But humans were greedy beings. Watching the children grow up day by day, Miao Jing couldn’t help but wish that she would be able to watch them enter primary school, middle school, high school, and even university.

  If she lived longer, she might even get to see her great-grandchildren!

  When Old Master Zhai had left, Zhai Sheng had already been thirty. If Zhai Sheng had married at a normal age, Old Master Zhai would definitely have been able to meet his great-grandchild before leaving. His great-grandchild would even have been of school-going age!

  But at that time, they didn’t even have an inkling of the whereabouts of that great-grandchild’s mother, let alone having one of school-going age.

  Old Master Zhai had left to meet Grandma Zhai with that regret.

  Miao Jing, who was in poor health, was often heartbroken. She didn’t even know if she would get a chance to see her grandchildren start primary school, let alone meet her great-grandchildren.

  As such, Miao Jing was unwilling to waste any time while she was still alive. Even if it was just an additional second with her grandchildren, it was what she deserved.

  “I know that in principle, but you know my temper well too. Look how obedient our grandchildren are. I can’t bear to leave them. I was just a pure and innocent young lady when I married you, but I’m already an ugly hen now.”


  Miao Jing felt that it was unfair how quickly time had passed and how she had aged.

  Miao Jing was aggrieved. “Old Zhai, how many more years do you think we have? All I want is to see the three children grow up. Why does it seem so difficult?” Why couldn’t the heavens give her just a little more time?

  \r \r \r

  After helping Miao Jing relax her body, Zhai Yaohui took Miao Jing into his embrace like a young lady. “Why are you crying? What’s so weird about having illnesses and pains at our age? Instead of letting your mind run wild and being afraid that you’ll die early and not be able to see the children, why don’t you just relax at home with me? Do you really think you can endure this for much longer? Only by taking care of our bodies will we be able to live for another few more years. Wouldn’t that be worth it?”


  “Really?” Miao Jing looked at Zhai Yaohui. “Will I really be able to live for another few more years if I stay at home with you?”


  “Of course!” Zhai Yaohui replied confidently. “Of course, you will!” He had to say so even if he didn’t believe it.

  Miao Miao was overthinking it. They were only in their early seventies. What if they lived into their nineties?

  By that time, the three children would probably be in university.

  Although it wasn’t good to get into an early relationship, the three children might be different from their father. Zhai Sheng had gotten married later in life. If the three children matured early and got into early relationships, they could very well see their grandchildren-in-law, if not their great-grandchildren.

  Wasn’t that good enough?

  Zhai Yaohui hoped that the three children could make up for their father’s late marriage so that Miao Jing would be appeased. That would be fine with him too.

  But if Miao Jing were to continue playing with the three grandchildren like she had done today, she might never have the chance to meet her grandchildren-in-law no matter how early they started their relationships.

  “Alright. If you can guarantee it, I’ll listen to you.” Miao Jing had been easily coaxed by Zhai Yaohui in her youth and was still easily coaxed now.

  Zhai Yaohui smiled and asked Miao Jing to take an afternoon nap like the triplets. “I can guarantee it. Otherwise, you can catch me in my next life and punch me.” It wasn’t enough to appease Miao Jing. Zhai Yaohui even shamelessly settled his next life with his wife.

  Miao Jing had not realized that Zhai Yaohui had dug a hole for her to jump into. Knowing that Zhai Yaohui was a man of his words, she was glad to know that she would be able to see her grandchildren grow up. “Alright. Aiyo, I’m so tired. I’d better take a nap and replenish my energy so that I can play with the triplets later.”


  With that said, Miao Jing turned around to have her back facing Zhai Yaohui and fell asleep within minutes.

  Seeing Miao Jing’s childish side at her age, Zhai Yaohui felt that he had not been too much of a failure as a husband. Although he had corrected his mistake a little late, it was better than not having corrected it at all.

  “Mom’s asleep?” Zhai Sheng asked upon seeing Zhai Yaohui emerge from the room. He had already made a pot of tea for Zhai Yaohui.

  Zhai Yaohui glared at Zhai Sheng. “It’s all your fault. You were the one who made your mom so worried. If you had gotten married earlier…” Would Miao Miao be behaving in this manner?

  Zhai Sheng sneered. “Early isn’t always better. Are you sure the triplets would still be the triplets that Mom loves so much if I had gotten married earlier?”


  There was no way of timing this. Such was his fate with Nan Nan. If he had gotten married any earlier or later, it wouldn’t have been Nan Nan.

  If Zhai Sheng had married any random woman to have a kid for the sake of his parents’ happiness, Qiao Nan would never have gotten the chance to marry him.

  Since Zhai Sheng wasn’t a person like that, Zhai Sheng wouldn’t say anything, much less do anything, to Zhai Yaohui, who had just comforted Miao Jing, even though he knew what Miao Jing was worried about.

  “Dad, aren’t you quite grateful to the old master that you managed to marry Mom?” Without the old master, his dad would never have married Miao Jing, who was an orphan and had grown up under the care of her uncle in the countryside, given his status.

  “…” Because Zhai Sheng had brought up his situation as an example, Zhai Yaohui had nothing else to say.

  Zhai Sheng was right. When Old Master Zhai had asked his son, Zhai Yaohui, to marry Miao Jing, her situation had been much worse than Qiao Nan’s. Everyone thought Old Master Zhai was crazy to repay his gratitude with his only son’s happiness and future. Were they living in ancient times?

  Given Miao Jing’s situation, the Zhai family could have simply given her a sum of money and used their position and status to help Miao Jing find a better marriage partner. That way, Miao Jing’s future would be settled. That would be good enough.

  It seemed a little excessive to get Zhai Yaohui to marry Miao Jing.

  The problem was that Old Master Zhai used his own actions to prove that he would never joke about such things. He indeed wanted his son to marry the daughter of his benefactor and for that girl to be his daughter-in-law.

  Everyone else thought that Old Master Zhai was mad, and even Zhai Yaohui had been upset.

  Since the founding of the country, people were free to marry whomever they wanted. Matchmaking was a thing of the past, and marrying because of one’s parents was an outdated idea.