Because I Cannot Hurt You

Siying's small body shook in fear and he didn't speak a word. Zhiyuan came forward and smiled. "Siying. Why are you hiding? Come here."

Xiaosi narrowed his eyes. "Chyou. Why are you standing there?"

She jolted and burst into tears. He stiffened and rushed up to hug her. He glared at Ah Cy and Liang. "What did you do to my daughter? Why is she crying?"

Ah Cy sighed. "After what they did and seeing the consequences of their actions, of course, they are gonna cry." She squinted her gaze at Leina and the little girl averted her gaze.

"What actions?" Xinyi asked. She looked at Siying and her heart ached, seeing him so afraid. "Siying, you don't have to be scared. Mama and Dada are all good!"

Zhiyuan nodded.

But it didn't reassure Siying even a bit. His tiny fingers clutched his pants and tears plopped on his cheeks endlessly. 

"Siying don't cry dear…" she tried to coax him.

Ah Cy said, "Come on now you three. Say everything right now."

But the kids were too scared to say anything. Xiaosi wiped his daughter's tears and smiled. "Chyou. Don't cry, okay. Everything is fine now. You don't need to be scared. Dada is here with you."

Caihong raised her brow. She watched the kids and then at Ah Cy. Something clicked her. She asked Xinyi, "Was it Siying who took you into the forest yesterday?"

"En. He said he saw a rabbit and eagerly ran inside. I was worried he would lose his way, so I quickly followed him."

Siying stiffened.

Caihong blinked her eyes and narrowed her eyes at Chyou. "How is it that you had the same reason as him for running into the forest?"

Xinyi and Zhiyuan were puzzled.

Chyou jolted and panicked. Ah Cy sighed. "Will you confess already or should I say everything?"

Zhiyuan was confused. "What is going on? Why are the kids crying?"

Chyou glanced at Siying and Leina who were silently sniffling and too afraid to speak. As the older one in their group, she felt that it was her responsibility to speak up. She meekly said, "T-that…We we…ran in forest on p-purpose…"

She was dumbfounded. "Huh? On purpose?"

Siying tearfully looked at Xinyi and lowered her head.

"E-En…"

"But why?" Xiaosi asked.

"To-to make Mama and Dada m-more lovey-dovey."

"Huh?" This time it was all four - Xinyi, Zhiyuan, Caihong and Zhiyuan who were speechless.

Lovey-dovey?

Ah Cy said, "Yes and it was my dear daughter's plan."

"Mama…" she cried.

Liang urged. "Don't be so harsh towards her. She had good intentions."

Xinyi smiled at Chyou and gently asked, "What do you mean by lovey-dovey?"

Chyou pursed her lips. "That... Leina heard from Uncle Liang and Aunt Ah Cy one day…"

Then she continued to say how Leina had heard them talking about Xinyi and Zhiyuan's relationship, how she told this to Siying and how they started planning to get them closer. Since there were problems between Xiaosi and Caihong too, Chyou decided to take part in it as well.

From Siying deciding to sleep with Zizi to bring them closer and tricking them to kiss each other that night to Chyou feigning to be sick and asking Caihong to sleep with her and Xiaosi; she slowly said everything.

Today was the time to execute the final plan so they only intended to get Xinyi and Caihong into a small trouble. When Zhiyuan and Xiaosi would save them, they would confess their feelings and get together like in the movies.

The four were completely stunned as they heard this. They had no idea that their children were doing this for so long. Xinyi and Zhiyuan glanced at Siying in utter shock and now they understood why he suddenly changed and started sleeping with Zizi.

"Siying…you…" Xinyi couldn't understand what to say anymore. She looked at Zhiyuan and even he was speechless. It was because their marriage wasn't like Ah Cy and Liang which was why Siying feared that they would leave each other one day. It was inevitable for a child to think that way. Their young minds were impressionable.

Xinyi and Zhiyuan felt terribly guilty. Their relationship put an unnecessary strain on a small child so much so that he felt the need to step in and help save their marriage.

She extended her arm towards him, but Siying took a step back once again. Xinyi nevertheless pulled him over. Siying wailed loudly as he was drawn away from his hiding spot. "Waaaaaaaaaa!!!"

"Siying! Don't cry dear," she urgently patted his head. 

But it failed to calm him. He struggled in her arms, and after how he saw his parents hurt and injured, he was afraid for their punishment.

Leina burst into tears, seeing Siying cry that badly. Liang quickly hugged her. "Aiyaaaa my princess, don't cry, okay? Mama and Dada won't scold you." He kissed her cheek and tickled her. It made her laugh a little, but the tears didn't stop.

Ah Cy sighed. "You really spoil her too much…"

Zhiyuan bent on his knees and hugged his son.

"Siying," he patiently ran his hand on his back and gently smiled at him. "You don't have to be afraid. Mama and Dada are not going to scold you."

Ah Cy sighed. "You really spoil her too much…

Xinyi nodded hard. "We promise, Siying," she wiped his tears and hugged him tightly. 

Siying gasped and sniffled and rubbed his eyes. "Mama...I not wanted to hurt you…" his small body shook hard as he buried her face in her chest. "I don't want Mama…Dada to fight," he gasped again, "and leave...I want Mama and Dada together…"

Zhiyuan felt as if his heart was torn apart by his son's cries. Even though he didn't quite understand love and marriage at his age, he still tried his best to make them get closer. He felt his chest constrict, seeing his chubby cheeks wet with tears that always had a bright smile on them.

Xinyi found herself crying too. All these days, her son was worrying over their marriage, he was constantly afraid, thinking that they might separate and she had no idea that he was carrying such a huge burden on his tiny shoulders. Tears plopped down her cheeks.

Zhiyuan quickly took him in his arms and said, "We know, Siying. We know you didn't want to hurt her. Trust me. We will not scold you."

"Ma-Mama is hurt. I pushed her in water...waaaaaaaa! Dada fell in water…"

Xinyi held his face and furiously shook his head. "Siying don't blame yourself. I am totally fine! See? Mama is really fit! The wound on my head is not because of you. Mama was careless and hurt herself because Mama is silly."

Siying lowered his head and spoke nothing. "Mama Dada will not leave…?"

Zhiyuan stared at Xinyi and his lips curved into a warm smile. He lifted his head and looked straight in his son's tearful eyes. "No, Siying. Mama and Dada will never leave each other. We will never fight. Your Dada will always stay with your Mama and his cute son. Always. I will not let our family ever break apart."

She peeked at Zhiyuan and his resilient gaze made her tremble.

Siying sobbed. "Mama Dada lovey-dovey like Uncle Liang and Aunt Ah Cy?"

Xinyi blushed a little and looked away. Zhiyuan chuckled and ruffled his head. He leaned and whispered in his ears, "Yes. Dada really loves Mama. Mama and Dada will always be lovey-dovey"

Siying fearfully asked, "Mama Dada... not angry at me?"

They shook their heads. Xinyi kissed his cheek. She pouted. "I will never be angry at my Siying."

Zhiyuan nodded. "En. How can we get mad at our adorable angel?"

Siying slowly stopped crying, but somewhere in his heart, he still felt uneasy. He couldn't get that image out of his mind of Zhiyuan and Xinyi falling in the water. When the rescue team arrived, his instinct told him that things had escalated too much. He wanted to feel happy that his parents were back and that they didn't scold him either, but that unsettling feeling didn't wash away completely.

On the other side, Xiaosi wanted to console his daughter just like Zhiyuan did. He wanted to answer her questions. He wanted to wipe her tears and give her the reassurance that her Mama and Dada will stay together too. 

But after all that happened, how could he lie to her? After she went this far to bring them together, how was he supposed to give her false hopes?

Chyou tugged his coat and cried. "Dada...S-sorry Dada...I only want Mama and Dada together."

She was too scared to face Caihong, nevertheless, she raised her head and met her gaze. "Ma-Mama. Sorry...I really don't want to hurt you... Really, I promise," she sniffled.

She kept quiet.

Chyou shook his shoulder. "Dada...Can Mama and Dada not stay together? I don't want Mama and Dada to fight…"

Xiaosi felt his throat choking up. His mind went blank. He couldn't come up with an answer. He thought harder and harder until his head started to ache with a dull pain.

W-what should I say?