My Alleged Husband

Chapter 1490: Chapter 1284: Pitiful

At that time, your smile was as radiant as a blooming flower. I still remember you saying that you would take me to every corner of the world, to witness both sunrise and sunset together.

A cycle of time has passed again, and the seasons have once more changed from spring to summer and autumn to winter. Yet, this school anniversary, I am still enduring my husband’s devotion, similar to before, but without any sense of being moved.

Though during this year, he has continued to bear everything as before, and Zhang Zhentian has been silently giving, just like before, without receiving any reward, yet for him, it was the happiest year.

Because this year, his wife chose to be with him, chose to care for him every day, chose time and again to concern herself with his health, chose to stay by his side, to be with the whole family, and showed great care for every relative.

This year, Old Master Zhang watched as his son kept giving foolishly as before, while his daughter-in-law remained seemingly indifferent, but all these efforts ultimately received no response.

Old Master Zhang felt perhaps he really shouldn’t involve himself in so many matters; the more he involved himself, the more his son would feel like he is still being controlled, and feel unworthy to continue being with him.

Zhang Yichen watched time after time as his father showed dedication to his mother, while his mother just sat there enjoying the benefits without ever thinking of giving anything in return, which unsettled him. He didn’t want his father to endure so much suffering only to reach a dead end.

Zhang Yichen wanted to have a serious talk with his father again and again, but every time, he was stopped by his wife.

Ran Zhihan told Zhang Yichen, ”You really shouldn’t intervene in these matters. No matter what, you can only quietly be an observer. Matters between your parents should be resolved by themselves. If reconciliation happens repeatedly only because we intervene, then what meaning does their continued life together hold? Maybe one day Mother will truly see Father’s love for her?

Yichen, you know too, that a disharmonious family is not a good thing for anyone. If we don’t get along, it will make our parents sad, and also Grandfather. But what if it’s our parents who don’t get along? That would also make Grandfather sad, and it will make us children sad too, wouldn’t it?

Some things only yield good results when they come to understand by themselves. When they understand the key point on their own, they will know how to live a good life. If we keep intervening in their lives, aren’t we just forcing them to respond?”

”I know you are right, but seeing my father give again and again only to receive indifference from my mother... How can anyone accept this? I too want a harmonious family. I want my parents to be together every day, not because they have to be, but to happily live as a family.

Is what I am doing wrong?

I know as the younger generation, I shouldn’t meddle in these matters, but I really can’t bear my mother’s coldness towards my father, watching him try to win her over time and time again. Isn’t this pain for me too?

I can forget everything they did for me in the past, but these things happening daily in front of my eyes are unbearable!

A whole year has passed, and in this year, my mother seems unchanged by all my father’s efforts. She’s always there waiting for my father to serve her again and again. Does my dad really owe her something?

I just want my father to live happily. I don’t want him to feel heartbroken and exhausted again and again, because after all, he will always be my biological father, my elder for this lifetime which cannot be changed!”

”No matter what thoughts you have in your heart, your parents’ matters must ultimately be resolved by themselves!

I know how you feel, and even I sometimes find it hard to bear. Genuine dedication only to be met by indifference... Do you know what kind of pain that is? No one can truly understand, and maybe this pain is only known to your father, so why should we intervene and make him feel his marital happiness depends on his children’s interference?

Husband, if you really care for your father, then don’t think about getting involved. Let him happily do what he wants to do.

To him, even if Mother isn’t by his side, as long as he can give for our mother, he feels very happy. Let’s not disturb his self-conceived happiness; that would only shatter his last bit of hope!”

Actually, neither Zhang Yichen nor Ran Zhihan know that Zhang Zhentian and Xia Jing, in the eyes of outsiders, still appear to be Zhang Zhentian giving his all for his wife, while Xia quietly accepts without acknowledgment.

But only Zhang Zhentian knows in his heart that his wife no longer rejects him as much as she used to, that she has already started to slowly connect with him sincerely, and to slowly try to love him. The changes this year, he can feel them. He knows that while the changes aren’t dramatic, any slight change is welcomed.

One cannot ask for too much in life. If you ask for too much, everything becomes completely different from before. Now he knows that as long as his dedication brings even a slight change in his wife towards him, even if he gives his all and only receives a tiny bit of love in return, he thinks it’s worth it.

But in the eyes of outsiders, it seems that Xia Jing is silently enjoying her husband’s care and dedication, without ever directly responding to him.

Perhaps it’s their mutual understanding that others don’t know about, leading people to mistakenly think that they’re always in this state. They might even ask, is Zhang Zhentian really a bit foolish, only knowing how to give without seeking return, while Xia Jing seems too smart, enjoying without giving back...

But now I know there’s no way for us to go back. I also want to ask you, did you ever think about whether you would still love me when I became old and unable to walk? But I never asked, because I was afraid. I was afraid the answer would be no.