My Alleged Husband

Chapter 158: Chapter 142: Should Be a Bystander! _1

”Alright, let’s not talk about it anymore and just eat!” Zhang Zhentian spoke to Li Jiayuan and Xiao Wei, and Xia Jing, hearing it, had no objections, which amounted to agreement with what Zhang Zhentian had said.

Xiao Wei felt relieved that Xia Jing did not continue to pursue what he had just said. He ordered the dishes that he and Li Jiayuan liked. When Xia Jing saw the dishes Xiao Wei ordered, lacking her favorites, she again addressed Xiao Wei, ”Oh, so now you’re completely devoted to your wife, huh? You can’t even remember the dishes I like. Looks like ’the important man forgets important things.’ Should I start calling you ’Big Boss’ when I see you from now on?”

Xiao Wei felt a bit awkward. Even Li Jiayuan did not expect Xia Jing to say something like that today. Zhang Zhentian nudged Xia Jing with his elbow, and she said loudly, ”What are you doing? Am I wrong?”

Zhang Zhentian couldn’t hold back either. He told Xia Jing, ”What’s gotten into you today? It’s just a dish. He forgot the one you liked, you could have just told me. I remember, that’s good enough, right? Am I your husband or is he your husband? I really can’t figure out if you’re going to spend your life with me or with him. Why do you care so much about his business? He’s your brother, not your life partner. Can’t you act appropriately for the situation? You’ve already got kids and still can’t grasp the bigger picture. I really don’t know what you’ll do in the future!”

Xia Jing, hearing these words from Zhang Zhentian, felt displeased and yelled back at him, ”What do you mean I’m not ’grasping the bigger picture’? In your eyes, is Xia Jing the kind of person who sweats the small stuff at the cost of the big picture? I’m just annoyed. How could it be that in just a year of marriage, you forget your sister’s favorite dishes to this extent? What if a few more years pass and he forgets about me altogether? Yes, you are my husband, and indeed, I should spend my life with you, that’s correct. But when you speak and act, can’t you take into account the occasion and spare some consideration for my face? Have I ever interrupted you when you’re out? When have I not given you enough respect? I barely said a few words and here you are, shouting at me. If you’re so dissatisfied with me, then just leave! I don’t need you here!”

Xiao Wei and Li Jiayuan exchanged glances, both feeling that this meal was no longer going to be enjoyable. The argument between Zhang Zhentian and Xia Jing over such a minor issue made it impossible to continue with the meal. Xiao Wei felt a bit guilty for forgetting the dishes Xia Jing liked.

”Elder Sister Xia, Brother-in-law, please stop arguing. It’s just a meal, how can we eat if you keep fighting like this? Xiao Wei didn’t do it on purpose, maybe it’s been too long since he last ate with you, so he forgot. I promise next time he will remember, and we will make sure to pre-order your favorite dishes in advance for next time. Please stop fighting; can we just eat first?” Li Jiayuan tried to defuse the tense atmosphere, but it seemed to add fuel to the fire...

Hearing what Li Jiayuan said, Zhang Zhentian felt that she was more sensible than Xia Jing. He addressed Xia Jing, ”Look at you! That’s how a lady should behave, Jiayuan understands what’s appropriate more than you do. How come you don’t see it? She’s younger than you and she gets it, but you, as her elder sister, don’t. Aren’t you embarrassed arguing with me here? Let’s stop fighting, to avoid making a scene in public!”

”Ha, so now I’m the one who is unreasonable, right? Let’s just not eat today’s meal. Let’s settle this account properly, and you tell me clearly, who is the one who can’t grasp the bigger picture, who is the one who doesn’t understand how things work. Zhang Zhentian, do you feel now that your child is born, you’ve grown wings strong enough to fly to the heavens? Let me tell you, it won’t be that easy. If you really think it’s me who doesn’t understand reason, fine! Let’s go home and ask Dad to judge, let Dad say who is right and who is wrong!”

Xia Jing expressed her thoughts to Zhang Zhentian. But how could Zhang Zhentian dare to go back with Xia Jing to reason with his father? Ever since their child was born, Old Master Zhang had always indulged Xia Jing; whatever she wanted to do or say, she could act willfully at home, and he no longer bothered with her. Every day, he was busy taking his grandson out for walks, too preoccupied to care about these things. Even if they were to go back now, Elder Zhang would certainly take Xia Jing’s side, deeming Zhang Zhentian in the wrong!

”Xia Jing, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? You clearly know that Dad is at your beck and call, and you tell me all this just to make me embarrassed, right? Do you feel good making me lose face in front of others? If you have any dissatisfaction with me or you want to get back at me, let’s talk at home, not here causing a scene. I really don’t know what I saw in someone like you who lacks understanding of the big picture back then! How does this lack of sensibility befit a mother?” Zhang Zhentian wasn’t one to be easily provoked either.

...

Zhang Zhentian and Xia Jing started arguing back and forth in the restaurant. Xiao Wei and Li Jiayuan each ordered a cup of coffee and sat to the side, watching indifferently as if they were unrelated passersby. Zhang Zhentian seemed to catch the helpless look in Xiao Wei and Li Jiayuan’s eyes, which made him feel even more uncomfortable. He grabbed Xia Jing and strode outside, ignoring her struggles. Zhang Zhentian forcefully dragged Xia Jing to the lakeside, where she fiercely shook off his hand. Xia Jing yelled at Zhang Zhentian, ”What are you doing? Do you know you’re hurting me? What am I to you in your eyes, Zhang Zhentian? If you think I’m someone who lacks understanding and sense, you shouldn’t have gotten together with me in the first place. What do you mean by ’I don’t know how I ended up fancying someone like you who can’t see the big picture’? If you look down on me so much, why did you beg me so desperately to marry you? Let me tell you, I, Xia Jing, can get by without you! Don’t think that now I’ve had your child, you assume I can’t leave you because I have something holding me back. If that’s what you think, then you’re wrong. I, Xia Jing, am free to leave or stay as I please; you can’t stop me. It’s better to leave room for maneuver in what you do; don’t burn all your bridges. Xiao Wei is my brother. Is it wrong for me to feel upset that he’s forgotten my habits and to complain a bit?”

Zhang Zhentian was also infuriated. What did Xia Jing’s words mean by ’can get by without him’? In fact, Zhang Zhentian hadn’t intended to argue with Xia Jing. He simply didn’t know how to retract his words at this point, so he kept making mistakes, and the argument went on. But Xia Jing wouldn’t think this way. Zhang Zhentian knew very well that when someone is angry, they tend to be irrational, not considering anything else and only believing their own thoughts to be right, completely disregarding whether others’ thoughts are right or wrong. He now regretted it all. If he had known that such a trivial matter could lead to such an argument with Xia Jing, he wouldn’t have said a word and would have stayed as an onlooker, which would have been much better. No need to argue, no need to be distracted. Now, how were they going to explain this chaos to Old Master Zhang when they got back!

”My dear, let’s not fight anymore, okay? I was wrong just now. Please, let’s bury the hatchet and forgive me. I swear, I’ll never argue with you again, you can’t leave me though. I might be able to get by without you, but I can’t get by without you. How would I live by myself without you by my side? Wife, please forgive me! For our child’s sake, forgive me, I dare not do it again,” Zhang Zhentian finally lowered his head, confident that Xia Jing would do what she said she would. He was very clear that if Xia Jing decided to leave, nobody could stop her. Without Xia Jing by his side, he felt life wouldn’t be worth living.

Xia Jing glanced at Zhang Zhentian and without saying a word, turned and walked away. Zhang Zhentian followed her persistently, chasing her all the way home without Xia Jing saying a word to him.

This was how Zhang Zhentian and Xia Jing entered the cold war phase!