Old Mi's words left me feeling uneasy. I knew he was worried about me, but to me, they sounded more like a reproach. I consider myself a self-disciplined and ambitious person, and I never wanted to end up in this situation. Why didn't I receive encouragement instead? I no longer need others to give me a sense of crisis, because the sense of crisis I give myself is enough to break me down.
Right now, I'm standing on the verge of collapse.
With a forced smile, I finally spoke to Old Mi, "Dad, I won't say anything else, I just want to ask you one question: if I really have to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, do you think Lu Jia is the kind of woman who will never leave me?"
Old Mi retorted sharply, "Are you still questioning her character? Have you forgotten how she took care of me when I was sick? Now that you're in trouble, she's the first to come and give your mother and me two investment plans. She's securing our livelihood for the rest of our lives... Mi Gao, you couldn't find a woman like her even with a lantern. She's not like those girls who only know how to talk nicely... The one I dislike the most is that Sisi. She's not mature at all... What can you rely on her for when you really encounter trouble?"
"Dad, before we talk about Lu Jia, let me correct a misconception of yours... I believe that a man should inherently have the responsibility of a man, but why is it that when you encounter problems, your first thought isn't to solve the problem, but to rely on a woman?... Whether you think Yang Sisi is good or bad is just your subjective opinion. You are my father, and I must respect your thoughts, but I also have a responsibility to tell you that in my heart, she is the purest and kindest girl... I have to thank Lu Jia. If I hadn't met her, I really wouldn't know how to distinguish between good and bad women, and I didn't know that women really can be good or bad!" For the latest chapter, please follow the author's WeChat official account "Tank's Bookstall," view the complete song list for this book, and participate in more activities to interact with the author.
"You can't say that about Lu Jia..."
"Dad, let me finish... You said that when you were sick, Lu Jia took care of you, but that was with a purpose and a condition. So later, both of my houses were transferred to her, and the house in Dali has already been sold by her. The two investment products she gave you were, frankly speaking, just a way to make money off you; Lu Jia didn't put a single penny in them... Now, she's using the same old tricks again, targeting you again. If I really become paralyzed, the two investment products she gave you will be a small compensation; if I'm fine and make a comeback someday, then I, Michael, will owe her a huge favor again... She has completely figured out the personalities of our family... She knows you value relationships, and she knows I care about your and Mom's feelings... But the truth is, she chose to break up with me because I had no future... Then, she took advantage of our family's guilt towards her to take two houses from me... Have you seen her suffer any loss in all of this?"
This time, Old Mi
After a long silence, he replied, "I understand what you mean. You feel that I'm a burden to you... If it weren't for my illness, you wouldn't be in this situation today!"
"What are you saying? I just want you to understand me a little more... I don't want to hear Lu Jia's name anymore, especially not from your mouths... I'm just like you, I'm held back by my sentimentality... From now on, I want to live more realistically... I hope you can be more realistic too. If I really become paralyzed, Lu Jia will not marry me."
After saying that, for the first time in my life, I hung up on Old Mi.
But I don't hate him. I know that no matter what he was thinking, his initial goal was to make my life better... I'm past the age of rebellion, and even if I'm on the verge of a breakdown, I'm willing to see things from their perspective.
Besides, I am deeply grateful for their upbringing. This is not blind filial piety; they have truly been very good to me. I cannot completely deny my parents because of this.
...
I put the phone back in my pocket and looked out the car window again. The streets under the moonlight were still so deserted. I felt lonely, and I didn't know how to cheer myself up...
"Brother, who called you just now?"
I looked at Zhou San, who was asking me a question, and after a long while, I replied, "My dad."
"He doesn't like my fourth brother?"
I gave a wry smile at first, and then said, "Your fourth brother has a sharp tongue... That's just how she is. She's clearly a very good person, but sometimes she just can't let others feel her kindness... She's someone who's easily prone to extremism. People who know her well will find this kind of personality adorable... But people who don't know her well will find her impolite."
"It doesn't matter what others think, the key is whether you like her personality."
Before I could even speak, Zhou San smiled and said to me, "You definitely like her... because I heard you defend her. You said she's the purest and kindest girl in the world."
"Um."
Zhou San sighed and said, "I wonder where she is now... I wish she were in Bangkok too!"
...
The next day, as soon as I got up, Brother Ping arrived. There were two more tests to do that morning to confirm whether I was a suitable candidate for surgery. I felt incredibly nervous, so I asked Brother Ping again, "Brother, be honest with me, what are the chances of recovery after the surgery? If the nerves start to recover, will there be any warning signs?"
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