My Alleged Husband

Chapter 660 - 637 - : The Return of the Parents_1

Old Master Zhang now knows his own words have no effect. All he can do is to have his son return home to properly accompany his grandson. Otherwise, if the current trend continues, the relationship between father and son will indeed be over. He does not want to see such an outcome. As an old man, he only wishes to see a harmonious family; that would give his heart some solace. He does not want on his dying day, as he steps into his coffin, to have his son still at odds with his grandson. Such a thought would give him unbearable pain. As an elderly person, he only desires a peaceful later life, not to be repeatedly worn out by these matters. To him, that would be the greatest happiness and the greatest filial piety.

"Enough, let’s not say anything more now. You should think about what decision you should make. If you continue this way, the pain in your heart will only grow. Grandpa really doesn’t want to see you in agony. You know how much grandpa cares about you, his grandson. Grandpa would spare no expense for your happiness. It was wrong of me to have driven your parents out of the house, but do you know? If your parents had not left then, this house would have had no authority left. Why then, would your father be reluctant to come home time and time again?

The reason behind this outcome isn’t just your parents’ fault; Grandpa shares some responsibility. If you really must resent your parents, then please banish me from the house as well. Grandpa knows his actions have caused you irreparable harm, bringing you trash-like pain—a pain I have no way of making up for in this lifetime. But I truly hope you can live a happy and joyful life. For an old wreck like me, that is life’s greatest comfort. In this life, I have no extravagant wishes or expectations. I only hope that the people I care about can live a peaceful and happy life—that is enough for me. As for the mistakes I have made, I should bear the responsibility myself. If it weren’t for my stubbornness back then, how could your parents have abandoned their own son? All these years of wandering with no way to return home—or even the courage to return—all these outcomes stem from my own doing. I was too decisive, too unbending, and failed to respect others’ feelings!

"Grandpa now knows no words can mend the pain in your heart, but I hope you understand that the mistakes made will eventually exact an equal price. You, too, once banished your parents, and now Grandpa has faced all the retribution. Grandpa is now seriously ill in bed, no longer able to have the zest for life as before. Grandpa knows that someday I will leave this place, someday I won’t be able to stay with you anymore. But grandpa really hopes that you can understand that if one day grandpa is no longer here, and you can still live a happy and joyful life, grandpa would be truly pleased."

...

Zhang Yichen was aware that the words he had just spoken hurt his grandpa. He felt a bit embarrassed and unsure of how to explain things to his grandpa. Nonetheless, the pain in his heart persisted. There were things he never meant to say, yet inadvertently the most hurtful words slipped out. He knew apologizing now was pointless. It would be better for his grandpa to be happy—send me away and spare him any further blow. That was perhaps the only thing he could do now. If only that were possible, how joyful and fortunate his heart would be.

"Grandpa, I don’t want to say anything now, nor do I hold any grudges against you. No matter what you have done in the past, I won’t blame you. It’s you who have brought me to this achievement, who have cared for my growth. For an elderly person, that may be the greatest hardship, but I can’t do it, you know? I can’t bear to see my family abandon me time and again, without a care, without looking back once. In my heart, that is a kind of torment. I’ve thought many times, if my parents would stay at home for my sake, I’d give anything. But, in the end, all of that was merely my own fanciful thinking. How could they possibly stay at home for me? They never did before, they won’t now, and they certainly won’t in the future. All they wanted was the joy of freedom, to have everything in the world at their fingertips, but they never realized it was their selfishness that numbed me. Now, I don’t even know what affection is!"