Imperfect Desires

Chapter 790 - Not Your Job

Since the time Zhao Huan had come back after spending time with Xiu, her husband could tell that she looked distracted. As if something had been bothering her. But he couldn't tell what could possibly be the reason behind it.

"Huanhuan," he called out to her when he was preparing the dinner for Xiu. As he had said, he was planning on taking care of Xiu's meals all on his own. He thought this was the least he could do to get close to his daughter.

"Hm?" Zhao Huan hummed in reply, distractedly.

"What's on your mind?" he didn't try to go around the real matter. He just asked straightforwardly.

"Nothing," she replied. "Ah!"

He turned out at her cry of pain and looked at her hand. While cutting the carrots, she cut her finger with the knife. He hurriedly held her hand and turned on the faucet before putting her hand under the cold water.

"Are you still gonna say nothing's on your mind?" His voice had a sharp edge to it. And he very rarely spoke to his wife in this voice.

Zhao Huan looked at his worried face and smiled gently, "It's just a simple cut. It can happen to anyone."

"Yeah. It can happen to anyone," he said as he looked carefully at the tiny cut on her finger. It was really small and he knew he was overreacting but he couldn't help it. Since the time he had almost lost her, he had become even more scared of seeing her getting hurt. He really couldn't do anything about this fear. Looking into her eyes, he went on, "But you don't have to be a part of that 'anyone.'"

"Fine, I'll be more careful," she replied.

But he didn't listen. After putting a bandaid on her finger, he pushed her out of the kitchen saying, "Stay out of here."

Zhao Huan resisted, "Min, I can't do that. Since you're cooking for Xiu, I want to cook for the other people. There are other people in this house, you know."

"I know that," he replied. "But we also have the kitchen staff to help prepare their meals. You don't have to do it yourself!" Before she could argue, he put his finger on her lips and went on, "I'll let you do whatever you want but you have to tell me what's on your mind right now." Zhao Huan pursed her lips. "I was expecting to see you happy after getting to spend time with our daughter. Then why do you look so down instead?"

Zhao Huan took his hand in her own, "Don't get me wrong, I was truly happy to spend time with her. She is such an interesting person to be around. Unlike you and me, she loves to talk." Her eyes had a soft gentle touch as she went on, "And to be honest, I love to listen to her. Now, I can understand how she managed to charm so many people with her personality."

Xin Zemin was happy to hear that. "Then what's wrong?"

She hesitated a little before saying, "While we were talking, somehow we got to talk about Wen Ai."

Xin Zemin's brows raised, "Are you upset with her?"

"Why would I be?" she retorted.

"Since she hid our daughter from us," he replied.

Zhao Huan shook her head in reply, "I'm truly not upset about that. Even if she isn't around to tell me why she did it, I still trust her. She was a selfish person but only when she wanted to protect something or someone." She took a pause and continued, "I do feel a little bad that I didn't get to spend time with my daughter. But I'm more grateful towards her." She looked at her husband, "We wouldn't have had a daughter if it wasn't for her. And even if we were able to raise her, can you guarantee that she'd have safely grown up?"

Xin Zemin had no answer to that question. historical

Zhao Huan gave a bitter smile as she said, "Back then, Wen Ai used to say, Sister Huan you're very naive. And surprisingly your husband is also very gullible." Xin Zemin furrowed his brows. "I didn't use to take her seriously. But I should have." She sighed out, "Looking back, I wonder if I had taken her words seriously would anything have been different? She warned me repeatedly to be careful of everyone around me. To not trust anyone."

"What did she say to you?" questioned Xin Zemin.

Zhao Huan recalled...

*Flashback*

When Zhao Huan received her pregnancy report, she was over the moon. Her previous sadness completely vanished as her excitement could be seen on her face clearly.

The only person beside her was Wen Ai who could feel her excitement. However, seeing her happiness, Wen Ai was only feeling apprehensive. This was Zhao Huan's thrid pregnancy, no one was more clear about what happened the first two times than Wen Ai.

That is why, she dragged Zhao Huan with her out of the hospital. Zhao Huan was taken aback as she asked, "What are you doing? Ai! Where are you taking me?"

"I'm taking you to my home," was the only reply Wen Ai gave her.

"Why would I go to your house?" questioned Zhao Huan.

Wen Ai stopped to look back at her, "Obviously because I have to protect you and your child. You have to stay in my sight so that I can do my job properly."

Zhao Huan tried to make her let go of her wrist as she said, "Protecting me isn't your job. And besides, do I even need to be protected? It's not like I have enemies trying to kill me at every corner."

Wen Ai gave her a look, "Have you forgotten what happened the last two times?" Seeing how Zhao Huan's face paled at the reminder, Wen Ai groaned, "I'm sorry. I don't want to poke at your wounds but you're not listening to me right now. Can't you take the last two times as an example and believe in me?"

"You were there when the doctor said that the last two miscarriages were because of my own carelessness. It has nothing to do with anyone else. I just have to be extra careful this time around. There is nothing else to worry about."Find authorized s in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=14488421705519105)/not-your-job_%!d(string=51066778998064234) for visiting.

Wen Ai groaned in exasperation as she said, "Sister Huan! Let's just say that I'm being paranoid. Can't you just listen to me? It's not like I'm asking you spend a lifetime with me. Just until your delivery."

Zhao Huan patted her hands saying, "I know you're worried about me. I can understand that. But as a daughter-in-law and as a wife, I can't just walk away from my responsibilities."

"You really trust my words, eh?" said Wen Ai. "I can't even blame you for that."

Zhao Huan touched her head saying, "I do trust you. You're just like Weiwei to me. So, I really trust you." She sighed out, "Even if my life is in danger, I can't bring that danger to you. I'm the older one here, why would I ask you to carry my burden."

"Because I can do it," replied Wen Ai.

Zhao Huan didn't listen to her as she insisted, "Ai, go back home and take care of your own family. You don't have to care about everyone around you. It's really not your responsibility."

*End of Flashback*

"When I lost our child for the third time, I thought she'd tell me, 'I told you so.' But she didn't do it," said Zhao Huan. "Although the third miscarriage had a culprit, she insisted that first two weren't accidents either."

Xin Zemin closed his eyes as she said, "You should have taken her warning seriously."

Zhao Huan scoffed, "How could I? She wanted me to be beware of my mother-in-law and Suyin." Xin Zemin opened his eyes and looked at her. Zhao Huan nodded, "She did repeat herself a hundred time. Every single time, she asked me to be careful of them both. I couldn't doubt both of them back then. My mother taught me to never doubt family. But when Weiwei did that..." Her voice faltered here. "I started doubting everyone. I didn't even want to trust Wen Ai."

Xin Zemin didn't need an explanation for that. He remembered her condition from back then. If it wasn't for her condition, why else would he have been so tempted by Wen Ai's offer? He just wanted to bring happiness back into his wife's life. Even if he had to keep a secret from her, he was willing to do it.

"Maybe that's why she reached out to me instead of you," said Xin Zemin. "It was really not her job and yet she wanted to bring happiness to everyone."

Zhao Huan looked sad as she said, "Maybe that's why I'm so bothered now. I'd have never expected Wen Ai to go that far. She even lost her own daughter just because she wanted to save ours. And I couldn't even trust her completely."