Watching Gu Jiajia's retreating figure, Duan Ling had a headache. He actually didn't want to hurt Gu Jiajia, but he genuinely felt no romantic affection towards her. Even if she forced herself to be with him, she wouldn't be happy. Given that, it was better to reject her from the beginning. Although such a decision seemed irresponsible, it was still better than forcing two people who didn't love each other to be together and spend a lifetime constantly arguing. Moreover, Haohao's attitude towards Gu Jiajia was another factor.
Haohao was his son and, unless something unexpected happened, his only son. He couldn't ignore Haohao's feelings. Considering various factors, Duan Ling felt he could only apologize to Gu Jiajia.
However, although he couldn't offer her love, he could support her in other ways, such as backing her career. He could invest in TV dramas and movies to let Gu Jiajia take the leading roles. He believed that with work, Gu Jiajia would let go of the matter eventually.
