Chapter 083 – This Miserable Stepfather – “biological father” (06/08)
Song Zhui had been stationed downstairs for days, finally spotting Xie Chenyang and Gu Shiyu on New Year’s Day.
“Excuse me.”
Xie Chenyang: “What is it?”
“When you were building snowmen in the courtyard the other night… I showed your faces in my livestream. Everyone was so eager to watch, and I…” Song Zhui looked slightly embarrassed. “I’m sorry—I didn’t ask your permission first…”
Xie Chenyang chuckled. “It’s fine. If you streamed it, you streamed it. It’s no big deal. Don’t beat yourself up over it.”
Song Zhui: “Thank you both.” She gave a solemn bow before running back into the apartment.
Xie Chenyang adjusted Gu Shiyu’s scarf. “Honestly, it’s so cold out. I could’ve gone grocery shopping alone.”
Gu Shiyu took his hand. “I just wanted to come with you to see if there’s anything I want.”
Ever since building the snowmen, Xie Chenyang had become much more attentive to the little things about him. “Let’s go then.”
Hand in hand, they headed out to the supermarket.
On the day Gu Shiyu successfully passed his transfer exam and enrolled in university, Xie Chenyang also finished his first novel, which was about the very first world he had traveled to.
You Huang had expected Xie Chenyang to whine and beg for help, and had already plotted how to fend off the child’s clinginess.
But to his surprise, Xie Chenyang seriously recalled that world, meticulously outlining the plot, editing, and revising. By the time Gu Shiyu started school, he had already saved 80,000 words of manuscript.
After dropping Gu Shiyu off at school, Xie Chenyang headed home to prepare for publication.
[Dad, what do you think would be a good title?]
You Huang: “Think of one yourself.”
After pondering for a while, Xie Chenyang solemnly typed out the title: The Handsome CEO’s Spoiled Wife.
The synopsis was concise: Revenge is secondary; romance is paramount.
He posted thirty thousand words in one go.
You Huang peeked at it discreetly. The plot remained the same, but the characters were completely transformed.
The protagonist, Li Xuyang, reincarnated and returned just as he was kicked out of his home by a scumbag. He met Zhai Zhi, the domineering CEO, and it was love at first sight.
What had been Xie Chenyang’s unintentional actions while feverish were now written as Li Xuyang deliberately flirting with Zhai Zhi. The story was completely rewritten into a scheming top and an aloof, domineering bottom.
To this, You Huang could only say: Damn, impressive.
He genuinely hadn’t expected Xie Chenyang to transform those foolish past events into a calculated seduction plot.
Perhaps the extravagance of posting thirty thousand words in one go attracted a handful of readers.
They seemed to quite enjoy this scheming top. You Huang: “…” A happy accident?
But undeniably, his writing was skillful. This proved he’d received a good education before his transmigration.
After submitting a contract application to the website, Xie Chenyang passionately continued typing.
Only when the time was right did he ride his motorcycle towards B University.
—– —— —–
The school gate.
Xie Chenyang leaned against his motorcycle, helmet in hand, with a cigarette dangling loosely between his fingers. He ignored the curious glances from passersby.
Gu Shiyu and his new classmates spotted him immediately as they exited the campus gate. “Someone’s here to pick me up. I’ll head out now.”
“Haha, is it your girlfriend?”
“Where is she? Let us see.”
Gu Shiyu chuckled softly. “Not a girlfriend. A boyfriend.” With that, he strode over to Xie Chenyang. Xie Chenyang secured the helmet on him before hopping onto the bike.
Gu Shiyu sat behind him, wrapping his arms around Xie Chenyang’s waist.
New classmates: “…”
“No need to be so shocked. Same-sex marriage was legalized ages ago, right?”
“Even so, you still don’t see many around.”
“Yeah, I’ve seen plenty online, but hardly any in real life.”
On the way home with Gu Shiyu, Xie Chenyang stopped to pick up some groceries.
—– —– —–
“Brother Yang, there’s something I’ve never told you.”
Xie Chenyang paused with the knife in his hand, then continued chopping meat with a steady rhythm. “Go ahead, what is it?”
Gu Shiyu washed vegetables, feigning calm while nearly snapping the tender shoots. “Actually… I’m not Gu Wenyi’s biological son.”
For the past two years, he’d feared that if he revealed the truth, Song Yang would abandon him, so he kept silent.
“What?” Xie Chenyang was utterly stunned.
[But didn’t his bone marrow match Gu Wenyi?]
You Huang: “I didn’t look into it too deeply. Everything you know is from the plot. Let me check.”
[No, no need. I’ll listen to him.]
His shocked question made Gu Shiyu’s voice drop a few notches. “My mom was already pregnant when she married Gu Wenyi. On their wedding night, Gu Wenyi got drunk… Actually, nothing happened between them.”
Xie Chenyang: “Then what?”
“Then my mom gave Gu Wenyi most of her savings to start a business, saying she wanted a better life.”
Gu Wenyi was genuinely touched back then. When he first moved to the big city to start his venture, he’d call Gu’s mother often. He was overjoyed when he learned she was pregnant.
But as his business grew and his social circle expanded, his calls grew fewer and fewer. He only returned home once for Gu Shiyu’s birth, never again after that.
At first, Gu’s mother thought she owed Gu Wenyi—that she’d taken advantage of him—and resolved to be a good wife for the rest of her life to make amends. Little did she know Gu Wenyi had found a new lover elsewhere and no longer cared for his poor and unkempt country wife.
“When I was old enough to understand, my mother told me everything.”
Gu Wenyi never returned home, and since he knew his true identity, their “father-son” relationship remained deeply cold.
Xie Chenyang recalled. Gu Shiyu’s mother had indeed left after graduation. When her parents were alive, she’d return home every New Year, but after they passed, she scarcely visited the village. Then one year, she suddenly returned and quickly got married.
Her husband was Gu Wenyi, an orphan with nothing to his name.
You Huang: “So there’s this hidden plot?”
Gu Shiyu placed the washed vegetables in the colander on the counter, then stood up. “I never told you because… you only took care of me because of Gu Wenyi.” Gu Shiyu murmured, “I’m sorry. It was selfish of me. Back then, I had no family or friends, and you…”
Xie Chenyang set down the knife and opened his arms.
Gu Shiyu: “?”
Xie Chenyang beckoned. “Come.”
Gu Shiyu paused, then slowly stepped into his embrace.
Xie Chenyang kissed his forehead, his voice tinged with amusement: “Isn’t that perfect? You’re not blood-related.”
Gu Shiyu closed his eyes. “But nominally, we’re still father and son.”
Even though she’d been sentenced to death, her marriage to Gu Shiyu’s father hadn’t ended in divorce. To outsiders, they remained father and son.
“That’s not a big deal.” Xie Chenyang brushed against his forehead, “Alright, you can let go now. I’ll cook today.”
Gu Shiyu responded softly and stepped back two paces.
Xie Chenyang washed his hands and ruffled his hair: “You can watch from the side. I’ll cook while listening to you talk.”
Gu Shiyu’s mother had come to the big city to make her way. Her roommate was a student at B University. Seeing that she was self-studying outside of work, the roommate gave her her ID card during her free periods so she could attend classes.
It was through this that Gu Shiyu’s mother met Gu Shiyu’s biological father.
Xie Chenyang: “Your biological father was a student at B University?”
Gu Shiyu: “When my mom met him, he was a teaching assistant.”
Gu Shiyu’s mother had limited education and a weak foundation, so she struggled to grasp many concepts. She attended numerous classes, but science captured her interest most. Once she settled on her academic path, she immersed herself completely.
The demanding schedule of work and study didn’t exhaust her—instead, it filled her with purpose.
After one class, caught in a sudden downpour without an umbrella, she happened upon teaching assistant Gu Jing, who walked her part of the way home.
Through these encounters, they gradually became acquainted.
Slowly, Gu’s mother felt her heart stir. Not long after she acknowledged her feelings, she learned Gu Jing had a fiancée. It hurt deeply, and she resolved to let him go.
But it proved difficult, affecting both her studies and work.
Needing to vent her emotions and find inner balance, she mustered the courage to go drinking at a bar.
Xie Chenyang: “What does drinking have to do with adjusting your mood?”
Gu Shiyu paused: “Maybe… a drunken stupor eases all sorrows?”
Xie Chenyang: “…” Well, it seemed many heartbroken people turned to drink.
As fate would have it. While drinking at the bar, she ran into Gu Jing.
Gu Jing looked surprised, leaving his friends behind to greet her.
By then, Gu Jing had already had quite a few drinks and was preparing to leave, but had run into Gu Shiyu’s mother. Seeing her unhappy, he stayed and drank a few more glasses with her.
Noticing she was getting quite drunk, Gu Jing, feeling somewhat more sober, offered to drive her home[mfn]DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE! Call a friend, a cab, or use an app. Binge drinking is defined as reaching a BAC of 0.08% (0.08 grams of alcohol per deciliter of blood) or higher. A typical adult reaches this BAC after consuming 4 or more drinks (women) or 5 or more drinks (men), in about 2 hours. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/health-professionals-communities/core-resource-on-alcohol/basics-defining-how-much-alcohol-too-much#:~:text=Blood%20alcohol%20concentration%20(BAC).&text=Binge%20drinking%20is%20defined%20as,)%2C%20in%20about%202%20hours. China has strict drunk driving laws, criminalizing it at a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of ≥ 80mg/100ml, leading to heavy fines, 5-year license suspension, and jail time, with lesser offenses (20-80mg/100ml) incurring fines and 6-month suspensions, all enforced with roadside checks and public awareness campaigns, though challenges with consistent police resources persist. Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Limits Legal Limit: 20mg/100ml (considered “driving after drinking”). Drunk Driving (Criminal Offense): 80mg/100ml or higher. Penalties for “Driving After Drinking” (20-80mg/100ml) Fines: CN¥ 1,000–2,000. License Suspension: 6 months. Penalties for “Drunk Driving” (≥ 80mg/100ml) Criminal Offense (since 2011). Jail Time: Up to 3 years (or more in severe cases). License Suspension: 5 years (or permanent revocation if causing serious harm). Fines and points added to license. https://www.sz.gov.cn/en_szgov/news/latest/content/post_11055006.html#:~:text=China%20amended%20its%20Criminal%20Law%20in%202011,Jail%20time%20and/or%20fines%20after%20court%20trial[/mfn].
But once in the car, she wouldn’t say where she wanted to go. She just closed her eyes and leaned against him. With no other option, Gu Jing took her back to his place.
“My mom said she wasn’t actually that drunk. She deliberately seduced Gu Jing, using alcohol as courage, thinking it would be nice to have a memory.” Gu Shiyu frowned slightly at this point, clearly not entirely approving of her actions. “The next day, my mom got up very early and ran away. She never went back to B University to attend classes again.”
Xie Chenyang didn’t know what to say and silently continued to stir-fry the vegetables.
Afterward, Gu’s mother regretted it. Afraid Gu Jing would think she was a bad woman, she never dared attend class again.
A month passed, and her period didn’t arrive on time. This forced her to suspect the worst. She quietly went to the hospital for a checkup and discovered she was indeed pregnant.
She panicked.
Knowing Gu Jing had a fiancée, she dared not tell him. Yet she couldn’t bring herself to abort the child. After a night of deep contemplation, she resigned and returned to her hometown.
Back home, an unplanned pregnancy would spark endless gossip and complicate household registration.
She made another bold decision.
A whirlwind marriage.
Xie Chenyang remarked diplomatically, “Your mother… she’s truly formidable.”
Gu Shiyu: “…”
That pretty much summed it up.
Gu Shiyu carried the dishes he’d cooked out to the table.
Xie Chenyang scratched his head: [I wasn’t wrong—she really was strong. Whether it was deciding to have Gu Shiyu or finding someone to take the fall, both were…]
You Huang: “Hurry up and take it off the stove, it’s burning.”
The two sat down to eat together.
Xie Chenyang keenly sensed Gu Shiyu’s unease and took his hand. “It’s no big deal. Isn’t it great you’re not that scumbag’s biological son?”
Gu Shiyu muttered gloomily, “But my mom…”
“She wasn’t the mistress, was she? Besides, even though she slept with your biological father, it wasn’t all her fault. And didn’t she just leave without disturbing them?”
“She might’ve made mistakes, but she’d been good to me. She was a good mom.”
“Of course she was a good mother.”
“So, did you enter B University to have the chance to meet your biological father?”
Gu Shiyu nodded then shook his head. “Not exactly. Since I was little, my mom loved teaching me the things she’d learned, and gradually I developed an interest too… Entering B University was for my interests, but also… maybe to see him.”
“Did you meet him?”
“I did. Someone even said I look a lot like him.”
“How did it feel?” Xie Chenyang patiently chatted with him for a long time, occasionally feeding him snacks. He was truly thoughtful and considerate.
You Huang: “Did your soul get swapped?”
[What are you talking about? Is it wrong for me to care about my wife?]
You Huang: “Absolutely not. Keep it up.”
[Hmph.]
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Edit: Krone
Proofread: Choux_choux
