Seventeen Again: The Sweet Life with My Family

Chapter 194: Cooking a Frog in Warm Water

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

However, sometimes, such compromises and filial piety cannot secure the maternal love he desires. In the real world, being kind to someone doesn’t guarantee they will treat you well in return.

Once the other person gets used to that kindness, they start taking your efforts for granted because they are reluctant to mistreat the favored child. Thus, they end up mistreating you, the obedient and self-sacrificing child who continually lowers their boundaries in the hopes of receiving even a little care.

Wen Nian believed that Bai Zheng’s later suicide attempts were undoubtedly closely connected to these matters.

Moving closer to Bai Zheng, she turned her body and tried to persuade him, “Bai Zheng, the discomfort you feel from doing something you dislike is what you’re experiencing now. It contradicts your principles and beliefs. I don’t think you should associate this matter with receiving maternal love.”

“As a friend, I genuinely want what’s best for you. The upcoming words may not be pleasant to hear, but I will still say them. Your normal cognition has been disturbed by your mother. To put it bluntly, she’s manipulating you. She’s adept at using emotions to control you. 1 believe you already sense that something is off deep down, but you can’t break free or maybe you don’t want to break free.”

“There’s an allegory you’re probably familiar with—boiling a frog in warm water. Don’t wait until you can’t escape before you think of resisting. It’ll be too late then!”

Bai Zheng grew up immersed in his own world and made friends through the piano, including two piano friends he met through competitions. However, they lived in different cities, and their conversations mostly revolved around piano-related topics.

Bai Zheng wasn’t the kind of person who would pour out his heart through a phone screen. During the time he returned to Beijing for the Chinese New Year, feeling extremely repressed, and with Wen Nian being present, he couldn’t resist the desire to invite her for a drink, hoping to drown his sorrows in alcohol.

Wen Nian was the first person to know about the issues in his family and the one who directly shattered his illusions. Bai Zheng could discern Wen Nian’s well-intentioned words, but the deep-seated yearning for maternal love still prevented him from making a decisive choice.

Bai Zheng’s face displayed a struggling expression. “I know everything you said is correct, but when my mother serves me a prepared meal or asks what I want to eat, I find it hard to say certain things.”

Wen Nian was taken aback by Bai Zheng’s unexpected weakness, but she also realized that it was because of her own upbringing in a loving and harmonious family that she couldn’t fully empathize.

A thought crossed her mind about Bai Zheng’s attempted suicide, and Wen Nian had no intention of giving up on persuading him. After all, it involved matters of life and death. “Bai Zheng, sometimes all you need to do is take one step, and you’ll realize that stepping out isn’t as difficult as you think. The real challenge lies in that first step. If you encounter any difficulties, you can always talk to me.”

“You can count me as one more person on your side.”

A light, ethereal female voice suddenly interjected into their conversation from near the door.

Wen Nian felt a sense of familiarity in the voice and turned her head to see Zheng Mo partially appearing at the doorway.

Surprised by the gaze of the two individuals, Zheng Mo wore a slightly embarrassed smile and no longer attempted to hide. She directly came in and sat on the sofa. “I didn’t intentionally eavesdrop on your conversation! 1 just wanted to say hello to Wen Nian when I saw her, but 1 accidentally overheard your conversation.”

Zheng Mo clasped her hands together, expressing her apology sincerely. “I’m sorry.”

Bai Zheng, witnessing Zheng Mo’s unexpected departure from her previous cold and confrontational demeanor, found it somewhat uncomfortable.

Now that their family troubles were known to Zheng Mo, Bai Zheng felt a bit uneasy, but he still shook his head and replied calmly, “It’s okay, but I hope that next time you encounter such a situation, you’ll proactively avoid it.”

Knowing her own fault, Zheng Mo smiled and nodded repeatedly. “Absolutely, absolutely.”

Afterwards, Zheng Mo took the initiative to return to the previous topic. “When I said we could find a solution together, I truly meant it.”

Today, Zheng Mo’s previous misunderstandings of Bai Zheng were completely resolved. She recalled all the times she had ridiculed him and even countered others’ compliments of Bai Zheng.

Zheng Mo felt so ashamed that she wished she could find a hole to hide in. So, she genuinely wanted to help.

Wen Nian understood Zheng Mo’s seemingly cold but caring personality and believed in her sincerity. However, the two of them hadn’t been on good terms before. Although Zheng Mo had resolved her misunderstandings with Bai Zheng, it seemed that there were still unresolved issues between Bai Zheng and Wen Nian.

As expected, Bai Zheng politely declined with a smile. “Thank you for your kind offer, but I’ll handle it on my own. Wen Nian, it’s getting late, and you should go home and rest after finishing your practice exam papers..”