Chapter 982

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

A night without words.

The next day the two got up and went downstairs together to eat breakfast.

"Liying, how have you been considering it?"

Liang Xinghua looked at Zhong Liying with expectation in his eyes.

He hoped Zhong Liying could accept his daughter; that would be the best outcome.

If Zhong Liying couldn't accept, then he... he also didn't know what to do.

He loved Zhong Liying; he knew that as an older divorced man, being able to be with Zhong Liying was already like his ancestral grave rising with green smoke.

Apart from Zhong Liying, if he wanted to find another woman this young, this beautiful, and who didn't want anything from him, the possibility was infinitely close to zero percent.

In the future, even if he could find a young beautiful one, she would definitely be after his money.

But he also loved his daughter.

Watching helplessly as his daughter lived in that kind of terrible environment, his heart felt like it was being sliced by a sharp knife, cut by cut.

"Give me a bit more time, let me think it over properly."

Zhong Liying lowered her head, eating her rice noodle roll with egg and sausage.

"Understand, understand..." Liang Xinghua felt lost inside, "Then when you've thought it through, let me know..."

"Mm." Zhong Liying nodded.

Liang Xinghua spoke again:

"Whatever choice you make, I understand."

At this moment Zhong Liying suddenly said:

"Actually, we'll also have to have a child in the future..."

Liang Xinghua smiled bitterly:

"But that's my daughter; I can't be ruthless to that extent. You might not understand my feelings; after all, you haven't given birth yet... If you're not willing, I won't force it."

"I'll consider it some more."

After finishing breakfast, they each went to work.

Liang Xinghua said he would see Zhong Liying off; Zhong Liying said no need.

It was getting late; she could just take a three-wheeler directly.

So Liang Xinghua wouldn't have to detour and be late.

Arriving at the company, Liang Xinghua was still pondering his worries.

If he really had to choose between Zhong Liying and his daughter, how should he choose?

It was a very difficult choice.

Just like back then when Lan Menglian made him choose between his mother and Lan Menglian.

In the end he chose Lan Menglian, and then regretted it for a lifetime.

How come fate always plays this kind of joke on him? Making him face a multiple-choice question where no matter how he chooses, it's wrong?

"Xinghua Shu, why do you look so preoccupied?"

Wang Erhai had just arrived at the company and saw Liang Xinghua's expression wasn't right, so he asked with concern.

"No, nothing..."

Liang Xinghua smiled bitterly.

His mouth honestly said nothing was wrong, but his words and actions had long since betrayed him.

"Just tell me; don't treat me as an outsider."

Because last night Liang Xinghua came to borrow twenty thousand yuan from Wang Erhai, Wang Erhai thought it must be that Liang Xinghua had an unpleasant time with his ex-wife.

"I want to keep my daughter with me, but you also know, my parents are both gone, there's really no one to take care of her..."

Liang Xinghua spoke of his own difficulties.

Wang Erhai sighed:

"So why did you insist on divorcing your wife back then? If you hadn't divorced, now that you can earn money, life would have gotten better."

But Liang Xinghua smiled bitterly:

"You don't know how tricky and mean Lan Menglian was to me; she couldn't share hardship with me, so why should I share wealth with her?"

Wang Erhai chuckled:

"True, just pity your daughter."

Liang Xinghua then said:

"I recently found a partner; I told her I want to bring my daughter to live with us, she's not too willing."

Wang Erhai said with a smile:

"What's so hard about that? Just find another one; find one willing to accept your daughter. You're now considered a successful person, big or small; finding a partner isn't hard."

Liang Xinghua sighed:

"But I love her very much, and she loves me very much; I can't bear to give her up."

Wang Erhai then said:

"Back in school, in Chinese textbook, how did that saying go? 'Fish and bear's paw, cannot have both.' You have to know how to let go. She's building a new family with you, naturally she's unwilling for you to bring along a burden. Raising kids is so hard nowadays; one's own kids are hard enough to care for, yet still have to help raise someone else's child. To speak honestly, if it were me, I wouldn't be willing either."

"Sigh, true..." Liang Xinghua let out a long sigh, then said, "Even if I find a new partner, it's not certain I'd find one willing to accept my daughter."

Wang Erhai then said:

"Unless the other party's conditions are much worse than yours, perhaps they could accept. In my opinion, the current situation is the best: your daughter is raised by your ex-wife, you pay child support on schedule, and you and your current partner start a new family. As for your daughter's side, just visit her regularly. Since you've already handed over custody to your ex-wife, don't think so much about it."

"But, I went to visit them last night and discovered my ex-wife had made the rental house filthy, messy, and stinking. Such a small rental house — I really don't understand how she managed to make it this dirty. A quick tidy-up every day would prevent this! I really can't bear my daughter living that kind of life with her."

Wang Erhai sighed:

"Xiong Hua Shu, I understand your mood, but life is sometimes like this — you can't have both fish and bear's paw. You consider carefully which is more important."

Liang Xinghua asked at this moment:

"Erhai, if you were making the choice, how would you choose?"

Wang Erhai thought for a moment, then spoke his true thoughts:

"If it were me, I wouldn't have a child with a woman I don't love."

Wang Erhai had experienced that terrible marriage with Liu Mei Qi; back then he nearly had a child with Liu Mei Qi — Liu Mei Qi even got pregnant. Fortunately, in the end Liu Mei Qi acted out and went and aborted the child herself.

Thinking back now, his life at that time was already standing at the cliff's edge; one step forward was the abyss.

A child, this thing — once born, it's impossible to stuff back.

It becomes a lifetime's entanglement, and also becomes a lifetime's burden.

If he and Liu Mei Qi really had a child, then him wanting to completely cut off relations with Liu Mei Qi — that would definitely be impossible.

Just like Liang Xinghua now wanting to completely cut off relations with Lan Menglian — how could that be possible?

So Wang Erhai couldn't help but feel: he was lucky, while Liang Xinghua was unlucky.

Fate is like this — sometimes it inexplicably favors certain people, sometimes it strikes certain people without resentment or words.

"Hehe, the kid can walk and talk now, let's not talk about regretting having a child or not. My daughter, and my partner — who do you think is the better choice?"

Liang Xinghua asked again with a bitter smile.

Wang Erhai then said:

"If I say it out I'm afraid you'll be unhappy."

"Just say it straight, I won't be unhappy."

Wang Erhai then said:

"Then I'd definitely choose the partner. I'm a rather selfish person; a daughter is a burden — choose her and you'll never get rid of Lan Menglian in this lifetime. The partner is hope; choosing her represents the start of a new life."

Wang Erhai patted Liang Xinghua's shoulder:

"Just treat it as if you never had this daughter. Though it's somewhat cruel, it can only be this way."