Difficult To Raise Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Shattered

Before the age of five, Jiang Ran also had a happy home. His father worked hard and was honest, and although his mother was a bit vain and spent money lavishly, she still cared for the family.

Then his mother brought Jiang Jin home, claiming he was her cousin’s child whose parents had passed away. She said he looked pitiful and she wanted to raise him.

His father was an honest man who always deferred to his wife, so he didn’t say much and willingly raised this relative’s child.

When Jiang Jin was first brought home, his parents were excited. They even bought some small toys and coaxed Jiang Jin into a One-Year-Old Grasping Ceremony. The family watched him expectantly, hoping he would choose something meaningful.

Jiang Jin slowly crawled around the table. Faced with a spread of good things, he was completely unmoved and grabbed nothing. His black, grape-like eyes fixed on Jiang Ran’s face. After watching for a few seconds, he suddenly lunged into Jiang Ran’s arms.

His parents burst out laughing, saying that this child would belong to Jiang Ran from now on. Jiang Ran held Jiang Jin, looking bewildered, but then he laughed too. None of them took it seriously.

Jiang Jin was only a little over a year old then, fair-skinned and tender, cuter than other children. Anyone who saw him couldn’t help but tease him. But no matter how cute he was, he couldn’t walk or run; he only cried and ate.

His mother was not good at taking care of children. Once the novelty wore off, things went back to normal. As long as he didn’t starve, it was fine. She often left the baby alone at home without any worry. His father was busy with work and had no time for Jiang Jin. Jiang Ran had no choice but to learn how to care for him himself.

When he wasn’t at Kindergarten, he stayed by Jiang Jin’s side all day. He mixed formula when Jiang Jin was hungry, changed his diapers when he soiled himself, and picked him up and spun him around to soothe him when he cried—he had seen other women in the building do this with their children.

Jiang Jin was a crybaby from a young age. He cried when he was hungry, cried when he was cold, and cried when he was in pain. He often drove Jiang Ran crazy. He was just a child himself; where was he supposed to find so much patience?

Several times, he wanted to harden his heart and ignore him, but Jiang Jin was a smart child from the start. He seemed to instinctively know when to fuss and when not to, and who truly cared for him.

Whenever Jiang Ran felt frustrated, the child would grab Jiang Ran’s finger with his soft hand and put it in his mouth to chew. His teeth hadn’t fully grown, so it didn’t hurt, only tickled.

When Jiang Ran tried to pull his hand away, Jiang Jin held on tight, then opened his mouth and giggled, a smile that couldn’t be sweeter.

Jiang Jin was very pale then, with big, dark eyes, red lips, and soft, tender cheeks. When he smiled, he looked like a little angel.

Jiang Ran lost all his temper when he saw that smile and had no choice but to hold and comfort him again.

If life could have continued like that, it wouldn’t have been bad. But on Jiang Ran’s eighth birthday, everything changed.

His parents had a fierce argument. It started when his father noticed his mother occasionally taking Jiang Jin to see a man. Finding it strange, he checked her phone. He didn’t expect to find anything major, but the search revealed a huge secret—his wife had been secretly cheating on him for a long time.

He was in disbelief, but the facts were undeniable. The man had endured it for a long time, finally exploding on Jiang Ran’s birthday. He confronted his wife with the evidence, hoping for an explanation.

But the usually refined and beautiful woman merely smoothed her hair and said lightly, “So what if I did?”

She was used to the good life, or perhaps she had been spoiled by her honest, family-oriented husband, and didn’t think it was a big deal.

The man exploded, calling her indecent. Provoked, the woman began to retaliate. They accused and cursed each other, and the argument eventually escalated to physical violence.

No one remembered it was Jiang Ran’s birthday anymore, and no one thought to wish him a happy birthday.

That day was black for Jiang Ran. Sweet cake was smeared all over the floor, and fine dishes were scattered throughout the house. Vases and bowls were shattered in one spot, mixing with his parents’ hysterical screams to form a jarring symphony.

Jiang Ran felt the world spinning. He wanted to step forward and stop them, but his parents roared him back. He huddled in the corner, his eyes filled with terror.

In that suffocating fear, he heard a very specific sound: Jiang Jin’s footsteps.

Jiang Jin ran over on his short legs, wrapped his arms around Jiang Ran’s neck, and whispered softly, “Gege, I’m scared.” This time he wasn’t crying, but his voice was clearly trembling. He instinctively sought shelter like a small animal.

Jiang Ran seemed to instantly come back to life. He hugged Jiang Jin tightly, embracing his entire body, patting his back rhythmically, comforting him repeatedly, “Little Jin, don’t be scared, don’t be scared.”

His tone carried a calming power. Jiang Jin nestled in his arms, and gradually, he really wasn’t so afraid anymore.

That argument was only the beginning. What followed was a disaster. His father secretly took his hair to the hospital for a Paternity Test, then, red-eyed, accused his mother of not only giving him Cuckoldry but also making him raise another man’s son. His mother, not to be outdone, retorted that it was his fault for being useless and unable to earn money.

During their argument, he heard his father ask, almost brokenly, “What about Jiang Jin? Is he also the son of you and your Paramour?”

His mother was silent for a moment, finally relenting, “No, he’s another man’s. He had a child with another mistress, but that woman was short-lived and died right after giving birth. I… I just collected some money.”

She didn’t say the rest, but the meaning was clear. The man clearly couldn’t accept this truth and found no comfort in it. His wife had given him Cuckoldry, and not just once.

His world was hit by a storm that day, with thunder and lightning. From then on, there was never a clear sky.

After that, the honest, decent man completely changed. He stopped working, stopped bringing money home, and spent day and night soaking in bars. When he came home drunk, he would beat his wife, sending her to the hospital several times.

After months of this, his mother finally couldn’t stand the life anymore. On a bright, clear day, she coolly took the last of the money and ran off with someone else.

She didn’t take either child.

His father became even more depraved. He completely turned into a devil.

It was better when he didn’t come back. Once he did, it was Jiang Ran’s Nightmare. He seemed to treat Jiang Ran as a substitute for the woman, slapping him and calling him Little Bastard whenever he was displeased.

During that time, Jiang Ran truly wished he would die outside, but his life was tenacious. No matter how much he messed up, even if he passed out on the street, someone would safely bring him back. He just wouldn’t die.

He was determined to drag everyone down to hell with him.

Jiang Ran accumulated more and more injuries. He started to fear meeting strangers, wearing long sleeves year-round, and avoiding contact with classmates.

He even began to hate Jiang Jin. He felt that if it weren’t for him, their family would still be intact. This person wasn’t his brother; he was a demon who brought bad luck. So he stopped caring for him. No matter how much Jiang Jin cried or fussed, Jiang Ran ignored him, only feeding him when he was on the verge of starvation.

Even so, Jiang Jin remained close to him. He always followed him obediently, timidly calling him Gege. He tugged at Jiang Ran’s sleeve, and no matter how many times Jiang Ran shook him off or how cold his expression was, Jiang Jin wouldn’t let go.

Jiang Ran found him even more annoying. He simply locked the door to keep him out. Jiang Jin would then lie on the other side of the door, pressing against it and calling him softly with a crying voice, “Ge… ge…”

Each sound was like a demonic melody in his ears.

Jiang Ran wished he were deaf. He covered his ears, utterly frustrated.

He deliberately yelled at him in a fierce tone, “All you do is cry all day! What else can you do besides cry?”

Jiang Jin’s crying softened a little. He wiped his tears, looking utterly helpless. Between sobs, he said, “I can… I can kiss Gege, and I can hug Gege. Gege, hug.”

Jiang Ran was so angry he kicked the door, “You’re just a sticky piece of taffy I can’t shake off!”

Jiang Jin was completely oblivious to his breakdown, only repeating, “Gege, hug… Gege, hug…”

He was still so small and understood nothing. He didn’t know why Gege wouldn’t hug or kiss him anymore; he just felt incredibly sad.

One was crying, and the other was furious, neither able to do anything about the other. Until suddenly, there was a noise outside the door. The man who had been gone for who knows how long had returned. He reeked of alcohol, pushing the door open drunkenly, looking both decadent and pathetic, like a miserable wretch.

The man walked in like a ghost. When he saw Jiang Ran, he sneered and cursed him, “Little Bastard.”

Jiang Ran watched him silently, not making a sound. His eyes were very beautiful, dark and deep, with a slight upward tilt at the corners, carrying an indescribable charm, very much like his mother’s.

The sight of those eyes instantly enraged the man. He slapped Jiang Ran, asking, “What the hell are you looking at? Are you defiant?”

The slap was so hard that Jiang Ran’s head rang, and his cheek instantly swelled red. But he had been stubborn since childhood and couldn’t bring himself to beg. He just clenched his jaw and remained silent. The man grew angrier, kicking him hard in the stomach and cursing, “I’ll beat you to death!”

The man’s fists and feet rained down like raindrops. Although his movements were sluggish from the alcohol, how could a child withstand such a beating from an adult? Jiang Ran couldn’t hold back and finally let out a muffled groan.

Jiang Jin heard it from inside the room, and his crying instantly choked off. He paused, then started slamming the door more frantically. Somehow, he managed to open it.

The tiny Jiang Jin saw his Gege being beaten, and his eyes instantly turned red. He lunged forward and shielded Jiang Ran, scratching and biting the man, fierce as a small wolf cub. He cried, “Don’t hit my Gege! You can’t hit my Gege!”

His small body was like a wall, resolutely blocking Jiang Ran, attempting to shield him from all harm. The man cried out in pain from the bite, slapped Jiang Jin across the face, and sent him flying. He cursed, “An ungrateful wretch you can’t raise!”

Jiang Jin lay on the ground face up, feeling pain all over, especially in his head. Crimson blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. Jiang Jin’s small face was frighteningly pale, but he still stammered, “Don’t hit… don’t hit my Gege.”