Chapter 257 - 254: 2 Days

Chapter 257: Chapter 254: 2 Days

Looking at the large and small bags arranged on the floor, Grandma Li’s eyes stung. Taking a moment when Li Xiu wasn’t looking, she secretly wiped her eyes and whispered, "Why bring so many things? I can’t eat that much. Every time, you bring bags and bags home. Your money doesn’t just grow on trees. A small gesture is more than enough!"

Li Xiu smiled at her words. "It’s alright, Grandma. I don’t get to come back often. Besides, First Uncle Li and Third Uncle Li have been good to me, so it’s only right that I show them some respect. Grandma, we’re not short on this little bit of money. Don’t you worry, Bao’er and I are good at earning it!"

"Oh, you... Is that what I meant?" Grandma Li gave a helpless smile. ’This grandson of mine is just playing dumb!’

Li Xiu didn’t stop tidying up the items. He said softly, "Grandma, I have things under control. Besides, with Li Guo and Li Bo here, things won’t get out of line. The girls are all sensible. Grandma, relax. You trust me, don’t you?"

’That’s true. With her grandson’s sharp mind, there had never been a time he’d miscalculated, nor had she ever seen him misjudge someone’s character. Oh, well. Her grandson had it all figured out. Anyone who wanted to scheme against him had better think twice about who would be outsmarting whom in the end!’

"How is everything with you all now?"

Li Xiu glanced up at Grandma Li before lowering his head again and saying softly, "We’re all doing fine. Bao’er is teaching at her old university—her alma mater. The chancellor, the professors, and so on were all her former teachers, so they look out for her. She’s also very capable, and her students adore her. Nuonuo and Yanyan have always been smart and well-behaved, so they don’t cause me any worry. I’m doing well, too. The company is running smoothly, and I’ve made my way into the right circles in the Capital City. Everything’s great, Grandma, you can rest easy."

"Your father-in-law and mother-in-law... they aren’t having any trouble in the Capital City, are they?" Grandma Li asked cautiously. She wasn’t worried about other things; her grandson was smart and capable. What worried her was him living with his mother-in-law. Her grandson doted on his wife, and she was afraid his mother-in-law might start stirring up drama. ’She seemed fine in the past, but people can change. Who knows what it’s really like now that they’re all living together!’

Li Xiu’s hands, busy tidying up, paused for a second before quickly getting back to work. His voice grew even gentler as he said, "Grandma, my mother-in-law doesn’t really meddle. Her days are spent looking after the children, taking them to and from school. She never says much about Bao’er’s and my affairs. The most she’ll do is occasionally grumble that Bao’er does too little housework or spends too little time with the kids. I even tell her sometimes, ’Haven’t we hired help for the chores? You should take a break.’ But she won’t listen. She’s busy from morning till night."

"Well, that’s good. Your mother-in-law sounds like a reasonable woman," Grandma Li said with a smile. "She probably sees that my granddaughter-in-law doesn’t have time for chores and worries you might be upset, so she does them herself. She certainly knows how to care for her daughter. That’s wonderful. But is she good to you?"

"She’s great. Even Bao’er sometimes jokes that her mom treats me better than her. Every day, she’ll make a few dishes just for me, things she knows I like. And she’s taken over everything with the kids. She’s always telling me, ’How can a grown man be hovering over the children all day? Go take a break. Go read a book in the study. You’re not needed here.’ My father-in-law is the same way. He’ll always say, ’We don’t need you here. Go take care of your business. I’ve got this.’"

Grandma Li watched Li Xiu contentedly as he squatted on the floor, tidying up. She said softly, "That’s good, that’s so good. You never had a strong bond with your own parents. Now that your in-laws are good to you and care for you, it helps make up for the parental affection you missed out on. But remember, affection is a two-way street. Since they treat you well, you must be good to them in return. In this life, all that really matters is having someone who cares for you, someone who loves you, and enough to eat and drink. Once you have that, cherish it."

His busy hands stilled for a moment. Li Xiu said quietly, "Grandma, I understand."

Right after dinner, First Uncle Li’s family and Third Uncle Li’s family arrived one after the other. The east wing of the house was soon packed to the brim. Yanyan, now awake from his nap and with a full belly, was passed from one person’s arms to the next, showered with affection. Ah, the eldest grandson of the Li family’s new generation—he truly had everyone’s undivided adoration!

They all chatted late into the night. It wasn’t until midnight that First Uncle Li’s family and Third Uncle Li’s family left, fully content. Li Xiu quickly cleaned up the mess on the floor, then helped Grandma Li sit up on the kang bed. "Grandma, it’s getting late," he said gently. "You should get some sleep."

Gazing at Yanyan’s small, sleeping face, Grandma Li smiled in contentment. "It’s alright, I’m not tired yet," she whispered. "About visiting the graves tomorrow—go right after lunch. Yanyan is still young, so don’t stay out too late."

"Alright. Get some sleep, Grandma. I’ll still be here tomorrow," Li Xiu said with a hint of helplessness, knowing she was simply reluctant to go to bed. He tried to gently coax her.

「Before dawn」

Li Xiu woke up, but he didn’t get out of bed. He lay quietly on the kang, looking at his son sleeping soundly beside him. On Yanyan’s other side was Grandma Li. They had all gone to bed so late that she was still asleep. With Zhou Lian not by his side, Li Xiu never slept very deeply anyway. He just lay there, gazing at Yanyan and his grandmother. ’Grandma’s hair is completely white now.’ A wave of melancholy washed over Li Xiu. ’Time truly waits for no one. Grandma has gotten so old.’

’Thankfully, her health is still robust. But she’s already over ninety. In his past life, her death was only a few years away. There was nothing Li Xiu could do about it. Grandma Li had passed away peacefully in her sleep. She had no particular illness; her body had simply grown old, its organs failing naturally. Even if Li Xiu had the power to move heaven and earth, he was helpless against this.’

After lunch, Li Xiu loaded the things he had prepared into the car. After a word with Grandma Li, he carried Yanyan into the vehicle and drove halfway up the mountain. He led Yanyan by one hand and carried a large bamboo basket in the other as he walked to his master’s grave. Li Xiu set his things down and told Yanyan to stand aside and not wander off. Looking at the weeds that had grown up around the gravesite, he sighed and began to clean them up with deft, quick movements.

After adding fresh soil to the grave mound and burning some joss paper, Li Xiu had Yanyan kneel with him. "Master," he said softly, "I’ve brought your grand-disciple to see you. The New Year is coming, so I’m here to bring you some offerings and money. Don’t be reluctant to use them. You and Mistress spend it as you please in the afterlife. If you’re lacking anything, just visit me in a dream and let me know. You have a disciple to provide for you!"

He continued to speak to his master for a long while, softly explaining the current situation in the Capital City and the role he was playing. He wanted to assure his master in the afterlife that he had the situation under control—a situation that he himself had orchestrated. His master had spent his life admiring the romantic, free-spirited style of the Wei Jin dynasty, prizing a carefree, unrestrained life in the mountains and forests above all else. Li Xiu explained all this because he didn’t want his master to mistakenly believe he had become attached to power and status.

Feeling he had said all that needed to be said, Li Xiu led Yanyan in performing a deep, respectful kowtow to his master. Rising to his feet, he cast one last, lingering look at the grave. "Master, we’re leaving now. I’ll be back to see you again next year."

Finally, Li Xiu took Yanyan to Second Brother Li’s grave. This time, however, he said nothing. He completed the rites in silence, had Yanyan finish his kowtows, and then, without a backward glance, he picked up his son and walked away.