CHAPTER 438: CHAPTER 440: HEARTBROKEN

"Why did you come here?" Sun Yuhua suddenly rushed out, her face looking somewhat unpleasant.

At this moment, Mr. and Mrs. Sun and Sun Yuqi had all stepped out. Upon seeing Xia Xiao, Sun Yuqi was startled and then walked towards Xia Xiao cheerfully, "I’ve seen you."

"Mama," Weilin called out to Sun Yuhua.

Mrs. Sun looked at Gao Jiaxing and asked, "Is this your husband?"

"No," Sun Yuhua shook her head.

Then Mr. Sun turned to Gao Jiazhi, "Are you the one who married my daughter?"

"Yes, father-in-law and mother-in-law, I am Gao Jiazhi," Gao Jiazhi introduced. "These are my parents, my brother and sister-in-law, and this is the daughter Yuhua and I have."

Mr. and Mrs. Sun looked at Gao Jiazhi, then at Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong in silence. Sun Yuqi asked, "Is there something you need?"

Xia Xiao was speechless. After such a visit, he still asked them what the matter was.

Gao Jiazhi said, "There’s no particular matter. Yuhua suddenly left and we were worried about her safety, so we came to find her. Now that she’s alright, we’ll be leaving first."

"Let Weilin stay here," Sun Yuhua said.

"No, I want to stay with dad," Weilin clung to Gao Jiazhi’s arm, reluctant to stay with her mother.

"We still have to hurry to our in-laws’ place, we’re leaving first," Zheng Xianghong said expressionlessly, she and Gao Guoqiang were the first to leave.

From the way the Sun family blocked the door without inviting them in to sit, and their questioning looks, Zheng Xianghong and Gao Guoqiang felt no goodwill anymore.

Especially towards Sun Yuhua, they were very disappointed.

Xia Xiao didn’t want to stay a moment longer and left. At the Sun’s place, a wave of cold suspicion lingered.

Sun Yuhua also felt very uncomfortable, realizing her own parent’s family and husband weren’t accepted. She couldn’t help but say, "Dad, Mom, why didn’t you invite them in to sit?"

"Look at you, what kind of family did you marry into? Although frugality is promoted, the patches on their clothes are just too much," Mrs. Sun couldn’t help but express her disdain, feeling that the Gao family was too poor. She also wondered what kind of life her daughter was leading there.

Then looking at her daughter, whose complexion had become sallow and who had grown thin and dark, Mrs. Sun’s heart ached.

Mr. Sun said, "Divorce him and come back to the city."

"Yes, you should really divorce him," Sun Yuqi agreed fervently.

Sun Yuhua was stunned. "How could I get a divorce?"

Sun Yuhua had never actually considered divorce. Although she often had conflicts with Gao Jiazhi, she knew he was good to her and the Gao family treated her well. Moreover, she already had a daughter with Gao Jiazhi. If she got divorced, what kind of a good family could she marry into?

Not to mention she was now over thirty years old, no longer the young girl she used to be, nor did she look as pretty as before. Her waist had thickened, and her figure had gotten a bit out of shape.

"Why couldn’t you divorce? Mr. Yang has remained single to this day. He’s been looking after our family all these years. Without Mr. Yang’s support, how could your elder brother have been promoted? If you married Mr. Yang, you could obviously move back to the city, live a comfortable life as an official’s wife. It would be much better than suffering in the countryside."

"I don’t want to marry Yang He," Sun Yuhua shook her head. Although Gao Jiazhi wasn’t as capable as Yang He, at least he was young and also good-looking.

Moreover, not only was Yang He older, but he also wasn’t as handsome as Gao Jiazhi and was shorter too; Sun Yuhua just couldn’t see him as a match.

Then the Sun Family took turns trying to persuade Sun Yuhua, hoping she would divorce and marry Yang He so she could return to the city.

Moreover, the Sun Family really believed that Yang He had loved Sun Yuhua for many years. After all, Mr. Sun and Sun Yuqi had wanted her to marry Yang He, and he had agreed. Even when Sun Yuhua had run away, Yang He had still taken care of the Sun Family. How could they not be grateful?

Without mentioning how Sun Yuhua was at the Sun Family’s home, Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong left the Suns’, and everyone was in a poor mood, not speaking much along the way.

Xia Xiao sighed, not knowing what to say. She hadn’t expected the Sun Family to go so far, nor had she expected Sun Yuhua to so strictly follow her own family’s wishes, treating her in-laws so coldly that they weren’t even allowed through the door. She regretted bringing Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong there.

Zheng Xianghong and the others had left on the morning train. On the way to Xia Xiao’s grandparents’ house, Sun Yuhua had run off again. They had to take a car to her house and then another car back, which took a long time, and everyone was quite hungry.

Xia Xiao thought about letting everyone eat outside first to fill their stomachs, but Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong declined, not wanting Xia Xiao’s family members to wait too long.

By the time they reached Xia Xiao’s grandparents’ house, it was already the afternoon. Xia Jing and Yan Hao had already returned to the Yan family, and the Fang family had left the day before. Xia Lin and Fang Yuan were also back to report their marriage.

Thus, at the old Xia family house, apart from Old Man Xia and Mrs. Xia, there were only Xia Weiguo, Li Wenjuan, Xia Chunrong, Wu Manni, and Xia Hua.

"Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, Dad, we’re back," Xia Xiao shouted as soon as she reached the door.

Xia Weiguo and Li Wenjuan came out to greet them. "We were really looking forward to your arrival."

The two families were already acquainted, so they weren’t strangers. Li Wenjuan welcomed Gao Guoqiang, Zheng Xianghong, and Gao Jiazhi into the house and introduced them to Old Man Xia and Mrs. Xia.

After a flurry of warm greetings and handshakes, everyone sat down to chat.

Seeing Feiyang, Feiyue, and Feiyi, Weilin forgot the earlier upset and ran out to play with her brothers in the courtyard.

Li Wenjuan had prepared dumplings early in the morning, just waiting for Zheng Xianghong and others to arrive before cooking them. Now that they were here, she started boiling the dumplings, and Xia Xiao went to help.

Soon, steaming soup dumplings were served at the table, which was simply set with just dumplings, vegetables, and fried eggs with radishes.

But everyone enjoyed the meal, feeling warm inside. The warmth of the Xia family starkly contrasted with the coldness of the Sun Family, which made Gao Jiazhi feel a huge sense of difference.

Weilin, being a child, had food, drink, and play, and the unpleasant memories were quickly forgotten.

After eating, Gao Jiaxing brought up Old Man Xue. Gao Guoqiang said, "Then let’s go see him."

Gao Jiaxing then took his parents to Old Man Xue’s place, and Xia Xiao prepared a portion of dumplings to take along, with the kids following the adults out.

When they arrived, Mr. Xue was eating but his meal was simple, just two steamed buns for dinner.

"Grandpa Xue, this is my dad, my mom, and my elder brother."

After Gao Jiaxing introduced them, Mr. Xue nodded to Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong and greeted them, then his eyes settled on Gao Jiazhi’s face, visibly moved, with tears in his eyes.

"As long as you are well, that’s good," Old Man Xue said, gripping Gao Jiazhi’s hand tightly. "As for the mother who bore you, if you don’t acknowledge her, that’s your choice. She doesn’t deserve forgiveness."