"But I don't feel anything wrong, what do you want me to say?"
Chu Jiangnan not only wasn't upset, he even smiled at him.
Though the smile was weak and tinged with helplessness, it genuinely held no trace of sorrow.
The more Chu Wang looked, the more confused he became. "Imperial Brother, Little Li'er... she's not Imperial Brother's daughter, isn't Imperial Brother... disappointed?"
Imperial Brother liked Chu Qianli so much. In fact, before the blood recognition ceremony today, Imperial Brother had already acknowledged Chu Qianli as his daughter.
Now, it was just a matter of confirmation.
But now, to suddenly discover that he had been mistaken all along, how difficult must it be for Imperial Brother?
Yet, he didn't seem sad at all.
"Who says she's not my daughter?" Chu Jiangnan frowned, disagreeing with Chu Wang's statement.
Chu Wang knew he was indeed upset and could only comfort him, "Imperial Brother, although the truth is disheartening, Imperial Brother is the Son of Heaven. You must..."
"She just doesn't want me to know that she is indeed my daughter."
Chu Jiangnan lowered his gaze and drained his tea.
Chu Wang was about to say something, but then suddenly seemed to recall something.
He abruptly stopped speaking.
His palm slowly tightened.
Did Imperial Brother mean... "Little Li'er tampered with the blood recognition ceremony?"
But why would she tamper with it herself?
Was it because she wasn't Imperial Brother's daughter at all? Or... no, if she wasn't Imperial Brother's daughter, she wouldn't need to tamper.
If Chu Qianli had faked the blood recognition ceremony, causing the blood to not meld.
Then, she wasn't fake at all. On the contrary, it proved she was real!
She was real, yet she wanted everyone to believe she was fake.
"Imperial Brother, could it be because..."
"She is a kind girl."
Chu Jiangnan let out a long sigh, put down his cup, and a pang of sorrow swept through his heart.
"Lan Fan placed a life-and-death pact on her. She... doesn't know how long she has to live."
As Chu Jiangnan spoke these words, his heart felt as if it had been ripped open, bleeding profusely.
It hurt!
Yet, his face remained calm and composed.
If Chu Wang hadn't been by his side for nearly thirty years, even Chu Wang wouldn't have been able to see how much pain he was in.
"Imperial Brother, don't worry, I will definitely bring Lan Fan back and order him to lift the life-and-death pact for the Princess!"
Chu Jiangnan merely glanced at him. "You still have the burden of the Heaven and Earth Lock. Little Xuanzi and Yang Xun have already sent people to handle this matter. You don't need to be involved."
"Imperial Brother..."
Chu Jiangnan interrupted him. "Since Li'er doesn't want me to know, you should also pretend to be ignorant. Don't put any pressure on her."
Chu Wang moved his lips, and in the end, he just looked at him, saying nothing.
When would Little Li'er understand Imperial Brother's heart?
This father and daughter... he was already convinced they were father and daughter.
The daughter, to prevent her father from worrying, pretended not to be his daughter.
She must have thought that even if she and Lan Fan perished together, Imperial Brother wouldn't be too heartbroken, as he wouldn't have lost his own flesh and blood.
As long as Imperial Brother believed his own daughter was still alive, at least he would still have hope and wouldn't live in unbearable pain.
And the father, to reassure his daughter, could only pretend to go along with her act.
When would this father and daughter finally acknowledge each other?