Elder Shen and everyone else were astonished. What is she doing?
Xinghe and Mubai, who stood beside Elder Shen, didn't display any change in their emotions. They watched this with a cold eye.
"What are you doing?" Elder Shen asked Tong Yan hurriedly.
Tong Yan looked at her with misty eyes like a poor child. "Grandfather, Mother and I can't choose how we are born, but we can choose our family. Can you please forgive us? We know our mistakes and will respect you as our most beloved elder from now on, so don't abandon us; we really cannot separate ourselves from you, because you are our closest family!"
Elder Shen thought they were only going to appreciate his care towards them in this party, turned out they still harbored the wish to return to the Shen family…
Elder Shen was not a cold-blooded person. He was indeed moved by what she said, however he had promised Xinghe to temporarily cut ties with them. For the sake of his lost daughter, he couldn't accept them back into the Shen family.
Elder Shen stretched out his hands to help Tong Yan stand up and sighed. "Please stand up, stop kneeling."
"No!" Tong Yan rejected him stubbornly. "Grandfather, if you don't say you've forgiven us then I will not stand up!"
"Father, please forgive us!" Shen Ru also rushed over to beg him. Touched by the mother and daughter's performance, many people there couldn't help but pity and empathize with them. Some even helped them to convince Elder Shen.
"Elder Shen, why don't you forgive them? They didn't exactly do anything wrong, this is all the Lin family's fault and they didn't know anything about it, so you really shouldn't blame them."
"That's right, after all, you did raise them, even if they are not your biological kin, the decades of relationship still count for something, right?"
"Grandfather, can you please forgive us?" Tong Yan grabbed his arm tightly and begged through her tears.
Elder Shen said after a short silence, "Actually, I've never blamed either one of you, so please stand up, I really didn't fault you two."
"Really?" Tong Yan was surprised. "Grandpa, this means you're ready to accept us back?"
"Father, you're willing to take us back into the family? You're willing to take me back as your daughter?" Shen Ru asked with anticipation.
Elder Shen shook his head. "We can discuss that later. Today is Little Yan's birthday; let's not ruin the occasion with such heavy details, please stand up."
To his surprise, Tong Yan suddenly started crying again. "Grandfather! You already decided to reaccept us that day, but in just a matter of minutes, you reneged on your words. Why is that? Is it really because of her?"
Tong Yan pointed directly at Xinghe. Suddenly, Xinghe was put on the spotlight.
Elder Shen frowned with displeasure. "What does this have to do with Xinghe? Don't simply accuse people."
"I'm not! It is because of her that you decided to abandon us. That day, you'd already promised that you would reaccept us, but after a secret meeting with her in the study, you suddenly went back on your words. Even Xia Xinghe herself has admitted that she is the one pulling the strings. But I do not understand, she is nothing but your new step granddaughter, so why are you listening to her every word. I do not understand why that is. In your heart, is she more important than us? Could it be that she can offer you something our family cannot offer?"