"Good boy." Ai Zhiyi couldn't help but caress Chu Baiyu's cheek gently and felt very fond of him.
Even though Chu Baiyu wasn't his biological son, Ai Zhiyi never thought their closeness would become awkward. On the contrary, he loved Chu Baiyu as much as he loved the child's father, Chu Weixu.
Yes, Chu Baiyu wasn't Ai Zhiyi's son but his lover's son.
Recalling that day, Ai Zhiyi could even clearly remember the words, expressions, and appearance of a woman who came at his door with puffy eyes.
Ai Zhiyi also could still feel how broken his heart was when a woman came to him and held out a baby who was none other than his own lover's baby.
Ai Zhiyi felt so depressed.
He thought about killing himself that day, but he hesitated. It wasn't that he doubted the afterlife that would lead him somewhere to the next life, only, he doubted whether death was the solution to the wounds he felt.
That time was the worst of bad luck. When Chu Weixu had to spend his time in prison for three years, Ai Zhiyi had to face a woman with a baby by himself who conveyed something painful.
"It's Weixu's baby. I don't want to take care of him."
Ai Zhiyi's heart was truly broken that day … unimaginable.
Nonetheless, even when he was hurt, he still tried to pick up the pieces of his heart from the ground, trying to put them back together, just so he could forgive Chu Weixu.
If only Chu Weixu hadn't explained everything to him, then it was certain that their relationship would end up that day.
Ai Zhiyi wouldn't hesitate to break up with him!
One year before the woman came. Chu Weixu disappeared for one night without a word. Worried, Ai Zhiyi tried to call him over and over again but there was no answer at all. It was weird. Chu Weixu had never ignored him that much before.
Ai Zhiyi had no bad thoughts as he trusted Chu Weixu with all his heart. But, as soon as Chu Weixu came to him on the next day and said a sudden confession, he felt that the past years they had spent together were something that had taken up part of his life for nothing.
Chu Weixu admitted that he had slept with a woman.
As a lover, who followed Chu Weixu and wanted to live with him, Ai Zhiyi felt heartache for the first time.
It was his first experience of betrayal, so he felt the pain he felt was so unreasonable as if his heart was being slashed slowly so that he could feel the pain of every wound in his heart like endless suffering.
Ever since Ai Zhiyi left home to live with Chu Weixu, he had never wanted to run away from him other than that day.
Hearing that his lover had slept with someone else, Ai Zhiyi started regretting all the things. He felt that all the things they had fought for were in vain, even his life was useless.
He immediately remembered what Chu Weixu's father had said in the past that this kind of relationship would end in the worst possible way.
In that instant, Ai Zhiyi thought that perhaps this was the bad ending he meant.
Fortunately, Chu Weixu explained to him by swearing that he had been framed without he knew anything until he woke up in the same bed with a naked woman.
Chu Weixu knelt at Ai Zhiyi's feet. If only Ai Zhiyi had asked Chu Weixu to kiss his feet at that time, he was sure that Chu Weixu wouldn't hesitate to do so.
Apart from his confidence in Chu Weixu that was beyond his own senses, Ai Zhiyi had strong instincts. Also, besides being an impulsive person, his sensitivity was undeniable. So, he thought about it for days until he found a definite answer — that Chu Weixu was innocent.
However, the following year, when a woman came to hand over her baby, even though Ai Zhiyi trusted Chu Weixu more than anyone else, still, the fact that Chu Weixu, a lover who took him away had someone else's baby. It broke his fragile heart instantly, shattering and scattering in an instant. He just sewed it back together and it finally recovered to how it was now.
When Ai Zhiyi came to visit Chu Weixu in prison and said many things, he could see how deep the regret was in Chu Weixu's eyes.
Until Chu Weixu was finally released, he did a DNA test to determine whether Chu Baiyu was his son or just the woman's trick to crack Ai Zhiyi's heart. Unfortunately, the results showed the truth that made them both have to accept the fact that the child was Chu Weixu's biologically legitimate child.
However, Ai Zhiyi didn't mind and accepted Chu Baiyu's presence between them wholeheartedly, even asking the child to call him 'papa'.
Because of Chu Baiyu as well, Ai Zhiyi could feel a sense of family togetherness with a child between them.
Even Ai Zhiyi didn't hesitate to tell Chu Xinian, wherein she welcomed him joyfully. The woman even gladly gave the child a name, which meant 'white jade'. She considered that Chu Baiyu was something precious in their family like a jade.
Unfortunately, Chu Weixu couldn't accept the child, even at this time. So with a heavy heart, Ai Zhiyi had to leave Chu Baiyu in an orphanage when he was two years old.
Ai Zhiyi cried for days then, but Chu Weixu, who was usually very obedient, didn't even care how much Ai Zhiyi loved the child.
Since then, Ai Zhiyi had slowly come to understand that trust and forgiveness were two things that couldn't be separated in a relationship.
Ai Zhiyi loved reading many novels and often came across some quotes, such as: 'To love is like an instinct. No matter how angry you are, you will still feel love for someone in your mind.' And also: 'It doesn't need many names, but just one name to shed tears of joy or deep pain.'
Ai Zhiyi was already at those feelings.
No matter how angry he was, loving Chu Weixu was an instinct he couldn't escape. He was happy with only one name even though he had also been hurt by the name.
People said: "Don't let love fool you".
However, it was wrong...
Love was love and never fooled anyone but those who allow themselves to be fooled for love.
As Ai Zhiyi did, so did Chu Weixu.
Love just sometimes made you crazy.
A few moments later...
"Papa!"
Ai Zhiyi seemingly had been lost in thought for so long that he didn't hear Chu Baiyu talking to him.
Until the boy yelled, bringing Ai Zhiyi's consciousness back to his mind, "Papa! Did you hear me?! Don't ignore me!"
"Hmm?" Ai Zhiyi raised his eyebrows, feeling guilty as he said, "Did you say something? Sorry, okay? I was thinking about something, so I couldn't focus on what you said earlier."
"Hmph!"
Chu Baiyu looked away as he folded his arms across his chest and started to pout. Annoyed, he refused to repeat his words and remained silent with a frown on his face.
"Xiaoyu, don't be mad. No girl likes a grumpy boy, you know." Ai Zhiyi tried to tempt him to get his attention and he seemed to have succeeded.
Chu Baiyu turned his head towards Ai Zhiyi, but his gaze was far from pleasant.
Ai Zhiyi became concerned. He looked at Chu Baiyu like he was looking at Chu Weixu at that age.
Their tempers really weren't much different.
Chu Baiyu was still young, but he had a cold and vengeful look at the moment, the same look Chu Weixu had when he was in his worst mood.
Both of them were indeed similar as they had a bond as father and son.