Tears streamed down Lin Qingyan's face. He tried desperately to explain, but no one believed him. He wasn't a bad kid; he really hadn't stolen anything.

An Nanyi walked up to him with a smug smile on her face. "Brother, my mother told me that a good child is one who admits their mistakes. You can't do this."

Lin Qingyan stared at the person in front of him in disbelief. It was he who had put the necklace in his schoolbag and framed him. "It was you! You deliberately put the necklace in my schoolbag! You're framing me!"

“I didn’t.” An Nanyi blinked innocently.

Zhou Yuelan was apologizing to Song Shuman, "I'm sorry, Madam, I will educate him properly in the future."

Song Shuman naturally wouldn't hold a grudge over such a small matter. Looking at the child across from her, whose face was covered in tears, she felt a little sorry for him and even wondered if he had stolen the necklace.

But she had no doubt that her well-behaved youngest son would deliberately frame someone else, so the matter was dropped.

Zhou Yuelan was unaware that the Gu family and the An family were on good terms. She was afraid that something might happen if she stayed in the Gu family any longer. Just then, the maid who had gone home to give birth was also returning, so she took the initiative to resign that day and brought Lin Qingyan home.

But Lin Qingyan still tried to explain to his mother. His eyes were red and swollen from crying, and he hugged his schoolbag, lowering his eyes as he whispered:

"Mom, I really didn't steal anything. That kid deliberately put the necklace in my backpack."

"He deliberately made trouble while I was sweeping, pushing me to the ground. He bullied me..." He held out his hand, wanting to show Zhou Yuelan his scraped and bruised palm.

"Why would anyone bully you for no reason!" Zhou Yuelan defended her beloved son, and how could she believe his words? "You're still lying?!"

"I didn't..." Lin Qingyan silently withdrew her hand.

"I think you just need to be taught a lesson!"

Zhou Yuelan was furious. She went back to her room, grabbed a clothes hanger, grabbed Lin Qingyan's arm, and lashed him hard with the hanger. "Still lying?!"

"Are you still going to steal other people's things?!"

Tears streamed down the child's face. He felt no pain; he wasn't crying because of physical pain, but because of his grievance that even his mother didn't believe him.

"I didn't steal it, I just didn't steal it!"

"You're still being stubborn!"

"You stay in your room and reflect on your actions!"

In the small bedroom, a thin child sat in the corner, curled up with his face buried in his arms, his shoulders trembling slightly as he sobbed like a kitten.

His thin arms and calves, exposed to the air, were covered with scars of varying depths, a shocking sight, all inflicted by Zhou Yuelan with a clothes hanger.

The child clutched the wooden rabbit tightly in his palm. "Big brother, I really didn't steal anything! Why doesn't anyone believe me? Why..."

That evening, Lin Qingyan developed a high fever, which was very severe. She remained in a daze for a while before recovering after about a week.

However, after he woke up, he selectively forgot everything that happened at the Gu family.

...

An Qingyan suddenly sat up in bed, his chest heaving violently, his face covered in cold sweat, and his moist peach blossom eyes still held lingering sadness and confusion.

The events of his dream echoed in his mind again and again. He remembered everything, including the time he spent with Gu Fei when he was eight years old, and being wrongly accused of being a thief.

The child who wronged him... was Annan Yi.

Butler Shen said that only Madam An and her youngest son visited the Gu family that day. He is now certain that he did not steal the necklace; it was An Nanyi who did it.

No wonder Zhou Yuelan kept the truth hidden; she was afraid that if she found out, she would take the opportunity to retaliate against An Nanyi. He was her own son, so of course she would protect him in every way.

Therefore, he could treat this insignificant adopted son as he pleased. No matter how he explained, the son would not believe him. When he was happy, he would praise him, and when he was unhappy, he would scold him endlessly.

Even if he was beaten and covered in bruises, she wouldn't feel sorry for him because he wasn't her biological son.

The boy curled his lips into a pale smile, but there was no smile in his moist eyes. Even though eleven years had passed, he could not let go of the matter.

"Yan Yan, you're finally awake!"

Song Shuman strode into the ward, her beautiful face filled with tension and concern. She touched her youngest son's forehead with the back of her hand; it wasn't as hot as before.

"How are you feeling? Are you still uncomfortable?" She poured a glass of warm water and handed it to her youngest son. "Drink some water first. Are you hungry? What do you want to eat? Mom will go buy it for you."

An Qingyan didn't know how to face Song Shuman. She was also there back then, but she didn't believe him either... At that time, An Nanyi was her son, so of course she wouldn't believe him.

She has probably forgotten what happened back then.

Indeed, it's just a small matter to others.

"Why are you sweating so much? Did you have a nightmare?" Song Shuman said, taking out a tissue and carefully wiping the sweat from her youngest son's face. "Be sure to tell us if you feel unwell."

An Qingyan's nose tingled with sadness. His mother had been so good to him, yet he had just complained about her. Wasn't she a victim too?

The warm water cup in his hands warmed the boy's cold palms. He smiled and said obediently, "Don't worry, I'm fine."

"It's good that you're alright." Song Shuman stroked her youngest son's hair tenderly. "It's because Mom didn't take good care of you. We made you suffer so much. I wish you could be less sensible, Yan Yan."

"Little brother, you're finally awake! Your second brother was so worried about you, he couldn't even eat lunch!" An Yu burst in, interrupting their conversation.

Following behind was An Jing, who slapped An Yu on the head, "So those two big chicken legs for lunch were for pigs?!"

"Oh, I forgot, you're a pig."

An Qingyan and Song Shuman couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"You don't respect me!!"

Young Master An was so angry that he developed a double chin.

...

The night was deep.

An Qingyan's fever had not completely subsided, but he did not want to stay in the hospital, so he went home to continue lying down and dared not go out in the cold wind in the middle of the night again.

But he still couldn't stop thinking about the past. Whenever he closed his eyes, those images would flash through his mind: the times he spent with Gu Fei when he was a child, and how he was wrongly accused of stealing after Gu Fei went abroad to study...

Looks like I'm going to have another sleepless night.

Just then, Gu Fei made a video call to him. He quickly sat up in bed, trying to compose himself and make himself look energetic despite his sickly appearance.

"Brother Fei, have you finished your work?"

The man on the screen was still wearing a formal suit, sitting casually on the sofa. A hint of weariness appeared between his handsome brows. Judging from the background, he should be in a hotel.

Gu Fei had just finished work and returned to the hotel.

"Just finished working? Have you eaten yet?"

"Have you eaten, Fei-ge?"

"Yes, I ate." Gu Fei carefully examined the boy on the screen and noticed something was wrong. The man frowned slightly and asked with concern, "What's wrong? Are you sick?"

An Qingyan knew she couldn't hide it from Gu Fei's sharp eyes, so she honestly admitted, "It's just a common fever. I went to the hospital and it's all fine now, so you don't need to worry."

Gu Fei: "Why did you suddenly get a fever?"

An Qingyan felt a little guilty. "I accidentally caught a cold."

Gu Fei stared at the person on the screen, his gentle tone tinged with seriousness, "How did you catch a cold?"

An Qingyan: "..."

"Last night... I couldn't sleep, so I stood on the balcony and pondered life, and ended up thinking for a bit too long."

"So you spent half the day in the cold wind on the balcony?" The man's tone became increasingly serious. He pursed his lips, and his expression was not good either. "It's winter now, Yan Yan."

"Are you still thinking about things from when you were little?" Gu Fei easily guessed what the boy was thinking. His tone was no longer serious, but rather reassuring. "It's all in the past. It's okay if you don't remember."

An Qingyan lowered her eyes and remained silent for a moment.

Gu Fei realized he might have been a bit harsh just now, so she softened her tone and coaxed softly, "Baby?"

Only An Qingyan can enjoy the kind of treatment Master Gu gives her; if others knew, they would be astonished beyond words.

During the day, an employee made a mistake. Gu Fei didn't say anything, but just stared at him silently with a blank expression, which made the employee's legs tremble and he almost cried.

“Brother Fei…” An Qingyan finally looked up at the man on the screen, her eyes red and her voice hoarse, “I remembered things from the past. Just today, I remembered everything.”

"I've remembered the days we spent together." He paused, then parted his thin lips and uttered three words: "Big brother."

Gu Fei was slightly taken aback, then a gentle smile appeared on his face. Looking at the boy on the screen who was about to cry, he wished he could appear in front of him immediately and hold him in his arms to comfort him.

"Just remember that."

"Baby, don't cry."

Upon hearing this, the tears that the boy had been holding back immediately welled up in his eyes. He lowered his head, and the glistening teardrops shimmered under the light, arcing through the air before soaking the blanket.

He couldn't hold it in any longer, and it took him so many years to remember it, but he still felt upset and wronged. He didn't tell his family, but he broke down in front of Gu Fei's concern.

Seeing An Qingyan trying to hold back his tears but still crying with a wronged look, Gu Fei immediately felt sorry for him. He gently stroked the screen with his fingertips, as if trying to wipe away the tears on the boy's face from a distance.

"What's wrong?"

"Tell Brother Fei why Yan Yan is sad."

An Qingyan raised her hand to wipe away the tears on her face, but her throat was choked with a mix of complex emotions, making it too painful for her to speak.

"I'm not a thief, I didn't steal anything..."