“What did you say?!”
“Re.. Retire?!”
Zhang Baochen and Qian Shihui gasped unanimously.
Zhang Feng felt wronged and had been keeping quiet until then. She showed nothing but fear and disbelief.
She held on to Grandfather Huo’s arm tightly, hoping that he would at least look at her. Her worried eyes filled with tears right at that moment.
Zhang Feng shook her head furiously, and choked, but still did not say a word,
However, the agitation in her eyes and actions we clear indications of her thoughts.
She did not want to retire. Or rather, she did not want to leave Grandfather Huo.
Grandfather Huo was shocked for a good while by Huo Shaoheng’s words.
He heard what Huo Shaoheng said, but there was this moment, he found himself unable to understand a single thing he said.
Seeing Grandfather Huo turning pale and flushed continuously, Yin Shixiong was worried that Grandfather Huo was deeply provoked by Huo Shaoheng.
He was over 70 in age no matter what; who knew what the Zhang’s would tell others if something really happened to Grandfather Huo after hearing Huo Shaoheng’s words?
He stepped up immediately, pointed at Huo Jialan, Zhang Wenna and Zhang Wenjie, and issued a command to the soldiers. “Bring them into the car outside and stay guard there. Send some people to stand guard at the entrance as well. Do not let anyone in.” After thinking for a while, he continued, “Except for Doctor Chen.”
The soldiers looked at Huo Shaoheng. They knew he did not disagree with the command when he remained silent. “Yes Sir!” They answered, before bringing the 3 of them out.
Grandfather Huo finally caught up with his breath. He raged at Huo Shaoheng: “Retire?! Trust you to think of that! I know you haven’t liked them and had been planning to get rid of them long ago! I’ll settle this with you today. She –” he pointed to Zhang Feng as he spoke: “She wouldn’t leave even if she was made to retire!”
“Grandfather, Senior Nurse Zhang is already over 60 years old. She had been following you since she was in her twenties, and had been working hard since. How can you still not give her her freedom after so long?” Huo Shaoheng took a cigarette, placed it in between his index and middle finger, looking relaxed. He sounded as though he didn’t know the relationship between grandfather Huo and the Zhang’s.
Grandfather Huo sneered. Standing straight, he lowered his voice and asked: “Shaoheng, you really want to be so extreme?”
“Grandfather, I’m mere abiding by the rules. How is this extreme?” Huo Shaoheng shrugged, and stood up from the sofa.
He had a tall and chunky built that lets people feel protected. However, Gu Nianzhi saw loneliness in that back view.
He must have felt alone in that house…
Gu Nianzhi’s heart skipped a beat. She looked fixedly at his back. Her gaze couldn’t hide her feelings for him; it felt like she was hugging him with her eyes.
Zhao Liangze stood diagonally behind Huo Shaoheng and her. He intended to look on at how the story in front of him would unfold initially, but became alert when he noticed how Gu Nianzhi was looking at Huo Shaoheng. He uncrossed his arms and walked towards her, and coughed lightly.
Gu Nianzhi snapped back into reality, walked out from behind the sofa and stood beside Huo Shaoheng, looking on at what was happening.
The soldiers have already left the spacious living hall. The only people who were inside were the Huo’s, Zhang’s, and Gu Nianzhi, Yin Shixiong and Zhao Liangze who weren’t family members.
However, Gu Nianzhi, Zhao Liangze and Yin Shixiong were Huo Shaoheng’s comrades, so they weren’t exactly outsiders.
A deathly silence engulfed the living hall; only occasional sobs from Zhang Feng could be heard.
Zhao Liangze finally attempted to persuade Huo Shaoheng: “Mr. Huo, should we go to the meeting room to continue the conversation?”
There was a meeting room on the first level. It was meant for special situations for Huo Shaoheng to use. There were no cameras nor sound recorders inside; there were, instead, anti recording devices installed in the room.
Even if someone were to being a phone or recording device secretly, they wouldn’t be able to put it to use.
After giving it a thought, Huo Shaoheng turned around and said: “Come in then.”
The group of people left the living hall and headed to the meeting room.
The moment the door was closed, Grandfather Huo could not control himself anymore.
He had already gotten out of rage. He thought of how he was treated, Zhang Feng’s forbearance and company without asking for anything in return, and his guilt towards his youngest son and his family, and directed all of them to displeasure towards Huo Shaoheng.
“I know now, Shaoheng, you’ve grown up, and your rank is high. So you think you can stop respecting me altogether. Is that correct?” Grandfather Huo said through gritted teeth.
Huo Shaoheng put his hands in his pockets, and remained standing straight. “Grandfather, please do not say things out of anger. I never had any intention of disrespecting you.”
“Never had any intention to disrespect me?” Grandfather pulled Zhang Feng up by the arm in one sweeping movement. “You’re disrespecting me if you’re disrespecting her! How dare you still say that you never had any intention to disrespect me?!”
Gu Nianzhi was so angry while watching all these unfold. She balled her fists, and wanted to debate with Grandfather Huo.
Huo Shaoheng held her shoulders and pressed her down to stop her.
Gu Nianzhi had no choice but to keep her mouth shut. She looked at Huo Shaoheng, her face full of unjust and anger.
Huo Shaoheng looked at the face that had unjust written all over it, and the last bit of unjust just disappeared into thin air.
Many years had passed; He had long gotten over being the adolescent who couldn’t find words to express himself due to anger.
He learnt to compromise and balance. He also learnt to plan ahead and not talk when he was angry. All these were built upon all the emotional resilience he had learnt over the years.
Because those who did not have the potential to attack back, did not deserve to talk about forbearance.
It was now his chance to attack back.
Huo Shaoheng looked at Gu Nianzhi reassuringly, and turned to look at Grandfather Huo who was seeing red. He said casually: “Grandfather, in the army, senior nurse Zhang is ranked as a Lieutenant. I am a Major General. So she should be the one to respect me, and not the other way around. In the family, she is in no way related to me. Please may I know the reason as to why I have to respect her? Be in in work or private life, I see no reasons to do so. I am not academically inclined, so I don’t understand the logic. Please enlighten me, Grandfather.”
Gu Nianzhi listened on with glee. If these were posts on social media, she’d have ‘liked’ all of them.
Grandfather Huo smiled wryly, and looked to the direction of the door. He announced loudly: “I know you were close to your Grandmother, but I did not do anything to betray her while she was alive! She had passed on for more than 10 years, and I haven’t remarried. If I were to be a widower for her sake, I think this would be more than enough. I’ll tell you right now, I want to marry her! Henceforth, she will be your step-grandmother!”
Darkening his gaze, he looked at Huo Shaoheng. “…Would this reason suffice? Should you be respecting her now?”
“Old Huo!” Zhang Feng was pleasantly surprised, and almost hugged Grandfather Huo’s arms.
She really did not expect that being humiliated by Huo Shaoheng today would have such an impact.
She thought that she would never live to see the day!
Gu Nianzhi’s heart sank.
Damn!
Is Grandfather Huo so upset that he’s saying things out of anger now?
Is he really going to marry Zhang Feng?
This wouldn’t be good…
Huo Shaoheng adjusted his collars, squinted his eyes and asked: “Grandfather, you’re really going to marry senior nurse Zhang?”
Grandfather Huo regretted his words the moment he blurted them out, but seeing that Huo Shaoheng wasn’t planning on giving in, Zhang Feng looking at him smilingly with tears in her eyes, and Zhang Baochen’s almost elated expression, he couldn’t take back his words.
He went on, “Yes, so? Cant I? Is there a law saying that one is unable to remarry after his spouse passed on? Your grandmother had already passed on for more than 10 years!”
Huo Guanchen hadn’t been speaking the moment he entered the meeting room.
Seeing his father and son arguing, he laughed bitterly.
They had the same stubborn temper.
Huo Guanchen tried to appease everyone, and told Huo Shaoheng firmly: “Shaoheng, don’t cross the line. Your grandfather is getting on in age, please know your limits.” He then turned to Grandfather Huo and continued: “Father, you too, please stop saying things in anger. It’s the New Year, why make everyone unhappy?”
Gu Nianzhi understood the meaning behind his words. Obviously, he did not want Zhang Feng to be his stepmother…
Grandfather Huo saw that both his son and grandson were not agreeable to this, but he did not want to admit defeat. So he continued, stubbornly: “I am not saying anything out of anger! I want to marry her! I’ve wronged her for her entire life. Now we’re old, why can’t I give her a status?”