Chapter 183
Wei Chengli hurriedly left with Maomao, the private room door opened and closed, leaving the still somewhat unfamiliar father and daughter.
He Rongzheng glanced at the swaying door, cleared his throat, and explained to Zhang Shilan, “I initially thought that even though Maomao is still young, she should still listen to these things, whether she understands or not. It’s better for her to be prepared, in case someone tries to take advantage of her later, claiming to be a relative. But… did I say too much and scare her?”
“It’s fine, she’s a brave little one.” Zhang Shilan said, lowering her eyes slightly, her words half true, half false.
Scared? That little one was probably a bit startled, but she was quite bold, even daring to drag someone out to compare notes… Zhang Shilan really wanted to know what went on in that clever little mind.
Oh, it was probably all about Yan Yan downstairs…
He Rongzheng, looking at his daughter, reunited after so many years, naturally saw her as perfect. With her reassurance, he no longer thought the little chubby baby’s strange behavior earlier was due to being scared.
Right, inheriting that person’s temper, she must also have inherited her courage, it couldn’t be his words that scared her. Mmm… she must have drunk too much soup.
He Rongzheng dismissed his thoughts about the little chubby baby and returned to the topic of the strange events before and after the National Day holiday.
Honestly, Zhang Shilan couldn’t think of anything that might have revealed her connection to He Rongzheng.
As a reclusive writer, her most frequent outings in recent months were to the kindergarten gate, the market, and occasionally the mall or the park for picnics, she even took Maomao to the amusement park once… The people she interacted with were limited, and most of her communication was online, with other authors and editors, they rarely talked about personal matters, let alone family history.
After much discussion, the only event that seemed suspicious, both in terms of time and location, was the roadshow on National Day. Although Zhang Shilan didn’t go on stage, the footage He Rongzheng’s old friend collected mostly focused on her from that day. Many fans filmed her carrying Maomao to the car, capturing her clearly.
He Rongzheng felt that Zhang Shilan did resemble him!
And the information showed that Bai Lei’s daughter and Maomao were on the same variety show, it was highly possible that their family noticed the film. Although connecting her to him based on her appearance was a bit far-fetched, Bai Lei was close to He Lanxi and had met him a few times, it wasn’t impossible.
He Rongzheng’s analysis seemed logical, and Zhang Shilan, although… she felt she looked more like her mother, not He Rongzheng, but as she listened, it seemed plausible.
At least they weren’t dwelling on whether anyone else knew about “Moon of Qingqiu.” It was a relief.
Zhang Shilan relaxed, they shifted from the serious discussion to talking about Maomao’s role in the film and the variety show. The little chubby baby was so adorable; Zhang Shilan couldn’t stop smiling as she talked, and He Rongzheng listened attentively, asking questions from time to time, the awkwardness between them gradually dissipated.
As the father and daughter in the private room grew closer, the other father and daughter…
Wei Maomao had planned to pull her unreliable father aside for a private conversation, but as soon as they left the private room, she saw many… strange people outside.
They were similar to the people He Rongzheng brought with him to the DNA testing centers today, they seemed very attentive and concerned about her…
Especially the few standing by the door, as soon as she and Wei Chengli came out, a man and a woman approached them and followed them all the way to the restroom.
They even went into the restroom to check before letting her in after Wei Chengli put her down.
Wei Maomao couldn’t have her private conversation with Wei Chengli, she was even angrier!
On their way back, Wei Chengli’s attempt to pick her up was met with a ruthless swat from her chubby paw. Looking at her pouting lips, her little chubby body radiating displeasure with every step, what else could Wei Chengli do? He immediately declared he wouldn’t be honest.
“Only Dad knows about the ‘Moon of Qingqiu’ Mom is writing, Dad didn’t tell anyone, only Dad knows.” Wei Chengli whispered, bending down and following the little pufferfish, he emphasized his sincerity.
The stomping stopped.
The little chubby baby looked up and raised her hand.
Wei Chengli, his arm, which had been pinched earlier, instinctively twitched, he thought the little rascal was still angry.
But in the next second, his arm was patted gently.
“I believe you, Dad!”
Wei Chengli: “…“ Heh, another day surviving thanks to Yan Yan.
Who loved their daughter? He didn’t, hmph!
Wei Chengli, carrying the now polite and obedient little rascal, returned to the private room, seeing the father and daughter chatting happily inside, he felt even more jealous.
The reunion was short, it felt like just a few exchanges, they had only scratched the surface of each other’s lives in the past years, and the afternoon was already over.
There were still many things He Rongzheng had to investigate and deal with. Reluctant as he was, he had to let them go.
“After I’ve taken care of things in a few days, you can move in with me. Little Maomao, I heard you have a pig you can’t keep at home, you’re keeping it somewhere else. You’ll have space to keep it after you move in, our courtyard is very, very big, with a large pasture in the back, and ponies. If you like, you can not only bring your little pig back, but you can also keep kittens, puppies, anything you want.” He Rongzheng said, reaching out to touch the little chubby baby’s soft hair.
Then…
In the next second, the chubby head, which usually allowed him to pet her, dodged swiftly.
“I’m not moving.” Wei Maomao said concisely, hiding in Zhang Shilan’s arms.
“Hahaha, no rush, no rush, you’ll like it after you see it.” He Rongzheng said, not taking the child’s rejection seriously, he looked at Zhang Shilan. “Lanlan, although He Lanxi is still in Cangshan City and probably won’t be able to react in time, but to be safe, be careful these next two days, don’t tell anyone about our meeting. Just bear with it for a few days, after I’ve handled things, we can be together.”
“Mmm, I understand.” Zhang Shilan said, gently squeezing the little chubby arm in her embrace, as for whether a certain baby understood, that was another matter.
“And you, Lili…” He Rongzheng said, turning to Wei Chengli, his expression turning serious.
Wei Chengli sat up straight and raised his hand, promising, “I definitely won’t tell anyone, anything, no one.”
He Rongzheng: “…“
Wei Chengli thought for a moment, then added seriously, “I won’t make friends with strangers anymore!” Especially the “kindred spirits” kind…
He Rongzheng, looking at his not-so-bright, but seemingly beloved by his daughter, son-in-law, sighed inwardly. Whatever, they had time, he would deal with the current situation first, then slowly teach him.
“Grandpa, how are you going to handle it? Have those brothers and sisters keep following us?” Wei Maomao asked, she didn’t want to live like that.
“It’s temporary, you won’t need so many people later. And if you don’t like it, they’ll all be hidden, where you can’t even see them.” He Rongzheng said with a smile.
“Then what about that He Lanxi, who sent the bad guy to our house? Will she send more bad guys?” Wei Maomao asked.
Honestly, Wei Maomao was very annoyed.
After dinner, when He Rongzheng showed Lu Shíjīn’s photo, Wei Maomao was momentarily stunned by the sudden information. But this afternoon was enough for her to figure things out.
Although He Rongzheng hadn’t gotten more information out of Lu Shíjīn yet, but if this Lu Shíjīn was truly working for Bai Lei, indirectly following He Lanxi’s orders to get their hair, then what about her previous life? Ten years later in her previous life, was Lu Shíjīn still working for the Bai family? Was he still working for Bai Lei and He Lanxi? Was He Lanxi the reason behind Wei Chengli’s massive debt, her unbearable life in those years?
And… Mom…
That giant glass window, was it truly an accident?
Some things, she didn’t even dare to think about them, but once she did, this grandpa before her… he represented not just family, but also a huge threat.
Although it wasn’t He Rongzheng’s fault, but thinking about the possibilities of her previous life, those years of suffering, Wei Maomao couldn’t help but feel even more disgusted by He Lanxi, who was related to Lu Shíjīn.
He Rongzheng fell silent when He Lanxi was mentioned.
Thankfully, before Wei Maomao could feel disappointed, he spoke again.
“In the end, whether it’s He Lanxi or my other nieces and nephews, all they want is my money. I thought, with such a large fortune, after supporting all of them, ensuring they all had good lives, leaving my assets to my biological child was only natural. They even helped me search for her, spending money and effort, even accompanying me on many trips abroad. But…” He Rongzheng said, then chuckled self-deprecatingly. “I was truly naive, even at my age.”
Zhang Shilan, seeing He Rongzheng’s dejection, feeling a bit sympathetic, gently pinched the little chubby baby in her arms, signaling her to stop, not to push him too hard. After all, they were children he had watched grow up, children he truly loved, he needed time to process this.
Wei Maomao, having suffered enough in her past life, and now suspecting the source of the tragedy, couldn’t sympathize.
Hesitation only brought trouble; who knew what would happen later?
If it was like her previous life… Wei Maomao couldn’t imagine how she would react.
Wei Maomao didn’t say anything, she just stared at He Rongzheng, waiting for a clear answer.
He Rongzheng noticed it.
A four-year-old child, even bolder than these two adults.
He Rongzheng smiled wryly. “Don’t worry, Little Maomao, they’re just after my money. I initially planned to discuss this with you after everything was settled. Since you asked, we can talk about it now.”
Wei Maomao sat up straight in Zhang Shilan’s arms, she hoped He Rongzheng wouldn’t just try to dismiss it with money, it would be useless.
He Rongzheng’s idea was actually quite simple.
Take back all the assets he had given to his nieces, nephews, and other relatives, regardless of size, take them all back. Then set up a fund and give them a monthly allowance. Of course, the amount wouldn’t be much, not comparable to what they were currently earning from those businesses. But even a small mosquito was still meat, just consider it a living allowance. And if any of their children excelled academically, or needed financial assistance for their education, the fund could provide additional support after an evaluation.
Basically, it wouldn’t be enough to maintain their current lavish lifestyles, but it would be enough for them to live on.
Then came the most important part…
His assets would only be inherited by his direct descendants. And if he had no direct descendants, then all his assets would be donated, according to his other will.
And the operation of the fund for his relatives depended on the lifespan of his direct descendants.
In other words, in the current situation, if Zhang Shilan passed away, the fund’s payout would be reduced by one-third, and for his daughter’s sake, Wei Chengli could also represent one-third, and if Maomao also passed away, the fund would be terminated.
Of course, these were just his current thoughts. If Lanlan wanted more children in the future, or if Maomao had children when she grew up, the details of the fund’s operation could be adjusted.
The point was, as long as his lineage continued, the longer they lived, the longer the fund would last. Those who might want to harm his descendants for money could only pray that those who provided for them would live longer.
After explaining his idea, He Rongzheng looked at the three silent people before him, he sighed and added, “This fund, it’s indeed like throwing money at ungrateful people. But as the saying goes, ‘A cornered dog will leap over a wall.’ Just a small amount of money, consider it a bone to appease them, so they won’t be desperate. If I don’t give them anything at all, who knows what they might do, after being spoiled by me all these years. Those used to eating meat, let them have some soup first, then gradually, they’ll get used to porridge and water. After a couple of generations, they’ll truly become distant relatives, even if they’re jealous, they won’t be able to reach us.”
Logically, Wei Maomao agreed with He Rongzheng.
But emotionally, she couldn’t accept giving money to He Lanxi, even if it was just enough for her to live on.
But… it was He Rongzheng’s money, it was none of her business. Just like how it was none of her business if he still had feelings for his niece.
If they followed He Rongzheng’s plan, put everything in writing in his will, and made it public to all his relatives, at least their lives would be more peaceful.
As for the suspicions from her previous life, she would handle them herself when she grew up.
Because of Wei Maomao’s final question, they didn’t part ways amidst laughter and affectionate farewells, but with heavy hearts.
After his daughter and her family left, He Rongzheng sat alone in the private room for a long time, lost in thought.
A knock on the door. He Rongzheng realized that over ten minutes had passed.
“What, they just left?” He Rongzheng asked the person who entered.
“Yes. The little miss bought a takeaway eight-treasure rice pudding and a jar of candied kumquats from the hotel lobby before leaving.” The middle-aged man replied respectfully.
“Really… How cute.” He Rongzheng said, thinking of the little chubby baby’s puffed-up cheeks during dinner, his earlier gloomy mood lifting slightly. “She loves eating so much, she didn’t even mention it. I should have asked the restaurant to prepare some of her favorite dishes for her to take away. Candied kumquats, was it? Let’s get two jars when we leave, she can have them when she comes back in a few days.”
He Rongzheng saw the middle-aged man’s lips move, as if he wanted to say something.
“What is it? Speak.” He Rongzheng said.
“That candied kumquat… the kitchen makes it for their desserts, they don’t sell it directly. The little miss… she used her cuteness to get a jar.” The middle-aged man said, recalling the little girl clinging to the restaurant owner, acting cute and coquettish, he shuddered. “I think we need to increase the budget.”
After a pause, thinking about the restaurant’s décor, he added, “Significantly.”
“Oh, then increase it. No need to tell me about such trivial matters.” He Rongzheng said, he didn’t expect this person to hesitate over such a small thing. “Anything else?”
The middle-aged man shook his head hesitantly.
This… This was supposedly the most capable person his old friend had.
He Rongzheng truly…
“Just say it if you have something to say.” He Rongzheng said with a sigh.
“It’s just… the little miss paid for it herself. The eight-treasure rice and the candied kumquats.” The middle-aged man said quickly, then covered his mouth. “Ah, you said no need to tell you about money matters. But I truly… can’t keep things to myself…”
He Rongzheng: “…” He could see that! So this person was chosen because he was a gossip!
But paying for it herself…
He Rongzheng tapped his fingers on the armrest of his wheelchair, no… He, as her grandpa, what else did he have besides money? If she didn’t spend his money, what use was he…
Mmm, it seemed the gifts he put in their car weren’t enough, he had to let the little chubby baby feel his grandpa’s financial support!
Reunions were short, separations long.
While He Rongzheng was dealing with his nieces and nephews and pondering why the little chubby baby paid for her own takeout when he treated them to dinner, and how to win her over, at the gate of the Experimental Elementary School, Cheng Tingyan finished school.
The surging crowd of students, the eagerly waiting parents, another meaningless day.
Cheng Tingyan walked towards the spot where her grandma usually parked, her head lowered.
Then…
“Yan Yan!”
A little chubby bunny, a pancake in one hand, a cup in the other, squeezed through the crowd of parents from the kindergarten.
Mmm, a happy day~~
Cheng Tingyan hurried over, amused and slightly exasperated, she steadied the little clumsy bunny, whose eyes were darting between her and the cup, not watching where she was going, almost tripping.
