Xia Yehua halted and looked at him.
She pursed her lips as her eyes met his. She finally said slowly, "Zihao, Li Mao and I grew up together and had been lovers since we were 18."
Shen Zihao was stunned and started, "You both—"
"We were helpless. His family needed a political marriage, so he married someone from another family and I, your father. But all these years, don't you already know the sort of relationship Lu Mao and I had?"
"We bowed to reality and gave each other up after we got married. But deep in our hearts, we had each other. It wasn't something we could have controlled."
"Very naturally. I cared for him and would pay attention to him."
"Li Mao knew at once that I had left the Shen family with no money and he helped them. I didn't have much cash and your big brother needed immediate treatment. So at the time I accepted his help."