My Alleged Husband

Chapter 538 - 517 Calm_1

Zhang Yichen now truly understood everything, realizing there was nothing he could do. However, he could never allow his beloved grandfather to be hurt again. It didn’t matter who it was—if someone were to harm his dearest grandfather again, he would never let it go so easily. He believed that many problems could be resolved with persistence; if they couldn’t be, then they shouldn’t be attempted at all.

Ran Zhihan watched her husband, his words faltering, knowing he had more to say. Perhaps he was hesitant to speak in her presence. But once she stepped out of the hospital room, who would know what her husband would say? Perhaps the outcome would be something she couldn’t bear. So, should she choose to leave and give them space?

From the moment Old Master Zhang opened his eyes, he had observed the two people before him, each seemingly preoccupied with their own thoughts, yet unsure how to begin speaking. Perhaps they had a secret between them that could not be shared with him. Now was not the time for him to interfere in their matters; they needed a moment to reflect and decide. Even so, he wondered whether he would live to see the day when they made their choices.

Zhang Yichen knew his grandfather must have noticed something amiss. Such a clever man he was—how could he not see the change in his emotions? In an instant, a loving couple had become tense. No one knew how to explain it. If he spoke a single word, would it worsen his most beloved grandfather’s condition and make it deteriorate further? If that happened, how would he bear the consequences? The thought filled him with too grave a sense of guilt; he had never imagined reaching this point with his grandfather.

"Grandfather, there are some things you shouldn’t worry about. Just focus on getting better. As long as you can leave the hospital healthy, that’s enough for us. We don’t want much, just for our dear family to be safe and sound. Others might not think this way, but I certainly do. For my sake, you have to take good care of yourself!" Zhang Yichen wanted his grandfather to rest and recover without worry, and the best reason to convince him was to consider his wellbeing. Only then would his grandfather be able to rest without needless concerns. What Zhang Yichen might not realize was that in Old Master Zhang’s eyes, he still cared deeply for Zhang Ni!

"Yichen, I really don’t know how things came to be this troublesome. I’m sorry, Grandfather, for not telling you about my condition and making you worry. Rest assured, I will take good care of myself. I won’t let myself fall apart. I need to be your rock for a lifetime, to ensure you can walk through the happiest path of your life in peace. You know, even though you might not need me in your world now, I still hope to be your strongest support, silently backing you up. It’s not easy. Don’t let small issues destroy what you rightfully deserve!"

Although Old Master Zhang didn’t spell it out, Zhang Yichen understood there was a reason behind his grandfather’s words. He turned to look at his wife and realized she was already in tears. At that moment, he saw that his wife was physically close, yet emotionally distant as if separated by a vast chasm—what was he to do?

The bliss of their married life had shattered in an instant. What had been a stable and happy existence vanished. How could his heart ever accept that?

"Zhihan, if Yichen did or said anything to upset you while I was unconscious, I hope you can be magnanimous and not take it to heart. I also hope you two can continue to live happily without letting small disagreements become conflicts. Do you understand? Being a couple is truly not easy. Just think, out of all the people in the vast world, you two found each other to love, to cherish, to commit. It’s so precious. You mustn’t let a moment’s anger ruin this bond!"

Listening to this, Ran Zhihan thought: So, Grandfather knows everything. He just didn’t say anything, burying all the pain inside. How could she relieve Grandfather of this suffering? Reflecting on it, she realized she had made many mistakes. If not for her insistence on certain actions, how could things have come to this point? It was all a result of her own doing, so what right did she have to blame others? It was better to peacefully spend the rest of her life with her husband—that was what mattered most. They had come together to cherish and stand by each other, so why allow distrust to drive them apart, causing them to grow more distant? Wasn’t that wrong?

Ran Zhihan and Zhang Yichen chatted casually with Elder Zhang in the hospital room for a while before leaving one after the other. As they reached the small garden at the hospital’s entrance, they both thought it best to clear the air between them. Keeping these issues buried would bring joy to neither.

"Yichen!"

"Zhihan!"

"You go first."

They spoke at the same time.

"I’m sorry. I know that seeing my father secretly has upset you. But I hope you can understand me. I did it for your sake. I just didn’t want your relationship with my dad to become more strained. I wanted to ease things between you two, but I never imagined it would get even more complicated, ultimately hurting you because of me. If you can forgive me, I am willing to stay by your side for a lifetime. As long as you’re not angry with me anymore, that’s all I ask."

"Actually, thinking about it calmly, I can’t blame you entirely. My attitude was also poor. And you’re right—out of so many people, only we could become partners, which proves we really have a destined connection..."