Contract Marriage

Chapter 2

From his days at elementary school until his high school graduation, Han Yang had never once met his parents. One night, fifteen years ago, he was abandoned in a small town before later being adopted by a kindhearted old man. The old man back then, took the small boy with him back to his village, claiming the child as his very own grandson and singlehandedly struggled to raise him until he was grown.

He, Han Yang, was not yet five years old when he was discarded. The cold days of the twelfth lunar month almost froze him to death that night.

A person who was there at the time said when Grandpa picked him up back then, he was frozen to the point where his entire body changed colour, shrunk into a corner, not even shivering. Afterwards it took almost half of a year for the small boy to recuperate, as well as, learning to speak once more. Sadly, the experience also left behind an aftereffect where if it was winter or if the weather was wet, both of his legs would hurt.

During elementary school, in his fifth year, Grandpa told Han Yang about his past. He found out he was not his grandfather’s biological grandson but was instead adopted. At the time, Han Yang saw the the other children around him had parents who took care of them. Sometimes he also wondered what his own parents were like, but due to him being at such a young age at the time of his abandonment, he had already long forgotten their appearances.

When he grew older, Han Yang also thought about finding them. But when he truly “grew up”, and later understood the meaning of his circumstances, he no longer had such an idea. Not wanting to destroy his calm and comfortable life, along with–more importantly, not wanting to leave that person who struggled to raise him, were his reasons. He was even called his Grampa’s ‘Oldman’.

[T/n: because he cares for his grandfather so well, like a dad, the call him grandpa’s Oldman=dad]

What parents were supposed to be, Han Yang learned from a book. They were not like those two people who threw him away in a world of ice and snow.

Even without parents, he still received love from his Grandpa, love that was no less than that given to others.

In the College Entrance Examinations results, Han Yang’s was ranked first amongst all candidates in his province. Of the many school he casted out olive branches to, he chose L University due to them having the best conditions out of all his other choices.

His plan was simple: do well in exams, get into a good university, study his books well, then find a good job which would allow him to take his Grandpa and let him also live a better life.

After entering university, Han Yang majored Computer Science. Sophomore year, he slowly began writing programs to sell for those that needed them, or took some work from those wanting private websites. Along with making some money, he also gained a lot of experience from those jobs. And if such progress continued, he could later find a good job after he graduated quickly.

But, everything was thrown into chaos by those two people called his parents.

Before, Han Yang never thought he would meet the parents he had never met, in such a way. Now both those people who gave birth to him, were before him, on their knees, shedding tears.

At the sight of their faces, Han Yang had no impression of them in his memories at the age of five. The two before him, did not tend to him for one when he was sick, did not care for him, did not pick him up from school, nor did they come to his side when he got into scuffles and fights with his classmates who teased him about not having them around.

They had practically left no trace whatsoever of themselves in his life. The first word he learned again was, Grandfather, not mother nor father.

Previously, Han Yang always thought that maybe his parents suffered some sort of hardship, resulting in him being abandoned. He also thought that maybe they would come back to find him, saying to him, “Son, we are your parents. From now on, we will take care of you.”

So in actuality, his thoughts were not completely wrong. He did, after all, have someone come find him.

Except, there were no warmhearted whispers, no show of affection, and no embrace he had–for so long–been waiting for.

Since the ones who came to find him were not just his parents, but also their creditor…

HeLian Qing.

Without warning and with an irresistible posture, this indifferent and tough looking man, broke into his life. The man threw the bill of arrears before him, the signature of his parents names clear in black and white, before he condescendingly said, “Han Yang, was it? Beginning from today you are mine. You are HeLian Qing’s.”

Those two claiming to be his birth parents, guiltily and sorrowfully, apologised. Gradually, he understood the reason for this matter. They owed HeLian Qing a large debt, and right before his eyes the creditor took him as collateral.

Han Yang had never met them, so naturally he did not believe the ridiculous words they had said. Only after the DNA comparison came back, proving all the above information to be true, did he accept it.

Looking at HeLian Qing, he asked, “What if I disagree?”

The stern man sat on the sofa, even from the corner of his eyes, his gaze lingered, not leaving Han Yang for a second. His response began with a, “Huh?” before he added, “…then well just do the legal procedure instead.”

According to the law, such a large quantity of debt was enough to send those two persons to prison.

Han Yang, taken aback, almost fainted in that moment but HeLian Qing’s next words held him firmly in place.

“Of course, even if they are sent to prison, they would still have to pay.” After saying this, his eyes slowly lifted, gazing towards Han Yang before he spoke, “If you don’t like it, I think there will be someone more than willing to do it for you.” Those eyes of his held no emotion as he spoke, they gave Han Yang a chill.

The other person who will take care of it themselves…… On who that personal could be, he did not have to think about it for long to know who it would be.

That pair, who can be called his biological parents, took Han Yang’s hands as they wailed and said they had no choice but to abandon him back then. They said they were driven into a corner, where even his food and shelter were not guaranteed if they raised him. Furthermore, if not for him being left in that small town, he would not have been here today.

Both of the faces of the two wept bitterly, Han Yang’s eyes became misty, he could only faintly hear them say they were sorry, along with their begging for him to forgive them. They said, they gave birth to him and no matter what they were still his biological parents. They said, He LianQing was a good person who would be good to him, and that being with He LianQing would be better compared to his current life

They said a lot, it was just that Han Yang was no longer listening. Instead he thought about his Grandpa, in that little town, who taught him how to write and to play chess.

Grandpa: Xiao Yang, If your parents find you, don’t blame them. Maybe they had no choice but to do what they did.

T/n: Xiao-little. Prefix used in the name if someone younger.

Yes, they had no choice.

That man who knelt at his feet, who was called his father, wept as he said to him, “I’m sorry, we had no other choice.”

A parents debt, a child will repay.

Indeed there was no choice.

Unable to explain what was that feeling welling in his heart, for a long time Han Yang remained silent, until HeLian Qing became impatient. Then he, Han Yang, slowly signed his name on the contract, thus cancelling his parents’ debt.

A moment ago he didn’t feel much, but in the split second after signing his name, the expected decade worth of emotion and familial love disappeared and Han Yang, within his heart, only felt dread.

Even though he could barely remember things at five years of age, it’s unheard of to not remember someone who kissed you on your cheek or lifted you up in the air. Soon those vague memories became clear suddenly in that moment. Before his eyes, his parent’s faces coincided, but very quickly became like flowers in a mirror or like the moon reflected in water–an illusion.

The feeling from that chilly winter from all those years ago returned, along with the feeling of what his body felt like after it shrank in that corner because those frosty winds.

Gently, he pulled and lifted the two people tugging at his clothes, looking at them, “Thank you for giving birth to me, but in all those years you still hadn’t gone looking for me and even now you still hadn’t asked whether I was well. Didn’t you even think that when you left me there at that time, that I would of been frozen to death.”

Seeing the shame and remorse on his parent’s faces transform into relief from their debt being cleared, he suddenly felt somewhat ridiculous, as well as, somewhat sorrowful. Loosening his hold on the two people’s hands, the corners of his mouth pulled themselves to reveal a smile. Looking at them he spoke, each syllable pronounced slow and clear, “Since before you did not want to come find me, so, later also do not come looking for me again. As from no on, I have no more relation with either of you.”

Now that he had “sold himself”, Han Yang did not think he would be able to live his life as he did before. Thankfully, HeLian Qing did not take him that very day, instead he allowed him to pack up his luggage in his dormitory and would later have someone else come get him. He expressly said, he would not impose restrictions to limit Han Yang’s daily life, and Han Yang can take whatever classes he had just as usual.

When the second day since he moved into the other’s place passed, HeLian Qing had gone out on a business trip, leaving the two with absolutely no time to learn to get along with one another.

Before leaving, the man threw a glance Han Yang, noticing his slightly stupefied look, HeLian Qing coldly said, “Sort out your emotions. I don’t want to see a dead fish like face when I return. Remember one thing, I am to be your husband, not your enemy.”

Upon hearing those words, the corners of Han Yang’s mouth pulled inwards, leaving him to wear an expressionless face as he said, “Take care.”

After HeLian Qing left, Han Yang, despite often feeling unaccustomed to being in a strangers home, basically relaxed. He was the only one in the house right now after all. In the next two weeks he would have to just accept the circumstances as they were and gradually forget that the owner of this house is that man called HeLian Qing.

That is, until this day, when HeLian Qing returned.

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