"What, you wonât admit to it?" An Yuâer pretended to be upset, stomping with playful force upon Yan Qianfanâs foot.
Her husband smiled wryly. "Yuâer, theyâre Huangâerâs grandfather and cousin no matter what. Qingsang was just a twerpy little child when all that happened. What could he possibly have known or done? Do you hate him too?"
Huangâer looked pleadingly at her mother in response to this. She clung softly to the ladyâs arm.
"Mom, no matter what House Yan did wrong, my maternal grandfather has repaid them back ten times over for it. My paternal grandfather... hasnât been well these years. Heâs remorseful and contrite about his choices to this day. He failed to protect his own son and granddaughter, right? But he also ended up breaking with the rest of the house for my sake, just so I could be together with Brother Chen. The house patriarch even made attempts on his life..."
Huangâer felt that thereâd been enough retribution. She didnât want her mother to be mired in hatred any longer, nor did she want a gulf between half her family and the rest.
An Yuâer had accumulated considerable anger over the years, but her daughterâs helpless gaze caused it to melt away entirely.
Had she suffered more than her daughter?
She had chosen her path alongside Yan Qianfanâs, sharing in his every ordeal and plight. But her daughter hadnât had that luxury. Sheâd been cursed for misfortune from birth.
In a way, Huangâer had endured more severe misery than she. Though An Yuâer suffered a great deal, her husband had always been together with her through thick and thin.
On the other hand, her daughter had been separated from them since birth and had been bullied and tormented besides. If Huangâer could forgive her grandfather despite these circumstances, what did she as a mother have to complain about?
An Yuâer sighed softly, meeting Huangâer in a firm embrace.
"Iâm sorry, dear. It was my fault for not letting go. I need to learn from your compassion and willingness to forgive. I promise you that I wonât mention it again. I donât want your father to be too troubled over it either.â
âThatâs wonderful, mom.â Huangâer was very happy. âI knew you wouldnât be stuck on that for too long. After all, you stayed with dad despite all the difficulties you went through, right?
An Yuâer was in an even better mood when she heard her daughterâs praise.
She glanced at her nearby husband, who was glad despite his reddened eyes. Her heart ached slightly, she didnât want him to be stuck in his own predicament.
âThatâs the end of that, Qianfan. Iâll tell my father in a bit, and we can visit your father with our daughter soon, perhaps.â
Yan Qianfan rejoiced at his wifeâs new attitude. He was blessed to have a wife that was so virtuous and a daughter that was so understanding.
In truth, Divine Kasyapa had already perceived all that had happened here.
He wasnât opposed to the resolution of the issues in his daughterâs heart. No one consumed by their hatred could possibly be content. It wasnât a bad thing for her to overcome her past grievances in this way. If she did not, they would strain her relationships with both her husband and her daughter.
Moreover, though House Yan had invited punishment upon itself, it was as his granddaughter had said: they had received retribution ten times over. Despite that being the case, the god found her leniency astonishing.
Perhaps her receptivity to new things was what had allowed her to pick out someone like Jiang Chen from the crowd?
Yan Qianfan saw Divine Kasyapa in front of them. âYuâer,â he muttered, âfather-in-law is right there. Shall we go speak to him? Why do we stand around blankly here?â
âSure!â The family of three went to greet Kasyapa together.
The divine was cool as he waved a hand. âWeâre family. Thereâs no need to be so formal. Yuâer, your daughter is quite remarkable. A child like this may yet render the tribulations of your union worthwhile.â
An Yuâer was happier to hear her father compliment her daughter than to hear one herself.
âIâd always thought I had a bad time of it,â she replied cheerfully, âbut now I see that I have an incredibly accomplished father, a considerate husband, and an excellent daughter â as well as a son-in-law whoâs every bit her equal.â
âIndeed. Your son-in-law is really something else.â Divine Kasyapa wasnât stingy with the praise. âGiven sufficient time, he could very well surpass me.â
âHuh?â In An Yuâerâs heart, her father was the strongest in all the world, but that same man had just said that her son-in-law could eclipse him someday. She was incredulous at this claim. She knew Jiang Chen was very competent, but hadnât expected him to be more gifted than her father.
Her father was a powerful divine, after all.
Empyrean experts were rather common in Myriad Abyss in general, and the Boundless Prison specifically. However, godhood was an opportunity that less than one in ten thousand had the chance to take.
It couldnât be sought out, only obtained via happenstance.
She and her husband, for example: Divine Kasyapa had already declared it largely impossible for them after their ordeal. At least, the god admitted that he couldnât offer them such.
However, her father had also said that their daughter â Huangâer â did have the potential and destiny.
âFather, does Huangâer really have it in her fate to achieve godhood?â asked An Yuâer.
âYes. The probability for her to do so is very large.â Having become a god himself, Divine Kasyapa had the rudimentary ability to see into the future. This was the basis for his statement. He could very well use his own strength to guide her onto the path, if nothing else.
Husband and wife were overjoyed. âHuangâer, do you hear what your grandfather has said?â An Yuâer beamed. âYou will be a goddess someday!â
Huangâer already knew this. âI just want everything to happen naturally, mom,â she smiled and inclined her head. âRight now, I only want our family to remain happily together.â
âOf course. We wonât ever separate from now on.â An Yuâer nodded as much as she could to affirm this.