It's like a classic quote from the fairy tale book "The Little Prince" he recently read with Tony — "You spend so much time and energy on a rose, it becomes your own, surpassing thousands and thousands of other roses in the world."
This phrase is beautifully said.
Tony is his son, his most important family member.
This is not because he carries half of his blood, nor because his late wife, before passing away, held his hand and made him promise to take good care of Tony.
Rather, it's because he has spent forty years caring for this little fellow.
Even if a stone stayed by your side for forty years, it would be imbued with your warmth.
Let it be silly if it has to be.
Even if his son couldn't learn to tie his shoelaces, even if thousands of people outside cried and shouted to be his son.
The old gentleman was still unwilling to exchange him.
