Because I Cannot Hurt You

Xinyi and Zhiyuan returned to Han villa after spending a lovely birthday night together. The air around them was bubbly and cheerful as they entered hand-in-hand. They were laughing and giggling the whole way. 

But inside, they found a gloomy Han Tian at the breakfast table, idling with his plate. He hadn't touched the food at all.

Xinyi whispered, "What happened to Dad?"

He touched his chin and sighed. "Is it another argument with Mom?"

"But I thought they had stopped fighting after Uncle Gu was proved innocent."

They walked up to him, and Xinyi tapped on his shoulder. "Dad."

Han Tian broke out of his daze and looked up. His dreary expression brightened. "Aiya, my daughter-in-law is here! Come, come. This brat Zhiyuan snatched you away from me yesterday. I didn't get any time to spend with you on your birthday at all!"

Zhiyuan chuckled. "I took her in the evening. You had the whole day with her."

"Shut up. Don't talk back to me."

He rolled his eyes.

Xinyi sat on a chair beside him.

"So, so. Tell me," Han Tian smiled. "How was the celebration? Did this brat make it worth it?"

Zhiyuan raised his brow. "Yes, Xinyi. Tell him. Was last night worth it?"

Xinyi blushed hard.

Shameless!

Han Tian immediately understood his nuance and coughed. "Zhiyuan. I hope you didn't bully her too much."

Xinyi complained. "He did. Zhiyuan bullied me a lot!"

When she recalled how he had forced her to admit to her desires, she had an urge to slap him.

Han Tian glared at his son. "Zhiyuan! What am I hearing? You bullied her on her birthday! You really need some beating!"

Zhiyuan was speechless. 

Wifey, how could you sell me out like that?

He smiled. "I didn't. I just teased her. It doesn't count as bullying. Don't husbands and wife often tease each other for fun?"

Her mouth twitched.

It was clearly bullying! You were the only one who had fun!

Han Tian held her hand. "Don't worry, Xinyi. I am by your side. You are free to throw him out of your room and let him sleep outside."

Zhiyuan widened his eyes.

"Dad!"

We just had our lovely reunion last night, and you already want to separate us? How can you be so cruel?

Xinyi laughed. "That's a good idea, Dad. Then Zhiyuan would never think of bullying me."

"..."

Han Tian nodded in appreciation.

Zhiyuan slyly smiled. "Dad, are you sure about this? I mean...if you want to see your granddaughter as soon as possible, then it's important for Xinyi and me to be together more so than ever now."

Han Tian's ears perked up, and his gaze sparkled. "Granddaughter?"

"The more often we have our 'private' time together, the sooner you can hear the good news~"

Xinyi wanted to cough out three liters of blood.

T-this is blackmail!

As expected, Han Tian was in serious thought. He cleared his throat. "Y-you are right…"

Xinyi lacked tears to shed. The granddaughter was an effective threat and bribe at the same time.

Han Tian quickly held her hands again. "Xinyi, dear. Once I get to hold my granddaughter in my arms, you are free to throw him out of your room as you wish."

Zhiyuan smirked in victory. Xinyi had nothing to say to this injustice.

She sighed. "Anyway. Dad, your breakfast is getting cold. Why haven't you eaten anything yet? Wait, I will bring you another plate."

"No, no," he quickly rejected it, "I am not hungry…"

She pouted. "Why is my Dad not hungry? Tell me. Who made my father sad?" 

Han Tian shook his head. "It's nothing dear."

She pursed her lips. "I see. I understand. Dad doesn't treat me as his daughter so he won't share his troubles with me."

"Of course it's not like that! You are just like Zizi to me," he hastily said.

"Then tell me why do you look so dispirited?"

Han Tian looked at Zhiyuan for help, but he just shrugged in his wife's favor.

Useless son!

Han Tian looked away. "It's nothing...It's just Liqin is leaving this house."

They widened their eyes in disbelief. "Ah? Mom is leaving?"

He wryly smiled. "Apparently we are divorced, and everything is settled in Zhiyuan and Zizi's life. She doesn't have any reason to stay here anymore as the 'ex daughter-in-law.' Though she said she would stay in China this time and would often come by to meet you two, Dad, Zizi and Siying."

Zhiyuan and Xinyi clearly felt the bitterness in his voice and the part where he didn't mention his own name.

Xinyi smiled. "Dad, Mom might not have spelled it out, but of course, she thinks about you."

"Oh no, no dear," Han Tian said with a forced smile. "Why would I feel hurt about it? I don't have any reason to. Aren't we divorced, after all? It's a miracle that she managed to live with me here until now under one roof. But clearly... living here forever was never in her agenda."

Zhiyuan pressed his brows. "Dad, you can just admit that you don't want her to leave."

"I don't feel anything like that. This wasn't supposed to be permanent anyway."

"Yet it's pricking your heart like crazy."

He said nothing.

"You thought somehow this would continue, and Mom will live here with all of us, but now that she is leaving, it broke your assumptions."

Xinyi softly put her hand on his and said, "Dad, we know that you really love Mom very much. Even now. If you didn't, then this news wouldn't have hurt you so much. Why not...try mending your issues and get back together? You have always felt lonely without her, right?"

He chuckled with a hint of pain in it. "But was she lonely without me?"

She slowly nodded. "She was. I am sure of it because she loves you just as much."

Han Tian said nothing. There was a beat of silence. Then he got up and patted her head. "It's alright, dear. It's Liqin's decision. I don't have any say in it."

His eyelashes trembled, and his irises flashed with a glint of sorrow. He smiled and walked away.

Xinyi immediately asked Zhiyuan, "Can we not do something to stop Mom?"

Zhiyuan seriously said, "The only thing that can stop her is if they get back together. Otherwise with the way they fight all the time, it's inevitable that Mom will leave one day."

She bit her lip. "I will talk to Mom about this. They still have feelings for each other.. We all can see that. Why suffer pain when there is still a chance of making things right?"