Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Kind Words Can’t Persuade a Doomed Soul

Gu Qinghuan dropped her mother off at the cowshed, then hurried off again to pick up her grandmother.

By the time she found her, Grandma had already walked a third of the way back. She’d been eating well and resting well these past few days, so her spirits were high.

The credit, of course, went to the meals made with spring water.

On the way back, Gu Qinghuan couldn’t help but wish the road was a little longer—anything to delay the family tribunal she’d have to face once they got back to the cowshed.

But, unfortunately, all roads have an end.

As soon as she got off the bus, Zhong Zijun called out to her.

She’d already noticed the big bags of supplies Gu Qinghuan had brought for them.

“Huanhuan, be honest with me—where did you get all that money?” Zhong Zijun’s heart was pounding with anxiety. Given how much her daughter had changed these past few days, she had a terrible feeling that the answer was something she wouldn’t be able to accept.

Gu Qinghuan trudged into the cowshed, head hanging.

“Mom, Grandpa, Grandma, there’s something I need to tell you.”

The three of them looked at her nervously.

For a moment, Gu Qinghuan wondered if she should have brought a bottle of heart medicine, just in case.

She braced herself and closed her eyes.

“I got married!”

All three of their hearts plummeted. The thing they dreaded most had still come to pass.

Zhong Zijun’s first thought was that her daughter must have rushed into marriage to raise money for her medical treatment. The pain was overwhelming.

If only she could go back to before she got sick—she’d rather have died than let her daughter sacrifice her own happiness for her health.

“Don’t look at me like that, and don’t jump to conclusions. Just listen to me first.

He’s a retired soldier. Before he left the army, he was a deputy battalion commander, decorated with first-class honors.”

Hearing that he was a soldier—and an outstanding one at that—the three of them relaxed a little.

At least he wasn’t some illiterate farmhand.

A marriage with no common ground never lasts, let alone brings happiness.

But Zhong Weiqian was no fool; he wasn’t about to be swayed by a few flattering words.

“Then why did he retire? Does he know about your situation? If this is a normal marriage, why didn’t you tell us? And why didn’t he come to propose properly?”

Pressed from all sides, Gu Qinghuan could only try her best to explain things in a positive light.

“Two years ago, after a battle, he suddenly developed severe psychological issues and was forced to retire.

After leaving the army, his trauma got worse—any provocation could set him off violently.

He used to be a top soldier, so he’s extremely dangerous when he loses control. To avoid hurting his family or neighbors, he volunteered to be tied up and restrained, and he’s been like that for over a year.

Recently, his parents wanted to find someone to take care of him. I wanted to help, so I agreed.”

Gu Qinghuan tried her best to paint Xu Huai’an in a good light, but she couldn’t change the fact that he needed care and was mentally unstable.

The three of them could see through it—no matter how she sugarcoated it, he was still a mentally ill patient.

Zhong Weiqian and Cheng Shuying’s hearts sank. They ached for their granddaughter, who should have had a peaceful life, now ruined.

They also feared their daughter wouldn’t be able to handle reality and might do something foolish.

Zhong Zijun was completely distraught. She couldn’t accept that her precious daughter had married a mentally ill man, dooming herself to a life of misery.

She was only twenty, in the prime of her youth, with her whole life ahead of her—how could she become a caretaker for a madman?

“How much did his family pay you? I’m going to find them!” Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried the force of an impending storm.

She was determined to pay back whatever money they owed, even if it meant dying at their doorstep—she would get her daughter back.

Zhong Zijun had never hated her own helplessness so much.

Why hadn’t she just died when she fell down that hill? Why cling to life and drag her daughter down with her?

At that moment, she was like a drowning person, desperate enough to risk everything.

Gu Qinghuan, afraid her mother might do something rash, hurried to explain, “Mom, I really did this willingly. Even if it weren’t for you, I would have married him.

He’s a good man—a hero, even. I admire him a lot, and I really like him.

And his illness can be cured. I understand his condition to some extent, and I’m already helping with his treatment. I’m planning to take him to Beijing to see a psychologist for systematic therapy. I believe he’ll get better.

Yesterday, he regained his senses, and we’ve already discussed the next steps. He’s willing to cooperate.

Compared to marrying some arrogant city youth or an illiterate village brute, this is already the best outcome. I’m content.

With his military status, I’ll be able to stand on my own and avoid a lot of trouble, and I can look after you all.

If anyone’s getting the better end of the deal, it’s me. You don’t have to feel sorry for me.”

Gu Qinghuan deliberately made it sound light, as if she’d married Xu Huai’an out of admiration, not hardship.

That way, they’d feel less guilty and slowly come to accept it.

Honestly, this really was the best possible outcome for now—she didn’t want to complicate things further.

With Zhong Zijun’s temper, she’d never accept her daughter ruining her life for her sake. She’d definitely go after Xu Mingshan and his wife, and things would get out of hand.

She was still sick—if she couldn’t take it and something happened, all of the original Gu Qinghuan’s efforts would be wasted. Surely, from above, she wouldn’t want to see her family so heartbroken.

So, this was the way it had to be.

Zhong Zijun stared at her daughter’s serious face, stunned.

She’d never imagined her daughter would be so love-struck, choosing a path of no return just because she admired a hero.

For a moment, she remembered her own reckless youth—falling for Gu Yunchuan after seeing him help a lonely old man, thinking he was kind and sincere, loving him despite her parents’ objections, only to end up with a broken family.

Was her daughter destined to walk the same painful road?

Zhong Zijun had no right to lecture her daughter—she, too, had once rushed headlong into love.

Maybe because she’d been through such a devastating marriage herself, she instinctively believed Gu Qinghuan was just young and impulsive, making a mistake.

She forced herself to calm down, and after a long silence, spoke again.

“Do you really like him?”

“Of course! With him around, not even a mouse would dare come near the house. I feel so safe. And taking care of him is easy—just feed him and he’s fine.” Seeing her mother believe her story, Gu Qinghuan finally relaxed.

Zhong Zijun was speechless, seriously doubting her daughter’s views on marriage. What kind of good man was this—wasn’t he more like a dog?

Was this what married life was supposed to be? It sounded more like she was raising a pet.

“Huanhuan, one wrong step leads to another. Admiration alone can’t sustain a marriage. What if he never gets better? Have you thought about your future?

You’re not strong enough to carry heavy burdens, and you’ll have to take care of him. How will you live?

If it’s about money, you don’t have to do this. Our family can work hard and pay off the debt. At worst, I’ll swallow my pride and beg your father or old friends—there’s always a way.” Zhong Zijun tried to persuade her to give up.

“Mom, it really wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. Xu Huai’an handed over his pension to me and put me in charge.

I went to collect it this morning—four hundred yuan, and fifteen yuan every month from now on. Even though he can’t support the family right now, we won’t starve. Things will get better.

I may not be good at farm work, but I finished high school and I’m educated. I’ll be able to support myself, don’t worry.”

To be more convincing, Gu Qinghuan even took out the money she’d collected that morning and showed it to them.

The three of them weren’t strangers to money. They’d never been obsessed with wealth, but after this ordeal, they understood how hard life was without it.

Seeing the money with their own eyes, they finally felt a little relieved—at least Gu Qinghuan wouldn’t go hungry.

These days, plenty of families couldn’t even put food on the table. Life in the cowshed was tough—they scrimped and saved, but still went hungry.

So, their hearts softened a bit.

Still, they tried to persuade Gu Qinghuan to get out while she still could—if she waited any longer, there’d be no turning back.

Kind words can’t persuade a doomed soul.

Gu Qinghuan didn’t listen to a word—they could say what they wanted, but she was determined to be that “doomed soul.”

Zhong Zijun hadn’t expected her daughter to be so stubborn. She was exhausted, body and soul.

Gu Qinghuan seized the moment and said a few more good things.

Finally, Zhong Zijun relented, saying she’d wait to meet her new son-in-law before making a final decision."

"Chapter 29: A Well-Intentioned Lie