Chapter 180: The Zhao Family’s Thoughts

Chapter 180: Chapter 180: The Zhao Family’s Thoughts

"Grandpa, what did you want to talk to me about?"

After Luo Yuqing left with Wang Chenning, Zhao Xiao’an asked Zhao Jiefang, feeling a little uneasy.

"Wang Chenning is indeed quite impressive!" Zhao Jiefang said meaningfully. "He’s very smart and unusually calculating. Even without his outstanding medical skills, he would still do much better than the average person."

Hearing Zhao Jiefang’s assessment of Wang Chenning made Zhao Xiao’an’s heart flutter with joy.

"Grandpa, I think he’s wonderful too. He’s not just talented, he’s also decisive and bold. I’m sure his future accomplishments will be great!" After sharing her opinion of Wang Chenning, Zhao Xiao’an added solemnly, "I like him a lot!"

"What woman wouldn’t like a man like that?" Zhao Jiefang sighed. "But have you considered this: if you were with him, could you influence his decisions?"

"Why would I need to influence his decisions?" Zhao Xiao’an was a little confused.

"Even someone as shrewd as Luo Yuqing can’t control him, let alone you!" Zhao Jiefang looked at Zhao Xiao’an with loving pity. "What Grandpa wants to tell you is that a man like him is suitable as a friend, a partner, or even a lover, but not as a husband."

"Grandpa!" Zhao Xiao’an stared at Zhao Jiefang, dumbfounded. "How could you say that?"

"If you really married him, you would eventually become his accessory, completely losing yourself. You’d live in constant fear and insecurity, always worried you wouldn’t be able to hold on to him." Zhao Jiefang’s tone was grave. "If I’m not mistaken, Yang Xiaofei has no intention of giving up on their engagement, does she? Women with standards as high as Luo Yuqing and Yang Xiaofei both hold him in high regard, to say nothing of other women. If you truly become his wife, you’ll find yourself competing with many others for his affection. You’ll lose your peace of mind, and it will end in disaster for everyone. His ambition is immense; he will never be satisfied with just one person in love, nor will he ever be satisfied in his career."

Zhao Jiefang’s words struck a nerve, hitting Zhao Xiao’an’s weakest point.

Sensing Luo Yuqing’s unusual attitude toward Wang Chenning and Yang Xiaofei’s change of heart, her sense of crisis had already grown immensely.

Now, she couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for herself, believing she wasn’t good enough to overcome the threat posed by Yang Xiaofei and Luo Yuqing.

If she really did get together with Wang Chenning, she was truly afraid she wouldn’t be able to keep him.

After all, there were far too many women who had their sights set on Wang Chenning.

"Grandpa, I know everything you’re saying is right, and you’re just looking out for me," Zhao Xiao’an said stubbornly after a moment of silence. "But I still want to take the risk. If I give up just like this, I’ll live with regret for the rest of my life, even if I meet a man who is more outstanding than him later. But I don’t believe I’ll ever meet anyone better. Instead of regretting it, I’d rather try. Even if I fail in the end, I won’t have any regrets."

After a pause, she added, "Don’t worry, Grandpa. Even if I fail in love, I won’t be left with nothing!"

Zhao Jiefang listened and nodded lightly. "It’s good that you can think that way."

He immediately added, "His own grandson was bullied by him, yet Li Baoguo still shows him favor. Elder Li certainly has a good eye for people. Now we just have to see how Elder Lin views this matter."

Zhao Xiao’an asked softly, "Grandpa, do you think the Lin family will make a move against him?"

"It’s highly probable!" A wry look appeared on Zhao Jiefang’s face. "This kid... he’s even more calculating than I thought. I hope I’m wrong about this!"

"Grandpa, what are you trying to say?" Zhao Xiao’an was getting confused.

"This kid probably knows about the conflicts between our families, so he wants to use our disputes to his advantage, to survive in the cracks. Didn’t he say during dinner that he wants to build his own dynasty? How could it be so simple to start from scratch and build a dynasty in Yandu? Unless..."

Zhao Jiefang paused. Just as Zhao Xiao’an couldn’t resist asking him to continue, he said softly, "If chaos breaks out in Yandu and our families fall into conflict, fighting until we’re all weakened, it would create an opportunity for an outsider to rise."

Zhao Xiao’an was shocked. "Grandpa, are you saying Wang Chenning wants to provoke a conflict between our families and then reap the rewards?"

"I hope I’m wrong," Zhao Jiefang didn’t deny it. "But if that’s the case, then this young man is truly terrifying."

Zhao Xiao’an didn’t know what to say.

Zhao Jiefang continued, "Regardless, he is a rare talent. Rather than push him toward another family, it would be better for us to recruit him."

Zhao Xiao’an immediately understood Zhao Jiefang’s meaning and said, "Grandpa, even if we don’t end up as a couple or a family, I will maintain a good relationship with him and won’t become his enemy. I will make sure he becomes a strong outside ally for the Zhao family. At the very least, I’ll have him take good care of your health so you can live to be a hundred!"

"Your parents need to understand this as well." After Wang Chenning’s treatment today, Zhao Jiefang’s spirit and energy were clearly better than usual, and his thoughts were much clearer. "They know you two came here for dinner tonight, so they’ll be stopping by shortly. Let’s make a few things clear tonight, so we don’t have to bring them up again."

"Okay." Zhao Xiao’an was actually a little worried about Wang Chenning and Luo Yuqing, a man and a woman all alone, but hearing Zhao Jiefang’s words, she had no choice but to stay at her grandpa’s place and wait for her parents.

About half an hour later, Zhao Xiao’an’s father, Zhao Nansheng, and her mother, Luo Yaqian, arrived.

Zhao Jiefang had originally wanted them to come for dinner as well, but Zhao Nansheng and Luo Yaqian both had things to attend to in the evening, so he had let it go.

Seeing that the old man’s spirit and energy were much improved after Wang Chenning’s treatment, both Zhao Nansheng and Luo Yaqian were a little surprised.

After hearing about the evening’s events from Zhao Xiao’an, the couple grew even more astonished.

Zhao Jiefang didn’t beat around the bush and stated his position directly.

After listening, Luo Yaqian sighed softly. "I agree. It’s doubtful that even Luo Yuqing could handle him, let alone anyone else."

Zhao Nansheng didn’t say anything right away. He didn’t know Wang Chenning very well, but hearing his own father speak so highly of him, he didn’t dare to underestimate the young man.

He was very worried about his daughter, afraid that Zhao Xiao’an would get hurt, and even more afraid that she would get in too deep to pull herself out.

After the family murmured among themselves for a while, Luo Yaqian whispered to Zhao Xiao’an, "Why don’t you start calling him ’big brother’ from now on? If you two really aren’t meant to be, it wouldn’t be a bad thing to have him as your sworn brother."

Zhao Jiefang had two sons and one daughter. His eldest son, Zhao Nansheng, had only one child, his daughter Zhao Xiao’an. His second son, Zhao Beisheng, had two sons and one daughter. His married daughter also had a son and a daughter.

Luo Yaqian’s failure to give the Zhao family a son had always been a regret for Zhao Jiefang and a point of vulnerability for Zhao Nansheng.

At her suggestion, Zhao Nansheng and Zhao Xiao’an immediately understood her meaning, but the father and daughter had very different thoughts on the matter.

Zhao Xiao’an was receptive to Luo Yaqian’s proposal, but Zhao Nansheng was against it from the bottom of his heart.

He didn’t need Wang Chenning’s help, and he was even more afraid that Wang Chenning would use this relationship to ultimately influence the Zhao family’s future.

But he also knew that without a son, he was at a disadvantage compared to Zhao Beisheng when it came to the matter of succession...