Accompanied by his adjutants, Yang Tianhu strode into the hospital without telling anyone and made his way directly to Zhou Di's ward. Zhou Di, engrossed in a book, was taken aback by Yang Tianhu's sudden appearance but quickly regained his composure, nervously staring at Yang Tianhu. Likewise, Yang Tianhu stared back at him in return, the silence between them heavy with tension. Finally, he broke the stillness:
"It is you. When I first heard this name, I admit it was a bit familiar with me but I have never imagined it was you, a poor worker from the form Culture Relics Bureau. I didn't expect Chen'er to take a liking to you." Zhou Di remained calm, though his unease was evident. Yang Tianhu continued, his tone measured but firm, "This bankbook is specifically for you...."
Zhou Di interjected, his voice steady:
"The condition is for me to leave Chen Ge."
Yang Tianhu nodded slightly, a faint smirk crossing his face:
"That's right but I assume your answer is no, right? Of course, a mere sculptor like you managing to capture the attention of the influential Young Marshal is no small feat. The benefits must be substantial. This sum of money probably doesn't even catch your interest. I know it's thanks to you that my grandson is still alive, for which I'm grateful. Since that's the case, I can offer you more. So tell me how much you want to leave my son alone?"
Zhou Di's expression didn't waver as he replied calmly, his tone laced with quiet defiance:
"Then how much money is your grandson's life worth to you? Let me see how much you truly value him. How much more money are you willing to give me?"
At this moment, the door opened. Yang Zichun, holding Zhou Aichen's hand, entered the room. He spoke up, his voice tinged with determination:
"Yes, Grandpa, I also want to know how much money you are willing to pay my Pa for saving my life."
Zhou Zichen broke free from Yang Zichun's grip, running to Zhou Di's bed. He wanted to climb up but failed. As soon as Zhou Di picked him up, Zhou Aichen wrapped his arms around his father. Zhou Di asked Yang Zichun gently:
"How did you get here?"
At the sight of his grandson, Yang Tianhu immediately rushed forward, pulling Yang Zichun into his arms, showering him with kisses as tears streamed down his face. His voice cracked with emotion as he began to speak:
"My mischievous boy, how did you have been these past three years? Grandpa was worried sick, fearing I'd never see you again."
Yang Zichun embraced his grandfather tight, tears welling up in his eyes as he replied:
"Grandpa, I missed you and Grandma too. But I am fine. My Pa treats me like his own son."
"Your Pa?" Yang Tianhu glanced at Zhou Di, witnessing the tender interaction between father and son. The father smiled warmly at Yang Zichun as if it were most natural thing in the world, while the adorable child clung to his father, wriggling around playfully. Yang Tianhu sighed and asked Yang Zichun:
"How did you come here?"
Yang Zichun explained:
"Aunt Sanhua is waiting outside. Grandpa, you're clueless. My Dad told me that you might have arrived in Yucheng. If he didn't leave, you would never show up. So he had me keep an eye on the hospital and gave me a mission, that is, to ensure you didn't harm my Pa. And he promised that if I managed to 'defeat' you, he'd promote me to lieutenant and Aichen would then be under my command."
Yang Tianhu raised an eyebrow and asked:
"Who is Aichen?"
Yang Zichun pointed at the child still squirming on Zhou Di's lap. Yang Tianhu burst into hearty laughter and said:
"That is your subordinate? Not your soldier?"
Yang Zichun clarified earnestly:
"My soldier has gone home because his father was killed by the Wasoku soldiers so he has to send his father's corpse home."
Yang Tianhu chuckled, his curiosity piqued:
"So you do have soldiers?"
Yang Zichun pleaded:
"Yes, but only one. Grandpa, please give me more soldiers. I don't have a lot."
Yang Tianhu chuckled:
"Alright, I will assign you a squad of recruits when you are fifteen. By the way, when will you go back to Qudu? Your grandma and Grandma Liu are anxious to see you."
Yang Zichun replied:
"I will go back with Aunt Sanhua but I can't stay at home for a long time. Aichen can't come with me back to Qudu so I'll need to return here to take care of him."
Yang Tianhu's expression darkened and he turned to Zhou Di, saying:
"Is this way how you have been influencing my grandson? Are you taking use of your son to keep my grandson tied to you?"
Before Zhou Di could respond, Yang Zichun intervened:
"Grandpa, why are you scolding my Pa? Don't you think little Aichen is so cute?"
Yang Tianhu said:
"Your Aunt Fengtian has given birth to another younger brother for you."
Yang Zichun responded:
"I know but he has his own real brother. I am just a cousin to him but Aichen is different. He is my own younger brother because my Dad want my Pa to be his male-wife."
Yang Tianhu said with a dark expression:
"Nonsense, I'll kill your Pa right now. Let's see what your Dad can do to me."
Suddenly Yang Zichun jumped off Yang Tianhu, glaring angrily at him and said:
"Grandpa, do you want to kill my Pa? Do you realize what my Dad would do if something happened to my Pa?"
Yang Tianhu spoke to Zhou Di with a gloomy face:
"Did Chen'er and you talk about this nonsense in front of my grandson?"
Yang Zichun intervened quickly:
"It's not my Pa's fault. It is Aunt Sanhua's fault. She dragged me along to eavesdrop on the conversation between my Dad and my Pa. Actually my Pa did not know anything about this. Grandpa, you know what will happen if my Dad becomes crazy. You should ask my Aunt Sanhua, not my Pa. My Pa is being forced by my Dad."
Zhou Di eagerly spoke up:
"No, it is my choice. Grant Marshal..."
Yang Tianhu interrupted him, then turned to address Yang Zichun, saying:
"Chun'er, I believe it is best for you to return to Qudu. Your grandma is sick. If seeing you come back, she will recover more faster. And your youngest uncle also needs your comfort."
Yang Zichun hesitated before replied:
"Can Aichen come with me to Qudu? Actually I want to stay at home for a few more days with grandma and my youngest uncle."
Yang Tianhu asked:
"Why do you need to take him with you?"
Yang Zichun explained earnestly:
"He is my younger brother. My Pa is in the hospital now and our house has been burned down, so there is no place for us to live. In addition, my Pa is unable to move around easily now so it is hard for him to take care of Aichen. I want to help him take care of Aichen."
Zhou Di, moved by Yang Zichun's words, teared up and said softly:
"Chun'er."
Yang Tianhu sighed, patted Yang Zichun on the head and said:
"Chun'er, you go out with your subordinate and Let me have a talk with your Pa now."
Yang Zichun looked up at him, imploring:
"Grandpa, don't hurt my Pa or be too harsh with him. Just think about what will happen to my Dad."
Yang Zichun looked up at him, imploring,
"Grandpa, please don't hurt my Pa or be too harsh with him. Think about what would happen to my Dad if anything happened to him."
Yang Tianhu gave him a blank look and said:
"All my love for you seems be for nothing."
Then he walked to the bed, gently lifted Zhou Aichen off the bed and handed him over to Yang Zichun. Following them out, Yang Tianhu said to Yang Sanhua:
"You dare not to go in? Take care of them."
With a playful smile at her father, Yang Sanhua initially intended to leave with the children but Yang Zichun insisted on staying outside. Yang Tianhu entered the room again and asked Zhou Di:
"What do you want to say?"
Zhou Di sighed and said:
"Grand Marshal, I understand why you have come. To be honest, if you had come to me about this three years ago, I might have considered leaving Chen Ge. Or even just two days ago, I was also hesitated to think about it. Of course, it wasn't because of your requirement. I love Chen Ge, yes, I hove him deeply so I don't want to ruin everything for Chen Ge, his reputation, his future and his relationship with your family, because of me. But after three years of war and getting to know Chen Ge's true thoughts, I see how difficult his life has been. He has sacrificed everything for you, for your family, for his siblings and even for our country. But what about himself? As his father, do you have ever asked him what he needs and what he wants to do with his life? Grand Marshal, I have no right to judge whether you're a qualified father, after all, I don't have the qualifications or status for that. But what I want to do is to do my best to make Chen Ge happy no matter what the people talk about our relationship. For me, the most important is his happiness since I love him and he loves me, that's enough for me. I don't care about anything else but I still consider your feelings and those of your family. So what I want is your permission to let me stay by Chen Ge's side even if in the shadow. I will never disturb your family. I have my own life in Yucheng and Chen Ge can come to me at any time. I'll always be here waiting for him."
Yang Tianhu was suddenly at a loss for words. He wasn't skill in this kind of verbal debate, and when Zhou Di raised the question of whether he had ever asked Yang Chen what he needed or what he wanted to do with his life, he was forced to recall how he had acted during Yang Chen's upbringing. What did he have done for his eldest son? At this moment, he couldn't recall ever whether Yang Chen had ever asked him for anything or he has never asked Yang Chen these questions. Most of the time he had simply told Yang Chen what to do. When Yang Chen was a child, he had told him that as the eldest son of the Yang family, he had to shoulder the responsibility for this family. Yang Chen didn't say anything but simply following what Yang Tianhu had told him. When Yang Chen was at 15, he joined the army, taking on the responsibility and obligation in the military. At 20, he had begun to take on the task in the entire eastern region. All of the burdens were piled onto this young man, who had never complained, taking these burdens as his mission and responsibility, wholeheartedly fulfilling them. As a father, this brought him satisfaction and pride. How wonderful job his son had done! During this war, the young man had been driven to his trough time but he was not knocked down, on the contrary, he gradually rose from the depths and reached the position he held now. Now the whole battlefield was almost controlled by this young man. Yes, he, Yang Tianhu, had placed so much hope in him from childhood, unwilling for him to have any flaws, or any negatives that could hinder his success, wanting him to forever be the perfect pride of the heavens. But now... It seemed that no one in this world was flawless, including Yang Chen, his proud son.
He looked at Zhou Di and said with a sigh:
"As a father, I really can't accept Chen'er like this nor can I accept your relationship. But, as you said, the most important thing is his happiness. Yes, I have nothing more to say as long as he is happy. That's what I can do for him. However, as for you, I don't want to see you again and I don't want you to become a burden to my son. So, I want to know what your plans are and what you intend to do."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Di breathed a sigh of relief and began explaining Yang Tianhu about the museum and his plans. Finally he said:
"Although the money is in my name, it is actually the money that Chen Ge has left me over the years. I don't want it to be spent for nothing so I've decided to donate it to the museum. Once I am discharged from the hospital, my top priority will be to start the restoration work. You have no idea how many antiques have been destroyed during this war. I want to restore them to their original beauty and value."
Yang Tianhu scoffed and remarked:
"I know Chen'er also likes antiques and has collected quite a few. So is he planning to donate them all or do you want him to donate them?"
Zhou Di replied:
"No, those belong to Chen Ge. It is his hobby. I told you what I want is to make him happy so why should I destroy his hobby? No, I not only want to keep his hobby but also try my best to indulge him in it."
Yang Tianhu glanced at Zhou Di and said:
"Your house has been burned down and you've donated money to the museum. You're also taking care of a child. How do you plan to live? I doubt the money you donated is enough to build a museum. I don't think Chen'er hasn't considered your situation."
Zhou Di explained:
"Yes, he has given me all his money. He gave me his bankbook but I don't want to spend it all. I have already considered that we can live in the tent temporarily like other people after I am discharged from the hospital. It is true that I don't have enough money to do everything so I have to use Chen Ge's money. Once my house is rebuilt, everything will be fine. In addition, I will start carving some jade items and sell them at auction. I think it will be enough to cover the shortfall for building the museum. If there is any leftover, I want to donate it to the post-war reconstruction in Yucheng. Of course all of it will be donated in the name of Chen Ge."
Yang Tianhu suggested:
"Let your child go with Chun'er to Qudu. There are people there who can take good care of him."
"Oh, no, no. I don't want to make any trouble for you. I can manage on my own."
Yang Tianhu insisted:
"You saved Chun'er this time. It is our duty to take care of your child. I would feel guilty letting such a young child live in a tent. I think it would be hard for you to take care of him like this."
Zhou Di explained:
"No, Grand Marshal, my leg is permanently disabled, not just temporarily. Now that I've become like this, I have to learn how to take care of my son without relying on others' help. In addition, he lost his mother just a few days after he was born so I don't want him to be separated from me anymore. I don't want him to feel the absence of a father's love."
Within a few days, Yang Chen released his statement, unchanged. At the same time, Yang Sanhua received a bankbook from his father, donated to the museum in Yucheng in the name of Yang Chen. However, Yang Tianhu issued another order to Yang Sanhua ---- To build a house for Zhou Di to live in as soon as possible.