You understand, my heart has long belonged to you, but am I still in your heart now?

They were talking in there, not knowing why Old Master Zhang outside overheard them. He felt he should intervene in this matter; he couldn’t let his most beloved little boy be wronged for no reason. He knew that even if he wasn’t standing in front of him now, that little boy must be feeling very aggrieved. He was suffering in silence, unable to confront his parents because his father was even harsher than his mother. Although his father never lost his temper or punished him physically, the boy knew very well that his biological father was a powerful economic overlord—not someone to be trifled with. So he couldn’t provoke him.

Old Master Zhang pushed the door open and entered his grandson’s bedroom. He saw his little boy already in tears, but he didn’t dare to say a word. Old Master Zhang’s heart ached, and he quickly asked the boy to leave. He wanted to have a good talk with his grandson and granddaughter-in-law about how this couldn’t go on. If it did, then his little boy wouldn’t have any more happy times.

"Grandpa, it’s so late, why are you in my bedroom instead of sleeping? Is it because we were disciplining the child too loudly and disturbed your rest? Rest assured, we won’t discipline the child now. Please go back and rest; remember to wear an extra layer when you go out to avoid catching a cold. Keep warm at night by covering with an extra blanket. The weather is getting colder. Grandpa, I know you’re often worried about me, but I hope you’ll take good care of yourself. If you don’t take care of yourself, how can you take care of us? You are my spiritual support. If one day you suddenly leave me, how can I take such a heavy blow in my heart? I hope you’ll take care of yourself for my sake, okay?" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Old Master Zhang originally came in to talk to his grandson, but before he could speak, his grandson had already said this long string of words. He knew that this old fool was indeed the spiritual support for his precious grandson. His grandson couldn’t bear the weight of losing him. He had painstakingly brought him up, and the person he was most grateful for in his life was himself. If one day he did put one foot in the grave, what would his grandson do? His grandson wasn’t wrong; if he didn’t take good care of himself, how could they care for the people they cherished?

"Don’t worry, I’ll also take good care of myself. I came here today because there’s something I want to talk to you about. I want to discuss your son with you. I heard how you educate him from outside the door, but I hope you understand that what you went through may not necessarily happen to him again. I know you’re doing this to ensure he has a happy future, but have you considered that if you never tell him about your past experiences, he won’t know what you’ve been through? If he faces the same issues, he might fall into the same trap. What will you do then? You should think things through clearly. What benefits does this approach have? Will it harm him?"

"Grandpa, I know you’re saying this for our and my child’s wellbeing, but could this love turn into spoiling him? Love can be so harmful, turning a motivated, energetic young man into a negative, decadent one. How can I be at ease like this? How can I let my son become negative and decadent because of what I’ve done? Wouldn’t that make me a negligent father? Knowing what kind of life my son wants, yet I give her a different one—doesn’t that harm her?"

"You have a point, but are you sure you won’t hurt her this way? She could have happily lived her own life, but you’re forcing your way in. How do you think your son feels? Don’t always follow your own subjective feelings; you should consider your family’s feelings. By deciding his life so early, how do you think he will feel? Just because you think it’s right doesn’t mean it is in others’ eyes. You’re indirectly rejecting others’ perspectives and controlling their lives. You’re not the ruler of his life; you can only rule your own. You can’t decisively dictate what kind of life he’ll lead; doing so risks making him a decimated person all his life..."

"Grandpa, I know you’re saying all this for everyone’s good, but sometimes we have to make decisions. We can’t just let his life go on its natural course; who knows what the outcome will be? To achieve what I have today, the hardships I’ve endured—you know it well. If my son wants his grandparents to see he’s not the worst, he must experience suffering. Only through suffering will he gradually grow. That way, his grandparents won’t look down on him. I know the impact on him is great because his grandparents have never seen this type of situation. This shadow of doubt may be lifted through growth milestones, but it may also never change."

Old Master Zhang understood the stakes, but these were not his decisions to make. Everyone’s life is different, and no one should try to control another’s life. It harms both themselves and others. Why so decisively focus on ruling another’s life? A person’s life should be walked step by step; that’s how a person matures. But how should he handle this? Has affection really turned into spoiling love?

After so many years of self-deception, after giving my sincerity, you took all my feelings and left me!