Qi Min was mentioned in his father-in-law's will?
This sentence landed like a bomb in Qin Guan's already tumultuous heart.
Qin Guan stared, utterly shocked, his mouth hanging open for a long moment.
But Old He stopped talking. He didn't elaborate.
Silence fell. The air itself seemed sucked away. Old He just stared wordlessly at Qin Guan, and all the surrounding eyes fixed on him too – hot, scorching, piercing.
"He... my father-in-law... why... why would he mention her?"
Qin Guan finally couldn't help but ask, trying hard to stay composed, but his voice clearly wavered.
"You mean you don't know?"
Old He didn't answer directly. His gaze, cold, hard, and piercing, remained fixed on Qin Guan. "This will was made by your father-in-law, Mr. Xu, one month before his death. Are you saying you never saw it?"
Qin Guan truly hadn't seen it, never seen it. He could have denied it righteously. But somehow, hearing the words "one month before his death," a memory box sealed deep in his heart silently opened.
One month before his death?
He actually secretly made a will back then?
Guilt mingled with fear of the unknown before him, transforming into icy snakes slithering up Qin Guan's spine.
Cold sweat beaded on Qin Guan's forehead.
He had to shut up. Say nothing more. Talking too much invited mistakes. Who knew if the will was real or fake? He had to hold steady, stay calm, not take the bait!
The police were casting a lure!
"When your father-in-law was sick and hospitalized, you actually sent Qi Min to take care of him?" Old He, holding the will, continued calmly.
The will even mentioned this?
Then, it was real.
Chaos reigned in Qin Guan's mind. He didn't know how to answer, nor did he understand why they were asking this.
His attention was entirely focused on the stack of papers in the other man's hand – what else was written there? What exactly had he written?
His heart felt clawed by a cat, desperate to know.
"Let me see—" He moved forward as if possessed, reaching out to grab the will.
"This is crucial evidence! What are you grabbing for?" Old He snapped. "Do you even know your current status? Step back! Answer honestly. Tell me, your father-in-law knew about your relationship with Qi Min while he was alive, didn't he?"
Father-in-law shouldn't have known.
Father-in-law was different from mother-in-law. He was a free-spirited optimist, carefree. In his own words, he was "indifferent" – indifferent to fame and fortune. Qin Guan had privately felt sorry for him countless times. With such good connections, resources, and his level of ability, if he had climbed higher, he could have earned so much more.
But Father-in-law never cared.
Ever since becoming a father, he started donating annually, enthusiastically participating in various charity activities, and later even joined targeted financial aid.
It was precisely his targeted aid that allowed Qin Guan to escape that remote mountain village – Qin Guan's teacher had initially sought Father-in-law's help.
Besides Qin Guan, Father-in-law also funded others.
Even after Qin Guan married Xu Ruyi, his funding didn't stop.
It was said they funded over a dozen, maybe twenty children in total. However, besides Qin Guan, the others seemed to have no deeper connection with the Xu family. It was just that every year, almost every year, the Xu family would receive thank-you letters, postcards, and small gifts from all over.
Qin Guan didn't interfere with this – after all, the old couple had plenty of money, they could do what they liked. As long as those shabby, dirty country bumpkins didn't set foot in his Qin Guan's home.
Life was comfortable; his parents-in-law had few worries. While Mother-in-law was alive, Father-in-law's retirement life was simple and pure: reading the paper, taking walks, listening to opera, calligraphy, fishing...
After Mother-in-law passed, Father-in-law was dealt a heavy blow. He was depressed for several months straight.
Xu Ruyi was the same back then.
Carrying a seven-month-plus pregnant belly, she lay in the hospital and stayed there until delivery.
Auntie Feng and Qin Guan practically ran between two places, caring for Father-in-law while also going to the hospital daily to accompany the expectant mother.
Fortunately, Little Pear came into the world. The new little life gradually lifted the heavy sorrow that had enveloped the entire family.
This child, who arrived early due to Xu Ruyi's poor emotional state late in pregnancy, was born with a delicate constitution. But two months later, she could giggle and babble with milky coos.
Father-in-law slowly began to recover his spirits around that time.
He would smile at the child. Soon after, he clumsily learned to hold her, to play with her.
He bought piles of toys for her.
He started teaching her to read, to draw.
When Little Pear, just learning to speak, first uttered the indistinct word "yeye" (grandpa), Father-in-law was so moved tears streamed down his face.
Originally, life was blissfully continuing like this. Nothing should have happened.
After Mother-in-law's passing, Qin Guan took care of Father-in-law, Xu Ruyi, and Little Pear – these three generations – with meticulous devotion.
He truly gave it his all. He remembered all their preferences, all of them.
His wife and daughter went without saying – in Guanlan Court, Jiayuan Community, even at the law firm, who didn't know Qin Guan doted on his wife obsessively? He remembered every little thing about her. Everyone saw him carrying his daughter out, hoisting her on his shoulders, willingly being her horse.
He treated Father-in-law even better than before.
To ease Father-in-law's loneliness, he often brought him to stay at Guanlan Court, chatting with him. Despite his busy work schedule, he made time to take Father-in-law on trips.
He even enrolled the retired Father-in-law in a calligraphy club to shift his focus. He invested money and effort, framing Father-in-law's works, promoting them, helping him find fresh, tangible fulfillment in this new field.
He paid even closer attention to Father-in-law's health.
Qin Guan personally took Father-in-law for his annual medical check-ups. He strictly followed the doctor's advice, purchasing many health foods for him, taking meticulous care of his three daily meals.
Every time he traveled on business, he would bring back expensive health supplements for Father-in-law.
From any angle, by any standard, Qin Guan was a perfect husband, a perfect father, a perfect son-in-law.
Qin Guan wasn't doing this to atone for guilt – he never considered Mother-in-law's death his fault.
At most, he had merely stood by coldly and failed to intervene promptly.
Many times, in the dead of night, thinking of Mother-in-law, Qin Guan felt no remorse – just like when he faced that ugly old dog, seeing its corpse stirred no ripple in his heart.
That hideous thing shouldn't have come into this world. He was helping it, sending it back where it belonged.
Mother-in-law, of course, he couldn't compare her to that old dog. He still respected her. It was Mother-in-law who didn't treat him like family, Mother-in-law who harbored distrust first.
Such thoughts from Mother-in-law harmed family harmony. See? With her gone, the family finally became what he had hoped for.
This only proved his actions were right.
He became the pillar of this household. He loved everyone. He made the three of them happier. Wasn't that good?
His wife depended on him. His daughter adored him. Although Father-in-law never said anything particularly affectionate, Qin Guan knew from the look in his eyes that Father-in-law was proud of him.
After all, one of the partners at the law firm was Father-in-law's good friend.
"Old Xu, you really had an eye for talent back then! Qin Guan is outstanding! So young, yet already capable of holding his own. Efficient, smart, capable. His future prospects are limitless!"
At every dinner gathering, Qin Guan heard such praise.
Every time, Father-in-law, his lean frame leaning back in his chair, would look at Qin Guan with a gratified smile. His eyes brimmed with pride, affection, and contentment.
This was the life Qin Guan dreamed of. This was the life Qin Guan wanted.
He had become the most important person in this family, the brightest star.
However, he soon discovered it was all an illusion.