Chapter 139: Yan Yan Cries in Grievance
Tears streamed down Lin Qingyan’s small face. He tried desperately to explain, but no one believed him. He wasn’t a bad child; he really hadn’t stolen anything.
An Nanyi walked to his side, a smug smile on his face. “Brother, my mother told me that if you admit your mistakes, you are still a good boy. You can’t be like this.”
Lin Qingyan looked at him incredulously. He was the one who had put the necklace in his bag to frame him. “It was you! You deliberately put the necklace in my schoolbag! You’re framing me!”
“I didn’t.” An Nanyi blinked innocently.
Zhou YueLan was apologizing to Song Shuman. “I’m sorry, Madam. I will educate him properly in the future.”
Song Shuman naturally wouldn’t make a fuss over such a small matter. Seeing the child crying, his face full of tears, she felt a little sorry and doubted whether he had actually stolen the necklace.
But she was even less likely to suspect her well-behaved youngest son of deliberately framing someone. The matter ended there.
Zhou YueLan didn’t know that the Gu family and the An family were close friends. She was afraid that staying at the Gu family would cause trouble. Since the maid who went home to give birth was also returning, she resigned that day and took Lin Qingyan home.
But Lin Qingyan still tried to explain to his mother. His eyes were red and swollen from crying, clutching his schoolbag, his eyes downcast, he whispered:
“Mama, I really didn’t steal anything. That child deliberately put the necklace in my schoolbag.”
“He even deliberately messed with me while I was sweeping, pushing me to the ground. He bullied me…” He reached out, wanting to show Zhou YueLan his scraped palm.
“How could he bully you for no reason!” Zhou YueLan defended her precious biological son, how could she believe his words? “You’re still lying?!”
“I’m not…” Lin Qingyan silently retracted his hand.
“I see, you deserve a lesson!”
Zhou YueLan was furious. She went back to her room, got a coat hanger, grabbed Lin Qingyan’s small arm, and hit him hard with the hanger. “Are you still lying?!”
“Are you still stealing other people’s things?!”
Tears streamed down the child’s face. He didn’t feel pain; he wasn’t crying because of the pain, but because of the grievance; even his mother didn’t believe him.
“I didn’t steal it, I really didn’t!”
“You’re still being stubborn!”
“Go to your room and reflect!”
In the small bedroom, the thin child sat in the corner, curled up, burying his face in his arms. His shoulders trembled slightly, making soft whimpering sounds like a kitten.
His thin arms and legs, exposed to the air, were covered with deep and shallow scars, looking shocking; they were all from the coat hanger.
The child clutched the wooden rabbit carving tightly in his hand. Big brother, I really didn’t steal anything. Why doesn’t anyone believe him? Why…?
That night, Lin Qingyan developed a high fever, a very severe one. He remained delirious for almost a week before recovering.
However, when he woke up, he selectively forgot everything that happened at the Gu family.
…
An Qingyan sat up abruptly from his hospital bed. His chest heaved violently, and his face was covered in cold sweat. In his wet, peach blossom eyes, there was still lingering sadness and bewilderment.
The events of the dream echoed in his mind again and again. He remembered, he remembered everything—the time he spent with Gu Fei when he was eight years old, and being framed as a thief.
The child who framed him… was An Nanyi.
Butler Shen had said that only Mrs. An brought her youngest son to the Gu family that day. He was now certain that he hadn’t stolen the necklace; it was An Nanyi’s doing.
No wonder Zhou YueLan hid the truth; she was afraid that if he knew, he would retaliate against An Nanyi. He was her biological son; of course, she would protect him.
So, this unimportant step-son could be treated casually; no matter how much he explained, she wouldn’t believe him. She would praise him when she was happy and scold him endlessly when she wasn’t.
Even if he was beaten until he was covered in scars, she wouldn’t feel sorry for him because he wasn’t her biological son.
The young man curled his lips into a pale smile, but there was no smile in his wet eyes. Although eleven years had passed, he couldn’t let go.
“Yan Yan, you’re finally awake!”
Song Shuman quickly walked into the ward, her beautiful face filled with tension and concern. She touched her youngest son’s forehead; it wasn’t as hot as before.
“How are you feeling? Still uncomfortable?” She handed him a glass of warm water. “Drink some water first. Are you hungry? What do you want to eat? Mommy will go buy it for you.”
An Qingyan didn’t know how to face Song Shuman. She had been there that day, but she hadn’t believed him… An Nanyi was her son then; of course, she wouldn’t believe him.
She probably had forgotten what happened that day.
It was just a small thing to others.
“Why are you sweating so much? Did you have a nightmare?” Song Shuman said, taking a tissue to carefully wipe the sweat from his face. “Tell us if you feel uncomfortable.”
An Qingyan’s nose felt sour. His mother was so good to him, and he had almost resented her. She was also a victim, wasn’t she?
The warm water cup in his hand warmed his cold palm. He smiled faintly and said obediently, “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”
“That’s good.” Song Shuman lovingly stroked his hair. “It’s Mommy who didn’t take good care of you. We made you suffer so much, Yan Yan. I wish you weren’t so sensible.”
“Little brother, you’re finally awake! Second brother almost worried himself to death! I couldn’t even eat lunch!” An Yu rushed in boisterously, interrupting their conversation.
An Jing followed, slapping An Yu on the head. “So, those two big chicken legs at lunch were eaten by a pig?!”
“Oh, right, you are a pig.”
An Qingyan and Song Shuman couldn’t help but laugh.
“You’re being disrespectful to me!!”
Second Young Master An was so angry he got a double chin.
…
Night fell.
An Qingyan’s fever hadn’t completely subsided, but he didn’t want to stay in the hospital, so he went home to continue resting. He wouldn’t dare to go out and blow cold wind in the middle of the night again.
But he still kept thinking about what happened in the past. As soon as he closed his eyes, those images would appear in his mind—the time he spent with Gu Fei when he was little, and then being wrongly accused of stealing after Gu Fei went abroad to study…
It looked like he would be losing sleep again tonight.
Just then, Gu Fei called him on video chat. He quickly sat up from the bed, trying to adjust his mood to appear energetic instead of sickly.
“Ge Fei, are you done with work?”
The man on the screen was still wearing a formal suit, sitting casually on the sofa. A trace of tiredness was evident on his handsome brow; judging from the background, he was in a hotel.
Gu Fei had just finished work and returned to the hotel.
“Just finished. Did you eat?”
“Yes, Ge Fei, did you eat?”
“Yes.” Gu Fei carefully looked at the young man on the screen and still noticed something was wrong. The man frowned slightly and asked with concern: “What’s wrong? Are you sick?”
An Qingyan knew he couldn’t hide it from Gu Fei’s sharp eyes, so he admitted honestly, “Just a common fever. I’ve seen a doctor, and I’m fine now. Don’t worry.”
Gu Fei: “Why did you suddenly get a fever?”
An Qingyan felt a little guilty. “I accidentally caught a chill.”
Gu Fei stared at the person on the screen, his gentle voice tinged with seriousness. “How did you catch a chill?”
An Qingyan: “…”
“I… couldn’t sleep last night, so I stood on the balcony thinking about life, and I thought about it for too long.”
“So you were blowing cold wind on the balcony for a long time?” The man’s tone became even more serious. He pursed his lips, his expression not very good. “It’s winter now, Yan Yan.”
“Are you still thinking about what happened when you were little?” Gu Fei easily guessed the boy’s thoughts. His tone was no longer serious, but rather soothing. “It’s all in the past; it’s okay if you don’t remember.”
An Qingyan lowered his eyes and was silent for a moment.
Gu Fei realized he might have been a little harsh just now and softened his tone, softly coaxing: “Baby?”
Only An Qingyan could enjoy this kind of treatment from Gu Ye; if others knew, they might be shocked.
During the day, an employee made a mistake. Gu Fei didn’t say anything; he just stared at him silently and expressionlessly, making the employee tremble and almost cry.
“Ge Fei…” An Qingyan finally looked up at the man on the screen, his eyes red. He said hoarsely, “I remembered what happened before, today. I remember everything.”
“I also remember the days I spent with you.” He paused, his thin lips parting slightly, uttering three words: “Big brother.”
Gu Fei was slightly stunned, then a soft smile appeared at the corners of his eyes. Looking at the tearful young man on the screen, he wished he could immediately appear before him and hug him to comfort him.
“It’s good that you remember.”
“Baby, don’t cry.”
As soon as he said that, tears immediately welled up in the boy’s eyes. He lowered his head; the crystal-clear teardrops glittered under the light, tracing an arc in the air, wetting the sheets.
He couldn’t hold it back. He had only remembered after all these years, but he still felt sad and aggrieved. He hadn’t told his family, but he broke down in front of Gu Fei’s concern.
Seeing An Qingyan trying to hold back his tears but still crying aggrievedly, Gu Fei’s heart ached. His fingertips gently rubbed on the screen, as if trying to wipe away the tears on the boy’s face.
“What’s wrong?”
“Why is Yan Yan sad? Tell Ge Fei.”
An Qingyan wiped away his tears, but his throat was choked. Various complex emotions piled up together, making it hard for him to speak.
“I’m not a thief. I didn’t steal anything…”
Recommended Reads
