I have thought many times, what is the deepest impression we have of each other? I’ve pondered repeatedly, what would be the best outcome for you and for me? I never dared to make any decisions, because I know that no matter how perfect my plans, they may not meet your expectations.

Zhang Zhentian heard his son say these words to him, he didn’t want to say anything. He just knew he stood there silently, listening as his child criticized him.

He’s becoming more astute now, knowing when he should speak and when he should argue. When others are most fiery, he can only choose to remain silent, because only then will others have nowhere to vent their anger. What’s more, the person opposite him is his own son, and it’s his own choices that caused him this pain. What right does he have to resent him? What’s wrong with letting him vent a little?

"Actually, there’s no need for you to remain silent. You’re clearer than anyone about what you’ve done, and a few apologies from you won’t make it easier for others to forgive you. If people truly forgive you because of your apologies, it proves that, in their hearts, they still view you as family. There’s really no need for us to count every single one of your past transgressions. You abandoned us once, and repeated abandonments and severed ties have left us deeply despairing. We truly don’t know what further consequences this might lead to!

We are not saints. We cannot accept our relatives repeatedly harming us while remaining indifferent. Do you know? During the day I was abandoned by you, I knew nothing. I was only a month old—a nursing infant, but you cruelly abandoned me. Did you consider my feelings at that time? Maybe I knew nothing then, but with the passage of time, as I grew, how could I not understand those things? When others repeatedly mocked me as a child without parents, when others repeatedly mocked me for being abandoned by my parents, when others verbally attacked me time and again, where were you? When I needed you the most, what did you give me? More hurt, time and time again?

But after struggling for 10 years, I finally found the love of my heart. And you? You appeared and brought this bolt from the blue, nearly making me lose the woman I love most in this life. Did any of you ever consider why I waited so hard for her for ten years? Is it just because she is the humble daughter of ordinary people? Not really. What I care about is her kindness, her beauty—not her outward appearance but the beauty of her soul. I can disregard everything, but I cannot disregard those who care about me and love me. If only you were willing to be a little nicer to me, understand me a little more, give me a bit more of your sincere love, things would not be as they are now. You always think there’s nothing wrong with what you did, but do you know? It’s your presumptuous thoughts that have harmed so many people. You make those people believe that everything wrong they did was justified. You always feel that the things you did are the burdens others should bear, as if others owe you something.

"Child, your mother and I never intended to completely abandon you. All the decisions we made back then were out of necessity. We had no other choice. We were young and yearned for freedom, but now, after more than twenty years, we know what kind of life we truly want, we know who we wish to spend the days of our lives with. Do you understand? Your mother and I truly regret it. Give us a chance to return to your side and accompany you through your elder years peacefully. Wouldn’t that be nice?"

"Don’t you understand yet? Your son, Yichen, has made it very clear. No one in this world owes anyone else. You have to bear the consequences of your actions and take responsibility. Don’t keep trying to shift the blame and make others pay for you. Others don’t owe you anything. In this world, no one inherently owes others anything, and there’s no point in thinking about rightness or wrongness. Just because of your actions today, you need to consider whether you will regret it!" Old Master Zhang said, "Everyone’s life is different. If you wish to walk someone else’s life, tread a path already taken by others, what meaning does your life have? Everyone’s life is unique, living your life well is the greatest joy in a lifetime. If you want others to follow in your footsteps, will you be happy in such a lifetime? You’ll always live under someone else’s footsteps, always in someone else’s shadow, never your true self, just another version of someone else. Do you want to be a copy of someone else all your life, never becoming truly famous?"

When Zhang Zhentian and Xia Jing heard what Old Master Zhang and their son said, they realized there are some things you can’t forget just because you want to. Once something happens, there’s no turning back. If you are right, no problem, but why have you repeatedly done so many unconscionable things? Why have you harmed your biological son and father time after time? All these years without your presence have been difficult for them, so why do you persist in doing such inexplicable things?

Have I truly become numb, unable to distinguish right from wrong? Have I abandoned my family completely in pursuit of my freedom over the years? Why do my actions make everyone incapable of understanding? Why do my deeds cause so much harm to so many people? Why does the path I chose bring such emotional pain to so many?

Zhang Zhentian cannot believe under any circumstances that his actions brought such severe harm to his own son and father. All he sought was his freedom. Why has it led to this outcome? Is it truly destiny that cannot be changed? Must his family suffer because he took the wrong path? If so, he would never have chosen that path, sacrificing not only his family but also his proudest freedom.

I can love you deeply, but I also hope you can quickly return to my side.