The main hall fell silent.
Jiang Guoqiang set down his long-stemmed pipe, his expression complicated.
He stared at the tabletop without speaking.
Wen Wan sat beside him, her head lowered, not daring to make a sound.
After a long silence, Jiang Guoqiang's voice softened. "Are you telling me all this because you want me to forgive him?"
Jiang Silu shook her head and said earnestly, "Grandpa, I'm not asking you to forgive him. I just want you to know that he's not the same person he was before. He's good to my brother, he's good to my mom, he's good to all of us. What happened in the past was his fault, but he's trying to change now."
Jiang Guoqiang said nothing. He picked up his pipe, then set it down again.
Jiang Silu continued, "Grandpa, I understand that you hate him. Uncle hated him, and I hated him too. But he's my dad now, and he's trying his best to be a good father. Can you... it's okay if you don't forgive him, but can you not treat him like an enemy?"
