Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Should I go and help you find out more?”
“Don’t use me as an excuse. You’re the one who wishes to be a busybody and eavesdrop. Do whatever you want. I can’t be bothered about it.” Qiao Nan raised both her hands and ‘surrendered’. She expressed that she did not have any intention to get Shi Qing to eavesdrop at all. If Shi Qing did that, she should not blame it on her. She was innocent.
Shi Qing lifted her chin. “Do I still need to blame it on you? Don’t forget that my dad is also in the army camp. If anything really happens, my dad will protect me. I don’t need your help. Aright, you can continue hugging your dictionary and memorizing it. I’ll help you keep a lookout. I’ll definitely not let Brother Zhai Zhai slip away from your hands.”
That affectionate look of Shi Qing gave Qiao Nan a shock. Just a few days ago, this was someone who had been so deeply in love with Brother Zhai. Clearly, this was a tough lady but she secretly cried because of Brother Zhai.
If she had not seen Shi Qing cry with her own eyes because of Brother Zhai, she would really have suspected if Shi Qing was lying when the latter said she liked Brother Zhai.
Sitting in the office of Zhai Yaohui, this was the first time Qi Minlan felt uneasy when she faced him. “Brother Zhai, I heard from Chenxi that someone in the army is targeting her. Most likely, she’ll be forced to leave the army. Is this true or false?”
“…” Zhai Yaohui put down the cup of tea in his hand. “It’s true that she will be leaving the army. As to whether anyone is targeting at or framing her, it’s false.”
“No, that’s impossible. Brother Zhai, you’ve watched Chenxi grow up since she was a child. You should know clearly this child’s character. Since she was small, Chenxi has a straightforward personality. She’s very frank and can’t tolerate some minor matters. Moreover, given her birth status, she is inevitably strong-tempered. Sometimes, she has good intentions but ends up offending others. Unfortunately, she doesn’t realize it. Brother Zhai, I only have one daughter. You have to help me. You can’t let those outsiders harm Chenxi. She’s too simple and naive and doesn’t know how to bend around. In the current society that is swarmed with many complex characters, I think Chenxi’s personality is actually quite good. I’ve always been protecting her. Brother Zhai, you will definitely help me protect Chenxi too, right?”
“You don’t want Chenxi to leave the army? Or are you hoping that Chenxi can make use of the times in the army to get close to Zhai Sheng, making him change his mind, like Chenxi again, and marry her?” Zhai Yaohui’s eyes looked a little sullen. He did not mince his words and his question was to the point.
Qi Minlan wanted to deny, but in the end, she wisely replied, “Both reasons.”
Qi Minlan repeatedly used the word ‘straightforward’ to describe Qiu Chenxi because she knew that Zhai Yaohui admired people with such ‘straightforward’ trait most.
If she were to deny it straight, she would appear to be someone who was not ‘straightforward’. Zhai Yaohui would certainly not like it.
“Chenxi grew up with Zhai Sheng. She has been following Zhai Sheng around and talking about him since then. They are childhood sweethearts and have always been on good terms. Haven’t our two families been hoping that the two of them can be together? I don’t know what happened along the way which made you tell Qiu Qin that their marriage is off, but when Zhai Sheng was a child, I’ve already treated him as one of my own. I see him as my own son. Zhai Sheng is a good child, and so is our family’s Chenxi. As a mother, I naturally hope that the most outstanding man in the world will be with my daughter and become my son-in-law. I hope that my daughter can receive the happiness that I’ve lost in the past. Brother Zhai, are you able to understand?”
“Brother Zhai, you will help me fulfill this little wish, right?”
For a short moment, Zhai Yaohui seemed to have wavered. He then said, “The adults’ wishes are ultimately that of the adults. The children’s thoughts are the most important now. I respect their choices and decisions.”
If Zhai Sheng changed his mind and wished to marry Qiu Chenxi, he would definitely not object to it.
However, if Zhai Sheng did not intend to do so, whether as a husband or a father, he also could not force his son to marry a woman that he did not like.
Furthermore, the Qiao Nan whom Zhai Sheng had taken a liking to currently did not have any other shortcomings besides her family background.
In comparison, besides family background, Qiu Chenxi did not seem to be more competent than Qiao Nan in any area. Of course, this did not include age as a factor.
“Brother Zhai, does that mean you don’t wish to help Chenxi and me?” Qi Minlan felt disappointed at heart. No, how was it possible that Brother Zhai would not help her? One must know that Brother Zhai had treated Chenxi as his daughter since a long time ago. “Brother Zhai, you… Do you know who Zhai Sheng has been close to recently?”
Could it be that the young lady that Zhai Sheng was with had a family background that was better than Chenxi? Was that why there was such a great change in Brother Zhai’s attitude?
However, Chenxi clearly told her that the one Zhai Sheng was with currently had a very ordinary family background. Moreover, she was the type that he could not bring out to major occasions.
“The child has grown up. The parents can’t always control them,” Zhai Yaohui said with double meaning in his words.
“Brother Zhai, you are aware of what’s the greatest wish and regret in my life. I just don’t want Chenxi to follow in my footsteps and experience the pain that I went through. Brother Zhai, you have a daughter too. You should understand my thoughts. Chenxi has her heart fixed on Zhai Sheng. Brother Zhai, you have to help me and Chenxi. If we want to be a family, what will be a better option than finding out the bottom of the matter?”
Qi Minlan refused to give up. “In the past, if Sister Miao did not appear and if Uncle Zhai did not interfere, today, I should be family with you. I can’t attain Uncle Zhai’s liking and am forced to break up with you. But, Brother Zhai, haven’t you always liked Chenxi? Brother Zhai, can you take it as fulfilling my wish? Let’s quickly pick a date for them to be engaged, okay? I believe Zhai Sheng was just momentarily lost and delirious. He has known Chenxi and been friends with her for so long. It’s impossible that someone else will surpass his relationship with Chenxi. The two of us missed a lifetime of happiness. We can’t allow them to be like us and let happiness slip by.”
Zhai Yaohui restrained the look in his eyes. “Initially, I was not willing to bring up the past. After all, I’m already married, and so are Qiu Qin and you. All of us have our respective families. Since you brought this matter up today, then that’s good too. Let’s clear this up all at once. Regardless of why I married Miao Miao many years ago, nothing physical happened between us before. We were in a romantic relationship on our own accord. In the end, we were not together. It may sound as sour as little grapes, but we’re not fated to be. Nevertheless, between you and me, it has got nothing to do with who let the other down, or who owes who. Qi Minlan, do you understand?”
“Is it true that no one let the other down? Clearly, you’re the one who abandoned me!”