Aunt Jiang was beaming all the way when she saw them. She called out, “You’re finally here. The Old Master has been waiting since yesterday. You should have called to inform us.”
There was chiding in her tone as she glanced meaningfully in the Old Master’s direction.
Like an obedient child, Li Beinian walked up to and greeted him. “Grandpa.”
Old Master Li relaxed his arms as the black cat jumped out of it and ran off, waving its tail as it darted toward Mu Xichen.
The man looked at the cat and immediately, it jumped and gave a loud meow. Then, it took off and hid around the corner, watching him with its tail swaying in the air.
Mu Xichen was flabbergasted.
As though he had been walked out on by a cat.
Steadily and with even footsteps, he walked up to the Old Master with the bags of gifts that he had prepared and called out in greeting, “Grandpa.”
Old Master Li stood up without looking at him.
He reached out and put his hand on Li Beinian, studying her from top to toe. Tsk-tsking, he remarked, “Look how skinny she’s become. To think I trust you so much, how did she turn out like this under your care?”
Li Beinian was speechless.
So wrongfully accused.
She couldn’t help but speak up in his defense.
She told him that she had been in a bad mood lately and didn’t have much appetite.
But she had only married Mu Xichen yesterday!
How could she have put her weight back on overnight?
Unexpectedly, Mu Xichen agreed and nodded in response. “It’s my fault, Grandpa. I will make sure to keep her well-fed and plump from now on.”
“Hmph,” Old Master Li sounded again. But because Mu Xichen had admitted his mistake and displayed a good attitude, Grandpa forgave him.
He sat his granddaughter next to him and lamented. “Nian Nian, you’re a grown-up. It’s such an important matter, you don’t even call your grandpa to inform. That’s saddening.”
He sighed and put on a sad expression.
Li Beinian retorted, “… You sold me out, and you’re telling me you don’t know about this!”
“So what if I knew. You weren’t the one who told me.” Old Master Li was full of grievances. He continued, “Grandpa thinks of you every day. Now that you’re married, you don’t need your Grandpa anymore. Sigh!”
Li Beinian was stumped.
“Alright, alright.” Aunt Jiang intervened. She couldn’t help but laugh. “The older you get, the more muddled you become. Don’t forget what you need to do today.”
On hearing this, Li Beinian became curious. “What does he need to do today?”
Old Master Li humphed again and said, “Can’t I regret it?”
Mu Xichen’s expression grew tense on hearing this, and his expression darkened.
There was a momentary flicker of discomfort in his eyes.
“It’s done and dusted, there’s no point regretting.” Aunt Jiang rebuked him. “But it’s a good thing, too. I do think that Chief Mu is better than Eldest Young Master Mu, so you’ve done the right thing.”
The Old Master was an astute man, and, even though he was having a conversation with Aunt Jiang, his attention was on many other things around him.
Clearly aware of Mu Xichen’s reaction, he pretended to be regretful. “It shouldn’t have been this way, letting you do this on your own and having it taken so lightly. All appropriateness has been thrown out the window. No matter what, there ought to be some parental consensus and a few words from the matchmaker. Although Nian Nian’s parents are no longer around, your father is still around, or else your grandfather?”
The Old Master looked sullenly at Mu Xichen and asked, “Does your grandfather know about this?”
Li Beinian listened to Old Master Li’s words with her eyes attentively fixed on him. Her heart was stirred.
Mu Xichen noticed the strange tone and said seriously, “I’ve mentioned it to my grandfather, but at present, he’s not aware that we’ve registered our marriage.”
Old Master Li sighed to hear this and lamented. “Ultimately, this is not appropriate. This was my mistake.”
