My Alleged Husband

Chapter 169: Chapter 153 Planning to Go Abroad_1

Not long after Li Jiayuan and Xiao Wei went to the United States, Xia Jing began preparing for her own journey to leave City A for America. She was determined not to stay here any longer; she found it utterly dull, with nothing to do every day but eat and sleep. Staying here meant she couldn’t take care of her own child—what meaning was there in that? Better to go out and see the world, to start a new life!

When Xia Jing saw Zhang Zhentian enter her room, she said to him, ”Husband, I’m planning to go away. If you’re willing to come with me, then we’ll go together. If not, I’ll leave on my own first.”

Zhang Zhentian thought Xia Jing was joking when he heard what she said, but seeing her serious expression, he realized she wasn’t kidding. ”Weren’t you undecided about leaving before? Why have you suddenly decided to go now? Has something happened, or what? Our children aren’t even a year old yet. If you leave like this, won’t you miss them?”

Xia Jing let out a cold laugh and replied, ”Do you think it’s interesting for me to stay here, where I can see my child and hold him? Tell me, since our child was born, how often have I held him? Your father holds him all the time, takes him everywhere, and only brings him back to me when he’s hungry. I can’t even hold him while he sleeps at night. Do you think that makes me feel good? He’s the child I labored so hard to bring into this world. Why can’t I, his mother, sleep and eat with him?”

Upon hearing Xia Jing speak like this, Zhang Zhentian understood why she had suddenly made this decision. Indeed, Xia Jing was right. Who would be content with letting others take care of the child they had struggled so hard to bear, without even getting to see him? But he didn’t want Xia Jing to leave him just yet. She originally wanted to leave as soon as their child was born, but at that time, Xia Jing refused. She said they would wait until the child was a year old, then leave. But now, with this sudden change, he had already formed a bond with the child, and he couldn’t bear the thought of separation. Caught between his wife and child, who should he choose?

”Zhentian, I know this choice is difficult for you, and I understand that you have formed a bond with our child. But I have to do this. You know, I gave up the freedom I always longed for to be with you and bear your children. But now that I’ve had them, I think it’s time for me to walk my own path, to see the world I want to see, to chase the freedom I’ve always longed for. I hope you don’t hate me. Actually, I really hope you would come with me. But I also hope you would stay here and take good care of our son. For a child, losing both parents at the same time is painful. I don’t want him to suffer that kind of pain, so if you don’t want to come with me, you can stay here and take good care of our son,” Xia Jing said calmly and slowly, seeing through the hesitation and difficulty in Zhang Zhentian’s heart.

Zhang Zhentian hesitated for a moment. He felt he should choose Xia Jing, right? After all, it’s his wife he would spend his life with, not his son.

Zhang Zhentian sighed and said to Xia Jing, ”Alright, I agree. We’ll leave this place together. Maybe here isn’t where we belong. You long for freedom, and from now on, you can chase it, and I will follow and help you chase the freedom you desire. I hope Miss Xia Jing won’t mind having me as a companion!”

Upon hearing Zhang Zhentian’s words, Xia Jing couldn’t help but burst into laughter. She ran over and embraced Zhang Zhentian, saying, ”Thank you, dear. Thank you for being willing to give up everything you care about for me. It’s I who have been too willful, without considering you. But I really don’t want to stay here any longer; I hope you can understand me.”

As Xia Jing spoke, she began to cry. Seeing her cry, Zhang Zhentian’s heart immediately softened. He couldn’t bear to see Xia Jing shed tears for his sake, not even one. With indulgent affection, he stroked Xia Jing’s head and said, ”Silly girl, why say all this? Aren’t we husband and wife? Spouses should fly together; how could we possibly separate? Right?”

Xia Jing cried harder and harder, and she nodded her head desperately.

”Wife, then have you decided when you will go? If you have decided, you can tell me first. We should pack our things first, and then, should we say goodbye to dad?”

Upon hearing Zhang Zhentian’s words, Xia Tian hesitated. Should she tell Old Master Zhang about this matter? What would be the outcome if she told him, and what if she didn’t? She only knew it was a variable. She thought she should still mention it, as it was a form of respect for the elderly.

”Dear, I think we should still tell dad, no matter what and regardless of whether he eventually agrees with our decision or not. Discussing with him about our departure is the least we can do to show respect to an old man.”

Zhang Zhentian felt heartened when he heard Xia Jing’s words. He said to her, ”You’re right. Then we’ll pack our stuff first and discuss it with dad before we book our tickets, okay? Let’s first go to the United States and see what Xiao Wei and Li Jiayuan’s living place is like. Do you think that’s okay?”

”It’s okay. Of course, it’s okay. How could it not be? In the future, we will always be together. We will travel the world until we can’t walk anymore, until we are tired and want to rest. Then we will stop!”

And so, the two of them privately decided to leave together to travel the world, without Old Master Zhang knowing. Little did they expect that when they went to discuss the matter with Old Master Zhang, he would kick them out of the Zhang Family home, forbidding them to return for life. Although the outcome was somewhat sad, it was the path they chose themselves, and they were determined to walk it to the end, even if it was fraught with hardships, without a trace of ease. They felt that as long as they were with each other, that was enough.

What they did not know was that from the moment they stepped out of the Zhang Family’s gate, their relationship with their child would never be as close again. Nor did they realize that after they left, Old Master Zhang alone bore an immense pressure in raising their son. As far as Zhang Zhentian was concerned, his son growing up and not recognizing him as a father would be an eternal pain in his heart, a pain not inflicted by others, but by his own wife. If it hadn’t been for his wish to leave, the situation with their child wouldn’t have escalated like this. Of course, this was all to come later.

The two of them packed their bags in the room, just waiting for the right moment to discuss their departure with Old Master Zhang and then set off. Now they were nestling in each other’s arms. At this moment, although both of them felt very happy, the real trials that awaited them were yet to come.