“Good. Take care on your way, Grandma Zhan. Zhan Yue, help Grandma Zhan up.”
Zeng Xiaoya smiled, stood up, and saw the old lady off for a short distance.
Zhan Yue looked at her deeply and said, “Xiaoya, you are busy. No need to see us out.”
Zeng Xiaoya still accompanied the grandmother and grandson out of the consultation room. Only after watching them walk far away did she return to her seat and continue seeing patients.
The old lady turned her head to glance back. Seeing that Zeng Xiaoya had returned to the room, she said to Zhan Yue, “Your rival is no threat at all. Just focus on making Xiaoya fall in love with you.”
“Dr Lin himself is quite good, but his parents’ judgement is not great.”
“I have never been afraid of him.”
Zhan Yue said confidently.
“Grandma, shall I take you back to my place or to Big Brother’s house?”
The old lady touched her phone and said, “Your big brother seems to have sent me a voice message. I have not listened to it yet.”
She took out her phone, opened WeChat, and after listening to the voice message from Zhan Yin, she said to Zhan Yue, “You heard it too. Your big brother said someone from the old Shang family came to pick up Beibei. Take me to the Shang house.”
“Since Old Fei passed away, it has been a long time since I last visited the Shang family. It will be good to chat with Fengying. Looking after grandchildren at home must be driving her mad by now.”
When there was only one grandson, Mrs Shang still had plenty of patience.
Once the grandsons multiplied, she began to get headaches.
The eldest was only a few years old. They were all at the most boisterous age.
Zhan Yue laughed. “Is Grandma gloating? Having the house full of children and grandchildren is happiness, even if the grandsons are noisy. It is better than a quiet home.”
“That is true. A home only feels normal when children are making a racket. After I retired, your grandfather and I looked after you all and taught you. Though you were very noisy and naughty when little, I still felt very happy.”
“Before you started kindergarten, you were always by my side. After kindergarten and primary school, I could see you mornings and evenings. In middle school, it was weekends. In high school, once a month.”
“When you went to university and worked during winter and summer holidays, I could only see you at New Year. Once you started jobs, ha, sometimes I could not even see you then.”
“So cherish the time when children are close. In the past, when you nine brothers were making a din at home, my head would ache. But when you left one by one for school, I longed day and night for your return, gazing at the stars and moon.”
“Now you all have your own little families. Though you are very filial to this old woman, you no longer need me, and you cannot stay by my side every day as you did when small.”
“The house is always quiet. Even with many people coming and going, I still feel lonely. They only work in our home. They are not my family.”
“Thank goodness for the great-grandchildren. I am truly fortunate. I have seen so many great-grandchildren born and watched them grow little by little. The house has regained the sound of children’s laughter and noise, sweeping away my loneliness.”
Zhan Yue said apologetically, “Grandma, we are still not filial enough. We have not kept you company properly.”
“Now I do not need you to keep me company. Having the great-grandchildren is enough. You should hurry and get all the granddaughters-in-law married in. Then even if I die, I can rest in peace.”
“I am far more fortunate than your grandfather. I have seen you all marry and held great-granddaughters.”
“Grandma, do not keep talking about dying. We do not like to hear it.”
The old lady laughed. “I am ninety years old. What is there to fear? Though I am greedy too and would love to live to one hundred and twenty. Everyone wishes that. How many people dream of immortality?”
