As the news of the Fu family came out, the most excited, rather than those rich ladies in the capital city, was Shen Xitong, who was in the center of the storm.
When she had found out that Grandpa Fu's expectant daughter-in-law was the miss of the Shen family, she hadn't been able to hide the ecstasy in her eyes. The miss of the Shen family had to be her—who else would match Fu Hengyi in age?
Shen Xitong was quite confident in herself. Although she was only the adopted daughter of the Shen family, she could feel that Chu Yunrong had raised her as her own daughter. In fact, even Shen Qinglan, who was Chu Yunrong's biological daughter, had never received as much love from Chu Yunrong.
The Shen family was very nice to Shen Xitong. She had received elite education since an early age, and she herself also worked hard. She had not only graduated from a well-known university, but also played the piano well. No matter what activities Chu Yunrong attended, she would take her, seemingly intending her to be a successor.
Shen Xitong was born good-looking. Although she had had a hard life when she was a little child, she had actually developed the temperament of a rich lady, after spending so many years living in wealth and comfort in the Shen family. In addition, thanks to the background of the family, she had enjoyed nice social relationships there in the capital.
In contrast, since Shen Qinglan had come back to the Shen family, she had never attended any party—except the banquets held by the family itself. Therefore, few people there knew her. Although the two elders of the Shen family loved her very much, she, however, had no other qualities apart from her excellent academic performance.
Well, there was one thing.
At least, her face was very attractive. Even Shen Xitong, as a woman, had to admit that Shen Qinglan was beautiful beyond words. It made others... want to destroy her.
But that did not matter. With their background, the Fu family would definitely consider one with more than a pretty face. Shen Qinglan… well, she would surely not be looked at.
The day the news came out, Shen Xitong happily went to the shopping mall: he intended to buy some gifts and visit Grandpa Fu.
----
However, Fu Hengyi, the one involved in the whole thing, had been kept in the dark. He had planned to leave home that day, but just as he had mentioned it, Grandpa Fu had stroked his chest, as if heartbroken, accusing him of being unfilial.
His grandfather was seriously ill, with only a few days ahead of him. Sure, it was not habitual to expect him back—but he wanted to leave so soon, with his sick grandfather alone at home? How unfilial he was!
Howling, Grandpa Fu would put some of the ginger secretly hidden in his sleeve on his eyes from time to time. Soon his face was covered with tears.
Fu Hengyi had turned blue, the vein in his temple emerging fiercely, seeing that Grandpa Fu had even used ginger in order to keep him there. He sighed helplessly, "Grandpa, I know. I'll call now and stay with you for a few more days."
Hearing that, Grandpa Fu stopped howling and looked at Fu Hengyi suspiciously, "Really?"
Fu Hengyi nodded.
Grandpa Fu smiled, walking over and patting his grandson on the shoulder. "You are indeed my good grandson. You did earn my love for you."
However, the tears did not stop for a while—that was hot ginger.
"Grandpa, next time you want to do this, you'd better ask someone to prepare a bottle of eyedrops for you. No more ginger. It smells strong."
Saying that, he went straight upstairs.
The old man looked very embarrassed. However, he could not help but smell his sleeves. As expected, the ginger stunk. He frowned and followed him upstairs.
Despite all that, he had managed to keep him there. Miss Shen would be the next.
Grandpa Fu grinned, his eyes glittering with ideas.
----
The news of the Fu family spread all over the capital at once, reaching the ears of Grandpa Shen as well.
Shen's first reaction was that the old Fu's mind was on his little granddaughter again. Regardless of his wife's dissuasion, he rushed straight to Fu's house, livid.
"Old Fu, you bastard! Come out for me!"
Grandpa Shen stood in Fu's living room and roared toward the staircase. However, it was Fu Hengyi, not Grandpa Fu, who came down upon hearing the call.
"Grandpa Shen, what's wrong?" Fu Hengyi stared at the angry old man with doubts.
As soon as he saw Fu Hengyi, Grandpa Shen's eyes immediately widened, "You came just in time. I am telling you—don't ever think that only because you let the news out first, I'll agree to this marriage! I won't approve of that."
Fu Hengyi's eyes were full of doubts: he did not know where to start.
"You disagree, that's your business. Have you asked for Qinglan's opinion?" Grandpa Fu rushed in from outside. Just after taking a short walk, he had seen bodyguards run over in embarrassment and tell him that Grandpa Shen had come over to reason with him.
Seeing the one who was really behind all that, Grandpa Shen became even angrier, pointing at old Fu with a shaky hand, "I know for sure that Lan Lan won't agree. How old is your grandson? Won't you feel embarrassed to be on the catch for my granddaughter?"
"My grandson is older? Nonsense. Men are said to be of great charm in their thirties. My grandson is just at his thriving age. How can he not match your granddaughter? In my opinion, these two are a perfect match," Grandpa Fu argued with Grandpa Shen there, his hands akimbo.
He hated it deep in his heart that Fu Hengyi was growing older, but it was a whole different matter when others pointed it out, especially old Shen.
"If your grandson is a charming young man, then my granddaughter is an underage beauty," Shen Yunyi was not willing to have his thunder stolen.
The two of them, whose ages added up to more than one hundred years, looked like two kids.
Though always calm and composed, Fu Hengyi had turned blue with anger.
The two old men were in a fierce quarrel, completely forgetting that the main person involved was still on the scene. The more they said, the more outrageous (and outraged) they became. It seemed that they were about to fight. Right at this moment, Fu Hengyi cut in to prevent the coming of a big war.
"Grandfathers, calm down!"
"Hum—this stubborn old man, who wants to talk to him?" Grandpa Fu said.
"Well, he's delusional. I don't even want to get even with him," Grandpa Shen retorted.
The living room fell into dead quietness.
"Can you tell me what's going on?" Although Fu Hengyi had guessed almost everything, he still wasn't sure what that was all about.
That did remind Grandpa Shen of why he had gone there in the first place, "Grandpa Fu, I tell you, no matter what you have told those people, you should make it clear now that my granddaughter is not going to marry into your family, and that the news is simply a rumor."
"Whether it is a rumor or not is not up to you. If they two do have good feelings toward each other, you can't stop that. Right? Hengyi—" Saying that, Grandpa Fu cast a look at Fu Hengyi, eyes full of complacency, as if taking that kind of threat for granted.
Grandpa Shen's eyes were also fixed on Fu Hengyi. He was apparently waiting to see what Fu Hengyi was going to say.
When Fu Hengyi met Grandpa Shen's serious eyes, Shen Qinglan's indifferent figure suddenly conjured up in his mind. He had intended to say that he would definitely not marry Shen Qinglan. But just as he was about to say that, he stopped.
There was a kind of premonition lurking deep in his heart that he would surely regret it in the future if he had said so.