Qiao Mei helped her grandfather into the house and poured some water into the clean teacup.
Based on her past memories, her grandfather’s body was exhausted and he was about to pass away. She only had these few months left to show her filial piety.
Qiao Qiang blankly took the water that was offered to him and stared at the clean table and spotless floor in front of him.
Qiao Mei knew in her heart that it was because she had made too big a change to herself, leaving him unable to react.
The original owner of the body never had a kind face towards this elderly relative of hers. She would scream and shout all day long, pulling a long face from time to time, as if her grandfather was her enemy.
“Grandfather, I’ve grown up. I didn’t do well in the past, but now I want to change. I hope that from today onwards, everything will be renewed!” Qiao Mei looked at her grandfather’s eyes and sincerely said to him.
“Ah! Okay! Okay!”
When Qiao Qiang heard this, tears welled up in his eyes. He lowered his head and drank water to hide his emotions.
“Drink slowly, don’t scald yourself.”
“Ah! Good, good, good! I’m fine!”
Qiao Qiang swallowed the water and nodded repeatedly. However, he quickly realized that something was wrong and asked, “What about him? Where’s Xia Zhe?”
“He had a mission, so he left first,” Qiao Mei explained.
“What? He left just like that? He didn’t say anything?” Grandpa’s eyes widened instantly, looking fierce.
“Grandfather… what else do you want him to say?” Qiao Mei sat by the side and said slowly, “In the first place, we are the ones in the wrong. We are already very lucky that he doesn’t pursue the matter.”
“But… but…” He looked at Qiao Mei, whose dark face reflected the light in the room. Then he thought of Xia Zhe, who would be considered a good catch, and there was no way he could say that his granddaughter was taken advantage of.
“But if you don’t marry him, how are you going to survive in the future? You don’t know how to cook and you don’t know how to do farm work! We can only keep this house because I’m still here. When I die, Qiao Zhuang’s family will definitely snatch the house away. I’m afraid that you will even be sold to a fool!”
Qiao Zhuang was Qiao Qiang’s younger blood brother, but Qiao Zhuang was sent to live with another family when he was young so he was not close to Qiao Qiang.
The foster family just left Qiao Zhuang to grow up on his own. Qiao Zhuang got used to being tyrannical in the village and now, one generation later, his son was even more disrespectful and unscrupulous.
If not for the fact that he was still around, no one knew what that family would be capable of doing.
Once he was gone, Qiao Zhuang’s family would definitely not let Qiao Mei off. This house and this piece of land would become theirs.
It would not be a problem if they just took the house. He was afraid that they would sell Qiao Mei into the mountain area as a companion for an idiot.
“I heard gossip in the village that they are looking for a husband for you in the mountain area. If you don’t find someone to rely on when I’m still alive, you’ll be doomed once I die.”
Qiao Qiang got so worked up that he gasped and spat out a mouthful of blood on the floor.
“Grandfather!” Qiao Mei’s eyes widened. She quickly stood up to walk to her grandfather’s side and said calmly, “Grandfather, don’t be anxious. I didn’t tell you the truth just now. Actually, he said he would come and marry me in a month!”
“He did? Really?” Qiao Qiang quickly asked.
“It’s true, it’s true!” Qiao Mei nodded quickly and then pointed at the jade pendant on her neck. “It’s definitely true. If you don’t believe me, look at this jade pendant on my neck. It’s the keepsake he left behind!”
Qiao Qiang shifted his gaze to the piece of jade. It was crystal clear and suffused with a faint green glow. It was obviously something nice.
He had roamed the world for half his life, so he was still able to judge things for what they were.
“Did you steal this?” Qiao Qiang asked hesitantly.
“Grandfather, do you think I’m someone who would steal things?” With Qiao Qiang’s retirement salary, he was the richest person in the village. He never treated Qiao Mei poorly when it came to her sustenance. It was impossible that the original owner of the body would steal anything.
“That’s right, that’s right! Our Mei Mei has never taken anything from anyone else!” Qiao Qiang’s eyes disappeared into a smile as he thought of this, seemingly proud of himself. “It’s all grandfather’s fault! I shouldn’t have doubted our Mei Mei!”
“Grandfather, don’t worry. From today onwards, I will work hard to change. If I don’t know how to do farm work, I will learn. I will also learn how to cook. I will definitely not be worse than other people’s daughters!”
“Yes, yes, yes! In the past, Mei Mei was just too lazy to learn. As long as Mei Mei made up her mind, she would definitely be better than other girls. Let’s see who dares to belittle our Mei Mei in the future.”
Qiao Qiang grinned, his face filled with relief and hope.
