Su Yuanming stood with his hands behind his back, staring blankly at the dust swirling in the light, completely unaware of my approach. When I asked him what was troubling him, he gave a bitter laugh: "I've gotten myself into a knot that I can't untie. No matter if I move forward or backward, I can't find a solution. No matter what, my heart can no longer return to its original peace."
The suspicion that he might be covering for his father weighed heavily on Su Yuanming's mind, and after a week of turning it over and over, he still couldn't come to terms with it.
A Week Ago
A week ago, the computer that had accompanied me for five years suddenly stopped working, stuck on a black screen, unable to start. I was frantic because inside were photos I had collected for many years and important data—my most precious property. Initially, I thought it was a minor issue that I could fix myself, so I didn't take it too seriously. However, by mistake, I ended up deleting precious photos of my son and years of accumulated work-related materials. With no other options, I called in a computer expert friend for help.
As expected from a professional, it didn't take long for my friend to skillfully restore the lost data. While fixing my computer, he also gave me a lesson on how to handle similar situations in the future. When restoring QQ files, due to the long waiting time and large file size, my friend casually asked me if I loved chatting online a lot. My heart skipped a beat as I asked, "What do you mean?"
My friend mentioned offhandedly that he knew how to view chat records within QQ files. Joking around while moving the mouse, he said, "Let me see what you've been chatting about! Maybe I'll even find your online lover!"
I immediately stopped him because I knew that the only person who used QQ at home was my wife, Wei Wei. How could I let her chats with netizens be exposed to others? Although I trusted Wei Wei to be a virtuous woman who only chatted with acquaintances online, it still felt inappropriate, so I stopped my friend's actions.
After my friend left, his words kept echoing in my ears. Who was Wei Wei chatting with that consumed so much memory? What did they talk about? Knowing Wei Wei's QQ password was our son's birthday, I easily logged into her account.
Sure enough, as I suspected, most of Wei Wei's QQ friends were women. Opening one section after another, I found that most conversations revolved around trivial matters like bad moods or DIY cake recipes. By chance, I opened a friend named "Leisure Cloud," and the chat record spanned over 300 pages, dating back to 2008—several times more than any other chat!
I couldn't help but feel suspicious and started flipping through page after page. After reading a few pages, phrases like "darling" and "hug" frequently appeared. I discovered that Wei Wei treated him like a close confidante, sharing all her secrets, including details about our marital life. Even though I consider myself an open-minded person who can accept such online language, seeing my wife being so intimate with another man made jealousy rise in my heart.
Flipping quickly, halfway through, I suddenly saw my son's name! I couldn't help but stare intently at the screen, carefully reading. This one look uncovered a shocking secret!
By the time I finished reading their chat records, I was slumped in the computer chair, overwhelmed with emotions, unable to calm down.
Opposite-sex Roommates
The story of how I met Wei Wei is somewhat trendy. In the middle of 2002, opposite-sex cohabitation quietly became popular, and topics like "Would you dare cohabit with someone of the opposite sex?" were constantly discussed. At that time, I had just moved out of my parents' house. After enjoying a period of freedom as a bachelor, I began to miss the warmth of coming home to hot meals. After much deliberation, I posted a thread online seeking a roommate, adding that someone of the opposite sex was also acceptable. Truthfully, I secretly hoped for a female roommate.
The day after posting, I received a call from a girl. She was very interested in the location and price of my rental and immediately arranged to see the place at noon.
At 1 PM, the girl arrived on time, along with a companion. Pointing to her friend, she said, "She's my colleague, here to give her opinion!" On the way, I continuously listed the advantages of my house, trying to convince her to live with me. "The transportation is convenient, the house is nicely decorated, fully furnished with appliances, and extremely comfortable. I'm a good citizen, without any bad habits, and hardworking..." My words made her friend chuckle, "Are you selling the house or yourself?"
After viewing the house, the girl expressed dissatisfaction, and I couldn't force her to stay. Out of politeness, I escorted them out. At the intersection, her companion suddenly asked for my contact information, saying she'd call if she decided to cohabit. My heart leapt with joy as I handed her my number.
The one who asked for my number was Wei Wei, my future wife. Though she didn't like the house, she liked the simple and honest me. After getting my QQ number, she began chatting with me online. Gradually, I fell in love with her pure and lively nature. After two years of a wonderful relationship, we got married.
Our married life was sweet, with only one twist—after four years of marriage, we still hadn't had a child. By the fifth year, my mother couldn't sit still anymore and started urging us. After much thought, we decided to go to the hospital for a full checkup. Initially, I thought it was Wei Wei's problem, as she had repeatedly doubted herself. So, I confidently cooperated with the tests. Unexpectedly, the results delivered a severe blow. The doctor coldly announced my fate with the lab report, "You have only a 20% chance of getting your wife pregnant, and even if she does, there's a high risk of poor development, leading to miscarriage before three months. There's only a 1% chance of having a normal child."
Like a bolt from the blue, I froze, never imagining the problem lay with me. I visited several hospitals for second opinions, but the results were consistent. A few days later, Wei Wei and I reluctantly accepted our fate and decided to adopt a child.
However, as we waited for adoption, a miracle happened—Wei Wei unexpectedly became pregnant! I took extra care of her, not daring to announce her pregnancy for fear of losing the child. Luckily, the baby developed well, contrary to the doctor's predictions. After the birth of my son, I held him, kissing him again and again, unable to get enough. I often thanked heaven for bestowing upon me a healthy child.
Reality Unveiled
As the days passed, my son grew to look more and more like me. Strangers would see us and instantly know we were father and son. Bringing my son to the office, colleagues would say he looked like he was carved from the same mold as me. Each time, I felt immense pride.
I never dreamed that my son wasn't mine! And the one who said it was none other than Wei Wei herself! "Do you know? Ironically, he looks so much like him! Sometimes, I feel it was heaven's special arrangement that night..."
In those lengthy 300-page chat records, statements like this frequently appeared. Any fool could understand their meaning. Originally, "Leisure Cloud" was Wei Wei's first love. They had parted ways due to parental opposition but remained in contact online. Upon learning about my low fertility, Wei Wei had fallen into despair, meeting her ex-lover once again. Their old feelings reignited, leading to an intimate night together. "Actually, I don't even know whose child it is. Now, I can only continue deceiving myself!" Seeing these words shattered my heart. Beneath her seemingly innocent exterior, Wei Wei had betrayed me, making me unknowingly raise someone else's child!
Yet, I refused to believe this reality. Having been a father for so many years, I had poured all my affection into my son. I remembered his first steps, his first word calling me "Dad," his first day at kindergarten, and the first time he ran crying out of the school and into my arms... He looked so much like me; how could he possibly be someone else's child?
When Wei Wei returned home, she saw me sitting grim-faced in front of the computer, showing her chat records, and her face turned pale. She nervously tried to explain, but I wouldn't listen.
For the past week, I've tried to console myself, thinking that since I cannot have children anyway, raising this child as my own would be fine, especially since we already share an unbreakable bond. But every time I see him, I think of Wei Wei's betrayal, feeling nauseous and unwilling to stay in this house.
I still want to conduct a paternity test to see whose child he really is. If he's mine, I can forgive everything. If he isn't... I don't even know what I would do.