“That’s not very nice, right…?”
“What’s not nice about it? We’re a family. Why do we have to be so calculative?”
The former master insisted. He did not give her any chance to refuse him.
Zhao Youlin was at her wit’s end. She gritted her teeth and thought to herself, ‘Darn you!’
“If so, I’ll have to thank the eldest uncle in advance. Grandpa, did you purposely come here just to invite me to attend your seventieth grand birthday celebration? It’s only a small matter. You could have assigned someone to pass the invitation card to me so that you don’t have to make a trip yourself.”
The former master of the Zhao family thought to himself, “You tend to reject me using various kinds of excuses even when I personally come to invite you. If I were to ask someone to send an invitation card over, won’t you feign total ignorance?!’
“I haven’t seen you for a long time and missed you. That’s why I rushed over to you as soon as I got off the plane.”
‘Hehe! So, that’s how it is,” ‘I’d have a few screws loose in my head if I believed you!’
In the living hall, the two foxes locked gazes and smiled. The atmosphere looked harmonious on the surface. In truth, there was a rising storm within each of them as their respective agendas brewed.
The former master had gained the upper hand after a long conversation with his eldest granddaughter. Later, he was so thick-skinned that he asked to stay for dinner at Zhao Youlin’s house before departing with much satisfaction.
Right after the former master left, Zhao Youlin immediately hugged Joy and taught him, “Joy, what did I tell you before I went out? Have you forgotten that you can’t simply open the door to strangers?”
Joy was still sucking the lollipop stuffed to him by Uncle Zhao and said innocently, “Mommy, I didn’t open the door for Great-grandpa.”
Zhao Youlin froze, “You didn’t open the door for him?”
Joy nodded seriously and said affirmatively, “He opened the door himself. I thought I’m going to be taken away by the bad guys.”
‘He is a bad guy.’ Zhao Youlin grumbled to herself with much dissatisfaction. After she gave it a second thought, she discovered the crux.
Like the former master of the Zhao family had mentioned, with the Zhao family’s current status, everyone more or less had to give way to him. Therefore, getting her house keys was only a piece of cake.
When Zhao Youlin realized this, she unwittingly felt scared. Now that they have started, there would be a second visitation. She wondered who would be the next to appear abruptly in her house.
In the future, she could not simply leave Joy all alone in the house. What happened if she unintentionally got distracted and allowed him to get kidnapped…
“Mommy…” Joy was nervous when he saw Zhao Youlin fall silent for some time. He called her out pitifully.
Zhao Youlin heaved a sigh. She reached out and caressed Joy’s small head and said, “It’s fine. It’s not your fault, Joy. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t leave you alone at home.”
The former master of the Zhao family’s sudden appearance had taught Zhao Youlin a lesson. She realized that she had been negligent. After all, this was her first time being a mother, and Joy was her first child. Naturally, she was not fully prepared for everything.
She had been wandering on the edge of death for many years. As such, she had learned to come up with solutions that would result in a win-win situation.
Ever since Zhao Youlin had left the Mu family with a child all by herself, there was practically no one around her whom she could put her trust in. Moreover, she had even disguised herself so that no one could identify her the last two times when she went out to handle her things, much less the possibility of taking a child out.
Therefore, she instinctively thought that leaving her child at home would be the safest way. Little did she think that a house without an adult in it was just as dangerous as the outside world.
At the same time, unbeknownst to the former master of the Zhao family, he had already been identified by Zhao Youlin as someone who had invaded her house and would be denied future access to the house. He sat in his luxurious car and said, “Old Zhao, please pick up Youlin and Joy two days later by yourself.”
Uncle Zhao paused for a moment before he asked, “You have decided, then?”
“I was a little hesitant before I saw Youlin’s son. But, after seeing him, I felt… relieved.”
The old master recalled the interaction with Zhao Youlin just now. The corners of his lips unwittingly curved upward. If she were to know what was about to happen at the banquet, he wondered how she would react to it.
Uncle Zhao looked at the old master’s expression with interest. He contemplated for a moment but did not say anything. He nodded and replied, “Noted.”
Attending the former master of the Zhao family’s birthday banquet was a sure thing, so it was meaningless for Zhao Youlin to get herself frustrated over this.
Since Zhao Youlin decided to attend the birthday banquet, she pondered over it and wondered if she would quickly be greeted with hostile looks when only the two of them, Joy and herself, would be attending the banquet.
After she considered it carefully, she thought that it would be better to go with a male companion. Naturally, she had to look for a male companion to be her foil and without a doubt, she immediately thought of her first choice, a young man who could take up the responsibility – Luo Weibing.
Coincidentally, Luo Weibing was again sleeping when he received Zhao Youlin’s call. He answered the call in a daze and immediately woke up when he realized why Zhao Youlin was calling him.
“Sister Lin, you’re the eldest lady of the Zhao family now. You want me to act as your male companion when you attend the former master of the Zhao family’s seventieth grand birthday celebration?” Luo Weibing sounded hoarse, not only because he had just woke up, but he was terrified.
“That’s right. How does it sound?”
Zhao Youlin’s tone, which sounded calm and at ease only agitated Luo Weibing. Just then, he even forgot Zhao Youlin’s actual identity and shouted loudly, “What do you mean by how it sounds?! It doesn’t sound okay at all. Sister Lin, why didn’t you tell me that you’re the eldest daughter of the Zhao family? Ah! I’m dead. I’m so dead! If my father were to know that I not only had messed with Mu Tingfeng’s ex, but I’ve also hooked up with the eldest lady of the Zhao family, he certainly would chop off my head! I’m very sure of that”
Zhao Youlin fell speechless. “What’s with messing with Mu Tingfeng’s ex and hooking up with the eldest lady of the Zhao family?! Even pigs also know that Mu Tingfeng’s ex is actually the eldest lady of the Zhao family in S City! You’re so dumb! It took you so long to find out about it, moron!”
Zhao Youlin drew in a deep breath and said in a muffled voice, “So?”
Luo Weibing’s shriek came to an abrupt end. He faked coughs and cleared his throat before he said, “So, good day to you, Sister Lin. Goodbye, Sister Lin!” He ignored Zhao Youlin’s protests and immediately hung up.
Zhao Youlin froze for some time before she returned to her senses. She gritted her teeth and said to herself, “Darn it, how dare you hang up on me, Luo Weibing! That’s very bold of you!”
Meanwhile, Luo Weibing covered himself under his blanket immediately after he hung up. He could not help but shiver and tears were streaming all over his face. ‘Sister Lin, I really wished to help you out. But, if I do so, I’m afraid I’ll lose my life. Sobs.’
On second thought, the reputation of the eldest lady of the Zhao family was so deep in the muck that her title alone had already scared the hell out of Luo Weibing.
Regardless, the matter of looking for a male companion came to nothing.
Three days after the former master of the Zhao family’s visitation to Zhao Youlin and her son. One evening, Zhao Youlin and Joy heard a loud doorbell ring from outside right after they woke up from their nap.
When she opened the door, she was greeted by Uncle Zhao who stood at the door and said respectfully to her, “Eldest lady, Mr. Zhao has asked me to fetch you to the banquet.”
Zhao Youlin fell speechless. ‘The old coot has even sent someone to pick us up. He must really want us there, dead or alive.’
The corners of Zhao Youlin’s mouth twitched. She casually dressed herself and Joy up. Then, they followed Uncle Zhao out.
She carried Joy and sat behind the car. Then, she took out a medium-sized box and passed it to Uncle Zhao.
Uncle Zhao was a little stunned. He asked in a puzzle, “Is this…”
“This is a birthday present for Grandpa. Uncle Zhao, do you want to open it and take a look?” Zhao Youlin quirked her eyebrow and hinted at him to open it.
