Chapter 4
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Three days before my departure, I received a message from the hospital director.
He said the specialist I had asked him to contact was coincidentally attending a forum in the country and could take a look at my father–in–law’s coronary heart disease.
My father–in–law’s heart had never been very good, and he had been rushed to the
hospital for emergency treatment years ago.
So during my studies abroad, I had also asked colleagues to help me collect relevant
case studies.
No matter what, years of family ties still existed. After doing this, I would have no more
debts to them.
But when my father–in–law heard I wanted to take him to the hospital, his face immediately darkened.
“Why go to the hospital when I’m perfectly fine? Are you trying to curse me? My previous heart bypass surgery was successful, what’s there to check?”
“A top specialist in cardiology happens to be in the country today. You could go for a check–up, maybe for some preventive measures for the future…”
Before I could finish, my father–in–law smashed his water glass at me.
“You and your pretty words. Do you think a top specialist is someone an unemployed bum like you can just make an appointment with? All you do is brag! Look at Kieran, he stayed up all night to get me an appointment with a specialist. Where were you then?”
He kept comparing me unfavorably to Kieran, his attitude making everything clear.
So no matter what I did, it was wrong. No matter how I did it, I couldn’t compare to
Kieran.
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19:58 Sun,
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4
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But when my father–in–law heard I wanted to take him to the hospital, his face immediately darkened.
“Why go to the hospital when l‘ perfectly fine? Are you trying to curse me? My previous heart bypass surgery was successful, what’s there to check?”
“A top specialist in cardiology happens to be in the country today. You could go check–up, maybe for some preventive measures for the future…”
Before I could finish, my father–in–law smashed his water glass at me.
for a
“You and your pretty words. Do you think a top specialist is someone an unemployed bum like you can just make an appointment with? All you do is brag! Look at Kieran, he stayed up all night to get me an appointment with a specialist. Where were you then?”
He kept comparing me unfavorably to Kieran, his attitude making everything clear.
So no matter what I did, it was wrong. No matter how I did it, I couldn’t compare to
Kieran.
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When this realization surfaced from the depths of my heart, I could only smile bitterly.
“If you don’t want to go, then forget it.”
I guess I was just being meddlesome, begging for insults.
Soon, the day of the baby’s full–month celebration arrived.
I arrived late, seeing the banquet hall packed with relatives whose names I couldn’t recall, feeling a bit dazed.
This scene was even grander than my wedding with Ottilie.
At the entrance of the banquet hall, there was even a family portrait of the five of them displayed.
As for me, I was nothing but a joke from start to finish.
19:58 Sun, Jan 5 GY
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Seeing me appear, the relatives immediately started whispering among themselves. I didn’t need to hear to guess what they were saying.
Soon, my aunt pulled me aside for some small talk. “Jude, when did you come back? We
haven’t heard Ottilie mention it at all.”
“I heard that after your studies abroad, you were about to be promoted to attending physician at the central hospital. Your future looks bright!”
I didn’t speak, just nodded slightly to be polite.
But I could see the contempt in their eyes clear as day.
After all, I wasn’t in the family portrait.
And the person constantly by Ottilie’s side at the banquet wasn’t me.
Some nosy person pointed at the man feeding Ottilie dessert not far away and asked, “Jude, who’s that guy? We’ve never heard about you having a brother?”
I smiled faintly.
“Ottilie’s new husband.”
The aunts who had been eavesdropping immediately widened their eyes, then huddled
together to gossip.
Since Ottilie’s family didn’t care, why should I help them keep up appearances?
Just then, Ottilie walked up to the stage and took the microphone.
“I’m so glad you all could come to my son’s full–month celebration.”
“Before this, I never thought I would become a mother. I always felt I couldn’t successfully play the role of a mother, but the moment I lay in the delivery room and heard niy baby’s first cry, I realized how powerful a mother’s love can be.”
She spoke passionately, as if she might move herself to tears at any moment.
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The aunt standing next to me raised her voice, “Let the child’s father say a few words too!
Where’s the father?”
The atmosphere in the banquet hall froze for a moment.
Everyone’s gaze shifted between Kieran and me.
The answer was already clear, but the aunt’s interruption seemed to be waiting for Ottilie
to admit it herself.
I met Ottilie’s gaze, then slowly walked up to the stage.
Under her stunned expression, I took the microphone from her hand.
“What are you doing? I’m warning you, don’t say anything out of line, or I won’t let you off
easy,” she whispered, clutching my sleeve in warning, but I just pulled my hand away, my gaze fixed straight ahead.
If she hadn’t done anything wrong, why would she be afraid?
At the same time, I calmly began to speak: “First, I want to thank everyone for coming all this way to attend this full–month celebration.”
“The relatives here today were also witnesses when Ottilie and I entered into marriage.
After our wedding, I always remembered everyone’s blessings, but you must have also seen
the family portrait at the entrance when you came in today.”
Hearing this, Ottilie’s face changed instantly.
She rushed towards me with a dark expression, trying to grab the microphone from my
hand.
I quickly dodged, gripping the microphone tightly as I continued:
“To be honest, I was shocked when I saw it too, but what shocked me even more was that after being away for a year of advanced studies, I returned to find my supposedly childless wife eight months pregnant.”
“This grievance, I can’t swallow. This blame, I refuse to bear!”
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