My Alleged Husband

Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Old Master Zhang is Furious_1

Old Master Zhang returned to his bedroom, where he couldn’t help but sigh. Reflecting on everything from when Zhentian met Xia Jing to her departure, he thought, ”Did I really go too far? Is Zhentian treating me this way now because I was too harsh on Xia Jing? Could everything that’s happening now be my just desserts? Oh, Xia Jing, Xia Jing, did I do wrong? Should I not have kept your secret, should I tell Zhentian where you are?”

Alone in his bedroom, Old Master Zhang talked to himself, unsure about what would be the right thing to do. He had begun to acknowledge Xia Jing as his daughter-in-law in his heart, and he didn’t want to lose her. Previously, he thought Xia Jing was not good enough for his son, but after some events, he saw things more clearly, and now he was gradually coming to believe that it wasn’t Xia Jing who was unworthy of his son, but rather his son who might be unworthy of Xia Jing.

As Old Master Zhang mused, he felt sleepy and looked at his watch, ”No wonder I feel sleepy, it’s already past midnight. Sigh! Let’s not think anymore, time to sleep.”

No sooner did Old Master Zhang lie down than he fell asleep, and he even began to snore.

Old Master Zhang slept comfortably, but Zhentian did not. Caught drinking by Elder Zhang, he returned to his room and stood on his head. According to the family rules, if one was caught stealing liquor, one must stand on their head for the whole night. Although Zhentian was standing on his head, his thoughts were still on Xia Jing and where she might be. He thought about how, if he hadn’t been distracted and scalded his father with boiling water that day, he would surely have known whom Xia Jing went to see at the company.

”Sigh, it’s all my fault. I’d better just accept the punishment. Tomorrow, I’ll ask Dad about it, yes, that’s what I’ll do,” Zhentian thought.

Zhentian, with a worried expression, looked out at the sky, waiting for dawn. Standing on his head made each passing minute feel like an eternity.

The latter half of the night.

Zhentian was so tired he could hardly stand it, and incredibly, while standing on his head, he dozed off. Time flies when you’re asleep; seconds and minutes passed, and finally, the sky began to brighten.

As the morning sun shone a beam of light into Zhentian’s bedroom, it stung his eyes. Groggily opening his bleary eyes and glancing around, he saw the risen sun and suddenly sat up, ”The day has finally dawned. Time passes so quickly when one is asleep; one blink and it’s light.”

Zhentian was overjoyed. He opened his wardrobe and took out a set of casual clothes to wear: gray pants, a gray shirt, and a white short-sleeve. Dressed, he hurried downstairs. Seeing his father sitting on the sofa, he walked over and sat down.

”Dad, have you had breakfast yet?” Zhentian cautiously asked Old Master Zhang.

Old Master Zhang glanced at Zhentian with displeasure and said, ”What does it matter to you whether I’ve eaten or not? Have you had enough to drink?” Elder Zhang, unwilling to answer Zhentian’s question, rebuked him instead.

Hearing his father’s tone, Zhentian knew that he was still angry with him. As he wanted to find out about Xia Jing from his father, he had no choice but to apologize.

”Dad, I know I was wrong. Please don’t be angry anymore. I will never steal wine again,” Zhentian swore to Old Master Zhang.

Seeing Zhentian’s apologetic attitude, Old Master Zhang finally spoke, ”Alright, what do you want to ask me?”

Zhentian, seizing the opportunity, quickly asked, ”Dad, can you tell me now about what I asked you the other day?”

Even though Old Master Zhang had long suspected that Zhentian’s inquiry was about Xia Jing, he did not expect Zhentian to be so direct and blunt.

”What matter did we discuss that day?” Old Master Zhang pretended not to know, probing Zhentian.

Zhentian was startled; could his father have so quickly forgotten their conversation? His father had a good memory and would remember things for a long time. How could he forget something that happened just a few days ago? Could it be that his father was testing whether he truly regretted his actions?

”Dad, it’s about the day I accidentally scalded you with boiling water,” Zhentian said timidly to Old Master Zhang.

”Oh? You scalded me with boiling water? How come I don’t know about that?” Old Master Zhang continued pretending not to remember that day’s incident, observing Zhentian’s reaction all the while.

Zhentian, seeing his father like this, could only bite the bullet and say, ”Dad, that day I was wrong, I shouldn’t have been distracted, I shouldn’t have failed to control my emotions, and I shouldn’t have said things that hurt you. I’m sorry, please be the bigger person and forgive me!” Zhentian said, bowing his head to Old Master Zhang.

”So you do know how to say sorry, Zhentian. Do you really have a place for me, your father, in your heart? Ever since you’ve been with Xia Jing, you talk about Xia Jing every day, I’m afraid I no longer hold a place in your heart as a father, do I?” Old Master Zhang said softly.

Zhentian was left speechless by his father’s sudden questioning. What could he say? Could he really tell his father who had raised him for decades, ”Dad, you’re right, I’ve long since lost my place for you in my heart?” Wouldn’t that be hurting his own father? But if he said to his father, ”Dad, you’re wrong, you’ve always been the most important to me,” his father would definitely not be so upset. However, if Xia Jing found out he had said that, she would definitely be angry. Zhentian was very conflicted; he didn’t know how to respond in the best way to his father.

Old Master Zhang seemed to see Zhentian’s hesitation and said, ”You don’t have to try to think of some perfect words to tell me. If I’m asking you this, then I certainly hope you can tell me the truth.”

Hearing this from Old Master Zhang made it even harder for Zhentian to speak.

”Dad, I...”

Old Master Zhang suddenly stood up and slapped Zhentian across the face, ”Are you even a man? Just speak your mind when you’re asked, the thing I hate most in my life is someone like you who beats around the bush and lacks decisiveness. With your attitude, not daring to speak when asked, how can you ever succeed? I don’t even know how Xia Jing could be interested in a spineless person like you; if I were Xia Jing, I would have left and never come back. Hmph!”

Old Master Zhang trembled with fury all over his body, and Zhentian, scolded by his own dad like this, immediately shouted at Old Master Zhang, ”That’s right, Xia Jing is all I have in my heart, it’s true I’m indecisive, but I’m still your son, a fact that can’t be changed.”

The first part of what Zhentian said didn’t hurt Old Master Zhang, but the latter half made Old Master Zhang’s face turn red with anger.

”Don’t you want to know if Xia Jing really went to the company that day to find you?” Old Master Zhang said to Zhentian, unhurriedly.

”I do want to know, but I’ve asked you several times and you’ve never answered me. I know it was wrong of me to be careless and burn you with boiling water last time, but I have already apologized to you, what more do you want from me?” Zhentian roared furiously.

”You want to know, now I’ll tell you. You’re right, Xia Jing went to the company that day partly to find you, but partly to see me,” Old Master Zhang revealed the purpose of Xia Jing’s visit to the company.

”So Xia Jing really did come to the company to find me, but I missed seeing her due to my own pettiness,” Zhentian muttered to himself.

Seeing Zhentian so dispirited, Old Master Zhang didn’t know what to say for a moment. As he was about to turn and leave, Zhentian spoke up.

”Dad, you said Xia Jing went to the company also to see you?” Zhentian asked Old Master Zhang.

”Yes, is there a problem?”

”Dad, can you tell me why Xia Jing went to see you at the company?” Zhentian suspected his father knew where Xia Jing had gone.

Old Master Zhang heard Zhentian’s question, and although his expression didn’t change and his face remained stern, he was pleased inside, thinking to himself: ”He’s finally asking it!”

Old Master Zhang just looked at Zhentian without speaking, and Zhentian, seeing his father’s silence, grew even more suspicious.

”Dad, tell me the truth—do you know where Xia Jing went?”

”Zhentian, why would you ask that? How could I possibly know where Xia Jing has gone?” Old Master Zhang counterquestioned.

”You definitely know,” Zhentian insisted.