Chapter 156: A True Father and a Filial Son


    Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion


    After having his fill, Gu Ziyu looked at Lu Zhiyuan and said, “Dad, whether you love me or not, whether you want me or not, I don’t care. After all, you died before 1 was even born. To be precise, I hate you.”


    Lu Zhiyuan listened quietly.


    “It’s because of your rotten love affairs that Mom and I are living in hell, being trampled upon.” Gu Ziyu smiled, feeling a slight pang in his heart. He took a deep breath and refrained from mentioning the events of the past life. “But Mom is different. She loves you so much, and 1 won’t allow anyone to hurt her, even if it’s you.”


    Lu Zhiyuan opened a bottle of cold c. He was an athlete and rarely drank carbonated beverages, but the cold liquid brought a refreshing chill as it flowed down his throat.


    “Gu Ziyu, are you doing well here?”


    “Very well!” Gu Ziyu replied. “It’s like paradise.”


    “That’s good then!” Lu Zhiyuan said cryptically. “Don’t dwell on the past, and don’t worry about the future. Treasure the present.”


    Gu Ziyu understood. “So, you won’t continue your rtionship with Mom, and you’re leaving us?”


    “I never truly had a rtionship to continue, so how can I leave?” Lu Zhiyuan’s voice was cool and controlled. “You and she both want a family, something I can’t provide.”


    “Mom would be heartbroken. You don’t care, do you?”


    Lu Zhiyuan fell silent, an answer in itself. Gu Ziyu felt a stab in his heart, genuinely surprised to find that he could feel pain – not acting, but real, tangible pain.


    “You don’t love us. Can you give us the Lu Zhiyuan who loves us?” Gu Ziyu asked ruthlessly. “We want him.”


    Lu Zhiyuan’s throat tightened. “Gu Ziyu, you’re going to be disappointed. 1 am the master of this body, and the person you want doesn’t exist.”


    Gu Ziyu’s eyes reddened slightly. “If that’s the case, why did you marry Mom in the first ce? Why did you have me? I’d rather never be born than bring Mom suffering.”


    “I don’t know either!” Lu Zhiyuan closed his eyes. “Some things, I can’t remember.”


    “What did you say?” Gu Ziyu narrowed his eyes.


    Lu Zhiyuan snapped back, his tone subdued. “Nothing, Ziyu. If you don’t want her to get hurt anymore, advise her to give up on me, to stay away from me.” Gu Ziyuughed. “So, if Mom looks for someone else, that’s okay?”


    Lu Zhiyuan gripped the c bottle, slightly distorting its shape, then released it. He nodded. “Yes.”


    Gu Ziyu chuckled again. “I understand. I’ll find a better match for Mom. Anyway, you don’t care whether we have a son or not, and I don’t care about having a different dad!”


    With that, Gu Ziyu left in a huff. Lu Zhiyuan watched the child’s small figure, his expression calm. He got up and walked in the opposite direction. The owner hurriedly chased after him. “Wait, you haven’t paid yet.”


    Lu Zhiyuan chuckled, paid via QR code, and left.


    When Gu Ziyu returned to the Blue Field Vi, Gu Ci was in the basement conducting experiments. While Lu Zhiyuan’s way to unwind was racing, Gu Ziyu’s was causing mischief online. In less than half an hour, he broke through ck Hawk’s firewall and paralyzed their internalwork.


    As he continued his attack, ck Hawk’s counterattack ensued. They quickly repaired their security systems, leaving Gu Ziyu with no choice but to give up. ck Hawk: Why’s Nezha causing havoc?


    Gu Ziyu: So you know about Nezha causing havoc. Turns out we’re all descendants of the Huaxia, so why pretend to be foreigners?


    ck Hawk: I’ve never imed to be a foreigner.


    Gu Ziyu: I’m in a bad mood and want to blow up the inte.


    ck Hawk: Why are you feeling down?


    Gu Ziyu: My dad died!


    Lu Zhiyuan fell silent for a few seconds.


    ck Hawk: My condolences.


    Gu Ziyu: You don’t understand how I feel. It’s like a dream you’ve had since childhood – happiness, joy – and one day it finallyes true, only to suddenly wake up from it. Destined to lose. Why give me hope? What right does he have not to want me and Mom?


    Lu Zhiyuan read Gu Ziyu’s words. He could imagine the irritated expression on the boy’s face. This child was bing more vibrant, far from the masked smile he wore when they first met.


    Now he couldugh, get angry, and vent his feelings.


    Gu Ziyu also longed for a family. From his words, Lu Zhiyuan could sense his sadness.


    Gu Ziyu: 1’11 find someone, break his legs, imprison him. What do you think?


    ck Hawk: Truly filial.


    Gu Ziyu: Break his legs, put him in a wheelchair. He can’t run or jump anymore. He’ll need assistance to eat and use the bathroom. Besides being by Mom’s side, he won’t go anywhere else. I’ll take good care of him, be dutiful. He’ll have all his needs met. Isn’t that beautiful?


    Lu Zhiyuan pondered in secret, wondering what experiences this child had gone through from a young age to have such twisted thoughts.


    Gu Ziyu: 1 have a friend who did exactly that.


    ck Hawk: Core socialist values – filial piety, fatherly love and son’s obedience.


    Gu Ziyu looked at the three book links and frowned.


    Gu Ziyu: We’re simr in some ways. I thought you would understand me.


    ck Hawk: I can’t understand that.


    After all, the person you want to break the legs of is me!


    Gu Ziyu: Heh, if you had someone you loved but couldn’t have, wouldn’t you wish to tie them up, keep them at home forever?


    ck Hawk: 1 wouldn’t!


    Gu Ziyu clicked his tongue. What do you mean you wouldn’t? Even though he and ck Hawk were archenemies, they were definitely simr.


    ck Hawk: For the one I love, I hope she stays far from me, safe and sound year after year, free from disasters and difficulties.


    Gu Ziyu furrowed his brows, about to reply, when the other party disconnected the line, leaving a message that they had to go. After talking to ck Hawk, Gu Ziyu’s mood improved slightly, but he still felt a sense of unease.


    He walked out of the study and stood by the railing, able to see Gu Ci on the lower level working on her paper. Gu Ci looked up at him and smiled. “What’s wrong?”


    “Mom, would you like some fruit juice?”


    “Sure!”


    Gu Ziyu went downstairs, squeezed some juice, and brought it to Gu Ci. Her desk was covered in literature and research materials, and the bookshelf behind her was filled with medical-rted books.


    Gu Ci sipped cherry juice and looked at Gu Ziyu’s hesitating eyes. “What’s the matter?”


    “Mom, don’t you love Dad anymore?”


    He didn’t fully understand romantic love between men and women, nor did he have a crush on anyone. To Gu Ziyu, treating a stranger as someone special was something he would never do.


    Gu Ci knew he was a mature child and also longed for a reunited family.


    “I do love him. That’s something that won’t change in this lifetime.” Gu Ci had a heart-to-heart talk with Gu Ziyu. “But Mom has thought about a time when he wasn’t there.”


    “Why?”


    Gu Ci ruffled his hair. “Do you know why you’re named Ziyu?”


    Gu Ziyu shook his head.


    Gu Ci exined, “When we were kids, Lu Zhiyuan and 1 liked to role-y. I’d be the bride, and he’d be the groom. During those times, we discussed what we’d name our children. He said if it’s a boy, it should be Lu Ziyu, and if it’s a girl, it should be Lu Zihua. So, when I had you, I named you Ziyu. We were only four years old at the time. He was a part of my life from childhood. Even though we had a falling outter on, he still left a significant mark. Except for those five years he spent in prison, he was never absent from my life. And even after his death, I sometimes imagined starting anew – making sure to cherish him properly. It became an obsession, my inner demon. I never envisaged a life without him..”