Chapter 148 - 145: Fate from a Past Life
"Yingzi, I’m not trying to break you two up. Just think about it—being the woman behind a hero means you have to be ready for hardship and heartache. You’ll have to shoulder every burden at home, big and small, all by yourself. You can’t count on him, because as a hero, he’ll inevitably sacrifice his own family for the greater good. You can’t cry or cause a scene. You have to be magnanimous and understand the bigger picture. Can you do all that?" Zhou Lian asked calmly, watching the pensive Zhang Hongying.
’In her past life, the paternal great-aunt her daughter-in-law spoke of—the one who left home for love and lived a lonely life—was Zhang Hongying. Zhou Lian didn’t know the specific details. She had only met the Zhang Family once at her son and daughter-in-law’s wedding banquet. However, she had frequently seen Wang Song on the news in her previous life, so the moment she met him today, Zhou Lian instantly recalled that lonely great-aunt her daughter-in-law had mentioned.’
’Seeing the Zhang Family confirmed it: the great-aunt her daughter-in-law spoke of was Zhang Hongying, that foolishly devoted woman who had run away for love. As for Wang Song, though her daughter-in-law claimed he was a pitiful figure as well, Zhou Lian couldn’t see anything remotely pitiful about a man who held a high office, earned a handsome salary, and had a beautiful wife in his arms.’
’But she didn’t know what had actually happened back then. And besides, it was Zhang Hongying’s life to live. Zhou Lian couldn’t just break them up based on her own opinions and perspective. The only thing she could do was lay the harsh reality on the table and let Zhang Hongying choose for herself. Even if it just made her think a little more, observe a little more, then maybe—if the events of her past life were to repeat—this pure-hearted girl wouldn’t be cornered into leaving everything behind.’
"Zhou Lian, so it turns out just loving each other isn’t enough to be happy forever. I guess I was too naive," Zhang Hongying said dejectedly, as if she’d just had a difficult realization.
"Not necessarily. It depends on the people involved. Yingzi, do I look happy to you?"
"Of course you are! Your husband adores you, and you have an adorable child. Why, do you feel like you’re not happy?" Zhang Hongying asked, her curiosity piqued by Zhou Lian’s question.
"I am happy. Think about it. I’m a university student from the countryside. Li Xiu brought our child and came all the way north with me so I could attend school, and we even bought a house here in the Capital City. You must think we both come from well-off families, don’t you?"
Seeing the "of-course-you-are" look on Zhang Hongying’s face, Zhou Lian chuckled. "You’ve never been to the countryside, so you don’t realize that people there are only just now able to get by. My husband’s family is a perfect example. Li Xiu’s father has been sick for years and can’t do heavy labor. In the production team, he could only earn enough to feed himself. Yet Li Xiu has four younger brothers and a younger sister, and he basically had to support them all. So how could his family have been well-off? And me? I have three older brothers, one older sister, and three younger sisters. With sons who needed wives and daughters who needed dowries, how could my family have been any better off?"
Zhang Hongying stared at Zhou Lian in shock. ’Her clothes, the standard of living in her home, and on top of that, a house in the Capital City... These didn’t seem like things someone from a poor background could afford!’
"Surprising, isn’t it?" Zhou Lian said with a wry smile. "Back when we were engaged, Li Xiu had already split from his family, leaving with practically nothing. He had nothing to his name. So that I wouldn’t have to suffer after marrying him, he spent an entire winter working deep in the mountains. In the winter, the tigers, wolves, and wild boars are especially ferocious from lack of food. He was literally putting his life on the line."
"When I found out, I told him not to go into the mountains anymore. But he told me that while he might not be able to give me a life of riches, he couldn’t stand to see me suffer even the slightest bit. He promised he would do his absolute best so that I would never have to worry about such troubles. Later, after I married him, his family... well, let’s just say they played favorites. His parents never really cared for him, even though he was the most capable of all the brothers, and they didn’t care for me either. But he handled everything. I never suffered a single slight from his family. Li Xiu deflected every bit of trouble they tried to cause me."
"He once said something like this to his family: ’My wife is the woman I moved heaven and earth to marry. She is my treasure, the apple of my eye. What right do you have to give her grief? I will be the one to show filial piety to my own parents. None of you raised her, so what gives you the right to find fault with her?’ Yingzi, that is what it means for a man to take responsibility. If a man can’t even do that, then doesn’t it make you question his sincerity? I’m not telling you not to be filial to your elders, but it’s a matter of a man’s principles. Do you understand?"
Seeing Zhou Lian’s heartfelt advice, Zhang Hongying’s eyes began to brim with tears. ’She must really be looking out for me to be willing to share such personal things.’ Collecting herself, she said, "Thank you. I’ll think carefully about what you’ve said. I’m also going to re-evaluate my relationship with Wang Song. Thank you for shattering my fairytale, so my road ahead won’t be so difficult."
"Don’t dwell on it too much. Go home and talk to your mother. She has more life experience; she’ll see things more clearly than we can. Besides, these are just my worries. Maybe that Wang Song can handle these problems, you never know," Zhou Lian said, patting Zhang Hongying’s shoulder comfortingly. ’She’s like a hothouse flower, never exposed to the elements. I’m afraid if I push too hard, she won’t be able to take it.’
Zhang Hongying smiled, a radiant expression that would make anyone instantly like her. She said lightly, "Zhou Lian, my family may have sheltered me and made me a little naive, but I’m not stupid. For you to speak so candidly with me, as a friend, shows that you truly care about me. Thank you, really. Having a friend like you must be my greatest fortune!"
Seeing Zhang Hongying like this, Zhou Lian felt a wave of relief. ’Even if things go wrong later, she probably won’t fall into despair and leave everything behind now.’ She smiled and said, "Yingzi, no matter what happens in the future, you have me as a friend. Whatever it is, I’ll be here for you."
"Okay, let’s be friends for life," Zhang Hongying said happily, squeezing Zhou Lian’s hand. She didn’t know it yet, but gaining Zhou Lian as a friend was like activating a cheat code in a video game. It might not make her all-powerful enough to slay gods and devils, but slapping down insufferable people and kicking scumbags to the curb? That would be a piece of cake.
"Mhm. From now on, if there’s anything your family can’t easily step in to handle, just tell me. I’ll have Li Xiu take care of it."
"Ah? You figured out what my family does? I’m sorry, I wasn’t..."
"Yingzi, you are my friend, not your family. And you shouldn’t be so quick to say you’re sorry. When I visited your house today, I saw several uniforms hanging on the wall, so I could vaguely guess. I know you weren’t trying to hide it from me on purpose. Really, there was no need. It’s just like how you don’t care that I came from the countryside. We’re friends, kindred spirits. But even the closest friends have their own little secrets. That’s only natural, so there’s no need to apologize," Zhou Lian said calmly. ’Looking at those uniforms, Zhou Lian also understood why Zhang Hongying had so few good friends growing up.’