Fu Hengyi helplessly held his forehead, "Grandpa, she's only twenty-one."
"You are thirty-one, and your grandfather here is already eighty-eight. Poor you, your parents passed away early, leaving only me, an old man, to be both father and mother, raising you with all my heart and effort. Was it easy for me? Now, I just wish to see you get married and have children before I die. I want to hold my white, chubby great-grandchild. Are my demands excessive? Are they excessive?"
Old Sir Fu spoke with emotion, at times holding his heart, at other times wiping his tears, not forgetting to peek through his fingers to see Fu Hengyi's expression.
Fu Hengyi looked expressionlessly at Old Sir Fu's performance for the hundred and eighth time, feeling helpless inside.
After a long while, Fu Hengyi spoke lightly, "I won't consider her, but I am willing to accept your arranged blind dates."
Old Sir Fu immediately stopped crying, put down his hands, and glared at his grandson, "What did you say?"
Fu Hengyi was bewildered by the glare. In the past, hadn't the old man been determined to arrange blind dates for him? Now that he agreed, why this expression?
"I said I'm willing to go on blind dates. Whoever's lady you have your eye on, you just arrange it," Fu Hengyi repeated.
"Nonsense, when did I ever want to arrange blind dates for you?" Old Sir Fu exploded, even bursting out with some long-unused swear words.
"Isn't it because you're anxious to hold a great-grandchild?"
"I am anxious, but the great-grandchild must come from Qinglan girl's belly."
"Grandpa," Fu Hengyi interrupted Old Sir Fu, rubbing his brow, "I've said it, she's only twenty-one, I only see her as a sister."
Old Sir Fu, furious, glared at him as if looking at a class enemy, "What brother and sister, don't give me that. I'm telling you, my granddaughter-in-law must be Qinglan girl. I refuse to acknowledge anyone else unless I'm dead."
With that, Old Sir Fu flung his sleeves and left, his steps wide, clearly genuinely angry.
Fu Hengyi stood there with a stern face, unable to understand how after just a year away from home, his grandfather became so attached to the little girl from the Shen family.
To speak of how Old Sir Fu grew so fond of Shen Qinglan, the story has to go back three years.
After retiring, Old Sir Fu began to enjoy the pleasures of old age. However, the Fu family had few descendants. Old Sir Fu had only one son and one daughter. His son, Fu Jingzhi, Fu Hengyi's father, died in action more than twenty years ago. Later, his daughter-in-law managed the family business but, saddened, fell ill and passed away early.
His daughter, Fu Jingtong, a diplomat, moved abroad alone after her divorce and has lived there for many years. His only grandson seldom returned home, and the old man inevitably got bored being alone.
Old Sir Fu was quite fun-loving in his younger days. Though he became more restrained due to his work, after retiring, his playful nature gradually returned.
One day three years ago, Old Sir Fu took a bodyguard out, under the pretense of experiencing the pulse of the public; he just wanted to have fun.
His identity was special, so when he went out, no matter how low-key, he always had many bodyguards.
However, this time, when Old Sir Fu went out, he didn't check the almanac and accidentally got separated from his bodyguard. He usually didn't carry his wallet and didn't even have his phone, you could say he was penniless.
Old Sir Fu thought about taking a taxi back. Once at the courtyard entrance, he could call for someone to bring money. But he valued his pride. Doing so would surely have that group of old friends laughing at him. He couldn't afford to lose face like that.
As noon approached, Old Sir Fu patted his empty stomach and decided to find a restaurant nearby for a meal while waiting for the bodyguard to return for him.
Old Sir Fu's expectations weren't wrong; the bodyguard indeed returned to look for him but missed him as he had entered the restaurant. The bodyguard searched everywhere nearby but failed to find him, sweating bullets, afraid of the consequences of losing Old Sir Fu.
Thus the bodyguard and Old Sir Fu perfectly missed each other.
Old Sir Fu, not one to shortchange himself, despite having no money, ordered several specialties from the restaurant.
After eating and drinking his fill, with still no sign of the bodyguard, and the waitstaff frequently glancing his way, as if afraid he'd run out without paying, his pride was on the line.
He couldn't remember the bodyguard's number, so borrowing a phone was out of the question.
Just as Old Sir Fu was scratching his head, not knowing what to do, Shen Qinglan, seated at the next table, stood up, walked to the counter, and paid the bill, including Old Sir Fu's, as a favor.
Initially, Old Sir Fu didn't know, but the staff came over, handing him two banknotes, pointing to Shen Qinglan's retreating figure outside, and said, "That young lady already paid your bill and left this change for you."
Though called change, it was two full notes.
Old Sir Fu was bewildered, following the staff's direction; he only caught a glimpse of a thin, departing figure.
Old Sir Fu immediately stood up and chased after her, not even taking the money the staff handed him.
Shen Qinglan wasn't walking fast, and Old Sir Fu quickly caught up with her.
"Girl, girl, wait for me."
Shen Qinglan vaguely heard someone calling her, stopped her pace.
Old Sir Fu panted heavily from running, after all, his age over eighty couldn't compare with the young.
"Girl, you're walking too fast; the old man could hardly keep up," Old Sir Fu grumbled.
Shen Qinglan immediately recognized the old gentleman from the restaurant, likely without money to pay, scratching his head at his seat. Shen Qinglan casually covered his bill.
"Sir, is there something you need?" Shen Qinglan asked lightly, her voice clear and pleasant.
Old Sir Fu didn't expect the girl who helped him to be so young. She looked only seventeen or eighteen, yet her demeanor was calm, not matching her age, "Girl, thank you."
Old Sir Fu's old face blushed.
"It was a small matter, no need to dwell on it."
"Well, girl, since you've already helped, could you assist this old man one more time?" Old Sir Fu cheekily asked.
Someone who loved face as much as he did asking a stranger girl for help was unprecedented.
"Please, go ahead." Shen Qinglan wasn't one to meddle but held a respect for elders, particularly since this old man reminded her of her grandfather.
"I got separated from my family, and I'm out of money; could you take this old man home?"
Shen Qinglan thought for a moment, having nothing important today, nodded in agreement, "Alright. Sir, where do you live?"
Listening to the address Old Sir Fu reported, Shen Qinglan's eyes subtly flashed.