Chapter 3: The Biggest Joke in the World

As soon as Lin Moran got home, she took down the picture of Gu Jingyao that was hanging on the wall.

A person is still alive; there’s no need to hang their picture on the wall.

Gu Quanzhe sat on a small stool, sulking.

Lin Moran sighed softly and hugged Gu Quanzhe. She hadn’t expected Gu Jingyao to return.

She had always thought he was dead, so she hung Gu Jingyao’s picture on the wall and told Quanzhe that this was his father, a martyr, a hero.

It was better than telling Quanzhe he had no father; a heroic father could at least give him pride and a sense of security.

Seeing Gu Quanzhe so despondent, she regretted her actions.

She should have only told him that his father was a hero, not let him remember his father’s appearance.

“Mom, am I like Xiao Ying who lives at the end of the street, better off without a father? Her father doesn’t love her, and my father doesn’t love us either.”

Gu Quanzhe pouted, his voice full of grievance.

Lin Moran’s brows furrowed slightly. She didn’t say anything but hugged her son tighter.

Gu Quanzhe, so young, could sense that Gu Jingyao didn’t care for them.

Yet, she had been so obtuse, unable to see that Gu Jingyao didn’t like her. If she had had even a little bit of insight, she wouldn’t have married him.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t until she was sorting through his belongings and found his letters and diary that she learned the truth.

Everything in his diary was about Xu Jingya. Many unsent letters were also addressed to Xu Jingya.

Many letters began with, “Dear Jingya, long time no see, I miss you very much.”

Later, perhaps he felt this expression was too blatant, so he changed to nicknames like “the quiet girl,” “the girl who doesn’t talk much,” etc. The content was romantic, passionate, and unrestrained.

“Looking at the moon in the sky, thinking of your smile, I finally feel sleepy. Remember to come into my dreams”;

“As soon as my pen touches the paper, I seem to see you smiling. When I get back, I’ll secretly kiss your eyes, your cheeks, your lips, and everything about you.” I think I love you, more than I imagined;

“If we had a daughter like the four-year-old girl from the Commander’s family, with big, bright eyes like black grapes, and cute dimples when she smiles, that would be wonderful.”

After he returned to the army, he rarely wrote to her. When she wrote to him, he only sent short telegrams, saying he was busy.

She thought this was his way of communicating with everyone. To not bother her, after receiving his telegram, she never replied, not even telling him about her pregnancy.

She naively thought that not telling him would make him even more surprised when he saw the child.

When the news of his death arrived, she was filled with self-blame and guilt. If she had told him about her pregnancy earlier, perhaps he wouldn’t have had so many regrets when he died.

In the midst of her unbearable pain and guilt, she found his diary. The diary contained not a single mention of her; his thoughts and affections were all for the woman named Xu Jingya.

“Secretly kiss her eyes, kiss her cheeks…”

Every word in his diary was like a branding iron seared onto her heart, burning her soul.

She felt as if she had been torn apart. She had just given birth, the pain of her wounds and breastfeeding, coupled with his death, made her feel as if the sky had fallen. She wanted to follow him into the grave.

In the end, she mourned his death, only to find out that his heart had always belonged to another woman.

She suddenly found it funny. She was the biggest joke in the world!

“Zhezhe, let’s just love ourselves. Remember, there will be many people who love you in this world, and many who don’t. We need to get used to it. Only by loving ourselves can we become strong and not be knocked down. Whether others love us or not is their business, it has nothing to do with us. Whether we love ourselves or others, that’s what matters to us.”

Lin Moran said to Gu Quanzhe.

Gu Quanzhe became even angrier, “I won’t love someone who doesn’t love me!”

Lin Moran sighed deeply again.

Her child was difficult to teach. He was only four years old, but he was more opinionated than anyone else.

He was even stubborn in certain matters.

“Mom, you should date Uncle Haoyang. At least Uncle Haoyang is good to you, and not too bad to me.”

Even after expressing his dissatisfaction, Gu Quanzhe still felt unhappy.

Lin Moran couldn’t help but laugh. Her son was truly upset this time.

In the past, whenever he saw her talking to other men, he would get angry, feeling that it infringed on his father’s rights. Today, Gu Jingyao’s attitude truly hurt him.

“Zhezhe, we need to think this over…”

“Creak…”

Before she could finish, the door was suddenly pushed open, and a tall figure strode in.

His tall stature filled the small room, making it feel cramped and crowded.

Lin Moran turned and saw Gu Jingyao. His expression was unpleasant. He must have been standing outside for a while, having overheard her conversation with Gu Quanzhe.

“What are you doing here?”

Lin Moran stood up and asked indifferently.

Gu Jingyao looked at her with deep eyes, his heart filled with complex emotions.

“To see you both.”

“I promised Grandpa that as long as I’m alive, I’ll take good care of you and live a good life with you.”

This explanation felt ironic to Lin Moran. “It’s commendable that you still remember your promise to Grandpa. It wasn’t easy for you to come back. In the future, you don’t need to be bound by this, you don’t need to be held back by a promise made in your youth.”

Gu Jingyao’s brows furrowed again, his low voice carrying a hint of anger. “Since it’s a promise, it’s a responsibility, an obligation, there’s no such thing as being held back. Every word you’ve said since I came back has been like a thorn. You mind me coming, are you afraid I’ll ruin your plans?”