Old Man Xian squinted his eyes and looked at a jade stone on top of the rosewood desk that seemed to be from a long time ago. This jade plate had been placed here for many years. When Xian Guiying was young, she had mischievously entered her grandfather's study, picked it up to play with, and was even scolded by him because of it.
However, she had once seen Cui Luixian play with this thing. At that time, the Old Man had only watched from afar and didn't say anything to her nor even scolded her.
This incident had been stuck on Xian Guiying's mind for a long time. She had hidden many grievances in her heart. She did not feel the slightest bit of jealousy towards Cui Luixian, but she still did not understand why Cui Luixian could play with it, but not her.
"Is it something related to the Qin Family?" Looking at the Old Man's eyes, Xian Guiying hesitated for a moment before speaking softly.
The Old Man looked up at her. "You know?"
"I don't know. It's just a guess. The people from the Qin Family aren't too good to me, but at the same time, they didn't treat me that bad either. It's just Qin Gengxin's grandmother …"
"You mean Xing Jia?" Old Man Xian let out a sigh.
It turned out that Qin Gengxin's grandmother's name was Xing Jia. Xian Guiying thought about the Old Woman who had always been displeased with her and always had a disdainful look on her face.
"If I had known from the beginning that Qin Gengxin's grandmother was her, let alone that you were pregnant, even if you had already given birth to a child, I would not have allowed you to marry into the Qin Family." Old Man Xian sighed. "It has been so many years since we contacted each other, but I know that she has always hated me and would always treat me as her enemy. I always thought that she had already left, but I never thought that she would be Qin Gengxin's grandmother."
"When you and Qin Gengxin were getting married, I noticed that the people from the Qin Family were neither cold nor hot towards you. Also, since his grandmother was suddenly unable to attend the wedding, I felt that it was a little strange, and Xing Jia was also in H City back then, so I had your father send someone to investigate. When I found out that his grandmother was really her, I regretted it a little, but I couldn't break up your marriage."
That's right, after the marriage, Xian Guiying didn't live a good life, but she didn't know why Qin Gengxin had always avoided her.
Hearing the Old Man's story, Xian Guiying didn't say anything. She poured a cup of tea for the Old Man and placed it in front of him. "Grandfather, the tea I brewed isn't as delicious as the tea Cui Luixian and sister-in-law brewed. Don't blame me if it isn't delicious."
Old Man Xian paused for a moment, looking at the teacup in front of him without drinking. After a long time, he finally said, "Do you want to hear the story, child? I have never told anyone else the story of my youth."
Xian Guiying consciously pulled over a chair and sat beside him. She patiently and gently said, "Grandpa, please speak."
Since the Old Man's words were slurred, she paid extra attention when she heard them.
Seeing her sensible look, the Old Man's heart ached. He tightly held her hand as if he was silently recounting all the debts he owed her over the years.
• • • •
Flashback
When Xian Tingfeng was a child, the Xian Family was not as majestic as it was now, and the country even removed some of the Xian Family's members' positions in the army, leaving all the family members in the abyss.
At that time, in the entire country, only a certain part of Shanghai was safe, and without a war with the invaders, he could not join the army; thus the Xian Family was gone as well.
This was actually a very vulgar story for young people these days, but it just happened to exist. Xian Tingfeng lived in Shanghai, a place filled with wealthy merchants. When he was in dire straits, he would often go to the river to wash. He had never been as dirty as the other beggars.
In the past, there had been a place where men served men, but it was very hidden. At that time, the boss had taken a fancy to him and wanted to take him away. Because he was young and had a hot temper, he beat up the boss on the street.
Even if he couldn't find a good job, even if he couldn't join the army, even if he had to beg like a waste, he still wouldn't do such a disgusting thing!
At that time, he had neither power nor influence, and because of his impulsive actions, he was beaten to death by the boss' men. He fell on the street covered in blood with no one cared about him.
After that, just like in many popular love stories, he had met Xing Jia from the Xiang Family. At that time, Xing Jia and her friend had gone to the theater to watch the show and on the way back, she saw Xian Tingfeng lying motionlessly in the corner. Her friend screamed that someone was dead.
Xian Tingfeng opened his eyes and said with a frown, "I'm not dead yet …"
He was sent to the clinic by them and was treated. Since Xing Jia did not lack money, she found a place for him to stay. Xing Jia was a simple young lady from a wealthy family and did not have any worries about the world since she was young, but she said that she still could differentiate between good and bad people. She thought that Xian Tingfeng was not bad, so she saved him. She even smiled and said, "You are very good-looking. I don't have any aversion towards you. I just want to help you."
Xian Tingfeng had fallen in love with Xing Jia at such a young age. However, he knew that he was not worthy of her, so he hid this feeling in his heart. Every time she secretly ran out of the Xing Family to visit him, the two of them would sit and chat. In order to help him find a job, Xing Jia had secretly arranged for him to move into her own granary.
At that time, no one in the Xian Family was able to find a job, and everyone from the Xian Family was rejected from getting work in any place in the country. Xing Jia didn't tell the manager Xian Tingfeng's real name and finally, there was a job he could do.
Xing Jia had only been seventeen at the time. Midway, she had been sent abroad by the Xing Family to study abroad, and they had not met for four or five years. Only later did Xian Tingfeng find out that Xing Jia had already helped him buy the small courtyard where he was staying.
He had lived in that small courtyard for many years, from a minivan porter's driver becoming the steward of the Xing Family until his real name had been exposed, and he was driven away by the Xing Family.
Coincidentally, there had just been a war in Shanghai back then, and the country was in chaos. The country needed too many troops, so regardless of whether he was a member of the Xian Family, the people at the top could no longer deny him. Xian Tingfeng planned to inherit his father's inheritance and go to war.
But the night before he left, Xing Jia returned home. What he didn't expect was that she would come to the small courtyard early in the morning. After so many years of not seeing her, she became more beautiful and mature, with a body full of foreign culture. This woman brought countless bright spots of light, making him very proud.
However, at that time, Xing Jia threw herself at him, asking if he could take her away. Xian Tingfeng was stunned for a moment, but he heard her say, "My parents said that I'm not young anymore and they want to marry me to some proper man from the Wan Family. I don't want to marry him, so take me with you, okay?"
"You want to come with me?"
"Mmh. I want to follow you! I like you. As long as you're willing to take me with you, I'll follow you!" Xing Jia was a little girl who had stayed abroad. Her way of speaking was much more open than before. She was no longer shy and reserved. However, her straightforward and simple attitude had never changed.
Xian Tingfeng was surrounded by great joy. At that moment, the two of them fell in love. But in the end, he didn't take her away because the war had been too arduous. He was afraid that she would suffer too much and made her wait for two years. As long as he could join the army, he would be able to revive the Xian Family within two years and marry her in glory. He wouldn't let her suffer anymore.
Xing Jia was very sad at that time. She stood on the dock and watched from afar as she watched him depart.
Xian Tingfeng only wanted her to wait for two years, and he would definitely return. He wanted to treat her well and not let her suffer too much with him, but he didn't expect that a decision he thought was the best for her would ruin her entire life.
