Chapter 89 The Price of Qin Wanshu's Choice

Chapter 89 The Price of Qin Wanshu's Choice

From a young age, Qin Wanshu had always been remarkably strong-willed, not easily swayed, and certainly not one to step out of line. Yet, the more Qin Zheng understood her steadfast nature, the deeper his frown became.

"Are you truly unconcerned about disappointing everyone?" Qin Zheng questioned.

"A life is lived for oneself as much as for others. Consider this time Wanshu being selfish, indulging her own desires," Qin Wanshu replied with a faint smile. Few things or people could capture her unwavering focus, but Zuo Qinghuan was someone she couldn't bear to lose.

"What is it about that woman that has you so captivated? To forsake all sense of propriety for love?" Qin Zheng was genuinely perplexed, echoing Qin Wanshu's inability to grasp such feelings.

"Whether she's 'good' or not, does it truly matter? The core of it is, I am happy when I am with her. Only with her do I feel like an ordinary person," Qin Wanshu confessed. She had never sought the pedestal others placed her on; such heights, she found, were isolating.

"The upbringing you received was never intended to make you 'ordinary.' You are my granddaughter, Qin Zheng, the proudest scion of the Qin family, a woman of impeccable character. You shouldn't allow someone unworthy to tarnish your life." Had Zuo Qinghuan been a suitable match, it might be different, but in his eyes, she simply wasn't worthy. A woman of Zuo Qinghuan's background was, to Qin Zheng, a blemish on Qin Wanshu.

"I understand that all your plans are made with my best interests at heart, Grandfather. But the road ahead is long, and I don't wish to tread every step on a path you've laid out. Perhaps the path I choose will have its detours, but at least it will be my own, and I will have experienced it firsthand. The person who will share my life – perhaps it's best if I choose her myself. Let time be the judge of whether I've erred. Isn't there always a lingering ache for what we cannot have? Doesn't Grandfather himself carry such a longing in his heart, even now?" Qin Wanshu appealed to his emotions, realizing that logic alone wouldn't sway Qin Zheng. Though he always spoke of his deep love for Grandmother, that was the expected sentiment for elders to voice to the younger generation. Qin Wanshu knew there was someone else Grandfather still yearned for.

Qin Zheng fell silent for a moment.

"Yearning for someone doesn't mean they are the right fit," Qin Zheng's brow furrowed even deeper.

"Whether it's the right fit or not, only I can truly know. Just like Han Shibin, who seemed so 'suitable' to everyone else, but I knew he wasn't," Qin Wanshu countered with a gentle smile.

"Two women together? It's hardly proper, and it won't last," Qin Zheng still felt the relationship was frivolous, yet he struggled to articulate a more convincing objection.

"If it lasts, I believe Grandfather will offer his blessings. And if it doesn't, wouldn't that be what Grandfather anticipates?" Qin Wanshu retorted playfully.

Qin Zheng was momentarily speechless, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. "Are you certain this is what you want to do?" he asked again, clinging to the hope of a different answer. He believed Wanshu was being deliberately obtuse, twisting logic to justify her clearly misguided choice.

"Yes," Qin Wanshu affirmed with a nod.

"If you were forced to choose between the Qin family and her?"

"I don't see that there needs to be a conflict between the two," she stated. But in her heart, if forced to choose, she would choose Zuo Qinghuan. She trusted in her family's deep, unwavering love; they would ultimately come to accept her decision. Though the thought felt somewhat selfish, even unfilial, Grandfather had many descendants, but Zuo Qinghuan only had her. She couldn't let her down.

"If you had to choose?" Qin Zheng pressed, refusing to yield.

"Actually, this question is like asking which arm, left or right, is more important. But why must one be severed? To lose either would cause me immense pain, and Grandfather wouldn't be so cruel," Qin Wanshu demurred, unwilling to voice the stark choice in her heart, still mindful of his feelings.

"Is she truly that important? Can one Zuo Qinghuan outweigh the entirety of our family?"

Qin Wanshu simply nodded.

"She only sees Qin Wanshu, not the advantages the Qin family has given you. If the Qin family were to withdraw everything, do you believe she would still want you?" Qin Zheng challenged.

"She would die for me," Qin Wanshu stated with unwavering conviction, "That proves I am more important than anything else to her."

"Very well. I will take back everything then. You will no longer have access to the resources the Qin family has provided. In choosing her, you forfeit your right to inherit the Qin family's assets and are no longer entitled to the skills we have taught you. I will never condone this relationship." The Qin family's extravagant lifestyle had instilled in Qin Wanshu a seemingly casual attitude towards wealth, but that nonchalance was predicated on her constant access to it. Qin Zheng believed that stripped of this environment, Qin Wanshu would falter, and he intended to use this as leverage.

"Grandfather, I am sorry to disappoint you, but I will never abandon her," Qin Wanshu reiterated, her resolve unyielding.

"You may leave. Stay at home for the next two days and reconsider," Qin Zheng said, rubbing his temples, a weary headache beginning to form. He was beginning to suspect there was no breaking point in Wanshu's determination.

"You seem remarkably calm. I always thought of you as such a strong person. If it were me, I think I'd be consumed by anxiety," Li Xin remarked, often feeling surprisingly vulnerable and inept in matters of love.

"If someone is there to protect you, why would you choose to be strong alone?" Zuo Qinghuan countered with a smile. Sometimes, strength is simply a burden thrust upon you by circumstance.

"I hope that this time, Qin Wanshu truly can protect you," Li Xin said, "and not leave you to pretend at strength on your own. That would be too much to bear."

"If she says she will, she will," Zuo Qinghuan stated, her confidence in Qin Wanshu unwavering. Qin Wanshu possessed a formidable spirit, unlike any other woman she had encountered. Yet, even the strongest Qin Wanshu would face a daunting challenge in resolving the conflict between her family and her heart.

"Are you really alright?" Li Xin asked again, still not entirely reassured. The hospital had called repeatedly, urging her return, but her worry for Zuo Qinghuan lingered. She remembered all too well how Zuo Qinghuan had cared for and comforted her after Yan Ruozhe's abandonment. Leaving Zuo Qinghuan now felt deeply unsettling, yet an operation awaited her that afternoon – lives were on the line. Li Xin was torn.

"I'm fine, go back to the hospital," Zuo Qinghuan urged, understanding Li Xin's dilemma and appreciating her concern.

"Are you sure?" Li Xin pressed, still hesitant.

"Positive. It's not as if I'm heartbroken, what are you dithering for?" Zuo Qinghuan retorted, raising an eyebrow in playful exasperation.

"Alright, I'm going back. Call me if anything happens," Li Xin relented, finally sensing Zuo Qinghuan's genuine composure, and left with a measure of peace of mind.

Once Li Xin was gone, Zuo Qinghuan sank down, curling into a tight ball. The truth was, she was plagued by a profound insecurity. As a child, Zuo Yan had often abandoned her for trivial reasons. Countless instances of feeling discarded had eroded her self-worth. She was terrified that the Qin family would force Qin Wanshu to choose, and she wasn't certain if her own significance could ever outweigh the weight of Qin Wanshu's entire family. Despite knowing Qin Wanshu was different from Zuo Yan, the ingrained insecurity persisted.

Zuo Qinghuan waited for Qin Wanshu's return, each minute stretching into an agonizing eternity, bringing her to the brink of tears.