My Alleged Husband

Chapter 489: Chapter 468: Doting?_1

They were having a conversation here, and for some reason, Old Master Zhang outside overheard them. He felt he needed to intervene in the affair; he couldn’t just let his most beloved little boy suffer without cause. Although he wasn’t standing in front of him, he knew that the little boy must feel greatly wronged. The boy had grievances he couldn’t voice, for he couldn’t talk back to his own parents; his father was even more formidable than his mother. Even though his father had never lashed out at him or laid a hand on him in discipline, the little boy was acutely aware that his biological father was a commanding economic emperor, not to be trifled with. So, he couldn’t provoke his father in any way.

Old Master Zhang pushed open the door and entered his grandson’s bedroom. He saw that his little boy’s eyes were already brimming with tears, but he didn’t dare utter a word. Old Master Zhang was extremely heartbroken and quickly sent the boy out; he needed to have a serious talk with his son and daughter-in-law. They couldn’t continue like this because it would mean that his little boy would never again experience happy times.

”Grandfather, why are you in my bedroom so late at night? Could it be that the noise we made disciplining the child was too loud and disturbed your rest? Don’t worry, we won’t discipline him now; you should get back to rest quickly. Remember to put on an extra layer when you go out, as it’s getting cold. And don’t catch a cold. At night, remember to add an extra quilt; the weather is getting colder every day. Grandpa, I know you’re often worried about me, but I hope you can take good care of yourself. If you can’t even take care of yourself, how can you possibly take care of us? You are my pillar of strength; if one day you suddenly left me, how could my heart bear such a heavy blow? I hope, for my sake, you’ll take good care of yourself, okay?”

Old Master Zhang had intended to find his grandson and have a talk, but before he had the chance to speak, his grandson had already laid out this long string of words. He knew he was indeed the pillar of strength for his treasured grandson, who couldn’t bear the heavy blow of losing him. It was Old Master Zhang who had raised his grandson with hard labor. In a lifetime, the person his grandson was most grateful to was himself. If he really took his last breath and lay in a coffin one day, what then would his grandson do? His grandson was right—if he couldn’t even take care of himself, how could he have the ability to care for the ones he cherished?

”Don’t worry, you will also take good care of yourself. I came here today because there is something I want to say to you. I want to talk to you about your son. I heard your approach to educating him from outside the door, but I hope you understand one thing: the experiences you went through, he might not necessarily endure the same. I also know that you are doing this to prevent him from living a life devoid of happiness in the future. But do you realize? If you never talk to him about today’s issues, how could he possibly know what you have experienced? It’s very likely that when he faces the same problems you once did, he might still naively leap into the pit. If things become uncontrollable by then, what should you do? You should think carefully about whether this is truly beneficial, or might it harm him?”

”Grandfather, I know all you’ve said is for our good and for the good of my child. But if that’s the case, won’t our love for him become pampering? You know how damaging pampering can be—it could transform an originally ambitious and proactive young man into a negative and decadent individual. How could I be at peace with that? How can I, as his biological father, allow my son to become a negative and decadent person because of my actions? If that happens, wouldn’t I be shirking my duty as a parent? Fully aware of the kind of life my son desires, yet I stubbornly provide him a different kind of life—wouldn’t that be harming him?”

”You make sense, but are you sure you are not hurting her with your actions? She could be living a happy life that is hers to enjoy, yet you forcefully intrude, changing everything. What do you think your son feels in his heart? You shouldn’t always follow your own subjective feelings; instead, you should consider the feelings of your loved ones. By deciding his life for him so early, what are you leaving him to think? Often, don’t assume that what you’re doing is correct, for others might see it as a mistake. You’re essentially negating other people’s views, taking control over someone else’s life. You’re not the sovereign of his life; you can only rule your own life. You cannot so decisively dictate what his life should be like, as this may lead him to a lifetime of decadence...”

”Grandfather, I know that what you say is for the good of us all, but sometimes we must make decisions. We can’t let his life simply follow a natural course—who knows what the end might be? Do you have any idea what I endured to achieve what I have today? You are well aware of how tough it was for me. If my son wants his grandparents to acknowledge that he is not the worst, then he must endure some pain. Only through suffering can he gradually grow. Then, his grandparents will no longer look down on him. I know how great a blow it is to him internally, as his grandparents have never treated him that way before, leaving a shadow over his life. Perhaps, with this growth spurt, the shadow will shift, but it’s also possible that it will never change for his entire life!”

Old Master Zhang understood the stakes involved all too well, but these were not decisions he could make. Everyone’s life is different; one cannot learn to take charge of another’s life. Doing so would not only harm oneself but also others. Why so resolutely and eagerly govern someone else’s life? A person’s life should be walked step by step by themselves, allowing them to grow gradually. But what should he do about this situation? Could it be that the love he had for his own child had indeed turned into overindulgence?