Chapter 1746: A Dark Past
“It’s true that it’s hard to find a man as good as your dad. But don’t worry. I’ll help you find someone who’s just slightly inferior to me.”
Zhai Sheng was not overjoyed by his daughter saying that she would like to marry her dad when she grew older. He already had a wife. He did not want his daughter to look for a husband that resembled him. It was more important to find a husband that was suitable for her.
“…” Zhai Yu rolled her eyes at that public display of affection. She had never liked chatting with her dad since she was young. Every time her dad said something, she never knew how to continue the conversation. “Dad, I’ve actually just returned home. I’ll go get changed before coming down to join you guys for dinner.”
“All right, go on.” Zhai Sheng, who stood by Qiao Nan’s side like a guardian angel, had all his focus on his wife, Qiao Nan, alone. When his daughter was younger, he had not had the time to manage her. Now that his daughter was all grown up, Zhai Sheng felt that there was no need for him to manage her anymore. Even if something were to happen to his daughter, it should be her two elder brothers stepping in to help her out.
Zhai Yi had already been used to having only his mom around and his dad having eyes for only his mom. As such, Zhai Yi quietly turned around and left so that he would not be an unnecessary third wheel.
“Da Bao, why did you come up?” Zhai Yu had just finished changing when she heard a knock on the door. She was rather surprised to see who had come into her room. “What’s the matter?”
“I just want to have a chat with you.” Zhai Yi dragged a stool over and sat down. “Did you hear everything Mom said earlier?”
“Yes.”
“San Bao, I’ve always wanted to pamper you like a little princess…” Zhai Yi smiled bitterly. “You are Er Bao’s and my only younger sister. But in the end, you had to take on our responsibilities as well. Mom is right. You’ve sacrificed too much. San Bao, it’s been hard on you, and I’d like to apologize to you.”
He did not know why his mom had told him these things, but his mom was right. San Bao had indeed made huge sacrifices for him and Er Bao. He had never thought that he would forget about his younger sister, San Bao, even if he were to get married. But his mom’s words today had been a timely reminder. At least, he would know to pay attention to this area when looking for a marriage partner.
He would be away from home for long periods of time. If the person he married was not like his mom and could not take up the responsibility as the matriarch of the Zhai family and was not tolerant of others, it would not be good for the Zhai family. It might even be dangerous for San Bao.
Marrying a wife was not just a matter of sharing his bed with another person. More importantly, he had to maintain a harmonious relationship within the family.
San Bao sniffled. “Da Bao, would you believe me if I said that I had never thought that I had been doing anything impressive or amazing before hearing what Mom said? Perhaps it’s because Mom is such a good role model for me that I’ve always felt that she is the best woman on earth and that all good women should act just like her. I simply thought that everything I’ve been doing is what’s required of me. I’ve never thought that I’ve been doing anything special.”
She had never expected that her mom would feel sorry and aggrieved for her because of everything she had done. Moreover, her mom had wanted an assurance from Da Bao on this matter.
Zhai Yu was just a young lady in her twenties. Of course, there were times when Zhai Yu felt exhausted and wanted to indulge herself. But at those times, she would think about how her own mother had toiled through all those years. If she herself felt exhausted and needed a break after only two years, would her mom not need a rest more than she did?
“Da Bao, I’m actually quite happy hearing what Mom said because it makes me feel like I’ve become just like Mom. But I feel like on the verge of tears hearing that Mom’s heart aches for me. Da Bao, who do you think has been concerned about Mom all these years?”
Her mom had sacrificed much more than she had. She could not even imagine what her mom had gone through since she was young. “Da Bao, do you think Mom’s happy having the three of us and Dad by her side?”
“Of course she’s happy!” Zhai Yi nodded firmly and said, “Have you forgotten how Mom used to hug the three of us whenever Dad was not at home and how she used to tell us that she felt so blissful that it all seemed like a dream to her?”
When she was younger, Zhai Yi might not have understood what his mom had meant. But as he grew up and learned about what his mom had experienced at his grandma’s house, Zhai Yi finally understood why his mom felt that such an ordinary and hard life was so blissful that it seemed like a dream to her.
Zhai Yu smiled out of relief. “Yes, Mom has never asked for much. She feels sorry for me, but she’s never felt sorry for herself. Mom already thinks that such a normal life is an extremely blissful one. Da Bao, I have a request. I don’t want a sister-in-law who is unfilial and wants to fight for power. Do you understand what I mean?”
Zhai Yu was no fool. As a daughter of the Zhai family, she had her own ideas too. Zhai Yu was in her twenties and had already been in the workforce for two years. She had never lacked any suitors chasing after her. But Zhai Yu had always known that these guys who were chasing her were after either the Zhai family’s name or her mom’s shares in the Tian Corporation.
As such, Zhai Yu had always rejected all these suitors who came with hidden agendas. Anyway, she was in no hurry to date, much less get married. If she really wanted to get married to a man who was only after her money and power, she would have no problems finding a man like that even in her seventies or eighties, less say now that she was still young. Life was just that realistic.
Zhai Yu had never worried about this, but she could not help but worry about Zhai Yi and Zhai Xin. “There weren’t many girls in the university that you two studied in. Now that you guys are in the military, you hardly even see a female mosquito. I’m just worried that you and Zhai Xin might meet women with ill intentions and that you guys won’t be able to distinguish them. Then, you might bring trouble into our family and create more trouble for Mom to worry about!”
Zhai Yi’s expression changed. All his previous overwhelming emotions disappeared in an instant, and he knocked Zhai Yu lightly on her forehead. “You wretched girl. You don’t have to worry about these things. What’s Mom’s will always be Mom’s. No matter whom I get married to in the future, as long as she dares to set her sights on what’s Mom’s, I’ll definitely divorce her! It’s true that military marriages are protected, but I’ll just have to go through a bit more of a hassle. As long as I write a report and have a good reason, I’ll still be able to get a divorce.”
Zhai Yi had never felt that he would be so blind as to accept a woman who was only after his family’s wealth and power.
Zhai Yu was unconvinced. “Don’t speak too early. Hasn’t Zhai Xin already made that mistake? Don’t tell me you don’t know why Zhou Xing came after Zhai Xin and wanted to date him.”
Zhai Xin was upset. “Young lady, it has already been a few years since that incident happened. If you had not mentioned Zhou Xing’s name, I wouldn’t even remember her. That was an accident. How can you use that as an example in this situation? San Bao, are you trying to pick on the chink in my armor?”
Zhai Xin was depressed. That was a dark past that he himself did not even want to remember.