Chapter 704: Xiao Long Wants to Sever Ties

I reached out and took Tian Shi's hand.

"Tian Shi isn't saying anything; I know what I'm doing."

"Just relax."

"We'll make money together."

"Not only will we make money together, we'll also share the responsibilities," Tian Shi laughed heartily.

After leaving Tian Shi's house,

Li Jia sent me a message,

saying Secretary Qin has already gotten leave approved; she is now preparing to go to the Provincial Capital and wants to take the earliest flight to Bian Jiang to see her child.

I can understand Li Jia's feelings.

For a woman, what she worries about most is still her child.

Li Jia is a decent woman, cheerful and capable of handling responsibilities.

I believe working with her will be helpful to me.

I felt moved inside.

I found Xiao Long's number again,

Since having dinner at Niushiling before the New Year, I haven't seen Xiao Long.

We have made a few phone calls,

On the phone, I could clearly sense that Xiao Long was in a bad mood.

I didn't know how to comfort Xiao Long about this matter.

Sigh, actually everyone stands from a different angle, so the way they view problems differs.

Between Li Ming and Xiao Long, you can't say who is right or wrong.

It's just that fate arranged it this way, really leaving people helpless.

After finding Xiao Long's number, I dialed it,

the call connected quickly,

"Xiao Long, where are you? I came over today to see Tian Shi, but I didn't see you in the office." I asked on the phone.

"Oh, Elder, I took a little time off and went to the hospital. Fang Rui isn't feeling well, so I came to check on them." Xiao Long said.

"How is Fang Rui.."

"It's just a little discomfort, Elder, don't go, I'll head back to the office right away." Xiao Long said.

"I'll wait for you in a tea room behind your office building; it's convenient to talk there." I said.

"Okay, Elder, I'll be there in ten minutes." Xiao Long said and hung up.

I then went to a commercial street behind the office building.

There was a tea room there.

Since it was morning, the tea room had no customers.

I asked the waiter for a private room, then ordered a pot of tea and a plate of melon seeds,

I sat waiting for Xiao Long's arrival.

We two needed to have a good conversation.

About ten minutes later, Xiao Long arrived.

As soon as I saw Xiao Long, my heart ached,

Xiao Long looked more worn out than before.

His hair wasn't combed, and he hadn't shaved his beard.

Was he still that clean-cut, handsome Xiao Long?

I quickly had Xiao Long sit down,

I poured him a cup of water,

"Xiao Long, what have you been up to? Why haven't you shaved your beard?"

Xiao Long didn't speak; he first took out a cigarette and offered it to me.

I took it.

Xiao Long lit it, took two puffs, and let out a long sigh,

before saying: "Elder, I want to sever ties with my father."

"What, Xiao Long? Why is that?" I said, somewhat dazed.

"Elder, how dare he insult you and insult Fang Rui? He's not my father; his actions break my heart." Xiao Long said angrily.

"You know about the argument I had with your father."

Xiao Long nodded, tears in his eyes,

"Elder, even my grandmother told me.

I am so angry.

This is too humiliating.

How could I have such a father.

If I had been there, I would definitely have hit him.

Now I've figured it out; I want to cut off all ties with him,

and our father-son relationship is completely over."

I took a puff of smoke,

"Xiao Long, don't act so impulsively in what you do."

The matter between me and your father, you don't need to get involved.

Our matters, we will handle them ourselves. Do you hear me?

The matter between you and Fang Rui,

You decide for yourselves; I've said too much now, which only makes trouble more likely.

Sigh, what a fine family—what have we turned it into?

Xiao Long then said,

"Grandfather, it's not just because of my father's matter.

I'm already an adult; he's meddling too much.

I have the freedom to find a girlfriend and get married,

Who I date is my right.

Nowadays, what kind of society is this? It's not the feudal society of the past,

It's a patriarchal society; he has the final say.

He only thinks of himself, never considering my feelings.

What's wrong with Fang Rui's family,

As long as I like her, I'm willing,

If we both agree, living together happily is enough.

I'm choosing Fang Rui, not her family.

No matter what happens to her family,

that's all in the past.

This matter does too much harm to Fang Rui.

My father bringing up Fang Rui's family in public is like rubbing salt in her wound.

Since returning from Niushiling, Fang Rui has been continually ill.

I'm in too much pain.

I've thought about it for a long time,

Between Fang Rui and my father, I would rather choose Fang Rui.

"Between him and me, it's over." Xiao Long said, tears streaming down.

Looking at the weeping Xiao Long,

I don't know what to say.

The saying "When children grow up, they are not controlled by their mother, nor by their father" is absolutely true.

In their parents' eyes, children are forever children, forever unable to grow up, forever obedient under conditions.

They will act according to their parents' wishes.

Actually, they have all grown up and have their own ideas.

They have their own feelings, as well as social, value, and worldviews.

They have broken free from their parents' constraints and entered a life centered on themselves.

The children have grown up, but the parents have not.

This will create conflict.

When it's time to let go, you must let go; for some things, the harder you suppress, the stronger the backlash.

But this does not apply to everyone, to every family.

I'm just thinking about the relationship between Li Ming and Xiao Long.

Now Xiao Long wants to choose to live with Fang Rui by severing the father-son relationship.

If I were Li Ming, knowing Xiao Long's choice, how heartbroken and sad I would be.

After all the hard work I've put in, raising my son with difficulty, living together for over twenty years, he still has less feeling for me than a girlfriend of one year.

In fact, this is even more a satire of Li Ming.

That is the failure of being a father. Even the failure of being a person.

Sometimes we are just like that.

Success and failure in life are not only about career, but also about the education of one's children.

I was smoking,

I didn't speak.

After Xiao Long calmed his emotions,

I picked up a tissue from the table and handed it to Xiao Long,

"Xiao Long, a man's tears are not easily shed, only when emotions run deep.

This matter, you can only decide for yourself.

My position is rather awkward, and things have already come to this with your father.

Whatever I say will provoke a bad reaction.

Do you understand what I mean?

Xiao Long nodded,

"Grandfather, I understand.

My grandmother said, try not to let me look for you.

Our family is already chaotic enough.

Grandfather, I just wanted to let you know in advance.

I have already made up my mind: to cut off the father‑son relationship with Li Ming.

I will issue a statement in the newspaper from now on.

Then I will inform everyone I know.

My mother—if she's willing to live with Li Ming, she may; if not, I'll support her," Xiao Long said firmly.

If Xiao Long really does it that way, it would mean the family is completely split.

That's not what I want to see.

I don't want the father‑son bond between Xiao Long and Li Ming to be severed.

In fact, a family's unity is more important than anything.

Father‑son unity, brotherly unity, marital unity are all as sharp as cutting steel.

At this moment I must urge Xiao Long to think twice before acting.

I can no longer remain a bystander.

I must assume my responsibility, which is to educate Xiao Long and help him rebuild his own thinking.

One must learn to be tolerant when acting.

The conflict must not be allowed to expand further.

Otherwise both sides will be hurt.