"All of these were planted by your grandpa," Ji Nian said, sitting next to Shen Qingtang in the classroom. The two children had their heads close together, looking at the photos Shen Qingtang had taken a few days ago.
Shen Qingtang nodded. "Yes, my grandpa really loves growing vegetables and flowers."
The elderly couple had once again received the tragic news about their child. Before they could grieve for long, they soon learned of their granddaughter's existence.
When Ji Tingzhou personally brought Shen Qingtang to visit the elderly couple, the two grandparents, who had promised not to cry in front of the child, couldn't help but shed tears upon seeing her.
Shen Qingtang was held in their arms, and influenced by the emotional atmosphere, her eyes also turned red.
"They treated me very well," the little girl said with a hint of nostalgia. It had only been a few days since they parted, but she already missed the two elders.
"Dad and them came on Saturday, so we'll see them tomorrow."
But Ji Nian guessed that the elderly couple were probably coming to discuss Shen Qingtang's custody with Ji Tingzhou. However, since Ji Tingzhou had suddenly been called away to Country O, they decided to come over first and spend a few days with the child.
They also planned to visit the resting place of Shen Rushan and tour his former residence.
"It's a shame you have to go to Teacher Mo's place," Shen Qingtang said, feeling excited about seeing her grandparents tomorrow but also a little sad that Ji Nian couldn't join her.
After speaking, she glanced discreetly at He Xiang's seat. He was taking care of his grandmother today, so naturally, he wasn't there.
"It's okay, there's plenty of time. We'll see each other eventually," Ji Nian said, feeding her a shrimp cracker and eating one herself, swinging her legs.
"What did you say the first time you met your grandparents?" Ji Nian asked, feeling a bit troubled. She thought Chen Mo might soon take her to the Chen family. In her original world, her parents' parents had already passed away, so she didn't have much experience interacting with the elderly.
Shen Qingtang thought for a moment. "I told my grandpa he was handsome."
"Grandpa was very happy."
Ji Nian silently noted in her heart to compliment their appearance.
Since both children were free over the weekend, their library plans had to be temporarily put on hold.
When Gu Xiuyuan found out, he glanced back and forth between the two of them. "Are you two planning to do something behind my back?"
It seemed like he had been holding this question in for a while.
Ji Nian blinked. "Yes, we're getting married tomorrow, and we're not taking you."
She wrapped her arm around Shen Qingtang, who quickly played along, leaning in with a blissful expression. "Sorry, Xiao Gu, we're going to live in our own little world from now on."
Gu Xiuyuan: "......"
When school ended, Chen Mo personally came to pick them up. Watching the child climb into the car, he wanted to roll up Ji Nian's sleeve to check for any scars.
But he thought that Ji Tingzhou probably wouldn't allow such scars to remain on his daughter, so they must have already been removed.
Thinking of Ji Tingzhou, Chen Mo almost gritted his teeth to suppress his murderous intent.
How hateful. The nanny who had abused Ji Nian had died too early, and he couldn't even vent his anger properly.
But... if the records were correct, the son she had raised by stealing from Ji Nian was still in prison.
"Nian Nian," Chen Mo called out as soon as she got into the car.
Ji Nian, meeting his gaze, suddenly had a premonition.
"Are we going to see Grandpa and Grandma?"
Before she could even say it herself, the child had already spoken, clearly having thought about it many times.
In contrast, he had been hesitating.
"Yes," Chen Mo replied.
Hearing this answer, Ji Nian wasn't surprised at all.
"Are we leaving now, Uncle? Shouldn't we prepare gifts for Grandpa and Grandma?"
Chen Mo said everything was already prepared.
Only then did Ji Nian relax.
Then she saw Chen Mo gently lower the small table and suggest that she could do her homework on the way if she had nothing else to do.
Ji Nian, who always loved cramming on the last day: "......"
Just as the two of them were staring at each other, big eyes meeting small eyes...
In a remote corner of another city, in Yudu Village, a certain household.
A tall, thin old man who looked like a pole was fiddling with the television.
After some knocking and tinkering, the TV, which had been making crackling noises, suddenly returned to normal.
The announcer's clear voice came through again: "Recently, Chen Group's CEO, Chen Mo..."
The old man finally sat back down, satisfied, leaning into the sofa and munching on an apple while muttering to himself, "Still too young. The Ji family isn't an easy one to deal with. Inviting a wolf into the house..."
Old Lady Chen, who had gone to borrow some green onions from the neighbor, returned and heard the TV. "Are you watching Xiao Mo's news?"
The old man immediately snorted.
"This darn TV turns on to this every time. Do you think I want to watch it!?"
Used to the old man's grumbling, the old lady simply picked up a nearby stick and deftly turned off the TV.
"There, it's off now."
The old man, who had just managed to fix the TV: "......"
Before the old man could get angry, there was a loud banging on the courtyard gate.
It was relentless, each knock louder than the last, making one's brow furrow.
The old lady pointed at the old man. "What's going on? Go check it out."
The old man grumbled, "You always order me around," but his body obediently moved toward the door.
"It must be those brats from next door. They're not here for the holidays, so why are they visiting old people? I hate kids; they're all little debt collectors."
"Coming! Who is it? You're going to break the door!"
The old man, though advanced in age, wasn't deaf. He had been a soldier in his youth, and perhaps it was his imagination, but as he approached the door, he thought he heard the sound of a bullet being chambered.
...
"Lu Zhi, are you insane?"
Looking up at the giant portrait of Ji Nian with her hands on her hips, Ji Tingzhou, who had just stepped through the gate, didn't know what expression to make.
Good news: He saw his daughter's photo in a foreign land.
Bad news: It was hanging right across from someone else's gate.
Lu Zhi, standing not far away to welcome him, glanced at the portrait, his smile unwavering. "Doesn't it look good? The frame is adorned with a hundred pieces of imperial green jade. It suits our Nian Nian perfectly, don't you think?"
"Our Nian Nian."
Ji Tingzhou looked at him with the expression of someone facing a kidnapper.
If it weren't for his appearance, the way he spoke might make one think Ji Nian was his own daughter.
Knowing why Ji Tingzhou had come, Lu Zhi had already prepared everything.
"You actually left Nian Nian alone in the country."
"You're being too hasty. Aren't you afraid they'll get desperate?"
Especially since the other party was 'The Crow.'
If it were anything else, Lu Zhi wouldn't have asked Ji Tingzhou, but this was The Crow.
The downfall of the previous Crow leader wasn't just due to his death; the Lu family had also played a role behind the scenes.
Lide, that fool, had partnered with them without even knowing their true identity.
Had he forgotten how his father died? What an unfilial dog.
Hah, who would have thought that after all these years, the Crow, who had been beaten to a pulp back then, was still alive.
A dirty rat from the sewers, truly a lingering ghost...
Ji Tingzhou glanced at Lu Zhi, whose smile grew increasingly dangerous as he thought of something.
"No, they won't."
