My Alleged Husband

Chapter 418 - 397 Staggering Steps_1

Time was ceaselessly flowing away into the distance. The children of Zhang Yichen and Ran Zhihan could now toddle slowly on the floor, a day that arrived all too swiftly, catching everyone off guard. It was unexpected how quickly the child grew, and as each day passed, the children grew older, while one’s own parents grew older too, stirring a mix of excitement and inevitable melancholy in everyone’s hearts.

Old Master Zhang, watching Zhang Ni starting to walk, muttered to himself, "Time really does fly, doesn’t it? Just a few months ago, the child was so tiny, barely the size of a palm, and now they can walk on their own. Indeed, I have grown old. Who knows how much time Heaven will grant me to stay in this world? How wonderful it would be if, on the day I lie down in my coffin, I could fulfill all the wishes in my heart. But why do these seemingly small wishes of mine appear so difficult for everyone else? Why isn’t there anyone willing to make an effort for my humble desires? In the end, everything makes me face such an outcome. Why isn’t anyone willing to struggle a bit for me? Is striving for me really that hard?"

Ran Zhihan had to listen every day as her grandfather spoke to himself, often saying things she couldn’t understand. She didn’t know what some of the words Old Master Zhang said meant. She had to ask her husband to tell him what his grandfather had been asking, and it was then that she realized how much pain was in her grandfather’s heart.

"Husband, what is Grandpa mumbling to himself? His eyes even reddened as he spoke; is he going to cry? I’ve never seen Grandpa so vulnerable. In my heart, he has always been a tower of strength, never shedding a tear over trivial matters. But why today is Grandpa muttering to himself, his eyes already tinged red?"

"Wife, don’t you understand what kind of person Grandpa is? To others, our Grandpa always seems so strong, so upright, but no one knows how much suffering is in his heart. No one has ever replaced him, to understand or to feel that inner pain. Everything everyone does is only for their benefit, without considering what encouragement Grandpa might need within his heart. You see how Grandpa is always cheerful around us. Don’t you realize that inside, he is actually suffering? He doesn’t want to bring that pain to us, so even when he’s in deep anguish, he still puts on a brave face for me. He teaches us that only by facing life with a smile can we be rewarded. He believes that as long as you keep smiling, one day the world will smile back at you. But Grandpa doesn’t realize that his smile has given so much love to many people, without ever expecting to be loved in return!"

"Yes, Grandpa’s life is indeed so pitiable. He’s given so much for us, yet we can do nothing in return. I wish time could turn back. If we could go back, I would definitely take good care of Grandpa, ensuring every day he spent with me would be filled with genuine smiles, not just forced happiness for our sake. However, that day will never come again. Time has slipped away into the distance and can never return. As Grandpa ages with the passage of time, we continue to grow day by day, watching our son slowly learn and grow cuter day by day. My heart can’t bear the thought. I’m afraid time will keep slipping away in this manner, and I won’t have enough time to see what my son grows up to be. The scariest thing in life isn’t losing someone, it’s not understanding what you’ve lost until it’s too late. When you look back, you realize you’ve lost the person who cared for you the most, loved you the most. That’s when you feel the pain a thousandfold, and nothing can alleviate it. No one can understand where this pain comes from, and no one can take that pain away from you."

Zhang Yichen knew every word his wife said was spoken from the heart, and he understood that his wife’s words were sincere. Yet he didn’t know how to respond to such words, reasoning that they had been spoken more than once, but the outcome had never been good. He knew that the pain in one’s heart never stemmed from the ease of declaring it aloud but rather from the fate others had set since the beginning, sprinkling salt on the wound over and over again. That kind of pain was as intense as a heart being torn apart, unbearable for anyone to take on, with no one willing to share the burden.

Zhang Ni walked up to her mom and dad, grabbing Ran Zhihan, she said, "Mommy, why do other kids seem to have grandparents with them all the time, but I don’t? Where are my grandparents? Why don’t they want to come back and stay with me? Is it because I’m not cute enough? Or because I’m not well-behaved enough? I really wish my grandparents could come back and spend time with me. Even if it’s only for one day, I would be so happy. I haven’t seen my grandma for such a long time; I really miss them. Mommy, can you tell me where my grandparents have gone? I want to find them and have them come back to stay by my side, to play with me. Other kids have both parents and grandparents to play with, but I only have a dad and a mom, and a great-grandpa, while my own grandparents are not with me. It makes my heart feel so uncomfortable."

No one present could have imagined that such a young child, not even two years old, could articulate such thoughts. The child’s intelligence was astonishing, with both looks and brains that seemed to defy the natural order; this kid would surely grow up to be a heartbreaker.