The Sweetness of the Seventies-Chapter 1189 - 1158: Speaking Out, Sobbing

Zhu Zhitao stared at Yuan Hua.

Yuan Hua’s determination made him feel sad, but he had no position to blame Yuan Hua.

It was his fault!

Just at that moment, Zhu Xiaoxiao came out from inside, standing behind Mom and looking towards Dad, with a timid expression on her face.

Seeing his daughter like this, Zhu Zhitao felt even more guilty and said, "Xiao Xiao, are you still feeling unwell?"

Zhu Xiaoxiao shook her head and said, "I’m already better. Dad, are you hungry? Have you eaten?"

"Dad isn’t hungry," Zhu Zhitao said with a choked voice, "Xiao Xiao, go and eat quickly."

In fact, Zhu Zhitao hadn’t eaten properly all day, and now, smelling the fragrance of the food, his stomach growled involuntarily.

"Come in and have something to eat," Yuan Hua said, "Even if we get a divorce, I’m still Xiao Xiao’s father. We married because we had feelings for one another, and I also don’t hope that we end up divorcing as enemies. After all, the child is young, and we need to think of the child."

Zhu Zhitao wanted to leave, but he couldn’t bear to and so, with a toughened scalp, he came inside.

Seeing Dad come in, Zhu Xiaoxiao quickly and cheerfully went to serve him rice, but she was too short to reach.

Yuan Hua took the bowl passed by Zhu Xiaoxiao and served rice for Zhu Zhitao, saying, "Come and eat."

Grandpa saw Zhu Zhitao come over and continued to eat his meal without looking up.

"Dad, I’m sorry," Zhu Zhitao said softly, apologizing to the old man.

"Hmm!" Grandpa didn’t lift his head, just focused on his meal and did not respond to Zhu Zhitao.

Yuan Hua also remained silent, but it was Zhu Xiaoxiao who personally picked food for her dad.

It was a father-daughter connection by nature; even though Dad was usually busy with work and didn’t play with her, she still loved her dad and felt sorry for him.

Zhu Zhitao felt a sourness in his nose, how could he have let his parents mistreat such a good daughter in the past, pretending not to know!

No, he couldn’t divorce.

If he divorced, his wife would become someone else’s wife, and his daughter would become someone else’s daughter.

Now standing between the two of them were his parents.

If he wanted to save their marriage, he must first deal with his parents.

"It’s getting late, you should go back," Yuan Hua said, seeing that it was already eight o’clock and not wanting Zhu Zhitao to stay.

She didn’t want to see the interaction between her daughter and Zhu Zhitao, worried that she might soften her heart again.

"Hmm, then I’ll go back first," Zhu Zhitao said, "Yuan Hua, can we talk?"

Yuan Hua didn’t want to argue with Zhu Zhitao in front of the child, so she nodded and said, "Alright, I’ll go downstairs with you."

Yuan Hua put on her coat and followed Zhu Zhitao downstairs.

"Yuan Hua, whether you forgive me or not, this time I won’t indulge my parents," said Zhu Zhitao. "I was wrong before, truly wrong. Can you, for Xiao Xiao’s sake, give me a chance?"

Yuan Hua shook her head and said, "Zhitao, I am a person with delicate emotions; I invest my whole heart into a relationship. But now I am disappointed in our love, so I won’t settle..."

Zhu Zhitao couldn’t hold back anymore; with tears streaming down his face, he said, "It’s all my fault, all my fault. You tried to communicate with me before, but I didn’t take effective measures to resolve our issues. I was always avoiding them, lying to myself. This attitude has hurt me and destroyed our relationship."

Yuan Hua’s gaze was complex; she knew that Zhu Zhitao understood, but he wasn’t willing to change, at least not for her.

If she didn’t bring up divorce now, perhaps this situation would continue.

People are like that; deep down, they all harbor such wishful thinking, even feeling entitled to it.

"You know everything," Yuan Hua said, choking up. "If that’s the case, then let’s part on good terms. Although you weren’t concerned about Xiao Xiao before, I know you love her. So don’t fight with me for her custody. You know, even if it came to a fight, you couldn’t beat me. I have made thorough preparations; I had been preparing for this two months ago."

"Two months ago?" Zhu Zhitao muttered to himself, he hadn’t even noticed; how insensitive could he be!

"Yes, two months ago," Yuan Hua said. "Do you know? That day I saw your nephew coming to my house, carrying bags of goodies, throwing what he couldn’t eat on the ground. But our Xiao Xiao, crying, begging your nephew for something to eat, so hungry she could only pick up food from the floor. And your parents, they just sat there, not moving a muscle as if they saw nothing. Xiao Xiao is the child I desperately gave birth to, my precious baby, and I won’t allow anyone to abuse her."

Zhu Zhitao’s face flushed with the effort of holding back as he listened to Yuan Hua’s impassioned words. His parents really were too much; no wonder Yuan Hua was so angry!

He guessed that Yuan Hua must hate him in her heart too.

"I’m sorry," Zhu Zhitao said sorrowfully. "I was wrong."

"Every time I see you and your parents, I remember the scene of my daughter crying while picking food off the ground. I can’t forgive myself, nor can I forgive you, and even less, your parents," Yuan Hua declared. "I’ve stopped all supplies to Maoer Alley. Also, in the agreement, I’ve listed our marital assets under Xiao Xiao’s name. Moreover, I’ve left you a house close to your workplace. There is some savings at home; we’ll split it evenly. As for child support, I won’t ask you for it; I will raise her myself..."

Every word Yuan Hua spoke struck Zhu Zhitao’s heart.

Her tone, though calm, made Zhu Zhitao feel miserable.

"Yuan Hua..." Finally unable to hold back, Zhu Zhitao squatted down, covered his face, and wept bitterly.

He blamed his parents for this situation, but blamed himself even more, for letting such a good woman suffer and be hurt, and for letting his own daughter be mistreated.

He wasn’t a qualified husband, nor a qualified dad.

Zhu Zhitao’s crying made Yuan Hua’s eyes redden, but the decisions she had made were irreversible.

You can’t choose your parents, but you can choose a husband or wife. To avoid any more suffering in the future, Yuan Hua resolutely decided to leave.

After a while, Zhu Zhitao stood up and said, "I no longer deserve you. It’s my fault for not keeping my promise, not taking good care of you, and letting you and Xiao Xiao suffer. After I go back, I will contact Lawyer Li."

Yuan Hua nodded and said, "Okay."

Zhu Zhitao left without looking back, afraid that he might break down and cry again.

Once in his car, Zhu Zhitao leaned on the steering wheel, not wanting to leave for a long time.

Yuan Hua went upstairs and watched from the balcony the familiar car below.

This was also the argument she had prepared in advance; if this marriage couldn’t be sustained, then it should end with dignity. Xiao Xiao’s grandparents were worthless, but Zhu Zhitao was after all Xiao Xiao’s dad. For her child’s future proper care, she wouldn’t burn bridges with Zhu Zhitao.