“I’ll finish up everything at the company as soon as possible, and I’ll leave.”
The lack of resistance from Su Zhinian caused Auntie Su to cry earnestly. “Ah Nian, I’m sorry, this is all my fault… But Ah Nian, I have to do this, just like how I had Qingchun leave the hospital the moment I realized you like her. You’re my son, and while others might not understand you, I do. After Qingchun left, even though you ate your medicine and food on time, I could see that you were not happy. I’m sad, too, but I really have no other choice.
“Because you cannot be together with Qingchun, you cannot fall in love with Qingchun. You can love any girl in the world but your Uncle Song’s daughter.”
Su Zhinian pulled out the tissue and passed it to his mother. He wanted to ask her to stop crying, but when the words reached his lips, they became something else. “I know…”
Auntie Su accepted the tissue and was about to use it to wipe away her tears when she heard the two words from her son. She was startled and raised her head to look at him with shock.
Su Zhinian stared out the window, and his face was filled with a heavy fog of sadness. His long lashes fluttered, and the words that came out of his mouth were light. It sounded like he was talking more to himself than to his mother. “…I know… I cannot be together with her… and that’s why…”
Su Zhinian suddenly stopped, and his hands that were placed on the elbow of the chair gripped tightly.
That’s why… six years ago, when he raped her, he did not take responsibility.
That’s why… six years later, when she confessed to him, he had to cruelly reject her.
That’s why… after they ended up together in bed, he could only give her a box of morning after pills.
That’s why… when she gathered her courage to demand an explanation from him at his company, he had to choose to hurt her cruelly.
That’s why… when he knew she had to leave after that night, he did not say anything and allowed her to leave.
That’s why… so many things happened the way they did.
Su Zhinian’s words stopped the tears in Auntie Su’s eyes. Her pupils started to dart around with panic like she was afraid of something. With her shaking lips, she asked, “Ah Nian, you know?”
“Yes.” Su Zhinian nodded.
His action was light, but in Auntie Su’s eyes, it was like a bomb had exploded. Her hands shook, and even her words had started to tremble. “What do you know?”
Su Zhinian lowered his gaze. “I know everything.”
“You know everything?” Auntie Su repeated that sentence to herself. Her eyes that looked at Su Zhinian were flustered. “Ah Nian, what do you mean by that? Don’t tell me you’ve always known that your Uncle Song is… is… is…”
Auntie Su repeated the ‘is’ many times, but she could not finish the sentence.
Su Zhinian stretched his lips, and his eyes that looked out the window started to glaze over. As if talking about somebody else’s business, he used a tone that could not have been more unaffected to finish his mother’s sentence.
“…is my father?”