Three Months Left to Live, Please Let Me Die with Dignity - Chapter 2

After being diagnosed with a terminal illness, Zhuang Zi’ang didn’t know who he should tell first. Most people would think of their parents, but his situation was a little different. His father, Zhuang Wenzhao, and his mother, Xu Hui, had divorced when he was five years old.

Most jobs in the world require training and exams before starting. For example, you need a driver’s license to drive, and you need a teaching certificate to teach. But to become a parent, there is no exam. With just a moment of impulse or an accident, a new life is brought into the world. Very few people ever ask if that child actually wants to come into this world.

Zhuang Zi’ang didn’t have a happy childhood. From the moment he could remember, his parents fought almost every day. Tables and chairs at home were always knocked over, and the floor was often
covered with broken glass and shattered porcelain. Finally, on an ordinary day, they completely separated.

When they were discussing the divorce, Zhuang Wenzhao didn’t even want custody of Zhuang Zi’ang at first. He felt like a child would just be a burden and make it harder to start a new family. In the
end, under the pressure of his grandparents and using the excuse of continuing the family line, Zhuang Zi’ang was allowed to stay.

One year later, Zhuang Wenzhao brought home a woman with heavy makeup. Two years after that, they had a son of their own.

In fairy tales, children with stepmothers often suffer a lot. Reality wasn’t as dramatic, but it still meant Zhuang Zi’ang had to watch people’s moods and be careful with everything. Even though it
was supposed to be his home, he often felt like an outsider.

His mother, Xu Hui, never remarried. As a train attendant, she was always traveling and only came home once every ten days or half a month. She rented a small place near the school. Sometimes when
Zhuang Zi’ang didn’t want to go home, he would stay there for a few days. Over time, he became even more like a side character in his own family.

Both parents were at work at the time. Not wanting to disturb them, Zhuang Zi’ang went to the small corner of the balcony and hesitated for a long time before dialing a landline number.

The phone rang for a long time before someone finally picked up. An old voice answered, “Hello, who’s this?”

Tears filled Zhuang Zi’ang’s eyes. “Grandpa, it’s me, Zi’ang. I miss you.”

Zhuang Jianguo immediately responded with joy, “Zi’ang! Grandpa misses you too!”

Then he called for his wife loudly so she could also hear their grandson’s voice.

Zhuang Zi’ang didn’t usually feel much warmth from family, but during winter and summer vacations, he would go to his grandparents’ home in the countryside. It was only with those two kind old
people that he could find a bit of rare comfort.

“Grandpa, Grandma, I’ll come visit you this weekend,” Zhuang Zi’ang said, trying to sound normal.

“No need,” Zhuang Jianguo said kindly. “You’re busy with school. Don’t worry about us. Come back during summer vacation.”

“Well… okay then. Grandpa, Grandma, take care of yourselves. I have to go to class now,” Zhuang Zi’ang quickly found an excuse to hang up. Otherwise, he would start crying.

He didn’t have the courage to tell the two people he loved the most about the terrible news. If that day really came, how heartbroken would they be?

The school bell rang.

Zhuang Zi’ang wiped his tears, put on a calm face, and returned to his seat. He tried to forget the sadness and lose himself in the ocean of knowledge.

On the right side of the blackboard was the class schedule. The next two periods were math.

“Demon Teacher” Wu Qiufang came in holding her textbook and walked up to the podium. Math class had a strong sleep-inducing effect. Just five minutes in, more than half the class was already drowsy.

Li Huangxuan took the chance while Wu Qiufang had her back turned writing on the board. He pulled a copy of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils out from under his desk. He flipped to a random page and landed
on a classic scene: “The Eighteen Riders of Yan Yun galloped like tigers with smoke and wind rising.”

“Are you crazy? Reading a novel in Demon Teacher’s class?” Zhuang Zi’ang whispered to his seatmate.

But Li Huangxuan didn’t care and kept doing it anyway. The world of martial arts, full of swords, vengeance, and loyalty, was way more exciting than math formulas.

Zhuang Zi’ang sat upright like a model student, trying to stay focused. But unlike before, he couldn’t understand a single word coming out of Wu’s mouth. It felt like the warmth of life was slowly
draining from his body.

“Master Murong, Leader Zhuang, Old Freak Ding—if the three of you attack together, how could Xiao be afraid?”

Just as Li Huangxuan reached a thrilling part, he suddenly felt a chilling glare. He looked up and met Wu Qiufang’s sharp eyes.

“Li Huangxuan, come solve this problem on the board.”

From the podium, teachers could see all the students’ little tricks clearly. Wu Qiufang was always strict. She didn’t tolerate even a grain of sand in her eyes.

Li Huangxuan slowly walked up with a piece of chalk in his hand, staring at the complicated problem on the board like he’d turned to stone. It was so hard that only study machines could solve it.

Wu Qiufang scolded, “With math grades like yours, you still dare read novels in class? You sit next to Zhuang Zi’ang and still haven’t learned anything from him?”

Li Huangxuan muttered, “He’s the one who bought the novel for me.”

“Confiscated! Go stand in the back and listen to the class,” Wu Qiufang said sternly.

Then she changed her tone and smiled kindly, “Zhuang Zi’ang, why don’t you come solve the problem and show everyone how it’s done?”

As a top student, Zhuang Zi’ang always scored nearly perfect in math. Solving a problem like this was usually easy for him.

But when the teacher called his name, he was clearly stunned, like his soul had wandered off and was suddenly pulled back.

He stood in front of the board but didn’t write anything for a long time. His mind was full of the diagnosis paper—or maybe it was more like a death sentence. The numbers and symbols that used to be
so familiar now felt like strangers.

“Zhuang Zi’ang, what’s wrong?” Wu Qiufang asked in surprise.

“Ms. Wu… I don’t know how to do it.” Zhuang Zi’ang choked up.

“What? That’s impossible!” Wu Qiufang knew how good he was. This kind of problem should be no issue at all. She had only called on him to make Li Huangxuan look worse by comparison—she didn’t expect
it to backfire.

Zhuang Zi’ang’s shoulders started shaking. The chalk fell from his hand to the floor. Tears flowed again.

He was completely wrapped in sorrow, like a lonely child.

Wu Qiufang’s heart ached. She wanted to hug him.

The whole class looked confused and started whispering to each other.

“This kind of question can actually stump Zhuang Zi’ang? Are you kidding?”

“Only a top student would cry just because they couldn’t solve a math problem.”

“Mu Shi, did he confess to you and you turned him down?”

…

Lin Mu Shi widened her eyes, staring at Zhuang Zi’ang’s back. Suddenly, she felt a deep pain in her chest.

They had been friends for a long time, and she had never seen him this heartbroken.

He must be hiding something.

“Zhuang Zi’ang, stop crying and go back to your seat,” Wu Qiufang said softly.

“Ms. Wu, I… I want to go to the bathroom,” Zhuang Zi’ang said, sobbing.

Wu Qiufang sighed and nodded quietly. Teachers were always more forgiving to good students.

Zhuang Zi’ang walked out into the hallway. There, he couldn’t hold it in any longer. He cried his heart out.

Every teacher, every classmate—he loved them all deeply.

But in just three more months… they would be forever separated. Never to meet again.