After Ye George and Ye Mingzhe arrived, lunch officially began. Father and son sat in silence, their expressions calm, as if they were carefully weighing something in their minds. Naturally, Cheng Yi kept quiet as well, and no one else dared break the silence at this moment.
She glanced at the array of soups on the table and couldn't help but feel a sense of bitterness. Thankfully, there was a different soup tailored for each person: George had beef bone and carrot soup to strengthen his bones, while Ye Minglang was served Tianma fish soup to soothe his nerves and boost his mental sharpness. As for Cheng Yi, she had a bowl of Huai Shan pork bone soup before the meal and a concoction of deer antler, cordyceps afterwards. This was in addition to the melon soup and century-old ginseng chicken soup she'd already had. Cheng Yi was certain that from now on, even the mere mention of "soup" would give her a headache. The grandmother made it clear that the top priority was to 'bring back Cheng Yi's vitality,' with the ultimate goal of making her 'healthy and full-figured.' Hearing this, the usually serious Ye Mingzhe couldn't help but chuckle, as the phrase 'healthy and full-figured' conjured up an image of a well-fed pig.
But the elders' care didn't stop at just soups. The grandmother placed the first chicken drumstick on Cheng Yi's bowl, and the second one went to Ye Mingzhe, whom she affectionately called "my dear grandson." For a moment, the table fell into an awkward silence. Ye Mingzhe hesitated slightly, his expression unchanged—perhaps no matter how turbulent his inner thoughts, he would never let them show. Cheng Yi was still trying to figure out what the Big Boss was thinking when the grandmother broke the silence once again.
"Mingzhe, before your mother left, I told her that from now on, she's my daughter and George would be my son. You wouldn't mind me being your grandma, right?"
Everyone held their breath. Ye Mingzhe put down his chopsticks, paused briefly, then allowed a faint smile to appear on his lips.
"Sure, Grandma."
That's some high-level diplomacy right there, Cheng Yi thought.
The atmosphere instantly lightened up, and the family's attention shifted from Cheng Yi to Ye Mingzhe. They began piling food into his bowl until it resembled a small mountain. Cheng Yi felt a surge of satisfaction—finally, she wasn't the only one overwhelmed by their enthusiasm. But her relief lasted barely a second before they turned their attention back to her. Staring at the heap of food in front of her, Cheng Yi sighed inwardly: When will this meal ever end?
It seemed inevitable that they would stay the night—just to make sure she could have one final bowl of tonic soup before bed. By the time Cheng Yi left the table, she was not only stuffed but also holding gifts in her hands. The last time they showered her with jewellery, Cheng Yi had wondered if she should invest in a safe.
Today, they seemed determined to top that, bringing out even more treasures to fill her hands. She shot a pleading look at Ye George, who finally took pity on her and stepped in.
"Yi, I think it's time you considered renting a bigger safety deposit box at the bank."
After dinner, Cheng Yi struggled to her feet, clutching her overstuffed belly as she made her way to watch Ye Mingzhe, his father, and the other Ye brothers play Go. Every move Ye George made seemed incredibly deliberate, and Ye Mingzhe, somewhat surprisingly, didn't interject, merely observing quietly. It wasn't that he didn't want to; he just wasn't familiar with Go, a game far more intricate than chess, which he was much more comfortable with. Still, Cheng Yi believed that with Ye Mingzhe's sharp mind, he'd grasp the basics after a few rounds.
The grandmother didn't let Cheng Yi stay idle for too long and soon pulled her into a room. Cheng Yi thought to herself: As long as it doesn't involve more food, I'll do anything.
"Such a sweet girl. The first time I saw you, I thought of a young Shufang. Your temperament and gentleness—I can't help but like you more and more."
Cheng Yi blushed and bowed her head, not knowing how to respond. The grandmother clasped her hands, her eyes filled with deep, distant memories.
"When Shufang left, it felt just like this. I held her hand and told her that once she stepped out, there'd be no turning back. She had no one else—no family left, except us. But I couldn't just keep her here. No matter how much I didn't want to let her go, I couldn't be selfish. She deserved to have a new life."
The grandmother's voice grew choked with emotion, and her eyes reddened, but she fought to maintain her composure.
"When Shufang went to America, she sent home letters and money every month. They'd been married for two years, and they still didn't have any kids. I was worried—worried she couldn't move on from Jiaming. I finally called and told her to stop sending money. I told her to focus on her new life with George."
"One years later, George sent a letter with a family photo. Shufang was holding a newborn Mingzhe in her arms. What made me happiest was seeing a smile on her face—a smile I hadn't seen in so long. George may have seemed a bit wild on the outside, but I always knew he had a good heart.When he stood up for Shufang at the family banquet, I was even more certain that he'd be kind to her. George has always looked out for us ever since Shufang joined his family. If it weren't for the medicine he's been sending all these years, I wouldn't even be here today. without his support, Jiawei and Jiacheng, our family wouldn't be as well-off as it is now. But George never wanted Shufang to know any of this."
The grandmother sighed softly and gently patted Cheng Yi's hand.
"I only have one wish now."
"What is it, Grandma?"
"Can you stay with the Ye family?"