Xia Lian had no concept of the word "father".

Xia Lian's parents divorced shortly after she was born. By the time she had memories, only her mother was left by her side, and the two of them depended on each other for survival.

When I lived in the countryside, the neighbors were very gossipy.

The only descriptions of his biological father were "fickle" and "unserious."

Her father was good-looking, so he often went out to philander. In those days, there seemed to be an unspoken notion that men would settle down after marriage.

Zhou Yu thought so too.

Their marriage wasn't particularly grand; it was simply a matter of the two of them living together. As for why they chose Zhou Yu as their marriage partner, it wasn't for any other reason than that they simply thought she was very pretty.

Even so, no matter how beautiful a woman is, she couldn't suppress Xia Misheng's joyful heart.

Even after getting married, they still go out frequently, and the reason for going out is always the same—to go out and have fun.

Those who are observant could have seen long ago that this guy had no intention of living a proper life.

From that moment on, Zhou Yu began to consider divorce.

However, the suggestions from those around her made her hesitate.

"Let's have a child, what do you think?"

"A man will settle down after having a child."

"Once they have children, men will naturally take responsibility."

In rural areas, divorce is considered a rare occurrence.

Every family has its share of arguments and reconciliations; no one has ever truly divorced. Haven't we all gotten through these years like this?

Zhou Yu hesitated. She didn't know if her idea was right or wrong, but then she thought that things might get better after having a child.

Thus, the failed marriage continued.

But she was wrong. A truly heartless person will remain the same even after having a child.

Xia Misheng hadn't changed at all. When Zhou Yu was pregnant, apart from the neighbors sometimes coming to help take care of her, the man was nowhere to be seen.

Zhou Yu's parents died early, so she had to swallow all her suffering.

There's nowhere to say it, and no way to say it.

By the time Xia Lian was born, Zhou Yu had completely lost heart.

Looking at that lazy figure, she no longer held any hope. Rather than tying her future to Xia Misheng, she would rather take charge of her own life.

This time, she finally uttered those three words.

Let's get a divorce.

Almost a week after giving birth, before even finishing their postpartum confinement period, they each held two divorce certificates in their hands.

Xia Misheng didn't react much.

Perhaps he did have some regrets, but those regrets were about never having a wife at home cooking delicious meals for him again. As for anything else? He never felt even a hint of regret.

"I said, are you really planning to get a divorce?"

"Um."

What will you and your children do after the divorce?

"Isn't it too late to ask now?"

The child has lost her father, but that's it. She still has her mother, doesn't she?

Perhaps feeling there was no need to remarry, Zhou Yu decided to raise her child alone.

She attributed the mistakes of the first half of her life to the name "Lian" for her child, and after thinking about it, she decided to follow the father's surname.

For no other reason than that she had loved him at least during the time when they first met, even if her tenderness at that time was just a pretense by Xia Misheng.

After the initial passion faded, what was revealed was the mundane realities of married life, the daily grind of household chores and household chores. He failed to fulfill his responsibilities as a husband, and he also lacked the moral character expected of a decent human being.

Continuing to work with someone like that is just a waste of time.

Zhou Yu firmly believes that as long as she works hard, raising her child shouldn't be a big problem.

Things will get better and better.

She held this belief until she fell ill.

Zhou Yu felt that she was very unlucky. She had wasted the first half of her life on the wrong man, and before she could enjoy happiness for long, her life was taken away by a serious illness.

The only thing that makes her happy is that her daughter is very filial and obedient, and does very well in her studies. Although she can't be considered an adult yet, she is capable of taking care of herself on her own.

What happens when you die?

It would be better if he died, but I can't bear to leave my child behind.

Lying in the hospital bed, I spent all day thinking about what tomorrow would bring and what the day after would bring. As I thought about it, I would inexplicably fall asleep, only to be woken up by pain a little while later.

Zhou Yu poured all her hopes into her daughter, wishing her to be an upright and honest person, someone who is true to herself.

Don't be like her father, projecting your own mistakes onto others.

The medical expenses were very high, but fortunately, Xia Lian had saved some money in the first half of her life. The doctor told her that there was still a possibility of recovery.

But she couldn't see the helplessness in the doctor's eyes.

This is a common approach used with patients' families. After obtaining the patient's consent, the doctor will say some hopeful words to her daughter, telling her to live well and not to worry so much.

Xia Lian is about to take the high school entrance exam and can't afford to be distracted.

With the news that her mother would recover, she studied even harder.

While lying in the hospital bed, Zhou Yu wondered if that man would come to visit her a few times.

As expected, he never came to visit. Perhaps it would be better to treat him as dead after the divorce.

It's a pity he died before him.

Looking at Xia Lian, whose eyes were brimming with tears, Zhou Yu was speechless. He only hoped that Xia Lian could live a good life and put his mother at ease.

And then there's the feeling of apology.

I'm sorry for telling you that you'll recover completely.

Xia Lian cried until she had no tears left that night, clinging tightly to her mother's hand. In the end, medical staff took Zhou Yu, who had been dead for some time, away to prepare for her funeral.

After returning to her empty home, Xia Lian had become a mindless "corpse," her eyes as if dead, devoid of any light.

Why is no one helping Mom?

Why did my mother die?

When Xia Lian looked up again, all that remained around her was the echoing sound of police sirens and the man lying on the ground, constantly trying to explain himself.

Wen Mo's expression was solemn, and he couldn't say a word for a long time. He really didn't expect things to turn out this way. Qin Zhou and Xiang Xiaonan were also a little embarrassed.

Now I finally understand why this man looked so familiar.

Xia Misheng was pinned to the ground, her face contorted with panic. She struggled to explain, "You've all got it wrong! I came to visit my daughter! How could this be..."

“He’s not my dad.”

Xia Lian said those words almost subconsciously, her expression cold and devoid of any emotion, as she held onto Wen Mo's arm tightly.

As soon as he finished speaking, all eyes turned to the little girl in the corner. She slowly squatted down on the ground, her eyes calm and indifferent.

"I don't have a father."

I've never had one since I was a child.