After Xia Jing finished speaking to her son on the phone, she hung up. It was ti for her to pack her belongings and prepare to leave this place. Xia Jing had co to terms with her situation and felt that she had lost all face to stay any longer. She didn’t want to continue disrupting the lives of her father, her husband, and her son. Her presence had caused so many bad things to happen, troubles that she had inadvertently created. She could not undo these events because they had beco an irreversible ending. Perhaps only her departure could restore everything to how it was before, as if none of this had ever happened.
When Zhang Yichen heard the phone click shut, his unease intensified. Could his mother really be contemplating irreversible actions? His mind was occupied with one thought, and he quickly dialed his father’s number, urging him to look for his mother. He couldn’t allow anything to happen to her. Despite everything being related to his mother, he still couldn’t bring himself to treat her as a stranger—even after all, he carried half of her blood within him.
At ho, Zhang Zhentian continued to make casual conversation with Old Master Zhang who wanted to confirm once more whether his son had truly made up his mind, although there was no turning back now.
"Zhentian, have you really thought it through? Are you ready to let go of the many years of marital affection and have it end this way? Can you truly bear to have your wife leave you? The two of you have weathered many years of ups and downs together; can you still be happy without her?" Old Master Zhang asked Zhang Zhentian.
Zhang Zhentian sighed deeply, uncertain how to answer his father. He was also torn inside and unwilling to let go, but as a man of his word, he could not backtrack on his decision to divorce—once spoken, it was as unyielding as if set by chariots of horses.
"Father, I don’t want to explain anymore regarding this matter. My mind is made up; I must get a divorce. We have done so many wrongs, committed so many sins, and hurt so many people. You and my son have forgiven us, but our conscience is heavy with guilt. I cannot allow us to continue making mistakes. Do you know? For years, my dreams have been haunted by your and my son’s presence. Sotis, I wake up suddenly from these nightmares, terrified that divine retribution awaits for abandoning my father and son. Every ti I think of this, I’m in so much pain. Yet, there’s no other choice but to walk down the path I’ve chosen, every step forward, without turning back. There’s no path to retread behind you. But now I understand that it’s not that there’s no path to return, it’s about whether I choose to turn back or not. Buddhism teaches that good and evil will be repaid, and though the sea of suffering is boundless, turning back is the shore. Why should I continually choose unbearable pain? Why not live happily with my family? Father, I didn’t comprehend these principles before, but now I understand them all. I cannot be as selfish as I was before, abandoning you and my son. I need to be by your side, to honor you properly, and watch my son grow up every step of the way. Your absence from our lives over these past decades can’t be filled in just a few days and nights—it requires lifelong companionship to heal."
Old Master Zhang had not expected his son to have such a profound realisation this ti, but he still had to refute his son, "Zhentian, you’re actually mistaken. What you’ve said isn’t wrong, the emotional void from the past decade cannot simply be filled in just a few days and nights. Even if you were to be by our side every day henceforth, it would not make up for the emotional void of the past decades. That void isn’t just about emotion, it’s about the key stage for you and your son to build a relationship, and the main stage for you to show filial piety to , your father. But you were absent during that crucial stage. Do you think you can now make up for it? For so long, I haven’t opposed how you and your wife chose to live your lives. I’m aware that both of you truly love each other. Nevertheless, I still hope the two of you can calm down and think things over. Only after you’ve both cooled off should you consider whether you really want to get divorced. For it’s no small matter for you, nor for Zhang Corporation, and certainly not for your son. Such a decision would subject your son to even greater pressure. Can you truly bear that?"
Hearing his father speak thus, Zhang Zhentian did feel a shift within him. He couldn’t bear the thought of his son being hard because of him, nor did he want Zhang Corporation, which his father had worked so hard to establish, to suffer any calamitous declines due to his marital misfortunes. He could not allow such misfortune to descend upon his father and son any longer; he would rather all the misfortune fall upon himself. However, such is fate, even if you’re the one who errs, it may not be you who suffers the consequences, but your family mbers.
"To tell you the truth, your advice has indeed shaken a bit. I’m now unsure whether I truly want to get a divorce from my wife. You’re right, and I understand. The affection between husband and wife that spans over a decade isn’t sothing that can easily be severed. All the love and ti together over the years, those thousands of days and nights, and having weathered many storms together, never managed to separate us. But now, because of a single lie from her, I’m contemplating leaving her. I really don’t know if what I’m doing is right or wrong."
"Since even you are uncertain about what your heart truly wants, then don’t rush to make a decision. You should take so ti to calm down and think this issue through. Do you really want to do this? What are the consequences of such an action? Can you guarantee that you won’t regret it afterward? If you do this and later co to regret it, who will give you the antidote for regret? There’s no turning back!"
"Dad, I understand now. I know I’ve been a bit hasty. Don’t worry, I’ll give it so thought and figure out how to handle this situation properly. I’ll ensure that both you and my son are free from harm with my decision. I’m sorry to have caused you trouble over such a big issue. It’s unfilial of as a son..."
"My child, no matter what you do or whatever wrongs you think you’ve done to , as a father, I will never bla my own son. Go ahead and do what you must, but still think it through carefully so that you won’t have regrets years down the line... "
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