Thinking of the suffering Jiang Ning endured in the orphanage, Gu Tinglin could not forgive himself. 

The truth couldn’t be hidden any longer. Song Yaling covered her face and cried, “I’m sorry, I did deceive you. When I was on the operating table, knowing that the child carried your blood, I really couldn’t bring myself to abort it. 

I waited every day for you to come back and help me through this difficult time, but you never came back. 

The Song family raised me, and I couldn’t watch the family fall apart. So, a marriage alliance was necessary, but the Chen family elders would never accept this child. 

I couldn’t wait for you, and my parents forced me every day, so I could only give birth to the child secretly and send it to the orphanage. 

When you came back, I wanted to tell you the truth, but the Song family heard rumors and suspected me at the time. If I told you, the matter would be exposed. 

From the beginning to the end, I only loved you and wanted to marry you and have children with you. But could you have saved the Song family?” 

Her words were heart-wrenching, and her tears were filled with sorrow, as if she had endured great pain. Unfortunately, Gu Tinglin would no longer believe her. 

“You chose to hide the truth because you were afraid, I would interfere with your marriage to the Chen family.” 

She knew he wasn’t the type to pester her, but to avoid any unforeseen complications, she ruthlessly left Jiang Ning to fend for herself in the orphanage. 

“I didn’t. You really misunderstood me.” 

“Fine, even if you were afraid the Chen family would find out, what about after marriage?” 

Her tears flowed uncontrollably, but they could no longer move his heart. Instead, they stirred his anger. “You have thirty years to tell the truth. Why didn’t you say it!” 

Song Yaling was speechless and wanted to open her mouth several times but couldn’t say a word. 

She had the opportunity to say it, but how to say it? 

Tell Gu Tinglin that she couldn’t forget him even if she got married? 

To reveal that she abandoned their daughter in the orphanage, would he hate her and think her selfish and inhumane? 

She was really scared. 

The more afraid she was, the less she dared to say it. 

Gu Tinglin looked at her, his eyes becoming more and more indifferent. “It is said that even a tiger will not eat its own cubs. You are already wrong to throw Jiang Ning in an orphanage. Why did you indulge Chen Yanfei in killing Jiang Ning?” 

“Is that how you really see me?” Song Yaling was bitter and tearful. “I didn’t care for Jiang Ning, but after all, she’s my own flesh and blood. Why would I want to kill her? 

You have never been with her, so you don’t know her temper. 

In Fengcheng, because Yanfei’s alpaca spit on her, she dared to violently beat her in public and forced her sister to eat feces and urine. How vicious is she to force someone to death? There is no family affection at all. 

The two of them had a grudge because of this, and Yanfei also had a grudge in her heart. It happened that they met at the base, and she wanted Jiang Ning to suffer a little, so she found someone outside. 

Who knew those people misunderstood? Knowing Yanfei was the chief’s daughter, they took it upon themselves to try to kill Jiang Ning to claim credit. 

You also saw what happened today. Not only did she want to kill Yanfei, but she also even dared to beat me…” 

Knowing she had become selfish, but not expecting her humanity to be lost, Gu Tinglin’s last glimmer of light extinguished. He said coldly, “Don’t you know what Chen Yanfei is thinking as her mother?” 

If it had been thirty years ago, he really might have lost control. 

But after years of accumulation, his anger could no longer be expressed in such a crude manner. 

Facing the person he once loved in his youth, who had become what she was today, he bore some responsibility. 

After learning that Jiang Ning was his biological daughter, Gu Tinglin had a chance to meet her. She was an independent and strong child who not only thrived in the apocalypse but also found a lifelong partner. 

Natural disasters could strike at any time. He had his own responsibilities and missions, and he was destined to be unable to care for and make up for his daughter like an ordinary father. 

And he knows in his heart that Jiang Ning does not need family affection. 

He hadn’t considered whether to recognize Jiang Ning or how to handle Song Yaling, but he didn’t expect her to be so cruel. 

“Why are you treating them so differently when they’re both your flesh and blood?” Gu Tinglin was thoroughly disappointed and no longer gave her a chance to explain. “Song Yaling, do you want me to bring out the evidence that you wanted to kill Jiang Ning?” 

Song Yaling didn’t know that Doudou had taken a video. “You installed surveillance at home?” 

Gu Tinglin didn’t, but he tacitly acknowledged it. 

Song Yaling seemed to be strangled by the throat; her face was pale, and she couldn’t say a word. 

She had changed, but Gu Tinglin had changed even more. 

No matter what she said, he would never believe it again. 

After a long silence, she smiled bitterly and sighed, “Yes, I am not a good mother, and I am even more ashamed to face Jiang Ning, but do I have a choice? I want the Song family to be well, and I want to marry you and love you, but who gave me the choice?” 

Song Yaling cried silently, who could she blame for being driven to this point? 

She cried and laughed, staring blankly at his face. “Gu Tinglin, do you still love me?” 

Could someone who abandoned even their own flesh and blood for their own survival, even to the point of killing, be worthy of love? 

Gu Tinglin asked back, “Is that important to you?” 

Song Yaling knew the answer but was unwilling to believe it; now she was completely heartbroken. “What do you plan to do with me?” 

Gu Tinglin was silent for a long time before speaking. “Pack up. Xiao Tang will send you to the official base in Jiacheng in half an hour.” 

“Dad, I’m not going to the official base.” Chen Yanfei could no longer contain herself and burst in, “Natural disasters can strike at any time; going to the official base now is like seeking death.” 

Gu Tinglin calmly corrected her, “I’m not your father; Jiang Ning is my daughter.” 

“But she didn’t die at all. Instead, she almost killed me.” Chen Yanfei couldn’t swallow this breath. “She not only beat me in public but also destroyed my face. Can’t we make it even?” 

Gu Tinglin’s gaze was sharp. “Jiang Ning didn’t die not because of your leniency, but because she’s strong enough.” 

There was no point in saying more. Facing the venomous mother and daughter, he restrained himself and said coldly, “If you don’t want to leave, according to the base’s laws, although you failed to harm the military personnel, it still meets the execution standard for a death sentence. 

Everyone must be responsible for their own choices. You decide whether to go or stay.” 

After speaking, he stood up and left. 

The door slammed shut with a bang, causing Song Yaling’s heart to ache. 

Chen Yanfei was shaky and said in panic, “Mom, what should we do now?” 

What could Song Yaling do? Gu Tinglin had already spared her. 

If they really wanted to tear their faces apart, they wouldn’t even have the chance to step out of the gate of the military base. 

“No, I won’t leave!” Chen Yanfei was used to a good life and couldn’t imagine a dark future. She collapsed in despair. “We have nothing. If we go to Jiacheng like this, we will definitely die miserably. Mom, why don’t you go and beg Jiang Ning? You gave birth to her and gave her life. Maybe she will let us go.” 

It’s useless. If Jiang Ning still had a heart, Song Yaling would not have come to the military base that year. 

When the slap came, Song Yaling sensed Jiang Ning’s murderous intent. 

If she went to beg her, she might even lose her life. 

She sighed deeply. “Yanfei, we can only rely on ourselves in the future.” 

Chen Yanfei cried, “Mom, how can we survive on our own?” 

Song Yaling’s heart was dead. “If we can live, we’ll live; if we can’t, we’ll die.” 

“Mom, I don’t want to die!” 

Half an hour later, a military vehicle drove out of the base shrouded in twilight, speeding towards Jia City…