Chapter 1854: For Your Good
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Besides, was Zhai Sheng doing this to remind Qiao Nan, or was he using Qiao Nan to warn him? What Wei De was most concerned about was that Zhai Sheng had told Qiao Nan such a secret. Did that not mean that Zhai Sheng was already certain that he was going to marry Qiao Nan?
Wei De had not forgotten how he had managed to marry Zhai Hua and even felt proud of that. The Zhai family had not been able to prevent Zhai Hua from getting married to him. Similarly, the Zhai family would not be able to prevent Zhai Sheng from marrying Qiao Nan either. What angered him the most was how his parents-in-law did not acknowledge him but seemed to be friendly toward Qiao Nan as though they had already accepted her.
In that case, Qiao Nan would become the chief’s wife. If she was nice and polite, she would address him as her brother-in-law. If she was nasty and unkind, he would have to address that ex-caretaker of the Zhai family as the chief’s wife.
No, that could never happen.
“What are you doing?” Xiao Xu, who was bringing the dishes out, had just happened to witness this scene and rushed up to stop Wei De’s fist. “I’m warning you that this is the chief’s house. If you dare to do anything to the chief’s wife… If you dare to touch Sister Qiao, I won’t let you off.”
So what if he was the old chief’s son-in-law? He had never heard the old chief or the chief talk about Wei De before. He was a company commander but could not even defeat a soldier and could only fight against weak women. No wonder the chief had never mentioned having such a brother-in-law.
If he was in their section, he would never have the chance to even be a soldier, let alone a company commander.
“Who are you? This is none of your business. Let me go!” Wei De wanted to beat Xiao Xu up as well. The problem was that he was not as skilled in martial arts as Xiao Xu, and neither would he be able to beat Xiao Xu in terms of strength. He was only slightly older than Xiao Xu. As such, the frustrated Wei De was helpless and could only ask Xiao Xu to let go of him. “Do you believe that I’ll be able to kick you out tomorrow?”
“No.” Xiao Xu had not even gotten the chance to answer him before Zhai Sheng, who had just come down for dinner, replied to him. “Xiao Xu was sent here to take care of me. Who are you to tell him to scram? Do you have direct connections with the central government? Since when did you have such an ability? Shall I lend you my phone for you to make a call so that Xiao Xu will scram?”
“Zhai Sheng, I’m your brother-in-law. We’re a family. How could you treat your brother-in-law like that in front of outsiders?” Wei De was infuriated, especially because Qiao Nan and Xiao Xu were present. Wei De’s self-esteem did not allow him to grovel in front of Zhai Sheng. He thought only about his status as Zhai Sheng’s elder brother-in-law and that Zhai Sheng should respect and obey him.
He was Zhai Sheng’s elder brother-in-law and was older than Zhai Sheng. It was only right for Zhai Sheng to listen to him.
Standing next to Qiao Nan, Zhai Sheng asked, “Are you all right?” Seeing Qiao Nan shake her head and upon confirming that Qiao Nan had indeed not suffered any injuries, Zhai Sheng finally replied to Wei De. “Company Commander Wei, when have I ever acknowledged you as my brother-in-law? And since when have you ever been part of the Zhai family?”
He should stop trying to praise himself so blatantly.
The moment Zhai Sheng appeared, he immediately went to check on Qiao Nan, completely ignoring Wei De. This was enough to disgrace Wei De, who had acted all high and mighty as a brother-in-law. Zhai Sheng’s words that followed utterly humiliated Wei De. It was as though someone had put his face on the ground and had trampled all over it.
This was an awkward situation. Wei De had wanted to prove to Xiao Xu and Qiao Nan that he was the one who had close connections to the Zhai family. But instead, in Zhai Sheng’s eyes, Xiao Xu and Qiao Nan were both people whom he had to protect. On the other hand, Zhai Sheng had not taken Wei De, who was his brother-in-law, into consideration at all, and had embarra.s.sed him in front of everyone. “My parents are in Qingshui Town, and since Zhai Hua isn’t a soldier anymore, she should spend more time with my parents. After the new year, you can leave if you need to. Zhai Hua and Jiajia can stay behind with my parents. As for Jiajia’s schooling matters, you don’t have to worry about it. Anyway, Zhai Hua has been the only one worrying about it all this time. Given our qualifications, you can rest a.s.sured that we’ll develop and nurture Jiajia better than you can ever do so that she can inherit whatever you have, and even surpa.s.s you.”
Zhai Sheng was hinting to Wei De that his dream of becoming a regiment commander would eventually be fulfilled by his daughter, Jiajia, as long as she was willing to do so. In another thirty years’ time, he would personally see Jiajia rise to that position. It was just as well for his daughter to fulfill her father’s unfulfilled dreams.
In the past, he had been too easy on Wei De. That was why Wei De had developed an att.i.tude, thinking that his relations.h.i.+p with the Zhai family would never change and that he would rise through the ranks because of such a relations.h.i.+p after he married Zhai Hua and had Jiajia.
Wei De’s face paled. Wei De had only seen Zhai Sheng having such a resolute and strong att.i.tude once in his life. That was when he wanted to marry Zhai Hua. At that time, Zhai Hua had expressed her wish to marry him in front of the Zhai family for the first time, and naturally, that had been the first time he had appeared in front of the Zhai family as Zhai Hua’s boyfriend. At almost the same time, the Zhai family not only had to accept Wei De as Zhai Hua’s boyfriend but also that he would become Zhai Hua’s husband.
At that time, Zhai Sheng’s att.i.tude had been just as firm and resolute as it was now. There had been no room for any discussion. What was different was that Wei De had been less worried and afraid at that time because Zhai Hua had always been on his side.
But today, he lacked Zhai Hua’s support. In front of Zhai Sheng, Zhai Hua’s support was almost the key to winning.
Wei De took a deep breath. He always knew that he would only be Zhai Sheng’s brother-in-law when Zhai Sheng wanted to treat him politely. Otherwise, he had no right to act like a brother-in-law in front of Zhai Sheng. “Zhai Sheng, I’ve been married to your sister for so many years. You should know how I treat her and how hard I’ve tried to give her happiness. As your relative and brother-in-law, you must believe that whatever I’m doing is for your good.”
If he had not remembered how Zhai Sheng was only a few years younger than he was and was already past the stage of impulsiveness, he would really want to scold Zhai Sheng for being so confused and blinded by love. He must have lost all rationality to want someone like Qiao Nan.
If Zhai Sheng had found a twenty-five-year-old young lady to get married to, Wei De would not be so disapproving, even if that young lady’s family background was not as ill.u.s.trious as the Zhai family’s. They were both men, but he could not understand Zhai Sheng’s mindset. He had thrown aside twenty-five-year-old young ladies for an old lady of forty.
After Zhai Sheng had gotten divorced from Qiu Chenxi, he had not taken any action for a long time. Because of that, he had thought that Zhai Sheng had very high standards. Wei De had even wondered about what would happen if Zhai Sheng decided to remain single and childless for the rest of his life. Would the Zhai family’s line end in Zhai Sheng’s hands?