Xie Jinghu was first choked by Wen Ying, then stumped by his own niece.
“Of course I will speak to big brother.”
Xie Tang was not easily fooled. “So you have not spoken to him yet?”
Before Xie Jinghu could fabricate an excuse, Xie Tang shook her head vigorously like a rattle. “Third uncle, that simply will not do. Without my father’s say-so, how would I dare help you? I have feared my father since childhood. The moment his brow furrows, my legs tremble with fright. I truly want to help you, but I really dare not.”
Xie Tang appeared genuinely terrified of Xie Yuping.
Silently apologising to her dear father in her heart, Xie Tang pleaded with Xie Jinghu. “Third uncle, you fear my father too, do you not? Please do not press me…”
Xie Jinghu was both anxious and furious.
So his son was unreliable, his future daughter-in-law was unreliable, and even his own niece was unreliable?
What on earth was wrong with this world?
Xie Jinghu made no attempt at self-reflection. He simply deemed Xie Tang timid. “It is only asking a few questions. If you do not ask, then do not ask. It is hardly a major affair. Look how frightened you are.”
Xie Tang glanced at her watch. “Thank you for your understanding, third uncle. I shall return to school for class.”
Clutching her books, Xie Tang hurried away.
As she walked, she thought to herself that she must tell Xie Qian about this.
Ah, third uncle’s occasional bouts of madness truly made life hard for Xie Qian.
Xie Tang pitied her cousin for being tormented by a lunatic father, and pitied Zou Weijun for being entangled by a deranged ex-husband. As for Xie Jinghu’s claim that Zou Weijun might have a new romantic interest, Xie Tang wished she could immediately remove the word “might”. If Zou Weijun truly had someone, that would be wonderful.
Some might think that starting a new relationship less than a year after divorce was too soon.
Xie Tang felt it was too slow.
The rot in Zou Weijun and Xie Jinghu’s marriage had set in far longer than a year ago. Having finally excised that festering flesh, she naturally needed new affection to heal the wound.
Even if the new relationship failed, it would mean little to the present Zou Weijun, would it not?
With wealth and beauty, what kind of man could she not find? If one did not suit, simply choose another.
Without the ties of marriage or children, simply dating ought to be quite enjoyable.
Xie Tang’s strides grew longer, a smile on her face. She truly hoped her third aunt would meet a good man.
That afternoon, Jiang Wei noticed Xie Tang smiling far more than usual and could not help asking curiously, “Is there something particularly joyful?”
Xie Tang nodded. “Of course. A great piece of good news.”
…
The two principals, Zou Weijun and Chen Tongfu, had done nothing yet, but gossip concerning them had already reached the Xie family.
Xie Jinghu dared not complain to his elder brother Xie Yuping. Instead, he called his sister-in-law Hou Zhixiu to pour out his grievances.
“If Weijun can find happiness, I will naturally bless her. Yet she has chosen someone like that.”
“Merely a company executive.”
“Though he is big brother’s friend, I still feel he is unworthy of Weijun.”
“Sister-in-law, do you think Weijun is deliberately trying to provoke me?”
Xie Jinghu had too many grievances. He complained endlessly. Hou Zhixiu could not get a word in until she heard this and could no longer hold back. “Third brother, are you not overthinking it?”
So much drama. Was he planning to go bankrupt one day and switch to acting?
Suppressing her disgust, Hou Zhixiu advised Xie Jinghu. “Weijun will not find someone new so quickly. You are a businessman yourself. Do you not know that business requires dealing with all sorts of people? If going out alone with a member of the opposite sex means something, then female bosses would be utterly forbidden in this world.”
Xie Jinghu had considered this point himself.
Twenty years of affection could not vanish overnight. Zou Weijun could not possibly accept new feelings so soon.
Yet to be safe, Xie Jinghu wanted to sever every possibility.
He asked Hou Zhixiu about Chen Tongfu. Hou Zhixiu knew nothing. “Your elder brother has too many friends outside. I have never heard of this person. Why not ask your elder brother yourself?”
How could Xie Jinghu dare ask Xie Yuping? He hemmed and hawed. “Sister-in-law, could you help persuade Weijun? I truly know I was wrong. I even won the lawsuit. I was truly blinded by lard before. The only person I love is Weijun.”
Pah.
The only person you love is yourself.
Hou Zhixiu cursed inwardly, yet agreed readily. “I will certainly persuade her properly.”
After ending the call with Xie Jinghu, Hou Zhixiu treated the matter as if it had never happened.
Persuade her? Why would she?
Having finally escaped the fire pit, Hou Zhixiu feared Zou Weijun might fail to see clearly and jump back in.
“Finding someone new would be good. Use new feelings to forget the past…”
Hou Zhixiu murmured to herself. She not only refrained from mentioning it to her husband Xie Yuping, but deleted Xie Jinghu’s call record.
Hou Zhixiu was meticulous, yet she had not expected Xie Jinghu’s shamelessness to reach such madness. He repeated everything he had told Hou Zhixiu to Old Madam Xie.
Xie Jinghu made a profound self-criticism before Old Madam Xie.
Previously, no amount of advice from the Xie family had swayed him. Now he harshly condemned himself.
The core message was that he knew he was wrong and wished to reconcile with Zou Weijun.
“Mum, I cannot live without Weijun.”
“Once Weijun and I remarry, Xie Qian will forgive me too. Our family of three will be just as before.”
Even the strong-willed Old Madam Xie was moved to tears by Xie Jinghu.
“Third son, can it really be as before?”
Xie Jinghu promised sincerely, “Of course. The third madam Xie will always be Weijun. We were originally married. She wed me before I made my fortune. I strayed midway. I was a complete bastard.”
Old Madam Xie wept uncontrollably.
If only third son had realised this sooner.
Even if not before the divorce, earlier still, before Xie Qian’s car accident.
“I cannot help you.”
Old Madam Xie’s tone was filled with indignation. “If I help you, I become the sinner. You only remember Weijun’s goodness now because you have fallen out with that woman surnamed Zhuo. Once you reconcile with Weijun, you will think of Zhuo again. If not Zhuo, there will be other women, younger ones, prettier ones.”
Old Madam Xie berated Xie Jinghu harshly. Yet Xie Jinghu was not angry, but joyful.
He knew his mother’s temperament.
She would not scold him if she had completely given up on him.
Scolding him meant she was disappointed yet still held hope.
Xie Jinghu deeply analysed his emotional changes. Men mature later than women. He now understood his feelings for Zou Weijun and his responsibility to the family. How could he possibly stray again?
“Mum, trust me one more time, just once.”
Xie Jinghu pleaded bitterly.
Old Madam Xie wavered, then finally hung up on Xie Jinghu.
The carer Xiao Tian was uneasy.
Old Madam Xie wiped tears from her face with the back of her hand. “Xiao Tian, say what you wish to say. Do not look so grim.”
Xiao Tian stammered, “Are you really going to help President Xie?”
Old Madam Xie’s voice was hoarse. “He is my son. If I do not help him, would that not be destroying my own kin?”
Xiao Tian summoned her courage. “But it is unfair to Sister Zou…”
Casually shouting slogans like “I know I was wrong”. Did that erase all the past harm?
If a prodigal son is forgiven upon repentance, would it not make good men the losers?
Xiao Tian knew no grand principles and could not deliver long speeches. She simply felt it deeply unfair to Zou Weijun. Old Madam Xie had, of course, been an excellent mother-in-law, yet even so, she could not declare forgiveness on Zou Weijun’s behalf.
Not even a birth mother had the standing to do so.
Only Zou Weijun herself could decide whether to forgive.
Xiao Tian wanted to object, yet Old Madam Xie was usually very kind to her, and had only recently recovered from serious illness. Xiao Tian strove to avoid conflict with her.
Seeing Xiao Tian’s conscience burning fiercely, Old Madam Xie could not bear to tease her further. “Giving birth to a scoundrel son is sin enough. I cannot become an old scoundrel myself. Rest assured, I will not help that scoundrel. Letting him think there is hope is to channel his efforts here, preventing him from disturbing Weijun.”
