Upon returning to the living hall, Huo Shaoheng and General Ji entertained the guests a little. Shortly after, Huo Shaoheng left with Gu Nianzhi, heading to Speaker Long’s place for Lunar New Year visiting.
Mrs. Ji reluctantly sent Gu Nianzhi to the door, and said: “Nianzhi come over again in a couple of days? We will be having people over, but they’re just some close friends. Come over for dinner with Shaoheng!”
General Ji went with the flow and continued: “Yes, on the 5th day of Lunar New Year, we will be hosting a dinner with some close friends. Shaoheng, bring little Nianzhi along.”
Perhaps I can invite Xu Piaohong and Xu Guiqi along, so that they can get to know each other better.
Gu Nianzhi looked at Huo Shaoheng, smiled, and replied: “Huo Shao is usually very busy, so I’ll just listen to his plans.”
“Yes, we will definitely be here.” Huo Shaoheng nodded in agreement, and entered the car with Gu Nianzhi.
The car was long gone, but Mrs. Ji was still waving at the door. She turned to General Ji and sighed emotionally: “What a good girl Nianzhi is! If she was my daughter, I’d really dote on her so much…”
“Hahaha, I thought you said the same thing about Xu’s daughter as well? You wanted her to be your daughter too…” General Ji winked at his wife cheekily.
“Go away! You’re the best at making me look like a fool!” Mrs. Ji hit General Ji playfully. They were a loving couple. “How can this be the same? I said that about Xu’s daughter because of you. Moreover, this Xu’s daughter’s character is too strong. She isn’t versatile enough. How nice could it be if we were to spend our lives together? Nianzhi is different; even though she’s young, her mannerisms were amazing. She was really considerate as well. It really makes people want to dote on her. Let me tell you, a person’s character cannot be judged by his or her age.”
“Look at you, now! You only spent about 20 odd minutes with her, and now your heart’s there. What did Nianzhi do that you just went straight to her side within such a short time huh…” General Ji was purposely arguing with her. The couple chatted happily and returned to their home. They stopped upon seeing Xu Piaohong heading towards them.
…
Meanwhile, in Di Capital…
Sanhuan Chaoyang, Chunhui Building, Block B, unit 218.
It was full of visitors as well.
However, the people who came were family and friends of the Zhang’s and the Qian’s, and none from the Huo’s.
The Zhang’s looked to Zhang Feng, as they were already the strongest family back in their hometown. Many of the Zhang’s who came to Di Capital for jobs or entrepreneurships mostly received help from Zhang Feng and Zhang Baochen.
Qian’s is the maternal family of Qian Shihui. They did not have many people in Di capital, but were all close to Qian Shihui.
Grandfather Huo was not close to anyone of them, so he sat in the room in the suite on level 2 alone. He read books, had tea, and relaxed. He did not want to meet any of these people.
Zhang Feng knew his temperaments, and understood that they were not married, so Grandfather Huo’s position would be slightly awkward. So she did not let him meet anyone as well.
When the guests were about to have dinner, Zhang Feng brought Zhang Baochen to see grandfather Huo. They brought his dinner up into the living area of his suite, and accompanied him for a while.
“Dad, please try this. It’s some traditional snacks from Shihui’s maternal hometown.” Zhang Baochen placed a box of dragon’s beard cookies in front of grandfather Huo.
He knew that grandfather Huo loved these snacks. They don’t need to be expensive, but have to be interesting and new.
Indeed, grandfather Huo looked at the box, and took a piece for himself. The dragon’s beard melted in his mouth immediately, and fill his mouth with a milky fragrance. It was indeed delicious, and suitable for elderlies.
“Not bad, not bad at all.” Grandfather Huo nodded with approval, and turned to Zhang Feng: “You have some too, taste like it was made from milk. It’s nutritious.”
Zhang Feng took a piece for herself too. She felt that it was rather rough, but since grandfather Huo liked it, she agreed with him.
Zhang Baochen spent some time with grandfather Huo before going back downstairs to entertain the guests.
“Go ahead; I’ll have dinner with your father.” Zhang Feng waved her hand at him, and let him go down on his own.
Zhang Feng arranged the table after Zhang Baochen left, and had dinner with grandfather Huo.
The two of them had dinner like any other couple. Grandfather Huo felt emotional and happy at the same time.
He thought that he should try his best to let his son and grandson accept his decision to marry Zhang Feng.
He’s getting on age. That was all he wanted. He wanted someone to accompany him in his old age.
Zhang Feng handed a piece of braised sea cucumber to grandfather Huo. “Old Huo, eat more sea cucumber. It’s good for health.”
“You have some too.” Grandfather Huo took a piece of braised deer tendon for Zhang Feng. “I remember you liking dishes with a crunch.”
“… You still remember…” Zhang Feng was really touched, and took a bowl of soup for grandfather Huo. Eating, she said casually: “I remember as well, when Mdm Xie was gravely ill, she couldn’t recognize anyone. The Xie’s sent people to visit her, didn’t they? She chased all of them out…”
“Oh.” Grandfather Huo replied, and tried to recall. “You mean Ziyan’s brothers?”
“Should be. I was just a junior nurse then, I only wanted to take good care of the Official’s health. I didn’t dare to say anything on Mdm’s end. I couldn’t, anyway.” Zhang Feng brought grandfather Huo’s memories to decades ago, when Xie Ziyan was gravely ill.
The Huo’s were indeed in quite a mess at that time.
Grandfather Huo only remembered that Xie Ziyan, the woman he loved dearly, her temper went from bad to worse after falling sick. The gentle lady from a reputable family became a totally different person. She could only speak to Huo Shaoheng more gently, and was annoyed with almost everyone else.
The Xie’s sent Xie Ziyan’s older and younger brother to bring foreign doctors to treat her.
In the end, no one knew what happened, they started quarrelling and she chased her older brother out…
“… Ziyan is ill, of course her temper wouldn’t be as good as before. It’s been hard on you.” Grandfather Huo sighed. “She was born with a silver spoon, and must be unable to accept what’s happening to her. I can understand.”
However, he did not put much thought into it. He was still stubborn then. If she didn’t want to speak to him, he wouldn’t speak to her as well. He lost the chance to see her for one last time because of that.
“Old Huo, don’t blame yourself anymore. In my opinion, I think she didn’t want to be like that as well. I’m guessing that she couldn’t control herself anymore.” Zhang Feng said tactfully. “When I was studying medicine, my professor once told me. Patients who were gravely ill, will lose some form of consciousness and do things that they wouldn’t normally do when they’re in too much pain from the illness.”
Grandfather Huo kept quiet and continued eating.
“Also, Mdm was so in love with you. She went against her family’s wishes and just married you. After putting in so much for you, think about it – would she have written that absurdity of a will?” Zhang Feng began to guide grandfather Huo in his thoughts again.
Grandfather Huo thought about it, put down his chopsticks and said: ” This was nothing much to be honest. Those were her dowries. I didn’t want them anyway. However, she had already passed on, and I couldn’t tell herm so I didn’t think about it. All the proceeds from the funds these years, I had been transferring them to Shaoheng. I didn’t keep a single cent. —- Who am I? I am Huo Xuenong for heaven’s sake! How could I harbor intentions on my wife’s dowries?! What a joke!”
Zhang Feng’s smile was almost wiped from her face when she heard that. Mustering all her energy, she plastered her smile and continued. “Old Huo, don’t think of it this way. You should be thinking of it as how sad Mdm would be? She had always given her heart to you, and that was why she put your name in the will, hadn’t she?”
“I won’t deny that.” Grandfather Huo heaved a long sigh. “I had been married to her for more than 30 years. We always had a good relationship. We only started to quarrel during the final year of her illness. It was partly my fault too. She was already ill, why did I still get upset with her?”
At that time, Zhang Feng was like a beautiful, understanding flower. Due to the fact that they had a one-night stand, their relationship was more than just an Official and a senior nurse. In comparison to the agitated and always angry wife, she would of course make grandfather Huo happier.
His heart slowly went off the tracks like that because of her.
“That’s why, if you were to give up on the trust funds, wouldn’t you be hurting her again? By having Mdm’s trust fund, it’ll feel as though Mdm will always be by your side…” Zhang Feng used all her brain cells to think of means and ways to direct the conversation topic to Xie Ziyan’s trust funds.
Grandfather Huo looked at her, and lowered his gaze. “I’m done. Go entertain the guests. I want to rest.”
Zhang Feng stood up awkwardly and said: “Let he help you to bed before going.”
Grandfather Huo thought about it for a while, and nodded in agreement.
Zhang Feng helped grandfather Huo into the bedroom happily.
Just when she walked out of grandfather Huo’s room, Zhang Baochen walked to her hastily and said worriedly: “Mum, Uncle has something urgent to speak to you about.”
“What can be so serious that you can behave like that?” Zhang Feng touched Zhang Baochen’s forehead lightly. “Your dad had just fallen asleep, don’t worry.”
She took the phone.
Once she was done listening to the person on the other end of the line, her voice become shrill. “What?! What did you say?! This is only the first day of the New Year! How can the bank accounts be frozen?!”