His grandpa was an old man who had the attitude of a child when he lost. He was not one to accept defeat easily. Grandpa Mu sat down immediately and engaged in a round of chess with Mu Feichi.
The grandpa-and-grandson pair were unwilling to budge as they silently fought out a war on the chessboard.
The man with the obvious ticket to victory turned his body with a slight smile and started to boil water on the table next to them.
Even in the intense atmosphere, he still had the attention to boil water and prepare the cups for tea. Grandpa Mu gave him a look and scoffed.
One was unwilling to let the other win, and one was unwilling to lose. The battle on the chessboard finally wrapped up with Grandpa Mu declaring defeat.
Judging the situation on the chessboard, Mu Feichi smiled and claimed his victory. He reached out to keep the pieces. “Grandpa conceded!”
Grandpa gave a quiet HUFF!, his white eyebrows furrowed as he spoke with a childish tone of annoyance, “Drop the pretense. Never have you let me off easy in all my years.”
Mu Feichi had learned all of his skills from watching the older men play chess, no one had ever given him any lessons.
He was a smart child, the smartest among all the Mu, Jiang, and Huo families. He had always been a brat, and the other small children were always being defeated by him.
He had shown this above-average intelligence and talent since he’d been young. This alone had filled his grandpa with pride.
He had wanted to teach him how to play Chinese chess, but Mu Feichi had surprised him by stating, “I cannot compete with you with what I know now, so to avoid losing I will just watch. If I don’t learn, I won’t play.”
Mu Feichi had only been 11 when he had said that. To have this ribbon of pride within him had truly left his grandfather in surprise.
It was years later when Mu Feichi finally wanted to play a round of chess with his grandpa that his grandpa learned of his abilities. The one round of chess had completely defeated an old veteran like Grandpa Mu.
Mu Feichi had learned from him and exceeded him. He was above the level of his battle-hardened grandpa. Mu Feichi had never once lost in a chess game between the two.
“To be kind to your enemy on the battlefield is to be cruel to yourself, did you not teach me this, Grandpa?”
Raising his brows, Mu Feichi pulled out a box of teabags from the drawers of the table and started to make tea for both of them. His handsome features maintained their flippant attitude.
“I didn’t ask you to use them against your grandpa!”
The rear waves of the Yangtze River drive on those in front. At his age, he understood that he had to accept certain defeats from his grandson.
“I’m applying what I have learned. Grandpa, you always taught me to treat everyone as equals.”
With a slight smile, Mu Feichi handed his grandpa the cup of tea he had prepared and tried to pacify him, “Don’t be angry. If you’re angry, I will let you off easy next round.”
“Forget it, I don’t want you to do that. So embarrassing…” With a slight HMPH! Grandpa Mu started fanning himself again and shot his grandson a piercing look.
“You weren’t so keen on coming home when we called you. What brings you here today? Something you need my help for?”
Mu Feichi nodded and did not shy away from his request. “Exactly, there is an affair I need your assistance with.”
He paused and let the words sink in before he spoke again with all seriousness. “The biggest affair of your grandson’s life.”
Grandpa Mu knew about Mu Feichi’s intentions, but he chose to tease him for a bit first. “She’s not of age yet, aren’t you a bit too early? Besides, we’re not in a hurry for you to marry.”
“You might not be in a hurry, but I am. Grandfather Yun had agreed with Grandfather Jiang to cancel the engagement, but they have yet to announce it. Your grandson is rather impatient, and I could directly speak to the Jiang family, but…”
“But the girl is not as heartless as you and still cares about my mood and the reputation of the Jiang family so she stopped you from acting rashly?”
The proverb that you cannot catch an old bird with chaff had never held more true. Mu Feichi nodded. He did not deny the truth. “Therefore, I can only ask my grandpa to speak on my behalf.”
