"Yes, Mother!" Huang Yuyan imdiately stood up and beca frantic in trying to hurry. "Oh, no. I hope we’re not late to my son and dear Xiulan’s party."
"Calm yourself, dear," Grandma Li said.
"Y-yes, Mother."
"See? You and Jinjing girl are quite similar! Bahahaha!" Grandpa Lu slapped his thighs before standing up as well.
Huang Yuyan felt confused but didn’t ask for clarification. She was more worried about leaving the house right away so that they wouldn’t be late for the party at Dragon Palace.
They rode Grandpa Lu’s limousine. Grandma Li was wearing an elegant dark blue qipao with golden embroidered decorations. On the other hand, her two companions were dressed in modern Western-style clothing. Grandpa Lu was in a sharp custom-tailored tuxedo suit while Huang Yuyan wore a simple yet refined bluish silver dress.
"Do you know what kind of event we’re attending?" Grandma Li asked.
Grandpa Lu harrumphed. "Those kids won’t tell anything! I ask and ask and ask so many tis but they only tell , ’Just please co, Grandpa Lu. You’ll know what it is on the day.’ Why is there a need for such secrecy? Tell what’s the reason. I want to know!"
"Maybe my son and Xiulan are going to make an important announcent," Huang Yuyan suggested.
Grandpa Lu’s eyes lit up. "Excellent suggestion! Maybe Liwei my boy and Xiulan my girl are finally announcing a wedding date. About ti! Or better yet, maybe those slowpokes are finally going to give Sister Zhiruo and I our long-awaited great-grandbaby! So I hope you’re right, Yuyan. This old man can’t wait!"
Grandma Li smiled and nodded in agreent. However, she still told Grandpa Lu, "Brother Jianhong, tone down your impatience a little. We don’t want to jinx anything or we might end up waiting longer for a wedding and great-grandchildren."
Huang Yuyan sighed dreamily. "I can’t wait to be a grandmother to Liwei and Xiulan’s children. Oh, I an human children. I heard that I have four cat grandchildren now but I only t Ice Cream and Popcorn. Such adorable cats. I haven’t t the two youngest yet. There’s Ketchup and the newest one. I forgot his na. My son told when I called the other day but I can’t seem to rember my new grandson’s na."
"His na is Sausage!" Grandpa Lu said in a confident, booming voice. "Or maybe Barbeque. Sothing like that! I know it’s at."
Grandma Li touched her forehead and shook her head before releasing a light sigh. "I adore Xiulan and can’t wait for her to marry my grandson but that child has a terrible naming sense. Liwei is also not without fault. He doesn’t see anything wrong with Xiulan choosing nas based on food. I fear what they will na their children—human children in the future. We must persuade them to allow us or anyone except the two of them to na our great-grandchildren, Brother Jianhong."
They all nodded in a solemn manner.
Since Dragon Palace was quite far from the Jin Family’s old house, the trio spent the journey chatting.
"I’m very happy that my two sons seem to have gotten closer," Huang Yuyan said, her eyes watering. "I cried in happiness and relief when I heard that Chonglin asked his older brother for Jin Corporation shares and Liwei gave him the ones that my husband originally left for our younger son when he...when he d-died...."
Grandma Li sighed, her own eyes starting to mist over. She didn’t lose control of her emotions like her daughter-in-law but that didn’t an that her own pain was any lesser than Huang Yuyan’s. It was her own son who died before her, after all. That was a permanent pain that would never heal for any parent.
Grandpa Lu passed a box of tissues to Huang Yuyan.
"Thank you, Uncle." She daintily wiped her tears, sohow managing to avoid ruining her makeup. "Please excuse for losing control of my emotions."
The two elders waved her apology away.
"Those two boys will only grow closer from now on," Grandpa Lu said in a more subdued booming voice. "I’m advising them on their new venture. Chonglin my boy and Xiulan my girl are planning on establishing their own talent managent and entertainnt production company by converting Liwei my boy’s current film production company."
Huang Yuyan nodded. "Yes, I heard sothing about that from Chonglin. If the three of them are partnering, I have faith that they will be successful, especially since Uncle Jianhong is providing them with wise advice."
"Indeed," Grandma Li agreed. "Liwei might not be as involved in the company but he has always been reliable, not to ntion that he’s a savvy businessman like his grandfather and father. He’ll provide Xiulan and Chonglin with a strong backing. Chonglin has a strong and problematic womanizing tendency, except for when that horrid girl Fan Luo trapped him—"
Huang Yuyan winced and couldn’t help but look guilty.
"—but he’s extrely dedicated to his profession and is not afraid to work hard. That’s how he reached the success that he’s enjoying now. As for Xiulan, what more can I say? That girl is a genius."
"Bahahaha! You got that right!" Grandpa Lu puffed out his chest and acted as if the complints Grandma Li just said were all for him.
Grandma Li gave him a cold snort before patting her daughter-in-law’s shoulder, silently telling her not to dwell on the past.
"Thank you, Mother," Huang Yuyan whispered.
The elder woman shook her head while giving her daughter-in-law a gentle, reassuring smile. "You mustn’t show such a sad expression at your son and future daughter-in-law’s party today."
"Yes, Mother. I won’t."
"Good! Very good! Now if we only know what kind of party it is, then this old man will feel less annoyed at those pinheads! Hmph! They better be announcing a wedding date or the birth of my great-grandbaby today! Why are they so slow in fulfilling this pitiful old man’s wish? I want to know!"
"Calling yourself pitiful? How shaless!" Grandma Li sniffed in mock derision.
Grandpa Lu grinned. "Oh, we’re almost there!"
Dragon Palace Hos lood in the distance.
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