Because I Cannot Hurt You

Zizi asked, "Should we really do this?"

She was asking about their collective decision to follow Han Huizhong and visit Han Zongying's grave.

Zhiyuan said, "She was our Aunt. Technically, we should be there to visit as her family."

"But then Grandpa will know that we know about her, and then he will fly into a rage."

Xinyi was worried about the same.

"We will just observe from a distance, and once he leaves, we will go see her gravestone too. It's only right that we do that."

Xinyi's phone rang. It was Shuang.

"Hey."

Shuang didn't waste her time in any his' or hellos'.

"I am damn sure Dad has gone to the cemetery to see Aunt Han's gravestone."

Xinyi widened her eyes. She quickly put it on speaker. "What?"

"Yes. He seemed a little lost since this morning today, and then he went off somewhere. Then I suddenly remembered that it's her death anniversary today. Now that I think about it, it's been like this for years. He always seemed gloomy on this particular day and was away from home but not at the office."

Everybody froze.

"Shit!" Zhiyuan exclaimed.

"What's wrong?"

"Grandpa and Dad must have already reached the cemetery. If they meet, it will become a hell of a mess. They already blame him for her death. He is the last person they would want to see."

"Now that I think about it, Dad was in a hurry. Maybe he wanted to visit and return earlier too so that he doesn't cross paths with them. He was also a little sick today. Maybe that's why he went early."

Xinyi quickly said, "Let's go. We don't want them to fight."

Shuang said, "I am coming too."

---

Han Tian charged at him and grabbed his collar. "An Guoting! How dare you show your face here!?"

An Guoting paled. 

"You have the nerve to come here? To visit my sister's grave when she died because of you!?"

An Guoting coughed a bit. He shook off his hand. "Knock it off, Han Tian…"

Han Huizhong clenched the stick in his hand. He stepped forward and slapped him hard on his cheek. "You...you shameless man! After ruining her life forever, do you feel you have any right to come here? Tell me. Have you been secretly visiting her grave like this!? I don't care if you feel guilty or not! Do hell with that! But get the hell out of here!"

He said nothing.

He coughed again and said, "I will leave…"

Han Tian angrily pushed him back. "Who the hell do you think you are!? You sullied my sister's grave for years, and this is what you have to say!? You didn't let her live in peace even after death!"

His bottled-up anger he felt for An Guoting for taking his sister away and.. Xia Liqin, too filled, came gushing out. Pain, betrayal, and the grief he suffered seeing his wife stand up for her friend instead of standing with her husband filled his heart with despair.

He remembered as if it was just yesterday. Han Zongying's suicide and then Xia Liqin taking An Guoting's side. His sister's death had crushed him, but Xia Liqin crying and begging for another man has left him devastated.

At that point, he realized that she had never loved him. He was the only one foolishly in love with her, but her heart was already set for another man. Though she couldn't marry him, the feelings were still strong that never went away and that she could never forget.

Tears brimmed his eyes, thinking of their broken marriage, thinking of how their children suffered because of their relationship and thinking of how he was left all alone.

His fingers unconsciously curled into a fist, and before he knew it, he landed a punch on An Guoting's cheek. His head tilted to the side, and he stumbled back in imbalance.

"You took everything away from me…" tears slid down his cheeks, "My sister, my wife... everything. I lived a pathetic life all alone and all this time, and you have the nerve to act as if nothing happened!"

An Guoting covered his cheek with his palm, stinging with pain. 

Han Tian raised his arm again, but Han Huizhong stopped him. "This is Zongying's grave. Don't start a fight here-"

"I don't care!" He roared. He harshly shook off his father's hand. "I had enough of everything. I had suffered enough, Dad."

Han Huizhong slightly trembled.

"Look at me. Look at my life! Look at our life! Look at where this man left us! I am so tired, Dad...Do you know how much it kills me when I think about Zongying? When I realize it over and over again about Liqin's feelings for him, I feel as if I am dying all over again!"

An Guoting froze and stared at him in shock. "What are you saying? What feelings?"

Han Tian gritted his teeth and punched him again. "You are one hell of a bastard! Don't act as if you don't know about Liqin's feelings for you!"

"What? No!" An Guoting was horrified. "Liqin and me? Feelings? It's nothing like that. It was never like that between us."

"Shut up! It was never like that, and she still stood up for you all these years? When her husband needed her, she fought for another man's sake. She felt pitiful for you. She cried for you. I was never in her heart, An Guoting. It was always you. That one realization ended everything for me!"

Han Tian pulled his collar harshly. "For how many things will you feel guilty? Or ignorant God dammit!"

Han Huizhong tried to pull him back but meeting An Guoting had snapped Han Tian's last thread of patience. It was all bottled up until now, when it burst in a violent fury.

"Tian, this is not the place…"

Han Tian shook his head and sadly chuckled.. "No, Dad. This is exactly the place! This is the right place to punish the man cruelly who raped my sister and forced her to end her life!"