PART 32

As Eros stormed out of his parents' mansion, he angrily drove towards the house where he and Liying lived. While on the road, he made a call. "I have a task for you" Yibo commanded the person on the other end. "Just message me the details," the person replied. After the call, Yibo called Liying, asking her to return home.

Believing that Eros wanted to make amends, Liying hurried back to their house. But when she arrived, she was disheartened to see several suitcases in the living room. She called out for Yibo, but there was no response.

A few minutes later, she heard footsteps coming from the stairs. When she turned, she saw Yibo glaring at her with such anger that his eyes seemed to be burning. Liying ran toward him, hoping to ask if there was a problem, but instead, she was met with a strong slap from Eros, causing her lip to bleed.

"What have I done this time? I'm sorry for how I acted last night," Liying sobbed, holding the cheek that Yibo had slapped.

Meanwhile, Gu Wei ignored the knocking on the door, but when he heard A-yuan's voice, he immediately rushed to open it. A-yuan was shocked to see Gu Wei's condition he looked like he hadn't slept, and there were dried tears on his cheeks, making him appear pitiful. Before A-yuan could say anything, Gu Wei embraced him tightly, as if A-yuan was his only lifeline.

Jiyang and Haoxuan exchanged glances and sighed. Gu Wei began to sob while clinging to A-yuan, who didn't ask any questions but instead hugged Gu Wei back tightly. "I don't know what to do anymore. I'm completely drained, little radish," Gu Wei whispered, prompting A-yuan to look over at Haoxuan and Jiyang.

"Baby radish," Gu Wei called A-yuan, making A-yuan think that perhaps Uncle Superhero was referring to the child he had once mentioned.

"Wei², you should talk inside," Haoxuan suggested, and Gu Wei agreed, forgetting about the many cigarette butts scattered on the floor. He apologized to A-yuan for being in such a state when he saw him. A-yuan simply smiled at him.

Once they were seated on the sofa, Gu Wei held A-yuan's hand. "I have something to confess to you." Although A-yuan was curious, he didn't ask or say anything. "Do you remember the story I told you about having a child?" Gu Wei asked. A-yuan nodded in response. Gu Wei took a deep breath before he continued speaking.

"You are the child I am talking about" Gu Wei said softly, but A-yuan heard it clearly.

"What?" he asked in disbelief.

"You are my child," Gu Wei repeated, tears streaming down his face. A-yuan pulled away from Gu Wei's hand that was holding him.

"I know my mom doesn't treat me well, but I only have one mother, and that's her," A-yuan said, standing up to leave, but Gu Wei suddenly embraced him.

"Little radish," Gu Wei whispered. A-yuan shook his head.

"Did you befriend me just to deceive me?" he asked.

"I didn't become your friend to deceive you. I befriended you because I wanted to be close to you in any way I could, to hold you, to embrace you freely" Gu Wei said, crying.

"I wish you had stayed like that" A-yuan replied, his voice breaking with emotion. "If you're my parent, why did you leave me and let them abuse me?" Gu Wei couldn't speak, overcome by his sobs.

"And now you come back just like that, to ruin my family? I don't have any other parents but Mom, Dad, and my sibling," A-yuan said, trying to break free from Gu Wei's embrace.

"Your daddy and I were married once, and you were our child," Gu Wei revealed, shocking A-yuan.

"I don't want to believe you. How could you have married my dad when he was married to Mom? And the age difference between me and Andro isn't that big," A-yuan cried. "They're my only family, and I don't have anyone else." He added. At this point, Gu Wei finally let go of A-yuan. "I'm sorry."

A-yuan ran out of the room. When Haoxuan asked him what was wrong, he ignored him and continued running outside. Jiyang and Haoxuan exchanged glances and nodded to each other. Jiyang went inside while Haoxuan ran after A-yuan.

Meanwhile, Yibo grabbed Liying by the throat, choking her until her face turned pale. "You ruined my life. You're the reason why my life is so miserable," Yibo said to Liying, who was struggling to breathe.

"Dad, what are you doing?" Andro called from the stairs. He was about to run to help his mother, but Yibo stopped him. "Go back to your room," Yibo ordered, but Andro shook his head.

"No, don't hurt Mom," Andro pleaded, but the fierce look in Yibo's eyes frightened him.

"I SAID GO BACK TO YOUR ROOM!" Yibo yelled angrily. Terrified, Andro ran to his room. "Yibo, I can't breathe," Liying gasped, scratching at Yibo's hand around her neck.

"I'm not going to kill you now, but next time, I won't hesitate," Yibo said, finally releasing her. But before he let go, he slapped her so hard that she was thrown to the ground. The force of the slap left Liying nearly unconscious.

"I'm leaving this house. You disgust me," Yibo said, grabbing his suitcase. Even though her vision was blurred, Liying tried to crawl towards Yibo to stop him, but before she could reach him, Yibo was already out the door.

Jiyang approached Gu Wei, tears in his eyes, as he saw him lying on the floor, curled up like a fetus. "I tried to survive, thinking that I still had a family to come back to," Gu Wei whispered through his sobs. Jiyang hugged him tightly.

"The pain and suffering I endured for 16 years are nothing compared to what I feel now. When he kept saying they were his family, I understood him. I'm not angry with him for reacting that way, but it hurts so much to hear those words come from their mouths. My husband, who finally admitted his wrongdoing after 16 years, and my child, who doesn't want anything to do with me" Gu Wei cried uncontrollably.

Meanwhile, just as A-yuan was about to leave, Haoxuan caught up to him and grabbed his hand. "Can we talk?" Haoxuan asked, as tears continued to stream down A-yuan's face. "Didn't I tell you before we came in to give him a chance to explain?" Haoxuan asked, and A-yuan suddenly calmed down.

"Let's sit down for a moment. I have something to tell you, and after that, you can decide whether you want him to be a part of your life," Haoxuan said. A-yuan remained silent but sat down.

"A-yuan, I know we have no right to interfere in your family's affairs. Back when your dad was married to Gu Wei, we weren't part of his life yet. We only came into the picture after he was taken to the place where he was held captive," Haoxuan explained. A-yuan's eyes widened, but he stayed silent.

"You heard that right. Gu Wei didn't disappear because he wanted to leave you; he was kidnapped and imprisoned for 11 years. He fought to stay alive for you and your dad," Haoxuan continued, giving a brief summary of what Gu Wei had been through—something simple enough for A-yuan to understand. He didn't mention the relationship between Yibo and Zhan or who had orchestrated Gu Wei's kidnapping.

Respecting Gu Wei's wish that A-yuan shouldn't harbor any anger toward his father, they withheld certain details. A-yuan began to feel a deep sense of regret and pity for Gu Wei, regretting everything he had said earlier.

"Don't cry. I'm sure he'll understand you. Anyone would react that way if they suddenly found out the person they thought was their mother wasn't really their mother," Haoxuan said, hugging the weeping A-yuan.

"But I said such hurtful things to him without even knowing why he disappeared," A-yuan replied between sobs.

"Why don't you go back inside and tell him everything you want to say?" Haoxuan suggested. A-yuan looked at him with hesitation. "Gu Wei is very understanding, and I assure you, he's not angry with you," Haoxuan said with a reassuring smile.

They went back inside and headed toward the room where Gu Wei and Jiyang were. Before knocking, A-yuan looked at Haoxuan, who smiled at him to give him courage. "Go ahead."

He knocked twice before they heard Jiyang's voice. "Come in, it's open." A-yuan slowly opened the door, feeling weak at the sight of Gu Wei's condition. Gu Wei was still lying on the floor, clinging to Jiyang as if he had lost all strength.

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