novelraw Chapter 559 - 558: I’m Doing Pretty Well! (Part 1)
Chapter 559 - 558: I’m Doing Pretty Well! (Part 1)
The Old Master looked earnestly at Le Tong. The Old Yang Family, by the time it reached his generation, had become a large and prosperous household, flourishing both in business and population. Yet, over the years, despite having a full house of descendants, not one had ever stirred such a strong desire in him to protect.Perhaps, because she is a girl, or perhaps, because she is the daughter of his youngest son, with whom they had lost contact for more than twenty years. Or maybe, it was because she had endured so many hardships yet remained strong and optimistic, making him want to make it up to her properly.
"I’m sorry, I have never thought about this issue before, and I don’t think I will consider it in the future either." However, his kind intentions were once again rejected without hesitation by Le Tong.
To Le Tong, even though Yang Family blood ran through her veins, she had her own life and her own family, and whether or not she bore the Yang surname would not have any impact on her, nor did she want it to.
As for the clauses the Old Master had instructed the lawyer to add in front of her yesterday, she understood what they implied. But seeing the Old Master looking so robust and healthy, she figured she wouldn’t have to worry or be troubled by it in the near future. Besides, even if she was troubled, wasn’t there Ji Rui behind her supporting her?
The Old Master probably realized he was still too anxious, thinking it was because her attitude today lacked the cold indifference with which she previously kept everyone at bay. So, it made him want to get closer to her and receive more familial warmth from her.
This wanting for a bit of warmth from the younger generation, even if it was just pity, was something he had never tried before.
Even with Yang Sheng, his most favored and admired grandson, he had never tried to ask or please so humbly.
Perhaps in the future, the position of Yang Sheng in his heart would have to begrudgingly rank below this girl.
The Old Master felt secretly guilty towards Yang Sheng, but little did he know, Yang Sheng had already clearly understood this since yesterday.
"Really... not considering it?" After spending a few days with Le Tong, the Old Master gradually got a sense of Le Tong’s temperament.
Looking delicate and fragile like a soft persimmon on the outside, but actually stubborn and fiery inside, yet kind-hearted and easily soft-hearted. For someone with such a personality, pressuring her was the worst approach; one could only use a gentle policy.
"Hmm, I’m doing quite well now!" Le Tong nodded freely, without any pretentiousness.
Implicitly, she was very satisfied with her current situation.
Her words made the Old Master hesitate and swallow back a matter he was initially pondering over how to discuss with her.
Given her current attitude, bringing up such a topic might only have a counterproductive effect; it might inadvertently shatter the hard-earned harmony and trust they had built, and what would happen then?
Finally, his precious granddaughter was willing to look him in the eye and speak a few sincere words, the Old Master wasn’t foolish enough to risk that. So, he eagerly avoided sensitive issues and opened with a safe topic.
"Could you show Grandpa some photos of you from when you were little?"
But even with such an extremely safe topic, the Old Master was still exceedingly cautious. With such a trivial matter, he was all nerves.
The Old Master’s cautious and timid manner reminded Le Tong of the time when she first discovered Baobao was her son, carrying a similar tiny, overly anxious feeling. That thought made Le Tong feel a twinge of discomfort, prompting her to reflect whether she had been too inconsiderate towards the elderly man.
After all, he was just an ordinary old man yearning for family; as a junior, why trouble him?
"Please wait a moment, I’ll get them for you."
Le Tong stood up and took a few thin photo albums from the bookshelf, handing them to the Old Master.
"These only have pictures of me and my mother; if you want to see Baobao’s, I can get them for you later when I return."
Le Tong’s straightforward cooperation left the Old Master both shocked and flattered.
"Of course, I’d like to see them, is it okay?"
Le Tong smiled, "Why not? You didn’t mention it earlier; if you had, Baobao himself would have brought them to you."
The Old Master was momentarily distracted by the brilliant and glowing smile of his precious granddaughter.
Seeing her stubbornness from yesterday, he thought it would take considerable time and effort to carefully attend to this little ancestor. Who would have thought that just one night and a plane ride would make this little girl seem like a different person?
Yesterday’s obstinance was completely gone, and today she smiled at him like a wildflower on a mountain, bright and dazzling.
With this temperament, it was no wonder Sheng and the Ji Family boy treated her like a treasure.
In families as prestigious as the Yang and Ji Families, everyone they met looked at them as if through money-tinted glasses.
But this girl had a different temperament. When she didn’t like you, it didn’t matter whether you held a silver mine or a gold mountain in front of her; she would still ignore you with a cold face.
When she liked you, she didn’t even care to scrutinize your intentions; those pretty eyes were clear and straightforward with no ulterior motives. Her words were straightforward too, as they should be, with a refreshing directness...
The Old Master finally gathered his thoughts, "That’s great, that little guy Baobao is quite good at managing things..."
The photos of Baobao—Yang Sheng also had a few, and the Old Master had looked at them last night. But a few photos were clearly not the same as a complete collection from childhood to adulthood.
The Old Master opened the album happily, his mood lightened so much that even the wrinkles on his face seemed to carry a smile.
"Girl, you really look like your mother..."
On the first page of the album was a picture of Le Tong’s mother holding a newborn Le Tong. At that time, Mrs. Le should have been in her early twenties, and aside from the difference in clothing and bearing, she looked almost identical to Le Tong now, just from their facial features.
"Yes, everyone says that!"
Le Tong tilted her head and gazed at the album with a big and small smile.
By now, she had completely walked out from the shadow of losing her mother.
As the two of them talked, Uncle Jing, who was sitting on the other side of the Old Master, leaned over to look.
"Ah Jing, take a look..." The Old Master pointed at the photo of Mrs. Le.
Uncle Jing also seemed a bit lost looking at the photo, muttering, "Indeed, very much alike..."
Whether he meant Le Tong resembled her mother or Mrs. Le resembled his favorite movie star was anyone’s guess.
"In the blink of an eye, she’s grown so much..."
The Old Master gently touched the small figure in the photo, filled with emotion.
"Miss Tongtong’s eyebrows and expressions as a child resemble Young Master Weikang’s by five or six parts."
After Uncle Jing mentioned it, the Old Master stared at the photo for a moment, then looked carefully at Le Tong for a few seconds, "Hmm, not just as a child, even now her expressions and demeanor bear a five or six-part similarity."