Love is a mistake that cannot be escaped

The voice on the other end of the phone was unfamiliar, but I could feel Gu Yichen's fingers tighten suddenly around the phone.

He turned his back and whispered a few words, his voice trembling slightly.

I suppressed my unease, held Niannian in my arms, and gently patted her back, hoping to offer her some comfort with my body heat.

"Yan Yan,"

Gu Yichen turned around, his eyes filled with the familiar tenderness, "Found it, found a matching bone marrow donor."

My heart skipped a beat, and before I could ask any more questions, he continued, "But..."

He paused, as if organizing his thoughts, "The donor made a condition."

I was stunned. What conditions?

Shouldn't bone marrow donation be free of charge? "What are the conditions?"

My voice trembled slightly, and a bad feeling welled up inside me.

She said, unless…

Gu Yichen took a deep breath, as if making a difficult decision, "Unless we move back to the old Gu family house."

My heart sank. The Gu family's old house...

Since Gu Yichen's father passed away, the place has remained empty, gloomy and desolate, like a huge prison.

Gu Yichen once told me that he would never set foot in that place again.

But now, for Niannian's sake, he actually agreed...

"Okay, let's move."

I agreed without hesitation. I would agree to any condition as long as it could save Nian Nian's life.

The day we moved into the Gu family's old house, the sky was overcast and a light drizzle was falling.

Du Yue waited at the door early, a fake smile on her face.

"Yan Yan, Yi Chen, you're finally back! I've been looking forward to this day!"

As she spoke, she stepped forward to take Nian Nian from my hands, but I instinctively dodged away.

"No, I'll do it myself."

My tone was icy; ever since what happened last time, I had been completely disappointed in her.

Her smile froze, a hint of resentment flashing in her eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

Stepping into the old house, a damp, musty smell hit me, making me frown involuntarily.

Everything here is exactly the same as I remember, oppressive and dull, as if time has stood still.

I held Niannian's hand tightly and followed closely behind Gu Yichen.

In the vast living room, only the flickering firelight from the fireplace illuminated the dust that filled the room.

Niannian seemed to be affected by the oppressive atmosphere as well, her little hands tightly gripping the hem of my clothes, without saying a word.

After moving into the old house, my life underwent a dramatic change.

Du Yue found an etiquette teacher from somewhere and gave me all sorts of training every day, from table manners to social etiquette, down to the smallest detail.

I know she wants to mold me into a lady of the house who fits the image of a family man.

I tried hard to learn and imitate, but I could never find that feeling of ease and mastery.

"Head up, chest out, smile!"

The etiquette instructor's stern voice rang in my ears, "Miss Fu, you must remember that you are now representing the Gu family. Every word and action must be in accordance with your status!"

I took a deep breath and tried to force a standard smile, but it felt incredibly awkward and exhausting.

Is this what life in a wealthy family is like?

Every day I have to wear a mask, live in the eyes of others, and even breathing becomes a cautious act.

"What's wrong? What are you thinking about?"

That evening, Gu Yichen returned home and saw me sitting by the window in a daze. He came over and gently hugged me.

"It's nothing, I just feel a little tired."

I rested my head on his shoulder, feeling his familiar scent, and my heart calmed down a little.

"I know you've had a tough time lately,"

Gu Yichen gently stroked my hair. "I'll talk to Du Yue about it. Don't worry about it too much."

“I don’t care about her,”

I looked up into his eyes. "I just... I just feel like I can't breathe here. I feel like I've become a different person, someone I don't even recognize."

Gu Yichen was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Let's go on a trip!"

I looked at him in surprise: "Travel?"

"Yes, let's go somewhere where nobody knows us, leave all our worries behind, just the three of us, and relax properly."

A gentle light shone in his eyes. "Is that alright?"

Looking at him, a warm feeling welled up inside me. Yes, it had been a long time since I had truly relaxed.

Perhaps, traveling really is a good option.

I nodded, a long-lost smile spreading across my face: "Okay."

Gu Yichen kept his word and arranged everything the next day, taking me and Niannian on a flight to Europe.

With azure seas and skies, and exotic scenery, we strolled through the streets and alleys like an ordinary family of three, basking in the sunshine in cafes and laughing out loud in amusement parks.

Without Du Yue's pointing fingers and the constraints of tedious etiquette, I felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted, and I felt much more relaxed.

I started trying to enjoy this life, to cherish every moment I spent with Gu Yichen.

"Mom, look, what's that?"

Niannian pointed to an ancient castle in the distance and asked excitedly.

"That's the Disney castle, where beautiful princesses and handsome princes live."

Gu Yichen explained patiently.

"Wow! Really?"

Niannian's eyes sparkled with a dreamy light. "Then let's go in and take a look!"

Looking at her innocent and cheerful smile, my heart softened as well.

During this time, Niannian has gone through a lot, but she still maintains her innocence and kindness, which makes me feel extremely gratified.

However, upon returning to the Gu family's old house, the cold reality quickly pulled me back to reality.

"Mom, they say I'm a child without a father, and they won't let me play with them."

One day, I was reading in my room when Niannian suddenly ran in, looking aggrieved, with red eyes, as if she had suffered a great injustice.

My heart clenched, and I quickly put down my book, pulling her into my arms: "What's wrong? Who bullied you?"

"It's...it's those kids in the garden, they said I don't have a father, and they called me a wild child..."

Niannian's voice grew softer and softer, her little hands gripping my clothes tightly, as if she were grasping at the last straw.

My heart felt like it was being pricked by needles; it hurt terribly.

My heart felt like it was being pricked by needles; it hurt terribly.

How hurtful those words must be to a child!

I took a deep breath, suppressing my anger, and gently comforted her, "Niannian, you must remember that you are not an orphan. You have a father, and he loves you very much, but he can't be with us right now."

"But why do they all have their parents with them, but I don't?"

Niannian asked, seemingly understanding but not quite, her eyes still filled with doubt and grievance.

I gently stroked her hair and patiently explained, "Everyone has their own way of life. Maybe their parents are busy and can't be with them often, but that doesn't mean they don't love their children. We can't deny ourselves because of what others say. We must believe that we are people who deserve to be loved."

"really?"

"of course it's true."

I looked earnestly into her eyes. "You must remember that Mommy and Daddy will always love you and will always be your support. As for those other children, they probably didn't mean it, so let's not take it to heart, okay?"

Niannian nodded as if she understood, and the tears in her eyes gradually faded.

I breathed a sigh of relief, but my heart was filled with mixed feelings.

I originally thought that as long as Gu Yichen and I truly loved each other, we could give Nian Nian a complete family.

However, reality gave me a resounding slap in the face. Life in a wealthy family is far more complicated than I imagined.

Just then, the phone rang; it was Lu Mingxuan calling.

"Hey, Mingxuan."

"Fu Yan, Yi Chen and I have decided to get married. Will you come to our wedding?"

"On the other end of the phone, Lu Mingxuan's voice carried a hint of trepidation and anticipation."

I was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "Congratulations! Of course I'll attend. How could I possibly miss your and Yichen's wedding?"

"That's good, that's good." Lu Mingxuan visibly breathed a sigh of relief. "The date is set for the 8th of next month. I'll send you the invitation then."

"Okay, I'll wait."

After hanging up the phone, I felt a bit conflicted.

What does Lu Mingxuan and Gu Yichen's wedding really mean to me?

Is it a blessing, or... an escape?