Chapter 25: He Lianrong and Her Husband Reflect

He Lianrong had never heard this kind of perspective before. Madam had never said such things to her in the past. She had always aimed to become a strong, independent woman.

Because of that, she constantly felt frustrated with her husband for not meeting her expectations.

She felt the same toward her two children—she wanted them to do things her way, but things never went as she wished, leaving her emotionally exhausted.

She always believed she was the most “normal” one in the family and that no matter what she did, the others just couldn’t be corrected.

Now, after hearing what Miss said, she finally realized that the most abnormal person in the family… was herself, not the other three.

Having come to terms with this, He Lianrong turned to Meng Guangping. “You… do you feel exhausted by me, just like Miss said?”

Meng Guangping’s body stiffened. He nodded, then quickly shook his head.

Lacking confidence, he muttered, “Dear… dear wife, I’ve already gotten used to how you are. If you changed one day, I might not be able to adjust to it.”

Seeing Meng Guangping like this, He Lianrong understood everything. It was clear he didn’t like how she treated him, but didn’t dare speak honestly in front of her.

He was probably afraid she would hit or punish him. To avoid that, he chose to lie against his will.

An Xiyan looked disapprovingly at Meng Guangping and said, “Uncle Meng, if you have something to say to your wife, just say it directly. There’s no need to hide it. Doing that will only lead to unnecessary misunderstandings.”

“You have to understand, communication between husband and wife is essential. Only with open dialogue can a relationship withstand trials and last long.”

Meng Guangping’s eyes widened awkwardly, and he forced a smile. “Miss, my wife and I get along fine. I’ve long since gotten used to how she handles things.”

An Xiyan asked back, “But haven’t you ever felt wronged sometimes? Yet you keep it to yourself and bury it deep in your heart?”

Meng Guangping initially wanted to lie and say no, but realizing it was Miss who was asking, he couldn’t bring himself to do so. Besides, he felt that what she said made a lot of sense.

Taking a deep breath, he glanced at He Lianrong. Seeing that although her expression was unpleasant, she didn’t seem to blame him,

he finally spoke up: “Miss, you’re right. There are times when I really do feel wronged.”

He Lianrong’s pupils contracted in shock. She looked up at Meng Guangping—he had never said anything like this before.

Meng Guangping gave He Lianrong an apologetic smile. Since the words were already out…

…he decided to say everything clearly in one go, then turned to look at An Xiyan.

He continued, “I often want to explain myself, but whenever I think of how forceful my wife is, I end up swallowing my words, thinking that if I just stay quiet, she won’t keep going after it.”

He Lianrong stared at Meng Guangping in disbelief, pursing her lips as she said, “So every time I ask you something and you just sit there silent like a mute, this is what you were thinking?”

Meng Guangping nodded and gave a bitter smile. “Wife, what else could I do? If I argued back, you’d definitely get upset.”

“And when you get upset, you punish me—either pulling my ear, making me kneel on a washboard, forbidding me from sleeping on the bed, or pinching the soft flesh at my waist.”

“I… I’ve really had a hard time. You know, I’m a grown man, I have my pride. And also… can you please not punish me in front of the kids in the future?”

“I…” He Lianrong stammered, her lips trembling, her face filled with guilt. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize my behavior was affecting you so deeply. I’ll try to change.”

Meng Guangping was stunned. It was the first time he had ever heard his wife apologize. He hurried forward and embraced her.

“Wife, honestly, we’re both at fault. Miss is right—husband and wife need to communicate. That’s the only way neither side ends up feeling so drained.”

He Lianrong nodded in agreement, then looked toward An Xiyan and sincerely asked, “Miss, could you please teach us how to communicate properly as a couple?”

An Xiyan tried to recall what she had read in books, and after a moment of thought, she finally said:

“When you communicate with each other, you need to listen attentively to everything the other person says, and respond with your own thoughts and feedback.”

“In a small family like yours, it can’t be just one person making all the decisions and expecting everyone else to follow without question. That kind of setup is exhausting not just for the one in charge but also for everyone else.”

“Because you lack communication and openness, even when you’re unhappy or have an opinion, you hold it in out of fear that the other will be upset.”

“To tell you the truth, this way of thinking is absolutely wrong. It will only create a stifling environment for your children—so much so that they won’t even be willing to confide in you when they have problems.”

He Lianrong and Meng Guangping listened carefully to An Xiyan’s words, nodding from time to time…

They both nodded in agreement, signaling not only their understanding but also that they had taken the message to heart.

An Xiyan patted Qingzhu on the shoulder and said, “The reason Qingzhu cried today is because of the constant bickering between you two. He thought it was his fault that you were arguing.”

“That’s why he felt so guilty and said he didn’t want to study medicine anymore. He just didn’t want you to keep fighting.”

“But instead of understanding his feelings, you scolded him and questioned him relentlessly. Did you ever stop to think about how he must have felt in that moment?”

Qingzhu turned his bright eyes toward An Xiyan, touched and grateful—so she was the one who truly understood him.

He Lianrong and Meng Guangping exchanged glances, filled with guilt. So it all stemmed from their behavior as a couple.

“And another thing…” An Xiyan sighed, “Qingzhu’s cold and quiet personality is also something you two caused.”

“With a mother who is domineering and never to be questioned, and a father who doesn’t connect emotionally with his children, only knows how to be strict but not encouraging—if it were me, I’d become withdrawn and silent too.”

The couple was stunned. Their expressions changed dramatically as they looked at Qingzhu with guilty eyes, filled with complex and indescribable emotions.

He Lianrong asked in a small voice, “Miss, then why is Tangyuan’s personality completely different from her brother’s?”

An Xiyan smiled gently. “Tangyuan is cheerful and lively because she grew up by my side. I’ve had a huge influence on her.”

“Your influence on her has been minimal—so minimal it’s almost negligible.”

“In short, a child’s personality is shaped half by inherited traits from the parents and half by the family environment and daily interactions.”

“If Qingzhu had grown up with me, he probably wouldn’t have ended up with this kind of personality. Unfortunately, he’s a boy.”

After all, in ancient times, there were strict rules about gender separation. On top of that, Qingzhu’s identity was different from hers.

After hearing An Xiyan’s words, He Lianrong and Meng Guangping suddenly realized a lot. At the same time, their hearts were heavy with guilt and regret.

They resolved to seriously reflect on their own shortcomings.

If Miss hadn’t pointed it out, they might have gone on like this for the rest of their lives—damaging not only their marriage, but also their children, especially Qingzhu.

Now, they could only hope that it wasn’t too late to change.