Because I Cannot Hurt You

"Mom obviously was unhappy and heartbroken. But Dad and I went too far ahead in our fight. There was just too much anger and tension between us. He blamed me as if I forced everybody at gunpoint to become a delinquent or join my gang," Jack sighed. "We fought over the same things once again. He brought my sexuality into the picture, and I couldn't take it anymore. He threw me out or I left the house. I still don't know that."

Shuang was silent. "But then what about your college and studies?"

He grimaced. "I worked part-time jobs to pay for my fees and took an education loan for my studies. I hated that I needed Dad to be my guarantor. But I had no choice. I didn't take a single cent from him. Once I started working, I started paying off my debts. Around that time, I met Xiaosi and Caihong. And you know what? I am still mad at Xiaosi. When Chyou was safely born, he was still just building S3. And once he became successful, he paid off all my education loan!"

She raised her brow and chuckled. "Hooo…"

"Hey, it's not a laughing matter!" He said, aggrieved. "I was so mad at him. But he insisted that Caihong and Chyou are safe because I made all the arrangements with the best gynaecologist. He said he would break his friendship if I didn't accept it!" He flared his nostrils.

Shuang curiously asked, "So you had no choice but to accept it."

He coughed. "Well at that point, I had fallen in love with him, so I just couldn't ignore his bright smiling face. I felt I would be committing a crime if I rejected him."

"..."

Shuang sighed and hugged him from above. "So that is why you refused to go back home for ten years. You seriously didn't keep any contact with him?"

His gaze darkened. "No. It's not like he was missing me considering how he didn't drop me a single message all these years. FYI. I had kept my number the same in case he realized the errors of his behavior. But he didn't."

Jack then sighed and lifted his head from her lap. "That was all. It's not a secret really, but there was a phase in my life where I was a delinquent and caused trouble. Sometimes I wonder if Dad was really right. Philip was injured because of me-"

"Hey, that is not your fault, okay?" She folded her arms and stared at him, her gaze scolding him. "It was Philip's decision to join your gang. Teenagers are not that young not to understand what they are doing. I know many of them just want a place to belong instead of getting into fights. You gave that place to him very well. Be proud of that instead of harrowing yourself with guilt, or I will be angry."

"How will you be angry?" He sheepishly asked. "Will you punish me? I will accept any naughty punishment."

Shuang twisted his ear. "Get lost!"

The damp and somber mood turned lighter and brighter with their teasing and laughter.

—

It was silent for a few days since Daniel and Si Min arrived in China. When Caihong, Zizi and Xinyi knew, they asked, "What? Jack's parents are here!? So cool! Wow, you and Jack are leaving no stone unturned. I am so happy. Keep it up."

Caihong chuckled. "True. So are his parents coming to meet Mom and Dad?"

Shuang shook her head. "Well, he needs to first meet his own parents for our parents to meet his parents."

"Ah?" The trio looked confused.

"Well…"

Shuang mentioned in short about his delinquent days to them and how it caused friction between him and Daniel. She didn't mention his sexuality to them because she thought that it was too personal and it should only be out if Jack wanted to tell them.

Xinyi sighed. "Oh, so that's how it happened."

Zizi fumed. "This is not fair! Parents cannot force their children to pursue the careers they want! That's just totally wrong!"

Caihong said, "This is still fairly common, Zizi."

Xinyi smiled. "I just think they need a good conversation to sort things out between them."

Shuang nodded. "That's why his parents came to China but too suddenly. Jack wasn't even informed about it, so he is not ready to talk to them. So I sent them back."

Zizi coughed. "You sent his parents back? What if they think badly about you?"

Shuang raised her brow. "They won't-"

Her phone buzzed, and she got a message from Jack.

'Dad got into an accident. Can you please come to the hospital?'

She jolted and widened her eyes. "Shit! I need to leave."

"What happened?" f𝑟𝑒ewe𝚋𝚗૦𝐯e𝘭.c𝗼𝓂

"Jack's father has gotten into an accident."

"What!?"

"Yeah. I am leaving. I hope they will be okay…"

—

They were not apparently.

"I don't need your help! I am a doctor myself! I can treat myself!" Daniel shouted.

Jack sneered. "Oh really? If you are a doctor, then how come you got into this stupid accident in the first place?"

Daniel, who was clutching his right temple where it bled, threw daggers at his son.

Si Min tried to break the tension, but she was failing.

Jack had a cotton swab in his hand, who was wiping the blood off Daniel's forehead, albeit with quite difficulty since the father was not cooperating.

Jack gritted his teeth. "You fucking fall from stairs and hit your head and now are acting like a baby!"

Daniel gasped. "You…you! How dare you call me a baby!? I just said that I don't want your help! And who even called you here!?"

Si Min glared at him. "Of course, I did! You fell and you were bleeding!" She cried. "I thought you were gonna die!"

"...."

"Who else was I supposed to call other than Jack? He is our son and a doctor! Don't you give me that look or I will kill you!"

"I just fell off five to six stairs! I was not gonna die!"

"Shut up! Tell that to yourself who was whimpering like crazy in pain and making me worried to death!" She wiped her eyes.

Shuang came in and saw the commotion with Jack almost losing his mind. She quickly stepped in and kissed his cheek. "Don't be mad. If you listen to me then we will do lots of naughty things in the bedroom," she whispered in his ear.