Chapter 79

Thinking of little Huo Wen’an, chained like a dog in this room, repeatedly writing ’I am guilty,’ Xu Xingguang felt a surge of anger in her heart. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

If Huo Wen’an’s mother were still alive, she would definitely rush up and kick her a few times to vent her anger.

Huo Wen’an’s voice, through a closed door, reached Xu Xingguang’s ears: "Ever since I remember, every night before bed, she would lock me in a room, put a dog chain on me, give me a pen, and make me write those three words on the wall. Initially, I didn’t even understand what those three words meant."

"Because my name has a word related to guilt, I thought she was teaching me to write my own name. At that time, I only found it strange that while my name has two characters, writing it out resulted in three."

"It wasn’t until I started school and learned the character for ’guilt’ that I understood its meaning. ’Guilt’ has many meanings: crime, sin, apology, transgression. But no matter the expression, it’s always negative. This word shouldn’t appear in a person’s name."

Every parent wishes for their child to have a smooth journey, safe and sound, how could they possibly give their child a name containing ’guilt’?

Xu Xingguang stepped back a few paces, leaned against the tightly closed door, and heard Huo Wen’an say, "I know she doesn’t love me. I thought if I studied hard and achieved good grades, I would receive her praise. So I studied diligently, even though she didn’t care about my studies, I would monitor myself."

"At the end of my first-grade exams, I scored full marks. Holding my certificate and perfect score tests in my hands with anticipation, I ran home. I thought I’d receive her praise, but after she glanced at the certificate, she said nothing and locked me in the confinement room again for three whole days, depriving me of food and water, until I admitted my mistakes before letting me out."

"I know she hates me because every time she drank, her eyes looked like she wanted to kill me. But I didn’t understand why she treated me like this until I grew older and heard her cursing my father, saying we were both despicable. Then I realized she was channeling the hatred she felt for my father onto me."

"The night she died, drunk and insane, she clung to my sister saying she wanted to jump into the river, finally told me the truth in her madness. I found out that I was not her child at all; I was the child she stole from the hospital. And my parents were the ones who had hurt her."

Upon hearing this, Xu Xingguang finally understood why Mrs. Huo treated Huo Wen’an that way.

Huo Wen’an’s existence was to atone for his biological parents’ sins.

But why must adults’ love and hate be inflicted upon a child?

"She stole me, intending to raise me into a waste, then send me back to them, so they would feel the taste of suffering."

"I know she suffered emotional pain, and I also understand my parents wronged her."

Huo Wen’an suddenly fell silent.

When he spoke again, there was a painful tone in his voice. "But I can’t understand, what crime did I commit?"

That couple, because of a moment of pleasure, forcibly brought him into this world. And that woman, because of love and hate, tormented him for fifteen years.

He did nothing, yet was forced to bear the consequences of three adults’ love and hate.

Xu Xingguang opened the door and looked up to see tears welling up in Huo Wen’an’s bloodshot eyes, her chest filled with a pang of sadness.

She felt sorry for Huo Wen’an.

"If you can’t figure it out, don’t think about it."

Xu Xingguang stood on tiptoe, pressing her forehead against Huo Wen’an’s.

Xu Xingguang didn’t know what words would comfort Huo Wen’an; she only said, "Even if you are seen as guilt, you will become someone’s glory."

"The world is vast, why confine yourself to the world of a few mad people?"

No one had ever spoken such words to Huo Wen’an.

Telling him, he too could be someone’s glory.

Though Huo Wen’an walks under the sun, he keeps his soul forever locked in that dark room, chained below that dog chain.

But the words Xu Xingguang just spoke were like a key, unlocking the prisoner’s lock.

He finally had the motivation to want to walk out of that confinement room.

Huo Wen’an abruptly grabbed Xu Xingguang’s waist, pulling her forcefully into his embrace. He didn’t say anything, but Xu Xingguang could feel his plentiful, excited emotions.

"You’re hugging me too tightly," Xu Xingguang found it hard to breathe.