Heartache could hardly be more painful than this.
Ruan Jun felt a deep sadness, but amid that desolation, he experienced a lightness as if he had finally shed a heavy burden.
As a son, he thought he must have fulfilled his responsibilities.
He truly breathed a sigh of relief, an ease he had never known before.
He looked at her and said, "I know."
Liao Zhaoji, however, took it to mean that he acknowledged he should go back and plead with the Ruanlin Family, and she nodded saying, "You talk nicely to your grandma, she will definitely..."
"From now on, don’t come to the Ruan Family anymore, and don’t look for us. We three brothers no longer have a mother like you." Ruan Jun cut her off and walked away after speaking, not giving her a chance to respond.
Liao Zhaoji watched his retreating back, standing motionless, feeling as if something was really leaving her...
Ruan Jun left the Liao Family’s house, walking briskly until he reached a small riverbank, where he suddenly stopped, squatting down and staring blankly at the still surface of the river.
Footsteps approached from behind, but he didn’t turn to look.
Ruan Jianguo sat down beside him.
Ruan Jun glanced at him, pursed his lips, trying to force a smile, but Ruan Jianguo patted his head.
"Such an ugly smile, better not to smile at all," Ruan Jianguo said. He rummaged through his pocket for a while, pulling out a red cigarette box and matches, and took one out to offer to him.
"Want to try?" he asked.
Ruan Jun accepted it, and Ruan Jianguo struck a match, leaning in to light it for him and telling him, "Take a puff."
Ruan Jun tried to inhale, perhaps too eagerly, and choked on the smoke.
He took the cigarette away, looking at him with incomprehension, "Uncle, this thing is so hard to smoke, isn’t that just wasting money?"
Ruan Jianguo laughed, but didn’t explain, simply gesturing for him to continue smoking.
Ruan Jun took another two puffs, but the irritation was still too much; then Ruan Jianguo took the cigarette from him and started smoking it himself.
Ruan Jun curiously watched him, "Uncle, don’t you hardly ever smoke?"
"Yeah, I don’t smoke much, but sometimes I need to for social reasons, and end up having a bit," Ruan Jianguo explained, patting his head, "Xiaojun, you are still young. You will understand later that there are many things in this world you can’t choose."
"Like having such a mother?" Ruan Jun asked bluntly.
Ruan Jianguo frowned at him, "Xiaojun, no matter how unworthy she might be, she is still your mother. You can’t choose that, and you shouldn’t speak about her in that tone."
Ruan Jun turned his head away, silent.
Ruan Jianguo took another puff, then extinguished the cigarette butt, stood up, and pulled Ruan Jun to his feet as well, "Let’s go back, everyone at home is waiting."
"Okay," Ruan Jun nodded.
Even though Ruan Jianguo hadn’t said much, Ruan Jun still felt a warmth in his heart.
He looked up at him, his eyes filled with admiration.
"What are you looking at!" Ruan Jianguo playfully slapped the back of his head, threatening him in a fierce tone, "If you dare to do such a thing again, don’t blame your uncle for kicking your ass, got it?"
Ruan Jun nodded vigorously.
The two returned to the Ruan Family home, where the Ruanlin Family and others were waiting in the courtyard. Ruan Chi and Ruan Wei, having been informed of the situation by the Ruanlin Family, greeted Ruan Jun as he arrived.
Ruan Jun patted their shoulders, walked to the Ruanlin’s side, and said with an icy expression, "Grandma, from now on, I will study hard. As for that mother, let’s pretend she is dead!"
With just that one sentence.
Everyone understood the outcome.