My Alleged Husband

Chapter 217 - 197: Return to the Zhang Family_1

Zhang Yichen heard the beeping sound of a call being disconnected from his phone, and he knew that his father had hung up on him. At that moment, his heart didn’t feel right at all. He thought to himself: Could his father’s sternness truly not measure up to that of his wife? Was his own flesh and blood son so insignificant in his father’s eyes? Why would his father prefer to forgo his son in favor of the person beside him in bed? Had it ever occurred to him that his choices might repeatedly cause harm to his own son? And moreover, this harm wasn’t physical but emotional.

Old Master Zhang witnessed the expression on his grandson’s face and heard the words his son had spoken to his grandson. He felt a silent heartache for his grandson at that moment. He had always believed that if his grandson agreed to let Zhang Zhentian come back home, then Zhang Zhentian would certainly treat his grandson well and would not let his precious grandson get hurt again. However, reality told him that they all had thought wrong. Zhang Zhentian would rather not return to the Zhang family than give up his wife.

"Yichen, it’s okay, don’t be sad—all is not lost, your grandfather is still by your side. Even if your mom and dad don’t want to come back, that’s their business. It won’t be blamed on you anymore, saying it’s because you didn’t come back. From now on, you can let go of the burden in your heart and focus on your work!" Old Master Zhang could see the pain in his grandson’s heart. He couldn’t bear to let his grandson get hurt again over this matter. He would rather let everything go back to the beginning. They would have preferred if their grandson had never asked Zhang Zhentian to come back home. Perhaps that way, he wouldn’t have faced such a great insult this time.

"Grandpa, it’s fine. Whether they come back or not, it has nothing to do with me anymore. But today, I lowered my head to forgive them and let them come back home. The moment they refused me, they lost their chance of ever returning to the family. Even if he comes back, I will move out, because this time I gave them enough respect; I humbled myself to take them back, and yet they heartlessly refused. In their eyes, I will never measure up to his wife. Perhaps I never existed as a son in his heart; to him, I am nothing but a pet that can be summoned or dismissed at a whim. He has never treated me as his son, and this time, I really won’t forgive them!" Zhang Yichen said frigidly to Old Master Zhang.

At that moment, both thought Zhang Zhentian and Xia Ling would not return to the Zhang family, but what they didn’t expect was that Zhang Zhentian found Xia Jing and brought her back to the Zhang family within a day, which Zhang Yichen could not accept. In the end, he truly moved out.

Around four in the afternoon, Zhang Zhentian found Xia Jing at the airport. She was about to leave the country when Zhang Zhentian caught her waiting at the airport...

"Xia Jing, please tell me, what are you trying to do? Why would you pack up your luggage and run away from home without a reason? Do you really dislike being with me that much?"

Upon hearing what Zhang Zhentian said to her, Xia Jing felt her anger rise. What did he mean by saying she had taken her luggage and left home for no good reason? Wasn’t it him who didn’t want to stay together? Why did he make such a statement to smear her?

"Zhang Zhentian, could you please get your facts straight? What do you mean ’I took my luggage and left home for no reason’? What ’I’? What does this mean? Wasn’t it you who suggested we get a divorce and not stay together? Since you were the one who proposed a divorce, what? Do you want to back out now? Or did you come to the airport especially to give me the divorce papers for me to sign? If that’s the case, then hand over the divorce papers, and I’ll sign them right away. That way, you can quietly return to your father’s side, without worrying about being kicked out of the house because of me again, isn’t that great?" Xia Jing said with a bitter smile.

"Don’t act like you don’t know what I meant back then. You made me so angry; of course, I was furious. Is only the government official allowed to start a fire while the commoners can’t even light a lamp? Are you the only one who can do as you please while I can’t even vent my anger?"

"Oh, is that so? Congratulations then. You have now completely driven me away from you. You should be able to happily return to your father’s side now, right? That way, you can see your son every day, see how he conducts himself, watch him get married and have children, and eventually hold your own grandson. Shouldn’t you be very happy? Then why come looking for me?"

Xia Jing truly didn’t understand. She couldn’t grasp why, since Zhang Zhentian had already proposed divorce to her back then, he was now here to find her. Was it to insult her once more? She had made it crystal clear to him that whatever she did in the future had nothing to do with him. Why couldn’t he let her go and had even tracked her down to the airport?

"You’ve misunderstood. Ever since you left, I’ve been searching everywhere for you. The main reason I’m here today is to share some good news with you. Our son has agreed to let us return home. Come with me back to our house now, and as long as you don’t oppose our son’s girlfriend anymore, he won’t kick us out again!"

Before Xia Jing could get a word out, she was hastily pulled back to the Zhang Family home by Zhang Zhentian. When they were moving their things back in, Old Master Zhang was taken aback. Hadn’t they decided not to return? Why were they suddenly back, and without giving him any notice? How was he supposed to explain this to his grandson?

"Dad, we’re back. I’m sorry, it’s our fault. You’ve raised our son all by yourself, and you’ve suffered so much over the years. From now on, I will always be by your side, never leaving you for a moment. I will make sure you enjoy your twilight years. Can you forgive us?" The moment Zhang Zhentian entered the door and saw his father standing in front of him, he fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face, as he spoke to his father.

"It’s good that you’re back... it’s good that you’re back..."

Just then, Zhang Yichen returned home. As soon as he entered, he saw his parents sitting on the sofa. Without saying a word, he quickly went upstairs to pack his bags and hurried down the stairs. When Old Master Zhang and his parents saw him ready to leave with his luggage, Zhang Zhentian couldn’t help but stand up and whispered to his son, "Yichen, what are you doing? Aren’t you happy that mom and dad are back? Or are you going on a business trip? If that’s the case, go and come back soon. Mom and dad will be waiting for you here, waiting for you to come home."

"Child, are you really planning to leave Grandpa and move out? Aren’t you happy that mom and dad are back?" Old Master Zhang also spoke, not wanting his grandson to move out, as he was reluctant to let go.

"Grandpa, I’m sorry, but thank you for your kindness. I believe I made myself very clear. I gave them two chances to come back, but my so-called good father refused me and even slandered me. I find that unacceptable. I told you clearly before that if after they rejected me, they return to the Zhang Family home, then I would move out. I don’t want to live with someone who is so inconsistent. It makes me feel exhausted!" Having said this, Zhang Yichen walked out the door.

Zhang Zhentian had no idea what had happened. Could this be related to him again?

As Zhang Yichen stepped through the Zhang Family’s front door, Old Master Zhang’s tears began to flow. This was the grandson he had raised for over a decade. Was he ultimately unable to escape the fate of moving out and living apart from him? How could he possibly be happy? Xia Jingyi, completely confused, looked at her father and her husband, the most bewildered among them, because she knew nothing.