Chapter 273
Chapter 273: Chapter 297 Some Wavering_1 Chapter 273: Chapter 297 Some Wavering_1 Lin Qing was somewhat moved by Zhao Erhu’s earnest words. Had there not been a better candidate, he might have truly agreed, but every time he thought of his good friend Jiang Wenshu’s deep love for his sister, and how she should not forsake her initial intentions even in the face of such circumstances, he couldn’t help but worry. Considering Zhao Erhu’s reputation for having outlived his wives, Lin Qing could not feel at ease entrusting his sister to him, which only solidified his initial resolution.
“Your disagreement is irrelevant,” Lin Qing said. “Xiaoyue is my sister. It was my negligence that allowed our parents to do such a thing. I cannot make another mistake now. If you were a good man, it might be different, but your reputation precedes you. I do not wish for my sister to end up like your previous two wives. Moreover, you already have four sons. Even if things seem fine now, how they will treat my sister in the future is uncertain. She will definitely not have a good outcome with you; I cannot stand by and watch as you ruin her.”
Lin Qing was harsh in his words for his sister’s sake. Even Zhao Erhu had to admit that there was truth in Lin Qing’s words. Although his sons were currently close to Lin Yue and she treated them as her own, they were not her biological children, and there was no blood relation. He could not guarantee how his sons would treat his young wife in the future. Even one’s own children could be ungrateful, and although he had confidence in his sons, he could not afford to consider his wife’s position too much.
As for his reputation as a man who outlives his wives, it was a thorn in Zhao Erhu’s heart. It seemed as though he did not care on the surface, but in reality, he kept his worries hidden deep inside. Otherwise, he would not be so overly cautious, always liking to take care of his young wife’s affairs. He was afraid that something might happen to her too.
Regardless, once things are set in motion on a predetermined path, if Lin Yue had just been married over and Lin Qing had come looking for her, Zhao Erhu might have generously let Lin Yue go, for he did not wish to burden her. At the beginning, he had married Lin Yue with an indifferent attitude, but now, having grown deeply affectionate towards his wife, there was no way he could let her go. If Lin Qing’s worries came to pass and his wife ended up burdened by him, Erhu decided he would end his life to accompany Xiaoyue in death. He made up his mind and appeared even more resolute.
Lin Yue also felt that her brother’s words were too harsh. Zhao Erhu had been ostracized in the village due to his reputation, and his children had suffered as well. Moreover, she had confidence in Dalang and his brothers; they were good children who would not be ungrateful as long as she treated them wholeheartedly. Furthermore, she was capable of supporting herself and did not need to rely on anyone else.
“Brother, I…” Lin Yue began to say something to counter her brother’s words but was stopped by Zhao Erhu taking her hand.
Zhao Erhu looked solemnly at Lin Qing, “There’s no need to bring up the past. No amount of regret will change those events. If you had cared more about Yueyue, she wouldn’t have had to suffer so much in that household, and wouldn’t have been sold by her own parents. Even if you had come right after she was sold, I would have agreed to let you take Yueyue away. But now, after spending so much time with her, we have developed deep feelings for each other, and I can’t live without her. Call me selfish or inhumane if you will, but Yueyue is my wife, for this lifetime and beyond. If anything were to happen to her, I would stay by her side, never letting her be alone.”
Upon hearing Zhao Erhu’s words, Lin Qing’s expression became even more guilty and pained. Yes, back then he didn’t want to cause a rift with his parents. After all, they were wholeheartedly looking out for his well-being, which led him to deliberately overlook his sister’s feelings, convincing himself that things weren’t so bad and that if Yueyue could just bear it and withstand some grievances, everything would turn out fine once he made his mark in the world. He deceived himself, letting his parents assume he wasn’t so resolute, which was why they married off Yueyue without even asking him.
“You’re right, it’s my fault. If it weren’t for my negligence, things wouldn’t have ended up like this. But no matter what, I won’t give up. I can’t, and I won’t let my sister spend her life with such a man. I can’t let her life be ruined.” As a scholar, Lin Qing naturally believed nothing was superior to knowledge, so Zhao Erhu could never meet his approval, let alone with so many faults. He was adamant that only with Jiang Wenshu could Yueyue be truly happy.
Seeing Lin Qing’s stubborn demeanor gave Lin Yue a bit of a headache. It seemed that she had to make her position clear to him. “Brother, don’t be like this. Zhao Erhu has been very good to me. If it weren’t for him, who knows where our parents would have sold me, and I wouldn’t have had such good days as these. Besides, the children all respect me as their mother. I believe they are good kids and will be filial to me in the future. You don’t have to worry about me. Since I’ve married Zhao Erhu, I belong to him now. Isn’t there a saying, ‘A woman doesn’t marry a second husband?’ I won’t do anything that will bring shame upon myself. Brother, you’re the closest person to me. Please, don’t be at odds with Brother Erhu anymore, alright? It’s also very difficult for me.”
The boys, seeing a guest had come — the same one who had tried to take their mother away last time — all stood outside eavesdropping. When they heard what Lin Yue said, they burst into the room. “Mother’s right; we’ll treat her well in the future. We won’t let anyone bully her. You can’t take our mother away. Anyone who wants to take our mother away is a bad person.” After speaking, the children gazed warily at Lin Qing, as if they were prepared to wrestle with him if he truly tried to take Lin Yue.
Lin Yue and Zhao Erhu, seeing how the children were behaving, were very pleased. Lin Yue smiled and reassured them, “Don’t worry; I won’t leave you. But this is a matter between adults. You children don’t understand, so stay out of it. Go out and play instead.”
Lin Yue said this partly because she feared that Lin Qing might say something even more hurtful and upset the children.
However, this time, the boys didn’t listen to Lin Yue as they usually did; they stood their ground inside the house, seemingly anxious. Having been abandoned before, they finally had a kind mother and a warm home, so they were even more afraid of losing it again. Dalang and Erhu even stepped forward, each taking one of Lin Yue’s hands, looking up at her with pleading eyes like little puppies, indicating their desire to stay. Lin Yue had no choice but to let them.
Lin Qing saw how the children were so affectionate with Lin Yue and felt a twinge of wavering in his heart. But the past wasn’t just Jiang Wenshu’s unrequited affection; Yueyue had liked him too — they could be considered childhood sweethearts. He had heard that before being married off, Yueyue had even run away twice, probably to find Jiang Wenshu. Now, Yueyue had lost her memory, but once she recovered it, she would surely have regrets, so he had to harden his heart.