"Oh, right. Meng Meng told me that she wanted to gather together and have a family dinner on Saturday. Grandpa, she told you about it right?" Although Lily didn't like Meng Meng, she wouldn't want Meng Meng's mistakes to burden her grandpa. If the wedding gets ruined, he might blame himself for not doing what a grandparent should've done.
"Mm. She called me earlier. She said she had something to announce, so I have to attend. It's been such a long time since we've had a proper family meal together. Too bad your parents are overseas and couldn't make it." He sighed as he reminisced the old days when his wife was still alive.
The house used to be livelier than now. Lily used to run around and dragged him everywhere to play when she was a kid. Now that she was grown up, she only visits him when she had the free time. Of course, he didn't ask for much because he knew she was busy with her own life. Especially now that she was engaged, there are more things to take care of.
Sensing the sorrow in his voice, Lily smiled. "How about I ask my fiancé to join us for dinner? You can give him a nice lecture and even interrogate him! Hahaha, he is very filial to his parents, so I'm sure you two would get along with each other."
"Absolutely! If he is free to come, then that'll be great!" The elderly man laughed joyfully as he thought of having a nice discussion with his future grandson-in-law.
"Ah, right. Another thing is that Meng Meng will most likely announce that she is-" Her sentence was interrupted by grandpa's raised palm.
"I already know. Meng Meng is still childish and has a spoiled mindset because her parents raised her that way. Even if she isn't blood related to our family, she is still my granddaughter. Of course, I know what they are up to, and I don't plan on continuously letting them take advantage of me. So, don't worry. Grandpa isn't that weak." He reassured Lily that he would be alright.
Lily nodded, deciding to let everything go smoothly. If her aunt, uncle and cousin take things too far during the family dinner, then she wouldn't hesitate to speak up. Besides, her grandfather wasn't someone they could trample over.
"Then, I will see you at the family dinner. Since you already know about what Meng Meng wanted to say, that means the person she wants to marry to...You also know about him?" This was the last question she wanted to ask. Knowing about Meng Meng's engagement is one thing, but realizing she's involved in a scam is another.
"Lily, grandpa watched the footage of the party you attended. I've also done research after hearing about that man. Since you and an outsider have already warned her about his identity, there aren't any other things you could've done. Right now, the choice lies with her. We can't do anything about her decisions. She's already a grownup who should learn to take up responsibilities for herself."
Though he said these words calmly, Lily could see the sadness in his eyes. Of course, because Meng Meng also grew up with Lily under his care. No matter how soft hearted he was in spoiling his grandchildren, he couldn't protect them forever. Plus, Meng Meng was too arrogant and competitive that it ruined her.
Grandpa Jiang sighed softly as he recalled the innocent smiles Lily and Meng Meng had when they were little. If he had another chance, he would choose to take Meng Meng under his care until she turned eighteen and not leave her in her parents' care. If that had happened, perhaps she wouldn't have ended up this way.
He shook his head as these thoughts crept into his mind. "You're in your office today. Then, grandpa will hang up first. Don't forget to eat lunch and take a rest once in a while. Your health is more important than the money you earn." Grandpa Jiang only hoped that one day, Meng Meng would wake up from her selfishness and learn to be a better person. If not, then there's nothing he could do either.
"Mm. Grandpa, don't forget to eat your meals properly as well." Lily waved her hand before ending the call. When she faced the finance data on her screen again, she decided to take her lunch break.
After grabbing her phone and purse, Lily straightened out her blouse. In the middle of thinking about what food she should have for lunch, her phone rang. Startled by the sudden vibration, she quickly looked at the caller ID. "Hmmm? Sofia?"
Ever since she quit the modeling agency, her ex-manager, Sofia stayed in touch with her. Unless it was on a day off, Sofia wouldn't have contacted her. Feeling something was amiss, she quickly picked up the call. "Hello? Sofia?"
"Lily! I know you've already quit the company, but can you do me a favor? Please?" Her voice sounded anxious as if the favor was the determination of her life and death.
"What is it?" Lily straightened her back when she caught the urgency in Sofia's voice.
"Remember the last time you accepted a jewelry line for Tian Corps? The young master, Tian Yuo, requested to have you take a two-months job. He said if the person taking the job is not you, then he will take his investments for the company elsewhere. This is a half a billion dollar contract and the company pressured me about this issue. They want you to accept the job. If I don't persuade you into accepting this job, I will be blacklisted in the industry."
Listening to Sofia's request, Lily's brows furrowed. She briefly remembered the annoying young master from the Tian family, but she doesn't understand why he would choose her out of other professional artists. Although Lily wanted to reject the offer, she also knew Sofia's background very well. She was a single mother struggling with two kids. A change in career at her age was not favorable either.
If she gets blacklisted, then she will not be able to find a job in this industry. "Give me a few hours. I'll give you a response by tonight." Lily answered before ending the call with her.