Chapter 50: Repaying a Favor

"Xiande, what happened today was my fault. I owe you an apology."
Inside the mountaintop villa, Li Zhentong bowed his head in shame before Li Xiande.

Li Xiande's heart quivered, his throat tightening.

He reached out his hand, but found himself unable to utter a single word.

When he thought about how his fate had come to this, all thanks to the father he once respected most, any flicker of filial affection within him was instantly extinguished.

"Dad, there's something I really want to ask you." Li Xiande stared intently into Li Zhentong's eyes.

Li Zhentong nodded. "Go ahead."

"In your heart, did you ever think I might replace my elder brother and inherit the Li family?" Li Xiande fixed his gaze on Li Zhentong, missing nothing.

He was truly talented—when he was in charge of the company, he far outperformed his elder brother, Li Xianwu, a hundredfold.

But to avoid arousing suspicion between Li Zhentong and Li Xianwu, he deliberately feigned incompetence through drunken error, prompting Li Zhentong to dismiss him from his post.

That was why, back when he managed the pharmaceutical factory so well, bringing prosperity and order, he chose to keep a low profile.

He didn't want misunderstandings to affect their father-son relationship.

Yet despite all this, Li Xianwu still forced him to sign the scapegoat contract, and Li Zhentong, without a shred of mercy, expelled his family from the clan and drove them out of the ancestral home.

Had it not been for his son-in-law, Mo Han, who gifted them a villa thanks to his abilities, his family would likely still be wandering the streets.

Even the greatest debt of upbringing was extinguished by Li Zhentong and his son.

Li Zhentong's eyelids twitched slightly, but he quickly regained composure. "How could that be? Both you brothers are my sons—how could I be biased? If I were, would I have entrusted the entire pharmaceutical factory to you?"

Witnessing the change in Li Zhentong's expression, Li Xiande gave a bitter smile, no longer doubting what Li Bing had told him.

"Dad, you should go. From today on, we have nothing more to do with the Li family." Li Xiande drew a deep, painful breath.

He knew precisely why Li Zhentong had come to plead with him. Though he cared little for the Li enterprise, he cared deeply about Mo Han's feelings.

A flicker of anger flashed in Li Zhentong's eyes, but he quickly concealed it.

"Xiande, though your father lost his head today and committed such a grave error, do you really wish to see me begging in the streets from now on?" Li Zhentong said bitterly.

Li Xiande stayed silent.

Li Zhentong pressed on in a low voice, "Xiande, what will it take for you to forgive your father? Must I kneel and beg for your forgiveness?"

Li Xiande's heart trembled, torn with inner conflict.

Seeing the struggle on Li Xiande's face, Li Zhentong breathed a sigh of relief and, with a thud, dropped to his knees.

To protect the Li family, Li Zhentong was willing to abandon all dignity.

"Xiande, your father was wrong today. Please, for the sake of all the years I raised you, forgive me this once. Spare the Li family!" Li Zhentong pleaded with heartfelt emotion.

Li Xiande's whole body trembled as he watched Li Zhentong kneeling before him. His nose stung, and two silent tears rolled down his cheeks.

Li Xianwu also knelt, saying, "Xiande, rest assured. If you spare the Li enterprise, we will transfer the pharmaceutical factory to your name!"

He might have fared better had he not mentioned it. The moment he brought it up, Li Anan burst out angrily, "Enough! Leave our house now! From this day forward, we have nothing more to do with any of you!"

"Did you not hear? Get out!" Mo Han said coldly.

"Xiande, your father is knocking his head in apology!" Li Zhentong said, and actually pressed his forehead to the floor.

"Dad!" Li Xiande's body shook and he too knelt, right in front of Li Zhentong.

He was, after all, not heartless. No matter what, Li Zhentong was his adoptive father—the man who raised him since childhood.

Without Li Zhentong's adoption, he would never have survived to this day; he would have perished on the streets long ago.

He could not remain unmoved while Li Zhentong kowtowed to him.

"Dad!" Li Anan hurried over to help Li Xiande.

"Li Xiande, get up!" Xu Fang scolded.

She had long seen through the intentions of Li Zhentong and his son, knew they were putting on a show, and wanted nothing to do with them.

Li Xiande shook his hand, signaling his wife and daughter to say no more.

But Xu Fang insisted, "Li Xiande, if you're a man, stand up. They acted without conscience first—have you forgotten how they treated you before? Now, after suffering their own retribution, they come begging. They think you're a fool, don't you see?"

"I understand. I know it all," Li Xiande said quietly.

He was no fool; how could he not see through the hearts of Li Zhentong and Li Xianwu?

But could he ignore the decades of care Li Zhentong had shown him?

He could not!

Truly, he could not!

"Xiaofang, Anan, I beg you, let me repay this debt of gratitude!" Li Xiande looked at his wife and daughter.

Seeing her father's tear-streaked face, Li Anan's nose stung, tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks.

In that moment, she understood her father's feelings. She made a sound of assent, nodded, and said no more.

Xu Fang shook her head, sighed heavily, and fell silent as well.

Li Xiande wiped his tears and turned to Mo Han, his voice trembling. "Mo Han, I've never asked you for anything before, but today I'm begging you—please, give them one more chance."

As he spoke, his tears flowed freely, his face etched with both pain and release.