Chapter 408 Grandmother
Though Qin Sheng hung up the call, never would he stop missing Lin Su.
Qin Sheng lay on the seat comfortably. The smile on his face was so sweet that it could melt the acc.u.mulated winter snow. A new beginning kicked in as the new year started. Lin Su’s call made Qin Sheng feel expectant about this year ahead. At least, he would not lead a wandering and helpless life this year anymore.
In the mansion of the Lin Family, Lin Su, who was lying on the bed, smiled and felt the same way as Qin Sheng. She was looking forward to Qin Sheng’s arrival a few days later. It seemed that the first warm breeze would fall over these freezing winter days and the first light of daybreak would emerge from the long-lasting darkness. The spring breeze would stroke her face gently and the warm sun would shine above her head soon.
However, Lin Su cared more about what Qin Sheng had gone through during this period, how he had found his relatives successfully, how he had become so confident, what he would do in Shanghai, and if he would get revenge on Yan Chaozong. Upon thinking of this point, Lin Su started feeling concerned for Qin Sheng and acting unsettlingly. However, following that, she ridiculed herself and smiled. She thought that Qin Sheng would not be that stupid. Moreover, if Qin Sheng were asked to choose between revenge and saving her, Qin Sheng surely would choose the latter.
After Qin Sheng finished the call, Qin Ran turned her head back and teased him on purpose as she said, “It did not occur to me that my brother would be so romantic. When will you say ‘I love you’ to me?”
At this time, Nao Nao in the rear seat became energized. She smiled happily and said, “Aunt Ran Ran, I love you.”
Qin Sheng replied somewhat shyly, “Sister, don’t make fun of me.”
Though everybody had tried to stay clear when Qin Sheng had talked with Lin Su over the phone a moment ago, they naturally had heard everything the lovers had said, including both the good and the bad. Zhu Qingyuan was more and more interested in the Lin Family.
Qin Ran found it funny and said, “All right. I am just joking. You’re blushing. I know you have not seen or contacted each other in more than two months. It is natural for you to act like this. If it were others, they would have gone crazy before. You are good at enduring the loneliness.”
Qin Sheng asked with great interest, “Sister, what about you? Do you have anyone you like? When will you get married?”
Qin Ran pretended to be angry as she said, “Well. Good lad. Do you have a conscience or not? You start driving me away just after you come back home. Could it be that you are afraid that I will hang out at home? Moreover, you are not married to your girlfriend yet. I am unhappy now.”
Qin Sheng leaned on the back of the front seat in a hurry and admitted his mistake as he said, “Sister, I don’t mean that. I don’t want to part with you. Where can I find another sister who loves me so much? 20 years have pa.s.sed. It is because of my extremely good luck that I found such a good biological sister. I am eager to keep you by my side all the time. Moreover, I wonder if there is any man in the world who deserves you.”
It was not until Qin Ran heard what Qin Sheng had said that she felt complacent. However, she made fun of Qin Sheng on purpose as she said, “Then, do you mean I won’t find a Mr. Right?”
Qin Sheng replied quite helplessly, “Dammit. I’ve offended you so much. Whatever I say, it won’t be the right thing.” As expected, a man could not offend a woman. As the saying goes, women’s hearts are just like the needles at the bottom of the sea. Never should a man reason with or quarrel with a woman. The moment a man speaks, he is doomed.
Qin Ran saw her brother’s look and smiled so happily that her eyes were almost narrowed into a line. She almost intended to turn her head and say to Qin Sheng, “My silly brother.”
Qin Ran had been looking forward to Qin Sheng’s return home for more than 20 years. It had been two months since Qin Sheng had come back to the Qin Family now. Qin Ran felt that the relationship between herself and Qin Sheng seemed to have come back to what it had been in their childhood. However, in their childhood, it was always her brother who had protected her. Since they had grown up now, it was time for her to protect her brother.
However, she was a woman after all. A woman would end up getting married in the end. She couldn’t stay in the Qin Family all her life. And even if her brother and her father could accept that, her brother’s future wife might not necessarily be the same. Moreover, she did not think of remaining single all her life.
Consequently, Qin Ran let out a sigh and said somewhat relievedly, “Yes. You are here. My mission is complete. It is time for me to get married. If I don’t do that, I will be an unwanted spinster.”
Qin Sheng felt somewhat sorry for her as he said, “Sister, don’t say that.” As he had thought before, though he seemed to have gone through a hard time in the past over 20 years, his relatives had been more miserable. That was because he had not known that he had relatives. However, his relatives knew that all the time. As long as he stayed missing, his relatives would be sad, sentimental, and tormented, especially his sister, who had loved him dearly since his childhood. They had suffered from more wrongdoings.
Qin Ran turned around, stared at Qin Sheng gently, and smiled tenderly as she said, “Silly brother.”
The atmosphere in the car was somewhat sentimental as well as somewhat warm-hearted. Zhu Qingyuan stared at this couple of sister and brother from afar, who had been reunited after more than 20 years of separation. They did not seem to be distanced and estranged. It seemed that never had they been separated because the relationship between them had stayed the same, which might have happened due to their family connection.
Two cars drove along the viaduct bridge in the direction of where their grandmother lived. Back when Qin Sheng had been in Shanghai previously, he had walked on this road numerous times and remembered every surrounding piece of architecture in his heart. However, he felt most different this time.
He remembered back when he had just returned to Shanghai for the first time after his graduation that he had stood by the side of Huangpu River, stared at this more and more prosperous city, and said meaningfully, “One day, this city will keep me in mind for many years.”
However, the reality had gone the other way around. G.o.d had slapped him hard in the face. In the end, he had left Shanghai dejectedly. After all, there were thousands of people in this city, many of whom had said such ambitious and aspirational words. Every ambitious man would want to stand out after they entered this city, especially those coming from a small city.
However, in the end, how many of them could take a root here, how many of them could stand out, and how many of them could be remembered by this city the same way as Qin Sheng?
The majority of them would give in to the reality in the end. They would either live on in degradation in this city or make up their minds to leave helplessly.
Back when Qin Sheng had been on his way to Mount Jiuhua, he had not known that it would be the last time he would be in Shanghai. However, Qin Sheng had told himself in Xiamen that he would come back to Shanghai one day sooner or later. The most important thing he could do after he returned to Shanghai would be to get revenge first. Consequently, he had worked laboriously in Hangzhou, seemingly intending to grab whatever chance he could in his hands, whether it was Cao Da, Third Master Wu, Boss Hu from the underground boxing field, Master Liu, and so on.
However, in the end, he had left Hangzhou dejectedly once again, more dejectedly than the previous time he had left Hangzhou. At least, back when he had left Hangzhou the previous time, Lin Su had been by his side. But he had been alone this time.
At that time, Qin Sheng had forgotten what he had said in Shanghai when he had just arrived there. The only hope he had held was that he could become strong and powerful enough to go back to Shanghai to get revenge on his enemies.
However, G.o.d had joked with him once again. It was an unusually big joke this time. That was the reason why he could go back to Shanghai fair and square within such a short period this time.
As they went down the viaduct, Qin Sheng could not help saying once again, “Shanghai, I am here.”
The grandmother of the Zhu Family lived in No. 68, Sinan Road, which was across from the Sinan Mansion and on the exact opposite side of the former office of the Shanghai delegation to the CPC. It was not far away from f.u.xing Park, which was a few minutes’ walking distance away. Moreover, it was near Ruijin Hospital. When their grandmother, who was not in a good health condition, had an emergency, she could be taken to the hospital right away.
This old-style villa was a legacy from their grandmother’s brother. That was because their grandmother’s family members had been living nearby then. However, since their houses had been removed and relocated later on, their grandmother’s brother had not been willing to go somewhere else. Consequently, his son had bought this old-style villa for his father so that he could spend his remaining years relaxedly here. Whenever their grandmother had come back to Shanghai, she had lived here.
Later on, the grandmother’s brother had pa.s.sed away. Her nephew had dared not sell this old-style villa, knowing that his aunt would prefer to live here whenever she went back home. Consequently, he had renovated it once again. After that, instead of living with her youngest daughter, the grandmother had been living here. First, she preferred to live here since she was familiar with the surroundings. Moreover, she liked the quiet environment and did not want to be interrupted. Most importantly, the ident.i.ty of her youngest son-in-law was quite simple. He had been more and more distant from her.
The grandmother was a native of Shanghai, who had left Shanghai because of her partic.i.p.ation in the revolution later on. She had met Old Master Zhu in a hospital in the base area. After that, they got to know each other and fell in love with each other for their whole lives. Back when Old Master Zhu had worked in Shanghai, the grandmother’s family members had helped him a lot.
Most of the time, only the grandmother lived in the old-style villa, who was accompanied by two maidservants, one professional nurse, and a security guard. Her youngest daughter would go there every day and would sometimes stay there. Whenever it was the weekend, those kids would also visit her. Consequently, the grandmother did not feel lonely at all.
In the last few years, their grandmother had spent most of her time in Shanghai. When it was the Spring Festival Holiday, she was unwilling to go back to Beijing. That was because she would be disturbed by many people, whom she could not refuse. Consequently, she had no choice but to lurk in Shanghai.
In the living room, a gray-haired old woman nagged at a middle-aged woman not far away from her, who had just come out of the kitchen, as she said, “Daughter, what time is it? Why didn’t Ran Ran arrive here yet? I am afraid they are all starved to death.” The middle-aged woman still retained her graceful bearing. The old woman looked quite thin. Her face was filled with wrinkles. However, she dressed delicately. Her hair was combed quite neatly. She did not look like an ordinary old lady at all.
At this time, a young man sitting beside the old woman said, “Grandma, you have asked us that question six times in half an hour. My cousins are all adults. They won’t go missing.”
The middle-aged woman glared at the young man and said, “Naughty kid. How could you talk to your grandmother like that? She is concerned about your cousins.” The young man was her youngest son, who was ignorant, incompetent, and frivolous.
On the sofa, another beautiful woman dressed in a gray sweater-dress smiled as she said, “Grandma, I just called them and they told me that they just got off the viaduct this moment. They will probably arrive here in a few more minutes.”
The old woman was not a.s.sured at all. She said, “Daughter, kindly go to the kitchen and see whether the dishes need to be steamed or not.”
“Mom, I will do it right away.” The middle-aged woman turned around and walked into the kitchen again. Of course, she knew that her mother loved her granddaughter the most. Moreover, her most beloved great-granddaughter would also be here.
The beautiful woman looked at the old woman again as she asked, “Grandma, according to that cousin, she is bringing you a special New Year’s gift this time, which you will love very much. What on earth is it?”
The old woman found it funny and did not know whether she should laugh or cry as she said, “As for this, I have no idea at all. However hard I tried to ask the girl, she did not tell me anything yet.”
The young man mumbled, “The answer will be revealed later, won’t it?”
At this moment, the two cars in which Qin Sheng’s group was sitting just drove along Middle f.u.xing Road and turned onto Sinan Road. Qin Sheng asked thoughtfully, “Sister, how far away it is from us?”
That was because he was so familiar with this road. He saw the Sinan Mansion from afar. It was well known that Shangshan Ruoshui was located on Sinan Road, which was closer to Middle Huaihai Road. In the beginning, Han Bing’s company had been located inside the Sinan Mansion, where he had usually picked her up. However, Han Bing’s company had been moved to Xintiandi North Lane later on.
Qin Ran pointed at the old-style villa in front of them as she said, “It’s right in front of us.”
Qin Sheng was astounded again. It did not occur to him that his grandma had been living here and he had once been so close to her. He had probably seen his grandmother before without knowing her ident.i.ty at that time.
Life is filled with black humor.
After the two cars drove to the entrance of the old-style villa, the driver of the Buick BPV blasted the horn a few times. After that, a gray door, which had been tightly closed, was opened from inside. Of course, people inside the old-style villa had heard the noise.
The beautiful woman stood up in a hurry as she said, “Grandma, the cousins are here.”
The old woman, who had intended to get up, was stopped by the woman. She found it funny as she said, “Mom, just sit here. The two kids will go out to pick them up. It will be quick.”
The beautiful woman dressed in the gray sweater-dress went out of the old-style villa along with the cynical young man to pick up their cousins and the kids.
By the time they were at the entrance, Qin Ran and Zhu Qingyuan had just gotten out of the car.
As the beautiful woman saw Nao Nao, she smiled cutely as she said, “Nao Nao, come to my side quickly and call me Auntie.”
It was obvious that Nao Nao was quite acquainted with the beautiful woman since she was not shy at all. She directly ran over to her and the woman picked her up directly, which scared Qin Ran’s eldest sister-in-law into saying continuously that they should be careful.
The young man stared at Qin Ran and Zhu Qingyuan and greeted them as he said, “Cousins, you are finally here. If you were still on the way, I am afraid that Grandma would keep asking me when you would arrive.”
As Qin Ran heard his words, she said gruffly, “Zhu Jiayou, you are asking for a beating, aren’t you? In this case, why didn’t you go to the airport and pick us up?”
The young man named Zhu Jiayou chuckled and said, “Cousin, it is you who said that we did not need to pick you up.”
Qin Ran did not let the young man go easily until the beautiful woman turned around and greeted both her and Zhu Qingyuan. However, both the beautiful woman and the young man stared at Qin Sheng at the same time and asked confusedly, “Cousins, who is this?”
Qin Ran kept them guessing on purpose as she said, “You will figure it out later.”
They became more curious and could not help eying Qin Sheng up and down. Qin Sheng was quite calm, who smiled and nodded at them. They kept wondering whether Qin Sheng was Qin Ran’s boyfriend. If so, that would be so surprising.
As everybody walked into the living room and saw the grandma, Nao Nao intended to break free from the beautiful woman’s arms, who put her down on the ground conveniently. Consequently, Nao Nao ran over to the old woman directly and called out in her naive and cute voice, “Grandmother.”
It was the old woman who had asked her great-granddaughter and great-grandson to call her so. Consequently, after she saw Nao Nao, she was so happy that her face lit up with happiness. She smiled lovingly as she said, “Nao Nao has gotten taller.”
Nao Nao held Grandmother in her arms and said smilingly, “Grandmother, you are also taller.” Her words made the old woman and others all burst into laughter.
By the time the old woman looked at Qin Ran, she had greeted her Small Aunt. After that, she said cutely, “Grandmother, I missed you so much.”
The old woman said lovingly, “So have I.” After she got old, she liked to stay with the children the most. It was interesting for her to hear them chatting and joking.
At this moment, Zhu Qingyuan and his wife, along with his eldest son, also greeted the grandma and Small Aunt and wished them a Happy New Year. Of course, the old woman and the beautiful woman praised them.
At this moment, the middle-aged woman lifted her head, stared at Qin Sheng standing far away, and wondered who he was. Following that, she was at a loss. That was because she felt somewhat familiar with Qin Sheng while staring at him. It seemed that she had seen him some time ago. As for exactly when, she just could not recall.
The old woman also noticed the strange young man standing afar, whom she seemed to have never seen. She could not help wondering as she asked, “Ran Ran, who is the kid?”
Qin Ran looked at Qin Sheng, turned her eyes to her grandmother, and said meaningfully, “Grandma, this is my New Year’s gift for you. Guess who he is.”
After Qin Sheng walked into the living room, he saw an old woman sitting on the sofa, looking loving and gentle. He was at a loss subconsciously, standing motionlessly where he was. Staring at the old woman in front of him, who was incredibly aged, he felt quite sad. This was his grandma, who had loved him the most and who had been missing him day and night for 20 years. Qin Sheng remembered how his grandmother had looked like in a photo some time ago. Back when he had been taken out of Beijing, his grandmother had looked quite energized. 20 years had pa.s.sed, and his grandmother was old now. As for his grandfather, never could he meet Qin Sheng in person.
As Qin Sheng pondered, he felt quite sad and sensed that his grandmother, as well as everybody else on the scene, was staring at him. At this time, he gritted his teeth tightly and slowly walked forward two steps in the end. After that, amid all the stares, he knelt in front of the old woman all of a sudden and kowtowed heavily. Meanwhile, he said in a trembling voice, “Grandmother, Sheng’er is home.”
Qin Sheng’s “Grandmother” and “Sheng’er” made the old woman weep bitterly in an instant. Her entire body trembled continuously…