This kid was quite good! The former master nodded his head with satisfaction. He secretly thought in his heart that it looked like Mu Tingfeng was aware of his errors and had turned back from his wrong path. He had finally discovered Youlin’s strengths.
Nothing was better than having a laborer who had come to him of his own free will. It would be a waste if he drove him away. Besides, he was not just a free labor force. In fact, he was a huge gold mine!
“It’s good that you thought that way. Speaking of which, Joy is usually scared of strangers. It’s very rare for him to be so cooperative today. He not only has followed you home, but he also…” The former master suggestively cast a glance at Joy who was staying obediently in Mu Tingfeng’s arms.
Joy’s name was mentioned all of a sudden. He suddenly realized that he was still being carried in Mu Tingfeng’s arms at that moment. His small face unwittingly turned red. He struggled and stretched out his hands toward Zhao Youlin, asking for a hug from her.
In fact, even Zhao Youlin had never thought that Joy would be so close with Mu Tingfeng.
There were a few reasons why she had asked Mu Tingfeng to pick up Joy. One, she wanted to find a reason to ask Mu Tingfeng to come over. Two, she wanted to subtly ease the tension between the father-son pair.
She never thought that her precious son would be so happy to get into someone else’s arms after only spending time together alone once. Their development had been progressing a little too rapidly, right?
As Zhao Youlin thought of this, she took over her son from Mu Tingfeng’s hands with a hint of jealousy. She pinched her son’s small round face sulkily and complained to him in a low voice, “You ungrateful brat. It has not been long since you were separated from me and now, you don’t me anymore and want to run away with others. I’ve been loving you for nothing.”
Joy was pinched until his eyes looked teary. Upon hearing Zhao Youlin’s words, he grew panicked. He hugged Zhao Youlin’s arm tightly as he said, “I never said I don’t want you, Mommy. I love you the most, Mommy. I was only… I was only…”
Joy’s eyes that were filled with tears moved back and forth between Zhao Youlin and Mu Tingfeng pitifully before he looked like he had made up his mind and shouted, “I… I don’t want Daddy. I only want Mommy. Mommy, don’t be unhappy. I only want you, Mommy. I only want you, Mommy… Sob…”
Joy’s childlike scream had successfully struck the people on the spot dumb. They were caught by surprise not because of Joy’s sensitivity but because of how he had addressed Mu Tingfeng.
Daddy? Joy called Mu Tingfeng his daddy?! Zhao Youlin widened her eyes. She turned her head around and cast a glance at Mu Tingfeng in disbelief. Her gaze was akin to cornering him on what kind of method he had used to make Joy call him Daddy within such a short period of time.
President Mu, who had been dragged into a trap innocently, shook his head helplessly to imply that he truly had not done anything to him.
Zhao Youlin cast a suspicious glance at him and took another look at Joy, who was clutching her placket and bursting into tears. She heaved a sigh in resignation.
This was her first time to feel that perhaps the father-son duo was her kryptonite in this life.
“Fine, fine, fine. Joy, be a good boy. Don’t cry. I was joking around just now. Don’t be angry. Regarding this matter, I was at fault. I have been very busy lately and didn’t have time to go and pick you up. Therefore, I asked… I asked your daddy to go and fetch you. I am not angry. Joy, don’t cry. If you continue to cry, your face would be messy and you wouldn’t look cute anymore.
When Joy heard Zhao Youlin’s comfort, he widened his large eyes and stared at her face for some time. After he was convinced that Zhao Youlin was not angry, he sniffed and allowed Zhao Youlin to wipe his messy face clean.
The former master had been quietly watching the interactions between the two adults and the child at the side. A hint of a smile unwittingly showed up in his incredibly clever eyes. He faked a cough and said, “Joy, my beloved eldest grandson. Come, come, come. Let me hug you. Look at your miserable crying face, your grandma would feel heartache when she sees you like this later.”
The former master carried Joy from Zhao Youlin’s arms. He wheedled him, “Aunt Jiang is preparing your favorite refreshment inside the kitchen. I’ll take you to wash your face first. We could have the food once we’re done.”
Indeed, right after Joy heard that he would be having refreshment later, he immediately forgot the unhappy moments just now. He looked hesitantly at Zhao Youlin with his teary eyes as if he was asking if he could leave with his great-grandpa first.
When Zhao Youlin saw this, she did not know if she should laugh or cry. She stretched out with a hand and caressed Joy’s small head as she said, “Don’t overeat. You still have to have your dinner later.”
“Okay, okay!”
The former master looked like he had already guessed the ending. He grinned as he looked at Zhao Youlin and Mu Tingfeng and said teasingly, “Young people like you guys must have something to whisper about. Joy and I wouldn’t stay here as a nuisance. Youlin, I’ll take Joy and go to rest for a while. Young Master Mu and you could have a chat. Don’t neglect him.”
“I got it, Grandpa. Go and take a rest with Joy in peace. You have me here!” How could Zhao Youlin not register the hint of mockery from the former master’s words? She rolled her eyes at him in resignation before she raised her hand and drove the disrespectable, gossipy old man away impatiently.
“Alright, alright, alright. I wouldn’t stay here anymore so that you wouldn’t find me to be displeasing in your sight. Sigh, I am old and people usually find old people a nuisance. Luckily, I still have my precious great-grandson with me. Joy, you have to be filial to me in the future and provide for me in my old age.”
Joy looked at the former master dumbfoundedly before he nodded his head. He said in a serious manner, “Okay, I will. In the future, I would provide for Great-grandpa, Grandpa and Grandma at your old age. I would also provide for Mommy and Daddy when they are old.”
“Yes, that’s right. You are truly worthy of being my good great-grandson.”
Zhao Youlin and Mu Tingfeng fell speechless.
After watching the silhouettes of the former master and Joy fading away, Zhao Youlin could not help but heave a sigh of relief. The moment she turned her head around, she was greeted by the sight of Mu Tingfeng staring at her intensely. Her heart clenched slightly and she asked in puzzlement, “What’s the matter?”
Mu Tingfeng schooled his face discreetly before he turned and looked in the direction where the former master had left. He said, “Nothing. The former master looks like he is in a good mood today.”
Zhao Youlin was stunned. She thought to herself, ‘How could that old man not be in a good mood when his precious grandson, whom he has been longing for, has finally popped out?’
However, at that moment, Zhao Youlin naturally did not reveal this to Mu Tingfeng. After all, Duan Yarong and the rest of her group had not taken Han Yichen in just yet. It could get unnecessarily complicated and new risks would arise instead if too many people learned of Han Yichen’s identity.
“Perhaps, it could be due to a good appetite since the arrival of a new cook. His mood naturally got better as well.” Zhao Youlin replied perfunctorily as she turned her head back and looked at Mu Tingfeng.
A hint of complexity unusually showed up on Mu Tingfeng’s probing gaze. “Just now, my grandpa has clearly set you up. Aren’t you usually quite smart? Why did you still foolishly jump into the pit that he has dug for you?”
Mu Tingfeng was not upset by Zhao Youlin’s question. Instead, his expression relaxed slightly and he asked in a happy mood, “Are you worrying about me?”
