Chapter 314: Reunion (9)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
While they were engaged in a heated argument, their child slipped into a state of unconsciousness due to the persistent fever.
“That’s enough! No matter what it is, the child is of utmost importance right now. Leave your issues for later!” Mr. Gu interjected.
Gu Dongcheng let out a sigh and said, “If only Xiaoning were here.”
“Haven’t you heard that you can’t cheat or escape death as long as it’s Heaven’s will? No one can change what’s written by fate. Besides, I heard that those who have sinned too much are bound to receive their karmic retribution,” Mrs. Gu added.
While Mrs. Chi stood by the side, Chi Rui’er retreated backwards, resisting her urge to speak.
The child soon passed away, before the New Year even arrived.
The child lived for only a few months.
Gu Dongcheng was filled with immense sorrow as he carried his lifeless son in his arms.
The New Year was supposed to be an occasion worth celebrating amongst family members. Yet, the Gu family was overwhelmed with misery and unhappiness on this very day.
Just as they were preparing to bury the deceased child, Gu Beicheng hurriedly stopped Gu Dongcheng.
“Brother, we’re all very devastated about the child’s death. But since he’s already dead, there are some facts you have to get straight.”
“What is it?”
“I took a close look at the child and realized that 80% of his features resemble Sis-in-law. Strangely, he looks nothing like you at all. Maybe it’s because he’s still young and his features have yet to fully develop, but I think we should carry out a DNA test before we bury him, just in case.”
Gu Dongcheng’s feelings were further aggravated upon hearing Gu Beicheng’s words. “What do you mean? Are you trying to say that the child doesn’t belong to me? Would Chi Rui’er have the audacity to marry me while carrying another man’s child? Has she really got the guts to do so?” Gu Dongcheng snapped.
“I was just reminding you. Of course, it’s best if he’s a biological member of the Gu family. But if he isn’t, I’m afraid it’d be inappropriate to bury him in our family graveyard. There’s no harm in taking a DNA test anyway. Just take it as a form of reassurance so you can have a peace of mind.”
Gu Dongcheng found that he did make some sense. Ever since the child was born, he had been finding the child to be strikingly different from him in terms of appearance. Besides, it would not cost much to get a DNA test done.
“Come along with me.”
“Okay.”
Gu Beicheng drove him to the hospital to get the test done.
The results of a test conducted using blood and hair samples would usually require a few days to process. However, Gu Beicheng took the initiative to pay a hefty sum in order to request to collect the results earlier.
Carrying the deceased child in his arms, Gu Dongcheng sat along the corridor while Gu Beicheng sat down beside him.
“Why did you think of that?” Gu Dongcheng asked.
“Hmm… how should I explain it… well, I’ve been sensing something amiss for a long time, but I haven’t had the chance to tell you about it. Chi Rui’er came to look for me at the office a long while ago to tell me that she was pregnant. At first, she claimed that the child belongs to me. But how could that be possible if I’ve never been intimate with her before? She then claimed that Jin Qingyan was the father of the child. I didn’t know if I should believe her at the time, but I realized later that it’s unlikely to be the case. Given her character, she would’ve gone straight to Jin Qingyan and stirred up a commotion if he was really the child’s father. Afterwards, she came again to tell me that she was just kidding. But I doubt she’d joke about such a serious matter. That’s the first suspicious bit,” Gu Beicheng explained.
“What else?”
“I’ve once asked Xiaoning to read Chi Rui’er’s fortune. Xiaoning said that Chi Rui’er would get pregnant within the next six months from then. I’d yet to break up with her at that time. Xiaoning mentioned that Chi Rui’er was fated to have only two children in her life. Should her second child die, she would remain childless for the rest of her life. She also said that Chi Rui’er had already aborted a child previously. I was thinking to myself that the aborted child can’t be mine, and neither would the next one she gets pregnant with. Since that was the case, there’s no way I’m going to raise another man’s child, and so I decided to break up with her quickly.”
“Is there anything more?”
“Yes. The last thing is that the child doesn’t resemble you at all. Well, I’m just making a wild guess, it doesn’t mean I’m right. Do you still remember what Grandpa said? He mentioned that non-members of the Gu family are strictly not allowed to be buried in our ancestral graveyard. That’s the very reason why I decided to prompt you. Of course, it’s best if he’s your biological child. But even if he isn’t, don’t you think it’s a good thing in a certain sense?”
“You have a point,” Gu Dongcheng agreed with a nod.
The results were out an hour later.
Holding the test report with a sullen expression on his face, the doctor said, “Mr. Gu, the test conducted with the two sets of samples has proven that the child is not biologically related to you.”
Gu Dongcheng felt his heart sink at the instant that he processed the information. If it were not for Gu Beicheng’s reminder, he probably would have never found out about the truth.
“Okay.” Gu Dongcheng held the test report in his hands, which were trembling slightly. That damned Chi Rui’er. How dare she lie to me and make me raise another man’s child! he thought to himself.
He only married her because of the child, who was not related to him by blood.
Yet, in the end…
Indeed, it could be considered good news for him in a certain sense. However, he could not help but feel a little sad for the pitiful child, though his misery was no longer as immense as before.
“Seriously… who’s the father of this child?” Gu Beicheng exclaimed.
“I’ll go home and question her now,” said Gu Dongcheng as he stood up with the deceased child in hand.
They rushed back to the old residence to find that most of the members of the Gu family were present in the living room. Upon sight of him returning with the child, Chi Rui’er barked, “We were preparing to bury the child. Where did you bring him to!?!”
Gu Dongcheng shoved the deceased child into her arms and said, “Great, everyone happens to be here. Just the right time. Chi Rui’er, I’m not afraid of washing our dirty linen in public. I’m going to make you explain yourself to the members of the Gu family. Who is the father of this child?”
Dumbstruck, Chi Rui’er feigned ignorance. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Holding the test report up with his hand, Gu Dongcheng snapped, “Here are the results from the DNA test performed using the hair and blood samples taken from the child and me. The results show that the child is not biologically related to me at all!”
He then flung the test report onto Chi Rui’er’s face.
Chi Rui’er picked the report up and took a look at the information written on it. Her face immediately paled as she began to wonder why he had suspected it all of a sudden. She stood rooted to the ground, robbed of her speech due to the shock.
Mrs. Chi burst into tears and carried the child away from her arms. “The poor child has already passed away. Please take pity on him and stop probing further on his account,” Mrs. Chi pleaded in between sobs.
“Since the child has passed away, all the more I should find out the truth, isn’t it? Your daughter married me and sponged a living off of me while carrying another man’s child. Why am I not allowed to find out the truth?” Gu Dongcheng refuted.
Chi Rui’er decided to go all out and admitted disgruntledly, “Since you’ve already found out, I will not hide it any further. Yes, the child is not yours, all right. You should be grateful for the chance to be my child’s father! Do you know how many men would be jumping at the chance to father my child!?!”
Gu Dongcheng gave her a tight slap across her face and rebuked, “You shameless slut!”
Chi Rui’er was thrown off balance from the hard slap and almost fell onto the ground. She regained her balance and looked Gu Dongcheng in the eye before saying, “You’d better report this to the media and allow this scandalous news to spread all over town, so everyone can see how shameful your family is. Gu Dongcheng, you must be bent on divorcing me now, aren’t you? Give me half of your assets. Otherwise, forget about getting a divorce.”