COLD CEO AND ARROGANT WIFE, VOLUME 5 - Season 8 Episode 73

Zhai Yanjun looked at the depressed mood his father was in and had an impulse to tell his father that his Aunt didn’t even think about blaming him. She was definitely not someone who liked to blame others for her own circumstances. But he couldn’t reveal that he had met his Aunt already. However, he could still say something.

“Dad, I don’t think she’d blame you,” said Zhai Yanjun. “I mean I don’t think she was the kind of a person to blame others.”

Zhai Kuijun squinted at his son, “How do you know that? Even if you remember her, you’re too young to know her well.”

“It’s from what you said,” he told his father with a straight face. “Didn’t you just tell me that she never even complained to you about anything or anyone? How could a person like her blame others?”

Zhai Kuijun bought that explanation and nodded his head, “True, she really wouldn’t blame me. But that doesn’t mean I can stop blaming myself.” He closed his eyes as if he was going to rest as he said, “I told you whatever I knew. So, now you should go and check up on your grandfather. Although I have a lot of dissatisfaction with how he handled things, I have always respected him as an elder. I’d really become a sinner if anything happened to him because of my words.”

Zhai Yanjun got up to leave, “Okay. Then you rest well. I’ll send the doctor to you.”

When he walked out of the room, he had too many thoughts running in his head. Honestly speaking, he didn’t know who to blame right now. Perhaps, everyone was guilty in the Yue family. And maybe, his father was right. He was also guilty. But the iron-clad truth was that no matter who was wrong or right, the victim of it all was one. And that was Yue Yue.

Thinking about his aunt, he had a bitter smile on his lips. She was the victim who was spurned by everyone who was supposed to love her, protect her, give her warmth, and become her comfort. But that victim didn’t lose herself to darkness even in her darkest times. She was still dazzling like the sun who was capable of warming up his heart.

Weak? Pitiful?

Nah!

Zhai Yanjun would rather say that his aunt was a very strong woman. It was difficult to maintain your kindness in this sweet world but she managed it. Seeing it this way, it wasn’t that hard to accept that she gave birth to someone like Hyson who was seemingly very pure and innocent. Of course, he loved to act sly but deep down he was also just a kind and pure soul. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

“Doctor,” Zhai Yanjun called out to the doctor who came out of the guestroom. “How is my grandfather?”

“Old Master Yue’s blood pressure is high,” answered the doctor seriously. “He is under a lot of stress. I advise you to take care of him. He is already old and his health isn’t very good. If he didn’t stop being so depressed, the consequences can be dire.”

Zhai Yanjun’s expression turned serious and he nodded, “I understand, doctor. Can you please check up on my dad as well?”

The doctor agreed and went to Zhai Kuijun’s bedroom.

Zhai Yanjun stood outside the guestroom and wanted to go inside. But the voices coming from inside stopped him in his track.

“Master, you should stop thinking about whatever Kuijun said,” said Old Madam Yue inside the room as she shed tears sitting on the bed beside Old Master Yue who looked rather frail and ill.

“How can I stop thinking about it all?” an aged and hoarse voice replied. “What he said was the truth. Maybe he was right, it was because I loved Yuezi[1] so much that Lan’er became hostile to her. So what if I loved Yuezi? I never had time to even see how my daughter was being treated by everyone.” He paused for a moment before adding, “No wonder, Yuezi never tried to contact us again. When she needed her father’s protection, her father wasn’t there for her.”

“Master, you were always working for the sake of the family,” said Old Madam Yue. “Yuezi would never blame you for anything. She loved you the most. And I’m sure she knew you trusted her. You only had to ask her to leave to protect her.”

Old Master Yue shook his head, “No. I don’t think she knew at all. If I had shown a little trust in her that night, she’d have come back to look for me. But she hid so well that even her father can’t find her after all these years.”

Zhai Yanjun had never heard such helplessness in his maternal grandfather’s voice. He was a person who always stood at the top. He never had bowed his head before anyone. So, hearing that vulnerability in his voice now, Zhai Yanjun was momentarily lost.

“I’m the father who made my own daughter homeless,” Old Master Yue was saying. “I made her an orphan even though her parents are still alive. So, tell me, is Kuijun really wrong in saying that it’s all my fault?”

“Master, you can’t blame yourself like this,” said Old Madam Yue. “We all know you just wanted to protect Yuezi.”

“But isn’t that just shows how incompetent I had been as a father?” retorted Old Master Yue. “I had to throw my own daughter out of the house to protect her. That really proves how incompetent I had been.”

Zhai Yanjun knew he shouldn’t eavesdrop right here. It was wrong. He was an upright soldier, it went against his morals. But he really couldn’t help it. Even when he wanted to turn around to leave, his feet didn’t listen to him and stay rooted outside the door.

[1] “Yuezi”: Adding ‘Zi’ at the end of a name is a form of endearment. Just like we use ‘er’.