Hades, the Urban Legend

Chapter 727: Chapter 730: Letting Go

"Mom," Yang Chen called her that without hesitation, though he could barely contain his emotions. He spoke with determination, "From now on, no one will be allowed to lay a hand on you. If anyone dares, I'll break their bones!"

Ma Guifang chuckled softly, "I knew you'd get upset, which is why I called you over to talk."

Yang Chen was indignant, "Am I supposed to just stand by and watch as you get slapped for something so baseless and unfair?! Should I just endure it?!"

"And what good would it do to fight back? You can hit one person and silence them, but can you silence everyone? Even if they don't speak out, do you think they won't still harbor those thoughts?"

Ma Guifang's expression turned cold as she continued, "Yang Chen, let me tell you something—you can't control what's in other people's hearts. Just like Aunt Zhou, they suspect me, hit me, and curse me, and it's all understandable. It pains me, and I feel wronged, but I know there's nothing I can do about it."

"Why, Mom? Why do you accept this without resisting at all?" Yang Chen shook his head in confusion.

Ma Guifang was silent for a moment before she spoke slowly and deliberately, "Because I'm a widow without a man."

Yang Chen forgot to breathe, staring at the woman in front of him, her words heavy as a thousand-pound boulder pressing down on his heart.

"That woman was right—'A widow's doorstep is always troubled.' Whether I was in the village before, or now in a big city like Zhonghai, as long as I'm a widow without a man called 'husband' by my side, others will look at me differently," Ma Guifang said quietly. "I once tried to fight back, to prove that I'm a decent and innocent woman, but no one would believe me unless I spent my entire life never being seen with a man. Or, until I'm so old that no one finds me attractive anymore, then maybe those women would stop thinking that way."

Yang Chen's nose tingled as if he were about to cry. The woman before him had hidden all her pain deep inside her, silently enduring it for so many years. How hard her life must have been.

"Yang Chen, do you understand now why I absolutely cannot allow Nizi to be with you?" Ma Guifang asked earnestly.

Yang Chen was shaken to the core, unable to find words.

Ma Guifang's eyes showed both love and sorrow. "The only thing that's kept me going all these years is my daughter, Nizi. I know better than anyone how tragic my own life has been. A woman without a good marriage, without a proper husband, doesn't just face hardship in life—the endless rumors, strange looks, and suspicions are a torment that no one should have to bear!

I've walked this dark and endless road until now, and I'm covered in scars. How could I possibly let my only daughter walk the same path?"

"That won't happen!" Yang Chen shook his head desperately, "I won't let Qianyi be hurt, Mom..."

"Enough!" Ma Guifang cut him off. "You don't understand what I'm saying. Maybe you have money, power, and all sorts of means to protect Nizi, so she won't be beaten or bullied. But do you think that just because she isn't hurt or wants for anything, she'll truly be happy?

Have you ever thought about what people will say when you both reach your thirties and she's still unmarried and childless? What if she has a child without being married—how will others view my daughter? Will they see her as someone's mistress? Or as a kept woman? How will other children treat your child together?

These are things you young people might not consider because you're in love, but as her mother, how can I not think about them?

Yang Chen, don't you understand? The more beautiful a woman is, the more she'll be gossiped about as she grows older if there isn't a man standing proudly by her side. If you can't give Nizi the status of a lawful wife, then don't pursue her anymore. It's better to suffer for a few years now than to suffer for a lifetime! And to let the next generation suffer too!"

These intense words hit Yang Chen like a thunderclap, leaving him standing there, speechless.

Ma Guifang couldn't hold back any longer and wiped the tears from her eyes, forcing a tragic smile. "Yang Chen, I know you're a good child. Otherwise, you wouldn't have brought your mother to meet us back then. Maybe you come from a wealthy and extraordinary family and don't care much about worldly opinions.

But our Qianyi is just an ordinary girl. No matter how strong or competitive she is, she's still just a woman. She can't spend her entire life revolving around you. She has her own life, her own friends, and her work circle. She has to interact with society, so personal issues can't be kept hidden forever.

Just because you don't care now doesn't mean she—or your child together—won't care in the future. Are you willing to let her face judgment from others while pretending to be happy in front of you?"

Yang Chen fell silent. These were things he hadn't avoided thinking about; it was just that he had always evaded the issue. Had he been wrong? Was letting go really the best thing he could do for Mo Qianyi?

Seeing Ma Guifang's tear-streaked face, Yang Chen's resolve wavered slightly.

Ma Guifang sighed deeply, wiping her eyes dry. "I know it's hard for you to accept all at once, but I'm thinking of both of you. Not to mention the Lin family's grace to my family. Can you guarantee that with other women around, Lin Ruoxi will always be tolerant? I may not be well-educated, but I'm not foolish enough to think a woman who can manage such a large company would be easy to deal with. Nizi is her employee, and in the future, there will be countless conflicts. For the sake of your family's happiness, you must learn to let go."

"Let go?" Yang Chen laughed bitterly. "Letting go is much harder than holding on."

Ma Guifang smiled faintly, patting Yang Chen's shoulder. "Think it over carefully. My stance won't change because I've lived through it. I won't gamble with my daughter's life. I hope you can come to understand soon."

After a while, Ma Guifang returned to preparing the evening's dishes, and Yang Chen left the Sichuan restaurant.

The sky had darkened, and the light drizzle had stopped.

Yang Chen walked along the brightly lit street, surrounded by the noise of the crowd and traffic, but his heart was cold and clear, with not a single distracting thought.

After walking for a while without finding any resolution, he was about to head towards where he had parked when he suddenly stopped at the entrance of a narrow alley.

In the damp, narrow alley, discarded packaging and junk from nearby shops had accumulated. The stagnant water had turned the trash into a foul-smelling mess.

At that moment, a female beggar wrapped in a blanket sat in a corner, nibbling silently on a dirty white bun.

The beggar's hair was disheveled and wet, her shoes caked in mud—someone who would surely be chased away by city officials if found on the streets.

Yang Chen frowned. Despite her filth and wretchedness, he could still make out who this beggar was.

The beggar seemed to sense someone standing at the entrance, blocking some of the light. She slowly and cautiously looked up. When she saw it was Yang Chen, a look of terror instantly crossed her face.

"You..." The beggar's hand trembled, and the bun fell to the ground.

Yang Chen felt neither pity nor satisfaction. This woman's downfall was nothing but her own doing. Compared to her malicious attempts to destroy Lin Ruoxi and himself, making her live a life like this was already merciful.

Just as Yang Chen was about to leave her behind, he noticed a limping vagrant approaching from ahead, drenched and shivering. The man glanced at Yang Chen with suspicion before quickly turning into the alley.

Squatting in front of Luo Cuishan, the vagrant pulled out a few coins from a tattered bag, grinning proudly. "We've got breakfast covered for tomorrow. I thought rainy days would be bad for begging, but turns out they give us more."

Seeing that Luo Cuishan didn't respond, the vagrant realized she was emotionally distraught, her eyes filled with a mixture of anger and repressed fear, seemingly unable to face the man standing at the alley's entrance.

To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8