Chapter 74

"Grandfather, what are you saying?" Yuan Yi chuckled but also felt helpless. "Would I really do something like that?"

"Alright, I was just teasing you," Xu Laozi stood up and patted his shoulder, sighing, "Seeing that you're finally at ease and dating a girl, I feel more relieved. Now that you've brought her here today, have you already made up your mind about her?"

Yuan Yi felt a little embarrassed but still nodded in front of Xu Laozi.

"That's good," Xu Laozi smiled with satisfaction. "For years, you've been unwilling to get close to any girl. I've been both worried and hesitant to ask, sometimes even thinking that if you had a dog by your side, I would feel more at ease."

Yuan Yi understood that his grandfather had always felt guilty over the years for his daughter, but Yuan Yi didn't really mind. There's always a certain fate between parents and children. Some have deep bonds, and thus, parents are loving and children are filial; some have shallow bonds, so the relationship is distant, just maintaining a surface connection; and then there are toxic relationships, where parents are loving, but children are ungrateful; or the children are foolishly filial while parents ignore them completely, draining them emotionally.

The world is vast, and there are many ways of living. There's no need to place all one's emotional expectations on parents. This was the realization Yuan Yi came to when he was eighteen. Nine years later, the long-held desires and expectations of his youth had already become stagnant, like a deep, still pond, no longer stirring any ripples.

"I've lived a long life, and while I may not have sharp eyes, I've met my fair share of people," Xu Laozi said as he pulled out a file from a carved wooden drawer. "Xiaoyan is a good girl. It's your fortune to be with someone like her, with your character."

Yuan Yi smiled faintly, not contradicting his grandfather's words.

"When you're young, you look at family background and status, but when you're old, you care more about a person's character and morals. A young person who's willing to keep in touch with the elderly in traditional ways is surely of good character." Xu Laozi handed the file to Yuan Yi. "This is a company ownership transfer document. I was originally going to give it to your mom, but with her personality, she wouldn't know how to manage a company. Now, since Yuan Yasen refuses to give you any shares, I'm giving it to you. We don't need his worthless things."

"Grandfather, I can't accept this," Yuan Yi didn't open the file. "You've already given me so much over the years. I have plenty of assets under my name, so there's no need for this."

"I know what you're worried about," Xu Laozi smiled. "Your uncles and aunts have no objections. Your parents are clueless, but I'm still clear-headed. When your dad removed you from the senior management position, embarrassing you, I'll help you regain your face. If they're dissatisfied, they can come to me."

Xu Laozi was the typical doting grandfather. When he found out that his beloved grandson had been removed from the senior management at Changfeng, he called Yuan Yasen and scolded him for nearly an hour, until Yuan Yasen promised to get a proper birthday gift for his precious grandson, before hanging up.

Yuan Yi opened the document and realized that his grandfather had transferred ownership of a luxurious hotel under his name to him. This hotel had been around for over a hundred years, and it was very famous in the capital city, almost a symbol of status and elegance. He hadn't expected his grandfather to give it to him.

"I was originally planning to give it to you after you got married, but I didn't expect you, brat, to have the ability to win Xiaoyan over," Xu Laozi's eyes were shining with excitement. "You better protect your girlfriend well, don't let anyone steal her away." At this point, Xu Laozi added, "Make sure you send me the photos you took just now."

Yuan Yi was deeply moved, but only half of that feeling remained. This really was his biological grandfather. But in his heart, was it Xiaoyan who was more important, or was it him?

Downstairs, Yan Xi and the others, feeling a bit bored, decided to head to the recreation room and start a game of Mahjong.

Zhang Wang started the game with a double cannon but soon realized he was sitting in the wrong spot, so he insisted on swapping places with Xu Qiaosheng. However, he ended up losing three rounds in a row. Xu Xiang was playing Mahjong with the three younger ones and was more focused on watching the chaos unfold, laughing at their mistakes. They ended up making several wrong moves.

Yan Xi didn't play Mahjong often. She couldn't calculate the tiles or engage in psychological warfare at the table, but her luck was on her side, and she won two rounds on her own.

"Da He, did you steal all my good luck today?" Zhang Wang looked at his chaotic hand of tiles. "What are these awful tiles?"

"As the saying goes, 'lucky in love, unlucky in gambling,'" Yan Xi picked up a tile she needed and smiled mischievously. "You've been too lucky in love, so your luck in gambling has run out."

"Shouldn't I be the one saying that?" Zhang Wang complained, "You and Yuan Xiaoni are so sweet, posting on Weibo showing off your love late at night, then posting photos in the morning to make everyone jealous."

"Because we've saved up all our luck for love, and we're using it this time." Yan Xi wasn't embarrassed by Zhang Wang's teasing, "You've had enough girlfriends to form two soccer teams. If you're not happy, who else should be?"

"Da He is right," Xu Qiaosheng chimed in, "With your luck, it's no wonder you're unlucky at gambling."

"Who's unlucky at gambling?"

Bo Ge (Yuan Bo) hurried into the room, taking off his cashmere coat as he walked. When he saw Yan Xi, he paused for a moment, a serious expression on his face turning into a smile. "Xiao Yan is here too?"

"Hello, Big Brother," Yan Xi stood up to greet Yuan Bo.

"I was late because of an impromptu meeting at noon. Where's Xiao Er?" Yuan Bo looked around but didn't see Yuan Yi.

"Xiao Er is upstairs talking to his grandfather," Xu Xiang called for the food to be brought out. "It's already three in the afternoon, and no matter how busy work is, you still need to take care of your health. You should eat first."

Yuan Bo ate quickly, finishing in just over ten minutes. Xu Xiang called him over. "Play a few rounds with them while I go watch TV." She was watching a palace drama, and the female lead was about to have a confrontation with the female antagonist; she didn't know which one would come out on top.

"With Bo Ge's IQ, if he's at the table, I'll lose so badly I'll end up losing my clothes," Zhang Wang complained, "Bo Ge, please go easy on me."

"Don't worry, I'll try to win a little less," Yuan Bo casually promised. After that, Xu Qiaosheng and Zhang Wang kept losing and shouting in frustration, while only Yan Xi was spared, with Yuan Bo deliberately letting her win.

Yuan Bo didn't pay much attention to Zhang Wang. Instead, he casually conversed with Yan Xi. His manner was like a father trying to entertain his son's girlfriend but not knowing where to start. Despite his efforts to stay calm, he still seemed a little awkward.

Yan Xi even felt that if she hadn't kept the conversation going, Yuan Bo would probably have handed her a bank card as a gift for their second meeting.

"Don't pay attention to the comments online. No matter if Xiao Er has management rights at Changfeng or not, he's still my brother." Yuan Bo paused for a moment, "As long as I'm here, those online speculations will never come up."

"It's fine," Yan Xi casually played her card, her tone relaxed, "Our family's business is currently unmanaged, so I'll just be the chairman who doesn't get involved, and Yuan Xiao Er can be the CEO. He has so many assets under his name, it's already tough for him to manage so many companies. Let Big Brother worry about Changfeng."

"Da He, are you planning to have Yuan Xiao Er marry into your family?" Zhang Wang blurted out this joke. When he remembered that the serious and steady Yuan Bo was still present, he wished he could slap himself. Making such a joke in front of Yuan Bo was like asking for trouble.

"Nowadays, no one really cares about marrying in or marrying out, it's just about building a family," Yan Xi smiled, "As long as Yuan Xiao Er is happy."

Her tone was indulgent and assertive, and Yuan Bo's approving smile only made things more obvious.

Zhang Wang silently picked up his cards. Luckily, they were all family, so they knew how good Yuan Bo was to Yuan Xiao Er. If an outsider saw this, they might think Yuan Bo was eager for his younger brother to marry in, just to take control of the Yuan family's business.

Under the warm hospitality of the Xu family, Yan Xi had dinner, received a large number of red envelopes, and finally successfully left the Xu family's gate. Before leaving, to make the old man happy, she promised to visit him often with Yuan Yi and even added him on WeChat. However, until it got dark and she was about to leave, Yuan Yi's parents never showed up.

The old man's WeChat name was "Chasing the Wind's Youth," and his profile picture was a landscape photo. When Yan Xi was almost home and checked her Moments again, she noticed that the old man had changed his profile picture to a photo of him and her together.

"My grandfather is really..." Yuan Yi saw that the old man had posted a photo of him and Yan Xi on his Moments, and he couldn't help but laugh and cry. "He's almost ninety, yet he's so crazy about chasing stars."

"Whether you're nineteen or ninety, everyone has the right to keep their hobbies and interests," Yan Xi liked the post on the old man's Moments. "It's really nice that Grandpa Xu has such a youthful mindset."

"He really likes you," Yuan Yi put down his phone and smiled at Yan Xi. "I think soon, your position in his heart will surpass mine."

"That's great! If you ever dare to bully me, I'll go tell on you."

"Who would dare to mess with you..." Yuan Yi muttered softly, not daring to let Yan Xi hear.

When they got out of the car, as Yan Xi was about to head into her house, Yuan Yi tried to follow, but she stopped him.

"I think it's better if you don't meet my dad right now," Yan Xi patted Yuan Yi's shoulder. "Tomorrow's his birthday. You can visit him then."

Yuan Yi asked, "Your father won't chase me away with a broom, right?"

"He wouldn't before, but since I went to see you last night in the middle of the night, I can't guarantee anything now," Yan Xi pushed Yuan Yi back into the car. "Be good, go back and get some sleep."

Yuan Yi, who was shoved back into the car: ...

As soon as Yan Xi stepped into the house, she saw her father, Song Hai, sitting on the sofa. She felt a bit guilty and forced a smile. "Dad, you're still up?"

"Mm," Song Hai's tone was very calm. "Sit."

Yan Xi obediently sat down in front of him.

"Did you have a good time today?" Song Hai handed her a plate of peeled fruit.

"It's... it's good, I just missed you a bit," Yan Xi originally thought her dad would scold or get angry with her, but to her surprise, his tone was so calm. She felt a little uneasy—could this be the calm before the storm?

"Missed me, what for?" Song Hai patted his belly. "I was young once too. I used the same tricks to please your mother when we were dating. You've inherited that from me, knowing how to treat your loved ones well."

Yan Xi gave a dry laugh, unsure of what to say.

"Here, let me show you today's financial headlines," Song Hai handed her his phone with a nostalgic expression. "Back when you were born, I never imagined that your dating life would stir up such a storm."

Yan Xi looked at the financial headline: "Yuan Family's Second Young Master Loses Longfeng Stock Rights, Yet Inherits Century-Old Hotel. All the Storms Are Caused by Her."

The journalist who wrote this must have come from the entertainment section, right?