My Alleged Husband

Chapter 218 - 198: Unbelievable_1

Zhang Yichen’s departure caught Zhang Zhentian and Xia Jing off guard. They had returned to their former home in high spirits, but why had they indirectly driven away their own son? Xia Jing thought that Zhang Zhentian knew everything and yet chose not to tell her. She turned her head and stared at Zhang Zhentian incessantly, and it seemed that Zhang Zhentian could see right through Xia Jing’s thoughts. He felt helpless, as it seemed that his wife was blaming him for this situation once again.

"Why are you looking at me like that, wife? I didn’t know about this either. Although he did call me and ask us to come back to the house, I did indeed refuse him at that time, but he never mentioned that he would leave the Zhang family after we returned. If I had known earlier, I wouldn’t have brought you back here. I really didn’t know about it, can you please not put the blame on me for this?" Zhang Zhentian looked at Xia Jing helplessly, but Xia Jing didn’t quite believe him. She couldn’t believe that he truly didn’t know about this!

"Do you really not know about it, or did you already know and deliberately keep it from me? Then you dragged me back here, and eventually, my son will think that I’m the sole reason behind it all, right? How could you possibly not know? When he called you, he definitely didn’t just say those few words to you. If you really knew, I need you to tell me. Don’t treat me like a fool every time, keeping me in the dark. It’s no good for either you or me. Let me tell you this, if I had known that by bringing me back here, we would drive him out of this house, I would rather not set foot in this house for the rest of my life. Actually, I don’t quite believe you when you say you didn’t know. Do you know why? Because I clearly remember every single word you said to me. I know very clearly how much you wanted to come back to this house, to be by dad’s side, how much you wanted to see your own son growing up in front of your eyes. All these are desires, you know. When a person wants to fulfill their desires, they can lose sight of their true nature. I don’t know what you’re really thinking, but I hope this has nothing to do with you. If it does and you haven’t told me, then I will never forgive you for the rest of my life, and we are truly done!" Xia Jing said to Zhang Zhentian.

Zhang Zhentian hadn’t expected that because of a misunderstanding involving their son, his wife would want to cut off all ties with him. This was something he found really hard to bear. How could their love of so many years be ended just like that?

"Wife, do you really want to end all relations with me? Can a misunderstanding with your son really outweigh the love of more than a decade? Do you feel that with a son, you have everything, even to the point of not needing your own husband? I want to ask you, can you really turn a deaf ear to all the love I’ve shown you over these years, ignore it completely? Do you know, for you, I have risked my life time and time again. Why can I never be recognized in your eyes? How I long for you to say just one sentence to me: ’You understand all that I have done for you’... Just with that one sentence, I would feel truly content. But all I ever get from you is hurt. I beg you, when you act, don’t only think of your son or yourself, spare a thought for me, your husband, will you?"

Zhang Zhentian was nearly in tears. This was the wife he had loved for over a decade, the wife he had been with for so many years. How could he bear to sever the ties of all those years?

Old Master Zhang watched his own son, understanding that to him, all these things, including the family itself, seemed so insignificant. His son’s eyes held only his wife, and having her was like having everything. For his wife, he could abandon his own father, his son, his family, and everything he owned. He desired only his wife and had never thought there would come a day when his son would be so selfish as to coldly cast aside his old father.

"Xia Jing, all this was unknown to Zhentian. It was Yichen who told me about it this morning. There’s no fault with either of you; the only mistake was your initial refusal of him. I believe you both understand how difficult it is to ask him for forgiveness. For all these years, he has regarded you as passersby in his life, with or without you made no difference. It was his girlfriend who persuaded him time after time; he couldn’t ignore her pleas, so he forgave you. But what about you? When he called and asked you to come home, you neither agreed immediately nor responded happily but rejected him outright. Where do you think such an act places him? Where is his dignity as a man? Even if you are his parents, you can’t trample on his dignity like that. It’s a deep insult and has trampled on his sense of self-esteem severely. Do you understand how kind and considerate this child is? Whenever I missed you and cried over your photos, he would say nothing, just silently stand by and watch. He saw it all but chose to remain silent, knowing well it was for him that I repeatedly turned down your pleas to come home, keeping you out. So, Yichen has now made up his mind not to let me turn you away again for his sake. He wants to see our family live happily and peacefully, but your rejection has led to the current situation. Nevertheless, no one is to blame because you did nothing wrong. The mistake lies in this child’s pride, which is simply too strong!" Old Master Zhang sighed as he spoke to Zhang Zhentian and Xia Jing.

"Dad, I’m sorry. I know how much you and Yichen have suffered these years," Zhang Zhentian began, "It’s my unfilial conduct that has caused you so much distress. I hope you can forgive my selfishness and my failings as a son."

"No, the person you should be apologizing to isn’t me, but to Yichen. Do you have any idea how much he suffered because of your selfish abandonment? In school, so many children mocked him for being the child with no parents, yet he never cried. I once secretly stood at the school gate and saw him being bullied, tears swirling in his eyes, but he forced them back into his sockets, refusing to let them fall. His pride was already strong then, how much more now? You rejected his request so nonchalantly, how could you expect him to cope? As parents, all you wish for is your child to live safely and happily - I understand that, and I know that you kept challenging his girlfriend over and over again for his sake. However, you’ve missed more than a decade of his life, and suddenly, you come back and interfere with his major life decision. How do you expect him to accept that? Isn’t that making it difficult for him? He hoped to live with you, but your repeated actions and decisions brought him so much trouble. How could he forgive you? It was difficult enough for him to do so, yet you rejected him. This whole ordeal is of your own making, and no one else is to blame. I have to admit that, over the years, I’ve missed you so terribly and wished you could come back home. I too thought of looking for you. Yet, due to my own pride, I chose to let you wander until death without trying to find you. But now that you’re back, I don’t know whether I should be happy or sad because your return has caused me to lose the grandson I’ve cherished for over a decade. Perhaps, you should have never come back, and I should have never hoped for it, sparing my grandson all the suffering..."

Zhang Zhentian and Xia Jing hadn’t expected Elder Zhang to say such things and felt extremely embarrassed in that moment.

But Zhang Yichen had already left...