, only asked coldly.

Why ask this?

Qin Guan didn't understand. The deed was done. Did he need to interrogate the details? What was the point?

But Qin Guan still had to answer. "Almost... almost a year..."

"Tell the truth." His father-in-law's face grew colder.

Was he going to decide the severity of punishment based on the length of time? How childish?

Qin Guan didn't understand what his father-in-law was playing at, but he no longer dared to lie. "Almost two years..."

"Two years? Over three years!" His father-in-law clenched his fists, suddenly roaring in a low voice.

Over three years?

Qin Guan was dumbfounded—his relationship with Qi Min had indeed only been two years. Over three? No, three years ago, Qi Min hadn't even joined the firm. He hadn't even met Qi Min yet. Had the old man gotten so angry he was confused?

"Over three years," his father-in-law stated firmly. "You've deceived my Ruyi for over three years! For all that time, she's been kept completely in the dark!"

"She fell in love with you in her teens. She gave you her whole heart. Tell me, Qin Guan," his father-in-law gritted his teeth. He was clearly furious, but his habitual restraint only manifested in clenched fists. "Where exactly did she fail you, that you would treat her like this?"

"It's my fault, not hers. She is wonderful. I'm scum, Dad. I truly am wrong..."

Qin Guan's legs went weak. He wanted to kneel—kneeling had been part of his initial preparation, but that was for home, not outside.

This was a park. People walked in the distance.

"Tell me!" His father-in-law cut him off. "I paid for your education! I raised you to adulthood! I helped you become successful! I entrusted my only daughter, my most beloved daughter, to you! Why would you do this to her?"

His face was livid with anger, but at the mention of "my most beloved daughter," his eyes instantly reddened.

"Dad—" Qin Guan panicked. Seeing no one looking their way, he slapped himself hard across the face. A loud crack. His cheek instantly reddened and swelled.

"Dad, I truly know I was wrong. Dad, hit me, scold me, punish me however you want. I know I was wrong. For these two years, I actually haven't slept well every night..."

"Two years? You're still saying two years?" His father-in-law raised his voice. He looked up, took a deep breath. "Three! Three years, six months, and three days!"

Qin Guan looked up, puzzled.

"Do you know why I remember even the days?"

His father-in-law's chest heaved. His eyes were red. "It wasn't until today, after asking Ruyi many things, until just now, when I connected all these things, strung them together, that I finally understood the truth! I finally knew what really happened all these years!"

"Three years, six months, and three days. That day... was the day Ruyi's mother passed away."

"That day, I will always remember. At noon, she called me. We were talking fine on the phone. She suddenly said, 'I'll hang up now, I think I see someone...'"

"The person she saw that day... was you! Wasn't it?" His father-in-law roared. His hands pounded the arms of the wheelchair—it was a new model, with several movable switches on the armrests.

Qin Guan's head felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. He stared despairingly at the wheelchair armrests, his face deathly pale, unable to lift his head—

This was completely unexpected. Had his father-in-law pieced together the truth about his mother-in-law's death?

Did he know?

"Look me in the eyes! Answer me!" His father-in-law ground his teeth. His whole body trembled. "That day, she saw you, didn't she?"

He lifted his face, staring directly at Qin Guan. Pain spread wildly across his thin, refined features. "Tell me! She... her sudden attack that day... was it... because she witnessed your affair with her own eyes!"