I Am Not My Son's Father

Li Yue returned to the country a month ago, and that night, Li Ran sat alone in the living room for a long time. I knew well that Li Yue was like an idealized love in Li Ran's heart. But so what? After all, Li Ran had married me, and we were expecting a child together. I loved Li Ran and accepted everything about her past. As long as she stayed by my side, I could forgive anything. Time would prove everything; eventually, she would let go of Li Yue and fully embrace our life together. Yet, reality was cruel, and I was quickly proven wrong. The day after Li Yue returned, he called Li Ran out. I was initially unaware of this, as my son insisted on having fried chicken, so I took him out. It was then that my son spotted Li Ran with Li Yue and asked, "Isn't that Mom?" Only then did I realize they were tightly embracing each other. Li Ran's face was filled with a love I had never seen before; she clung to Li Yue as if he were a long-lost treasure. I felt as if struck by lightning, frozen in place. My son, still innocent, asked why Mom was hugging another man. I couldn't find the words to answer, so I sent him to check if the fried chicken was ready. Li Yue spoke passionately about his love for Li Ran, claiming he couldn't let her go and that there were reasons for their breakup and his departure abroad. Despite how insincere and even perfunctory his words seemed, Li Ran believed him. Before Li Yue could explain his reasons, Li Ran was already kissing him through her tears. Watching Li Ran like this, my heart felt like it had been overturned, a mixture of bitterness and sourness. I followed them as they went into a hotel, agonizing over the whispers behind closed doors as they eagerly entered a room without even bothering to close the door properly. The more I listened, the more my heart ached. After marrying Li Ran, our intimate life had been sparse—I thought she was just not interested. But hearing Li Ran's sweet voice now, I realized she was only uninterested in me. For a month, Li Ran and Li Yue were inseparable. I followed them, watching Li Ran's complexion grow more radiant, like a blossoming flower. I wanted nothing more than to end their lives, thinking that would stop anyone from taking Li Ran away from me. But seeing my son's innocent eyes, my murderous intent vanished instantly. One night, Li Ran lay beside me like a distant stranger, each of us under separate blankets. I indirectly brought up our son, still hoping to give Li Ran a chance to come back to us. That night, I talked about our son's childhood, and I noticed a thoughtful look in Li Ran's eyes. I was overjoyed, thinking she might return to us and live happily together. But the next day, she ran off with Li Yue again. Despite my heartbreak, I followed her and collected evidence—I was determined to fight for custody of our son. Yet, Li Ran's words shattered me completely. She clung to Li Yue, casually mentioning, "Soon, I'll bring Xiao Yang over so you can bond with him. After all, you're his biological father." I crouched beside a flowerbed and cried my heart out. Through my tears, I saw a tissue being offered to me. Looking up, I saw a well-dressed woman. Embarrassed, I took the tissue and thanked her. As I wiped my tears, the woman left without a word. When I returned home, I saw Li Ran sitting on the couch with a cold expression. As soon as she saw me, she threw a teacup in my direction. I dodged it, and seeing me avoid it only made her angrier. "You dare to dodge?" she yelled. I sat across from her, noticing her immaculate makeup and a glaring hickey on her neck. Li Ran's fair skin made it stand out even more. I blinked, holding back my tears. "I've already signed the divorce papers, " I said. "This house was bought by my parents, and I only want to keep it." Li Ran's eyes widened in disbelief. "Zhang Ze, I told you, we were both drunk when it happened! And my health is poor; if I abort this child, I'll never be able to have another." I remained silent, looking at this unfamiliar version of Li Ran. She was no longer the person I once knew. Coldly, I replied, "Science says that when people are drunk, they don't have sexual instincts. Does your health really matter? You never planned to have a child with me after our son was born." My words were sharp and direct, leaving her speechless. Her eyes shifted, and then she defensively said, "Is blood relation really that important? Just because he's not your biological child, does that mean you deny your feelings for him?" I sighed and lit a cigarette. Having quit smoking because Li Ran hated it, the sudden smoke made me cough. Calmly, I said, "If I don't even want you anymore, why would I care about that child from another relationship?"