Because I Cannot Hurt You

Chapter 498 You have a big job to do

”You don’t want to meet your son?” He asked.

Liao Junjie seemed deathly tired. He was always filled with vigor and vitality just like Han Huizhong. But right now, he felt as if he had aged by twenty years. 

The news hit him hard. He had a heart attack at home learning about Liao Yun and Liao Yuan’s arrest. He was immediately rushed to the hospital and treated on priority. But as soon as he woke up from his surgery, he insisted on going to the police station.

The doctor had strictly advised him not to be so reckless. But he had only wryly laughed as tears escaped his eyes.

”My son and grandson are in jail. Without them, what should I live for anyway?”

Liao Junjie stared at Yunru with an empty gaze. “I don’t have any son.”

Silence.

Yunru signaled the junior officer to take him to the custody room.

Liao Yuan had his head resting on his arm. He hadn’t eaten anything ever since the day he was arrested. He had lost weight, and his complexion looked haggard.

He heard some footsteps. Without raising his head, he weakly mumbled, “Go back. I don’t want to eat anything.”

”You don’t want to meet your grandfather either?”

He jerked his head in shock. 

”G-Grandpa…? What are you doing here!? You are supposed to be in the hospital!”

The other reason apart from refusing to have even a single bite of food was Liao Junjie’s attack. When Yunru broke the news to him, Liao Yuan was shaken to his core.

How could he leisurely eat when his grandfather was on the brink of death because of his crimes? His actions forced that attack on him. His heart was overwhelmed with guilt so much that he felt even his death couldn’t be enough to pay for this sin.

Liao Junjie wearily smiled. “No, Yuan. I am supposed to be at home enjoying my life with my family. Have meals together with my son and grandson. See you getting married one day. See you live a happy life with your wife and children. I came this far in my life. If life permitted, I wished to hold my great-grandchild in my arms at least once before I die. But here I am.”

Liao Yuan trembled. His laughter was filled with pity and sadness. “Yes. I disappointed you a lot, Grandpa. I have failed you. Sorry for being a pathetic grandson like this. I am really sorry…”

Tears finally spilled out in front of Liao Junjie. He was extremely quiet for the last few days. He didn’t eat. He didn’t speak. He didn’t resist.

But now seeing his frail grandfather coming to meet him in jail rather than resting in hospital broke him down completely.

”This wasn’t…how it was supposed to go…” he choked. “I never wanted you to see me like this.”

Liao Yuan cried for a long time. Liao Junjie stared at him with a faraway gaze.

”You know, Yuan. Your eyes are just like Luoyang’s. Whenever I look at them, it feels as if she is always here with us. I was so happy with her as my daughter-in-law. I couldn’t ask for anybody else. When she left us, she left a big hole in our family too. I thought everybody felt that void. But I guess Yun never did.”

His weak shoulders trembled. “Along the way, I realized that he never came to love her. It was after she died that I found a letter. It was the last letter she wrote. She knew she was going to leave this world once you stepped in. So, she left a letter to Yun asking him to treat you nicely. Give you all the love a father should. Even if she never got his, she hoped her son would at least have that.”

He deeply exhaled. “Yun and I had a heated argument that day. I couldn’t believe that Yun had treated her so badly. Luoyang hid her pain and tears. She never let a whiff about her failed marriage to anybody, not even me. And…and I wonder… I-If I had come to know sooner about this, would she have lived longer? Would she still be with us today? I know I was stubborn about this marriage. B-But it was only because Luoyang was really perfect for Yun. She loved him with all his heart. She was kind but strong. But I failed her. I failed my daughter miserably.”

A smile lifted his lips amidst his tears. “But I still had you. You had her beautiful eyes. It felt as if she never left us. I began to not care about what Yun did in his life anymore. After treating Luoyang like that, I basically cut all my ties with him. He could go to hell. But I didn’t realize he would be so obsessed with having the woman he loved back in his life after Luoyang left. If I had known about An Yueqin, I would have handed him to the police with my own hands.”

He looked at Liao Yuan as he came out of his trance. “I could still understand Yun. But you? Even you followed in his footsteps? Why? Tell me. Where did I go wrong in raising you two? Was I such a bad father and grandfather? I wanted you to become like your mother. Then why you chose to be like your father? Yuan…” he stammered. “Y-You are the only one left in my life. My wife first left me. Luoyang did too. Then Yun was as good as dead to me. I only had my grandson. But now even you…”

His tired gaze slowly traversed through the room. “Even you have left me. I don’t know what I should live for anymore, Yuan…”

Liao Yuan suddenly jerked up from his seat and rushed to hug him.

”Don’t say that Grandpa…” he hugged him hard and burst into tears. His lips trembled. “Please don’t say such things! Y-You have to live. You cannot talk about leaving this world, okay? You still have me to live for! I know I did some pretty bad stuff. It’s hard to forgive me. But I don’t want to end up like Dad. I don’t want to disappoint you anymore. I will bear whatever punishment there is. Then I will be back.”

Liao Junjie’s eyes blurred with tears. “Really?”

He nodded hard. “Yes. And you are not free until I serve my sentence, okay?” He tasted his salty tears and laughed. “You have a big job to do. I want you to find a bride for me. Just like how you chose Mom for Dad. So when I will be back, I want you to have my bride ready, okay?”