Uncle Zhao stood behind the old master. When he heard Zhao Youlin’s blunt words, he could not help but laugh as well.
Was the eldest lady beating around the bush and saying that the old master did not have any self-respect? It seemed like she still held a grudge over the fact that she had been set up by the old master during the banquet!
But speaking of which, perhaps only the eldest lady would dare to say such things to the old master in the Zhao family.
The servants who had finally returned to their senses after their initial shock turned pale when they heard this, and it not simply because of Zhao Youlin’s rudeness, but also because of her courage.
To the servants, no matter how much the old master liked Zhao Youlin, the very first sentence she said had already trampled over the old master’s limits.
But Zhao Youlin did not even care about holding back. She took the inch that she had and turned it into a mile, insulting him further. Now, no matter how highly the old master regarded the other person, he would still be angry!
Everyone held their breaths and waited for the old master to fly into a rage, but the old master did something that surprised them.
The hand that had been stretched out to Joy froze in the air, and after a while, he turned his head around stiffly and looked at Uncle Zhao with a resentful expression. In distress, he asked, “Am I… that old?”
“Pfft…” Uncle hurriedly stuffed his fist against his mouth and tried his best to make his facial muscles tense. “You’re definitely very energetic despite your age. You might be seventy years old, but you look like you’re in your forties.”
The old master seemed to be encouraged by those words. He immediately became high-spirited and pointed at Uncle Zhao while he looked at Zhao Youlin. He said smugly, “Lass, did you hear that? Listen to what Uncle Zhao said. I’m not old! Really!”
Zhao Youlin rolled her eyes at him in disdain. Her tongue lashed out cruelly again. “How could you believe whatever he says? You’re really muddle-headed now because of your age.”
Muddle-headed, muddle-headed, muddle-headed…
The old master felt that his heart had been shot through, and he fell on the floor, unable to get up.
Old fox vs young fox, third round! The young fox won!
The servants in the house were dumbfounded. They could not register what had happened.
Zhao Youlin cast a final glance at the old master, who squatted by the side with a gloomy expression, his integrity and prestige all crushed. She rolled her eyes in resignation and could not be bothered to continue arguing with this person. She turned around and asked the servant closest to her, “Where is my room?”
That servant was a middle-aged woman. When she heard Zhao Youlin’s question, she shuddered as if she had snapped out of her daydream. She quickly said, “It’s on the second floor. I’ll bring you up there now.”
“I’ll help.” Duan Yarong was done witnessing the old master make a fool of himself. When she heard Zhao Youlin ask about her room, she quickly went over and ordered the group of servants to help Zhao Youlin move her luggage.
Zhao Youlin held her son and was prepared to go upstairs, but suddenly, she remembered something. She stopped moving and went back to stand in front of the old master.
When the old master saw Zhao Youlin returning, he instantly became energetic, and he smiled so brightly that his wrinkles appeared. “Lass, I knew that you wouldn’t cast me aside without so much as a word. Come, let me hug Joy.”
As she watched the old master extend his hand to Joy again, Zhao Youlin’s lips twitched. They curled upward, and she said, “You’re overthinking things.”
“…Then, why did you come back?”
Zhao Youlin did not answer. She brought out two golden hairpins from her handbag and handed them to the old master. “I just wanted to return these things to you. Here, take them. The items have returned to their original owner.”
That day, she had left in anger, unintentionally taking the two golden hairpins with her. Even though she did not know the true value of the two golden hairpins, she was not a fool. With just one glance, she could tell that these were luxurious items. It would be better for her to return them at the first opportunity that came.
Misfortune would come to commoners who were in possession of valuable things. This was something she knew.
the old master’s fragile heart broke once more. But this time, he was not in a hurry to stick it back together. Instead, he let out a huff and said, “I’m not taking them back. I’ve already given you those hairpins, there’s no reason for me to take them back.”
When Zhao Youlin heard this, her lips twitched, and she went berserk in her heart. ‘What do you mean, you won’t take them back?! You’re already seventy years old! Can you not be so childish! Be more mature! M-A-T-U-R-E! What the heck?!’
She sucked in a deep breath, and Zhao Youlin said earnestly, “Grandfather, I cannot take things without earning them. These are valuable items. It’s better for you to take them back and give them to someone more suitable.”
Once Zhao Youlin finished speaking, she moved her hand away, wanting to give the hairpins to Uncle Zhao.
The old master acted swiftly and stopped her. With a hostile expression, he said, “What are you doing?”
“Returning the hairpins!” Zhao Youlin looked at the old master like he was someone who just refused to listen to reason. She felt really helpless before the old master’s unreasonable behavior.
The old master glared at her, and truth be told, it was a little scary. “What do you mean, return? These things are for Joy. They’re not for you. Why are you returning them?”
Zhao Youlin was stunned. Then, not knowing whether she wanted to laugh or cry, she said, “For Joy? Joy is a boy, why would he need them?”
The old master snorted and said righteously, “These are your grandmother’s dowry, and they are your grandmother’s favorite. Now, they’re family heirlooms, and they’re for Joy’s… future wife, my future great granddaughter-in-law.”
Zhao Youlin felt even more helpless. What exactly was he talking about? Joy was only four years old. All this talk about great-granddaughters-in-law was too early! At the end of the day, he was still beating around the bush and wanted to give them to her. Besides…
Zhao Youlin took a look at the golden hairpins in her hand. When she heard that these were left behind by the dead mistress of the Mu family, Zhao Youlin did not feel delighted by having this treasure, as normal people would. Instead, she felt that these were troublesome items that would definitely bring her hate. She must get rid of them as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, before she could do anything, Joy asked curiously from her shoulder, “Mom, what’s a wife?”
Zhao Youlin almost choked on her saliva.
Meanwhile, as if he thought that the situation was not messy enough, the old master drew close and said, “A wife is—”
“Grandfather!” Zhao Youlin glared at the old master fiercely and tried to use her gaze to kill this eccentric old man who had tried to destroy the innocence of a child.
The old master felt a little guilty because of Zhao Youlin’s glare.
Duan Yarong used some time to suppress her laughter by the side before she came up to mediate the situation. “Youlin, since the old master wants to give them to you, just take them. It’s a kind gesture. If you reject it, Grandfather will be sad.”
When Duan Yarong said those words, while Zhao Youlin still felt reluctant, she also thought that if she continued lingering in the same space as them, this eccentric old man might do something else that lacked even more integrity and harm her pure and adorable Joy.
After weighing the pros and cons, Zhao Youlin sighed softly and took back the two golden hairpins. She said reluctantly, “Thank you then, Grandfather.”
Then, with Joy in her arms, she went upstairs.
“Hey, Youlin, wait for me.”
With all smiles, the old master watched Duan Yarong and Zhao Youlin disappear at the end of the stairs. He turned to his eldest son, who had stood by the side as if he was just a background object, and asked smugly, “So? I have good judgment, don’t I? Are you satisfied with my granddaughter?”
