My Alleged Husband

Chapter 503 - 482: No Begging for Mercy_1

Zhang Yichen, upon hearing what his son had said, gradually felt much comforted inside. Perhaps his son had not done it on purpose and just happened to push the door open at the moment when he was at the peak of his anger. He might not have been right to take out the blame on his son, but he needed to make it clear to his son that no matter the situation, one must not overstep. One should do what ought to be done and refrain from doing what should not be done; otherwise, what’s the point? After turning away, he knew that this matter wouldn’t end so simply. His grandfather would certainly come to plead on his behalf. What then should he say? Although he was not at fault in this matter, he still had to placate his grandfather, telling him not to think too much and not to be sad, because his health couldn’t sustain such upset. He should take good care of himself. And if anything happened to his grandfather, what would he, as the grandson raised by his grandfather’s own hands, do? Even without any other affections involved, his grandfather was the most important person in his heart.

As he turned and went downstairs, sure enough, his grandfather learned about the incident and came toward him to plead. When he saw Old Master Zhang approaching, he felt that his trouble had just escalated significantly.

"Grandfather, why haven’t you gone to rest so late at night? Did our conversation upstairs disturb your rest, Grandfather? I hope you can rest well and take good care of your health. You know how much I care about your well-being because I hope you can stay by my side for a lifetime. I don’t want to see the day when your health fails!"

"Yichen, I heard everything you said upstairs, and I know all about it. I understand that your son was locked in his bedroom because he entered your bedroom without knocking. I know you’ve grounded him. There are many things I shouldn’t meddle in, but I really don’t want to see things get to this point between you two. It’s right to punish a child when they make a mistake, but punishment should have its limits. Explain the principles to him, and he will surely understand. Your son is as smart as you are; how could he not understand the ways of the world when it’s come to you? So why did you have to make such a fuss and lock him up in the house, isn’t that imprisoning his freedom? You know better than anyone what kind of person your son is. He can’t stay still at home. By locking him in the house, aren’t you afraid that he’ll get sick from confinement? I just want to see him healthy and lively. Even if he gets into trouble every day, I would still be willing, because at least he spends each day in happiness. He doesn’t understand the calculations of the secular world, let alone the complex human relationships. He only knows he’s still a child, yet he understands much more than many other children. He’s so much like you when you were young. To prove to your parents that you were the strongest, you put in so much effort, and every step was hard-fought. Now your son is doing the same thing to prove himself to his grandparents, so his every step is also difficult. Isn’t he just a copy of you from back then? Every pain you’ve experienced, he’s going to experience again, how could you bear it? I know that you might find these words I’ve spoken today somewhat abrupt, but I hope you understand that too much persistence leads nowhere, and it’s not good for yourself or others. People who are too attached will never understand what they truly want. But I know you’re someone who knows when to stop yet are also very persistent. Once you commit to something, you won’t give up easily. This is a good habit, but someday you’ll realize that not every pursuit can be fulfilled because in the end, persistence is nothing more than a thought!"

"Grandfather, I know you say all this for my good, but there are things I must be frank about. Once I’ve made a decision, I won’t easily give up or change. The rules I set are firm, and I won’t make exceptions for anyone, not even for you. I hope you can be consistent with me in the way we educate the child and support me, without contradicting me. Otherwise, my son won’t know who to listen to—whether his father or grandfather is right. Eventually, he will stray farther than ever. Although I appreciate you speaking to me today, I also know you have another purpose, which is to plead for my son’s release, right? You don’t need to say more; it won’t be possible these few years. I absolutely won’t let him out that easily. He lacks the basic respect of knocking before entering, so what else can he do in the future? A man should, at the very least, have the demeanor of a gentleman and not forget what he should and shouldn’t do!"

"He’s still so young. How could he possibly know what to do and what not to do? Shouldn’t all these things be taught by adults? So I hope you won’t dwell on this matter anymore, as it will make your son feel that you are targeting him intentionally, causing resentment," pleaded Old Master Zhang without end, not wishing the relationship between his grandson and granddaughter-in-law to affect their child.

"Grandfather, you underestimate how I educate my child. No matter how I educate him, he is my son, and he will choose to obey me unconditionally, without rebelling or resenting me. If he understands the consequences he faces, that is best. If not, so be it. Actually, you don’t understand my son as well as I do. Even if he is dissatisfied with me in his heart, after all, I am his father. He won’t do anything wrong toward me. He’ll only beg for mercy. Grandfather, often it’s not that I want to oppress him deliberately; I just want him to understand that there are so many people in this world ready to oppress him. If he wants to avoid being oppressed by others, he has to become strong himself..."