Chapter 1273: Chapter 1273: Hating Someone Is So Exhausting

Zhao Feipeng came to and, with his wife’s reminder, suddenly saw things clearly. He no longer suspected Ye Fan, the person previously accused of attempting to harm his son. From Zhao Hai’s murder, to Xixi’s peril, and then the defamation of Jian Tao, it all seemed meticulously planned, definitely orchestrated by someone behind the scenes. Otherwise, such things wouldn’t have happened.

If Ye Fan, who saved Xixi and resolved the defamation crisis for Jian Tao, was actually the suspect, he wouldn’t have offered help. If that were the case, he would have just watched from the sidelines.

If Ye Fan had only helped out of guilt, it would even more suggest that there is a sinister hand manipulating things behind the scenes.

To suggest that Ye Fan orchestrated everything himself is simply unreasonable. Given his character, Mr. Ye would never do such a thing.

Moreover, Zhao Feipeng had another suspect in mind.

Despite being surprised at how formidable this suspect seemed, it only made him more wary.

Having figured everything out, Zhao Feipeng decided to talk to Jian Tao; since they had such a positive encounter with Ye Fan, they should strive to build a good relationship. They couldn’t chill the other side’s heart due to mere suspicion. Besides, Mr. Ye’s repeated assistance clearly showed his sense of justice and loyalty—qualities that were truly rare. He certainly wasn’t going to miss out on this opportunity to forge a friendship.

He planned to pay a proper visit to Ye Fan and Mengyao, but he’d first have to convince Jian Tao.

He worried that Jian Tao was as stubborn as him, unable to distinguish good from bad once she formed a preconceived bad image of someone, which would prevent her from considering things positively.

He made a phone call.

"Dad, what’s up?" Jian Tao’s voice was weak, trying her best to suppress her anger.

"Just letting you know, the online rumors have been taken down." Zhao Feipeng said slowly.

"So quickly?" Jian Tao was surprised, then relaxed a bit and said, "Thank you, Dad, for believing in me and helping me."

"Silly child, there’s no need for thanks; we’re all family. If you can’t trust your family, who can you trust?" Zhao Feipeng said, guiding their conversation. "However, the person who helped Zhao Family and managed to take down the online rumors was not me, but someone else. Even if I had made a move, it wouldn’t have been so swift and effective."

Jian Tao didn’t know that the defamatory comments online had disappeared; after she dropped her laptop, she had been sulking, avoiding even to look at the filth online, and could only take evasive measures against it.

After hearing Zhao Feipeng’s words, she realized this had happened, and she felt somewhat reassured, though anger was inevitable.

"Who helped the Zhao Family? Who cleared my name?" Jian Tao asked urgently.

As Jiang Zhe was arrested and the truth gradually emerged, the slander against Jian Tao vanished. But the damage inflicted was irreparable.

"Ye Fan, Mr. Ye." Zhao Feipeng said decisively, "I thought it over carefully. It was our prejudice against Mr. Ye that led us to suspect him as Xiao Hai’s murderer. But through Xixi’s and your events, I’ve realized we wronged a good person, one who was genuinely eager to help us."

"It was him? It was actually him?" Jian Tao couldn’t believe it and exclaimed, "How could it be him?"

She held gratitude for Ye Fan, and upon learning it was him who helped her, her heart was filled with a sense of thankfulness.

However, she couldn’t immediately accept the transition from someone she believed was an enemy to realizing that he was actually a benefactor.

"Xiao Tao, wake up, stop being stubborn. Don’t harbor prejudice. Think carefully and you’ll understand that the person you suspected isn’t a bad person, but rather someone who’s been helping us all along." Zhao’s Mother took over the phone from Zhao Feipeng, speaking kindly. "The real murderer of Xiao Hai is someone else. Don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment, which would wrong Xiao Hai. Xiao Hai’s good gesture has left Mr. Ye grateful. With your intelligence, I believe you can figure this out."

"This afternoon, your mother and I plan to visit Mr. Ye and President Chu. Get ready, we hope you can quickly come to terms and rid yourself of prejudice." Zhao Feipeng instructed.

"I understand, Mom and Dad." Jian Tao agreed.

After hanging up, Jian Tao fell into deep thought. Based on her interactions with Ye Fan, he didn’t seem like a bad person. Whether it was towards Xixi or her, he was always very considerate. If he were a bad person, he shouldn’t have behaved like this.

In the past, she stubbornly believed it was Ye Fan’s arrogance and disregard that caused her husband’s death because to someone like Ye Fan, her husband was an insignificant character. To such a person, his death wouldn’t affect their own status, so why would he care about the lives of others?

Jian Tao constantly reminded herself that Ye Fan was such a heartless person, but when she calmed down to think, it didn’t seem like that. Ye Fan wasn’t only not heartless, but also very kind to her and her daughter, always looking out for them.

Now that she understood, Ye Fan wasn’t orchestrating Zhao Hai’s murder for organ gains, nor did he deliberately create the kidnapping of Xixi then rescue her, or defame her only to turn into a good person to restore her dignity.

Since Ye Fan wasn’t such a person, everything became clear.

If that were true, then Ye Fan would indeed be a cold and unfeeling person, which contradicted the current impression she held of him. Therefore, considering it this way, Ye Fan wasn’t a bad person.

Since Ye Fan wasn’t the murderer, it indicated that the real culprit was someone else.

Letting go of her suspicions about Ye Fan, Jian Tao felt a weight off her shoulders.

"Hating someone is exhausting!"

Jian Tao murmured sincerely, with a smile on her face, finally feeling relieved and unburdened.

During this period, she’d exhausted herself, forcing herself to hate someone to summon the courage to turn her grief into strength to avenge her husband.

She continuously pushed herself under the lash of hatred, working hard to get close to Ye Fan.

She succeeded, but only she would understand the torment she endured inwardly.

She knew how tired she was, and now, having realized that things were not as she had stubbornly believed, she felt genuinely relaxed.

This sense of mental relaxation freed her from shackles, allowing Jian Tao to finally breathe freely again.

"Zhao Hai, if you’re watching over me from above, you’d surely be disappointed in me."

"I almost committed a grave mistake."

"Luckily, I realized it in time."

Jian Tao whispered tearfully, her voice full of sorrow and heartache, moving anyone who heard it.