From the head seat, the old general watched for a long time:
His daughter was sobbing,
The grown men standing frozen in the middle of the room, helpless,
And one son kneeling on the floor—his face streaked with moisture, whether sweat or tears, impossible to tell.
The old man let out a long sigh and waved his hand wearily.
"Go home.
A man should discipline his own child.
These old bones don't have many years left—I can't afford to worry about you a lot anymore.
With that, he stood—
And for the first time, his usually firm posture wavered.
Uncle Liu, ever vigilant, rushed to steady him and quietly led him out of the room.
Back home, A Jin's mother helped him remove his shirt.
The fabric peeled away with a sickening tug—his back had stuck to it—
And the pain made him suck in a sharp breath.
When she saw the bloodstained skin beneath, her tears fell again.
A Jin lay on the bed, forcing a light tone.
"It's fine. Doesn't hurt."
His mother sniffed twice, wiped her tears, and opened the medicine box.
While she carefully tended his wounds, he joked,
Really, it doesn't hurt. Don't you remember? I got beaten all the time as a kid.
You used to whip me with the bottom of your shoe.
"Yes, you have been in trouble since childhood. And now you're grown and still like this—never improving."
A Jin fell quiet for a moment, then asked softly,
"Mom… you really don't see that I've changed?"
She paused, then answered dryly,
"I see it.
You got dumber.
A Jin couldn't help laughing.
His mother slapped him lightly on the hip.
"Still laughing? Look at the state you're in!"
Once she finished applying the medicine, resentment crept back into her voice.
"I swear you've gone stupid. So many girls under the sun—why must you choose the one our family harmed—Lin…"
"Lin Wan," A Jin reminded gently.
"Yes, her.
Tell me, what, have you never seen a woman before?
A Jin chuckled.
Actually… maybe you're right.
After meeting Lin Wan, I really did feel like I hadn't seen a woman before her.
His mother blinked, startled.
She's really that good?
You say that I'm starting to want to meet her myself.
A Jin pointed toward the coat rack.
"Mom, can you grab my wallet from my coat pocket?"
She brought it over, and he carefully slid a photograph out of the inner slot before handing it to her.
"This is her."
His mother looked at it and muttered, "So young?"
"Heh. That's her as a child."
"… Why is it torn?"
A faint, guilty flicker passed through A Jin's eyes, but his tone remained calm.
"She ripped it during a fight. To spite me."
"Oh, she's got quite the temper then."
She examined the little girl's features closely.
"Pretty child. And looks like she's got personality."
A Jin stared at his mother, surprised.
"You can see that?"
His mother sighed.
I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice.
Seeing you this obedient and whipped tells me everything I need to know—
This girl isn't simple.
A Jin laughed, took back the photo, and tucked it into his wallet again.
"She's alright. Pretty simple-minded actually—just… a little hot-tempered. And stubborn."
His mother looked at him seriously.
"And what do you plan to do?"
A Jin's movements paused.
He answered with forced nonchalance:
"One day at a time."
"That doesn't sound like you."
Her brows creased with worry.
He set the wallet aside and pressed his cheek into the pillow, voice muffled.
"Mom…
In my whole life, I've never felt this unsure.
I can imagine a hundred ways to keep her by my side—
But I can't do a single one of them.
Today I finally understand…
The most powerless thing in the world is wanting to be good to someone…
When they don't want it.
His mother stroked his face.
He had grown thinner in just a few months.
Softly, she said:
"Son…
I don't understand young people's love.
I won't interfere.
If that girl is willing to be with you, I'll welcome her with a smile and treat her as my own daughter.
But if you two can't walk the same road…
Promise me you'll take care of yourself.
Don't ever do something like last time…
Her tears slipped again.
A Jin took her trembling hand.
Don't worry, Mom. I know my limits.
Actually… I already made plans.
When things settle down, I'm going to learn to swim.
After she left, he pulled out Lin Wan's photo once more.
He held it under the lamplight, staring—left, right, again and again—unable to get enough.
A strange thought suddenly struck him.
If that child hadn't been lost…
If it were a girl…
Would she look like this?
His breath caught.
A subtle, indescribable emotion rose in his chest.
Then another thought followed:
If it had been a boy?
He sat up abruptly—
Forgetting his wounds—
And cried out at the jolt of pain.
In the next room, his mother heard the noise and hurried in.
She found him half-naked, crouching in front of a cabinet, rummaging wildly.
What are you doing?!
You should be resting!
A Jin looked up.
"Mom, where are my childhood photos?"
Baffled, she nonetheless opened a drawer and handed him a photo album.
"What's this about?"
"Need them."
A Jin took the album and returned to his room.
He lay on his stomach flipping through the pages, until he found a black-and-white picture of himself holding a toy gun.
He placed it beside Lin Wan's childhood photo.
The sizes matched perfectly.
Side by side…
They looked astonishingly fitting.
He leaned on his elbow, lost in a whimsical daydream:
If we had met at this age…
How wonderful that would have been.
None of today's misery would exist.
But after his imagination took several enthusiastic laps through fantasyland, his eyes fell on the printed date—
—and realization struck.
Wait.
When I was six…
She wasn't even born.
A Jin cursed under his breath, frustration welling up.
The fantasy smashed apart.
Reality stood in all directions—walls hemming him in.
His relationship with Lin Wan…
Was trapped within this inescapable box.