Shu Zhenzhong had heard Shu Yao’s voice long ago, but this girl had ruthlessly failed to come see the old man for so long. Naturally, he wanted to put on airs, pretending to read a book as he thought about how he would “teach her a lesson” later,
but after waiting for quite a while, he still did not see anyone. He grew anxious, afraid that the girl was too stubborn to come up and see him,
so he immediately stopped caring about putting on airs, tossed aside the book, and prepared to go drag her over,
only to witness such a fine show!
“Yaoyao, good girl, don’t cry.”
The clothes over Shu Zhenzhong’s chest had been soaked through by Shu Yao’s tears. Hearing his Granddaughter’s cries, he thought of his own parents, Xilian, and that Daughter who had lived for only twenty-three years and whom he had never even met,
If one were to say that Shu Zhenzhong had lived his whole life worthy of the country, the common people, and the wife he married later and their children, then the only ones he had failed were them,
Yaoyao was the only thing they had left him to remember them by,
yet he had allowed Yaoyao to be bullied right beside him.
Shu Zhenzhong’s eyes reddened as well.
Shen Huaiyu was wedged between them and felt somewhat uncomfortable. He did not cry, but as Shu Yao’s sobs grew louder, his little mouth began to droop too,
and he suddenly let out a loud wail.
Shu Yao was startled and came back to herself, at a loss,
instinctively looking toward the person she trusted most,
“Why is he crying?”
Shu Zhenzhong’s heart softened when he saw the tears in his Granddaughter’s eyes and her utter dependence on him, but he had never held a child either and had no idea what to do,
so his gaze passed over Wen Xia and landed on Qiu Li,
“Second Son’s Wife, come take a look.”
“Let your Second Aunt take a look. She has experience.”
Qiu Li was utterly embarrassed. Shu Minghui stood at the main door, while the other three stood at the staircase. She could neither advance nor retreat and had been forced to watch the entire spectacle,
so when she was finally given something to do, she escaped that damned awkwardness and hurried over, taking the child from Shu Yao’s arms,
She felt the diaper, gently pressed his little belly, and held him while bouncing him for a while. Only then did Shen Huaiyu gradually stop crying, though he continued to sob intermittently, looking utterly pitiful.
Qiu Li handed the child back to Shu Yao,
“He should be hungry too. I’ll go mix him some milk.”
The compound was not very large, and since Elder Shu was always paying attention to the Shen Family’s situation, practically everyone in the Shu Family knew that little Huaiyu had grown up drinking milk powder,
The Shu Family had some ready-made milk powder,
Qiu Li’s second son was not very healthy and had a rather delicate diet. Even though he was nearly four, he still drank a small cup of milk every night. It was also because of this that the three of them had returned to the Capital City from their bitterly cold garrison in The Northern Region.
Qiu Li mixed the milk and brought it over. Shu Zhenzhong took it,
“Yaoyao, let’s go to the study.”
Watching the grandfather and grandson go up to the second floor, Wen Xia’s twisted complexion could not be concealed. Qiu Li glanced at her, pretended not to notice, and quietly slipped upstairs behind her.
This Mother-in-Law of hers—she did not even know what to say!
It was truly terrifying. They should hurry up, nurse her son back to health, and return to the northwest.
There probably were not many milk powder brands these days, and they likely all tasted about the same. In any case, Shen Huaiyu happily drank it one spoonful at a time,
while Shu Zhenzhong watched from behind with his hands clasped behind his back. Suddenly, he said:
“Yaoyao, this Kid looks like you.”
“Really?”
Shu Yao could not see the resemblance, but she thought of the grown-up Shen Huaiyu from her earlier dream,
“He probably does look like me.”
“Yaoyao, the Shen Family’s forced relocation cannot be changed. Why don’t you bring the child back and let this Kid take the Shu surname? He can become the Old Shu Family’s great-grandchild in the future.”
Shu Yao was somewhat tempted. If she lived with the Shu Family, she could be with her Grandfather,
but then she thought of Wen Xia and Shu Minghui,
Wen Xia had been right about one thing: if the Shu Family took in Shen Huaiyu, they would be handing Shu Zhenzhong’s political enemies leverage. Perhaps it would be useless; perhaps it would be useful. Who could say for certain?
This Grandfather was much younger than the one from her own previous life, not even sixty yet, but his body absolutely could not withstand forced relocation and a struggle session,
She had already lost one Grandfather and did not want to lose another.
“Grandfather, I will divorce Shen Zhongyue, but I will not return to the Shu Family.”
“Then how will you two get by?”
“You still have to work. Who will help you take care of this Kid then?”
Shu Zhenzhong grew anxious,
“Are you afraid that old woman will bully you? Don’t be afraid. With Grandfather here, this time, Grandfather will definitely protect you.”
He truly deserved to die. He had actually allowed Yaoyao to be bullied under his very nose for so long,
At first, he had always thought that Yaoyao’s personality was like her grandmother’s—quiet and shy. Besides, Wen Xia had said that he had fought battles and killed people, giving him a heavy aura of violence that frightened children. After seeing him, they would have nightmares at night. Mingqi and the others were indeed not very close to him, and Old Fifth would run away at the sight of him, so he had always restrained himself, not daring to get too close to the children.
“It’s not because of her, Grandfather.”
Shu Yao took Shu Zhenzhong’s hand. She knew that if “Shu Yao” had been able to stand up for herself even a little, she would not have been bullied so badly by that mother and daughter,
“The situation is unusual now. Taking care of yourself is the most important thing. I am not a child anymore, so don’t worry about me.”
“I’m a third-generation poor peasant, just a peasant. Who could do anything to me?”
Shu Zhenzhong did not think much of it.
The movement had only just begun, and they still did not understand how disastrous it would be, but Shu Yao knew,
A book, a letter, even a piece of clothing or a single sentence could become a weapon for someone else to frame you.
Shu Yao stubbornly refused to return, and Shu Zhenzhong had no way to change her mind. He could only give up.
“Then, Yaoyao, you came today to…”
“Grandfather, could you think of a way to have the Shen Family forcibly relocated to the same place?”
“They don’t have to be in the same village. Somewhere nearby would be enough.”
If they were nearby, there would always be a way for them to help each other,
Shen Zhongheng and Shen Zhongyue had both served in the military service and were in decent physical condition. Without Shen Huaiyu, that little burden, they might work hard and perhaps have a better outcome than in their previous life,
Shu Yao thought it over again,
“Preferably somewhere near the mountains.”
There would be wild game in the mountains, and they could hunt in secret.
In her previous life, Shen Zhongyue had been forcibly relocated to the plains, where even hoping to hunt some wild game was a luxury,
Shen Zhongheng had been near the mountains, but the weather was so cold that one could freeze to death. What use was eating one’s fill? Besides, they could not even eat their fill.
Finding them a better place to go would be considered the utmost kindness.
“Grandfather, if this matter would affect you, then forget it.”
“It’s a small matter. Don’t worry, Yaoyao. Grandfather has a way.”
Shen Jianghai was a true man who had participated in wars both large and small, and his two sons were outstanding as well. It was a pity for such a family to suffer this calamity. If he could lend them a hand, naturally he wanted to do so,
“Thank you, Grandfather.”
“Older Brother, Older Brother! That granddaughter of the Shu Family is back.”
Older Brother had just begun to doze off when he was shoved awake, and immediately wanted to lose his temper,
“Well, those eyes are completely red. Looks like she’s been crying.”
Older Brother took one look and was startled as well,
Good heavens, those two red-rimmed eyes are almost as big as walnuts!
Shu Yao had fair skin, so it was especially obvious after she cried. Her eyes were swollen and red, startling the members of the Shen Family who had been waiting for her in the living room as well,
“Yaoyao, what happened to you?”
Qin Shu hurried over and looked at her with concern.
“Zhongyue, hurry and wring out a cool cloth.”