Addicted: Book One - The Inquietude of Youth

Chapter 184 - The Surprisingly GOOD NEWS

Translators: grantye & Beloved_Sienna & Sae

 Editors: Sae & Jowly & Alec

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By the time Gu Wei Ting lay down, Gu Hai was already sleeping soundly and the lights in the room have long been turned off.

He stared at the darkness for a couple of minutes before his hand started creeping towards the switch. He couldn't sleep so he wanted to turn the lights back on. His hand had reached the switch but then he decided not to press it. He looked at his son who was sleeping soundly beside him. They were merely inches apart. Seeing him in such a calm and relaxed manner, Gu Wei Ting can't help but feel the urge to observe him closer.

Since Gu Hai was a kid, Gu Wei Ting can only count the fingers of one hand the number of times he'd been able to look at him attentively like this. His last memory of such a time was when Gu Hai's face was just the size of his palm. In the blink of an eye, that once innocent face had turned mature and strikingly handsome.

Years of absence from Gu Hai's life robbed Gu Wei Ting of not only the chance to experience the joys that come with being a father, but also the chance to watch his only son grow little by little into the fine young man that he is today. Try as he might, there are so many details about Gu Hai's life and personality that Gu Wei Ting can't remember. For one, he has no recollection of the first time Gu Hai called him "father." He also has no memory of the very first time Gu Hai learned to walk. He also does not know what his son liked to eat as a kid, or the toys he liked to play with.

As far as he can remember, every time he would face his son, Gu Wei Ting has always worn a monstrous appearance and a rather formidable aura.

When Gu Hai lazed around during training, stirred up trouble at school, licentiously wandered around, and even when his twisted love affair was exposed, it was always .this strong and sinister image that loomed over him. Always.

Gu Wei Ting neither tried to hear his son's side nor did he ever ask him to sit down for a proper talk. His means for solving whatever problem he faced was always to throw a fit of rage and beat Gu Hai. The sad part of this reality is, for the longest time, this was the only way that the two ever interacted.

In all the years that passed, Gu Wei Ting never showed any warmth towards Gu Hai. Even during the first few days after his wife passed away, Gu Wei Ting never stuck around. He ran off; went from one place to another. He left his only son alone. A son who was forced to deal with the misery of losing the only person who showed him love and compassion all by himself. He never once thought how broken-hearted, sad, or devastated a 14 year old child could be when faced with such a tragedy. What's worse is that it never occurred to him how traumatizing that experience was for a child.

So the moment, he saw his son--who was more than 180cm--tightly holding on to his own leg and huddling inside a small wardrobe, a stabbing pain unexpectedly struck his heart.

He thought, "Regardless of the mistakes Gu Hai had made, the one person who should take the blame is me."

Gu Wei Ting quietly observed Gu Hai's face in the darkness. Even he was not aware of how tender his own eyes were as they stared at his son. As he took in all the details of his son's face, Gu Wei Ting saw two cotton balls stuck on Gu Hai's hair. He immediately reached out and removed them. He then saw a trace of mud at the corner of his mouth. Without even asking why and how it got there, he wiped it away.

The lights were still off.

Gu Wei Ting lay down on his back. Not long after, he sensed Gu Hai turning over and moving closer to him. Of course, Gu Hai was already in a deep sleep and his guard was already down. What remained is some semblance of innocence and the undeniable promise of youth.