Chapter 143

Chapter 143

Zhai Hongyi personally cooked a bowl of longevity noodles for Old Man Zhai, hand-rolling the dough and blanching a few small cabbages before drizzling Tang Qingqing's spicy meat sauce over them.

Old Man Zhai ate without looking up, crunching on garlic while slurping the noodles, making everyone else want to eat more just by watching him.

If Grandma Wu hadn't stopped him, Old Man Zhai would have asked for seconds after finishing the large bowl.

Even so, Old Man Zhai was very satisfied. After finishing the big bowl, he wiped his mouth, patted his belly, and let out a long sigh:

"Delicious!"

Ever since his illness, his diet had been strictly controlled, and it was rare for him to indulge like this.

Grandma Wu shook her head helplessly: "With you eating like this, Qingqing might think we don't feed you enough normally."

"I really don't get enough food usually," Old Man Zhai grumbled.

He had often gone hungry in the past, and being a big eater, his appetite had become like a bottomless pit once his circumstances improved.

When he was younger, regular exercise kept his metabolism high, but now that he was older, less activity meant slower metabolism, and eating as much as before would harm his health.

But his stomach had grown accustomed to large portions, and having experienced hunger, he feared it deeply. So when his diet was restricted, Old Man Zhai felt uncomfortable all over.

Still, he was an old revolutionary. Though sometimes he could be stubborn, he listened to advice when it mattered. He wasn't the type to ignore doctors' orders, especially with Grandma Wu watching over him, which helped him endure.

He wasn't ready to die yet; he wanted to see how the world would change, whether the reforms would make the country stronger and improve people's lives. Thus, Old Man Zhai generally followed medical advice.

This occasional indulgence made him very content.

After finishing the noodles, Old Man Zhai remembered to greet Tang Qingqing.

"Qingqing, consider this your home. Help yourself to whatever you like; don't be shy."

Besides the longevity noodles, the nanny had prepared a table full of dishes. For a birthday feast, there weren't many dishes—just four plus a soup—but they were varied and plentiful.

Most importantly, they all suited Tang Qingqing's taste.

Grandma Wu didn't have Old Man Zhai's hearty appetite and preferred lighter fare. From the rhythm of her chopsticks, it was clear that the meat dishes were specially prepared for Tang Qingqing.

This made Tang Qingqing feel even more relaxed, without any of the awkwardness of a first visit.

"Grandpa, I've eaten quite a lot."

Old Man Zhai nodded: "Eating well is a blessing. Now that life is better, some young girls refuse to eat to look pretty. How long has it been since people could fill their bellies? Not eating won't give you a good body; what's the point of just being pretty?"

Food was still relatively scarce, and everything required ration coupons, but some people no longer had such worries.

Though retired, Old Man Zhai had once held a high position and was still respected, limiting his social circle to a fixed group of people.

Previously, educated youth were sent to the countryside to experience rural life and understand the hardships of ordinary people.

Now, such practices had ceased, and some became accustomed to luxury, leading to various problems.

Grandma Wu shook her head disapprovingly: "Why do you talk about these things with Qingqing? You're already too chatty. This is her first visit, and she has to listen to your complaints."

Old Man Zhai glared: "This is a serious issue!"

Grandma Wu: "That's why young people don't like you; you can't help lecturing them."

Seeing Old Man Zhai about to flare up, Tang Qingqing smiled and interjected:

"Grandpa, I agree with you. Nothing is more important than a healthy body. I also went through hunger as a child, so I fear it too. But to maintain my health, I eat smaller meals more frequently."

Old Man Zhai's expression softened: "That's good. What's more important than a healthy body? A healthy body means a good appearance. Besides, competence matters more than looks!"

Old Man Zhai was a talkative person, and he was very interested in the world of the young.

After eating and drinking his fill, he asked Tang Qingqing many questions about her school life, the views of young people on the reforms, and the cases she had worked on.

Especially the cases she had worked on; those interested him the most.

Many cases reflected current social conflicts, providing insights into societal trends.

Tang Qingqing selected some representative cases to share with Old Man Zhai, analyzing the underlying causes.

Over the years, she had read many books on psychology and sociology, enhancing her ability to summarize and analyze.

Some cases were emblematic of the era, revealing many social issues.

Old Man Zhai frowned slightly, pulling a cigarette from his pocket.

He didn't light it, just held it between his lips, lost in thought.

Old Man Zhai didn't have a heavy smoking habit, but sometimes he needed a puff. Knowing the smell was strong, he never smoked in front of the younger generation, only holding the cigarette to aid his thinking.

Grandma Wu sighed helplessly, looking at Tang Qingqing: "Your grandpa has this habit; even in retirement, he can't stop worrying."

Tang Qingqing didn't find it inappropriate. After all, he had worked hard to build a prosperous nation.

She actually enjoyed listening to elders chat, learning much from their words.

Leaving, Grandma Wu gave Tang Qingqing a jar of jasmine tea she had dried herself and sincerely invited her to visit often.

Old Man Zhai also welcomed Tang Qingqing, saying she could drop by anytime to chat.

"My grandparents really liked you; they almost forgot about me, their own grandson. Don't be fooled by Grandpa's chattiness; if he doesn't like someone, he won't even open his mouth."

Tang Qingqing laughed: "They are easy to get along with; they're different from what I imagined."

Stripped of their accolades, the two elders were not much different from ordinary old folks, except perhaps for their greater concern about national affairs and the well-being of the people.

"That's because they recognize you. Otherwise, even if I had brought you back, it would have been just a matter of face, and they wouldn't have asked you to visit them whenever you had free time."

Grandpa Zhai and Grandma Wu were long past the age where they needed to cater to others or place their own preferences second.

Their status meant that only others accommodated them, never the other way around.

Moreover, with their temperaments, they were even less willing to endure any injustice.

While they did feel guilty towards Zhai Hongyi and thus pampered him, it was also because his conduct aligned with their preferences.

The two elders had three sons and two daughters, each with at least two children, making up a total of twenty grandchildren. Yet, the ones closest to them were still Zhai Hongyi and his siblings.

Of course, part of this was due to their connections in the capital. Most of Zhai Hongyi's uncles and aunts lived elsewhere, and his cousins only returned during the New Year, often not all together.

Zhai Hongyi's stepmother and her children were not close to the family, not because she was remarried or because her children were not blood-related to the Zhaos.

It was simply due to differing ideologies, which led the two elders to be distant from her and the children she raised.

To the two elders, Liu Yuan, Zhai Hongyi's stepmother, was too adept at social maneuvering, always focused on socializing.

The two elders were pragmatists and disliked those who relied on connections.

Thus, they rarely allowed Liu Yuan to visit, which was also a public statement that they did not approve of her using their reputation.

Though retired, the two elders remained influential figures.

For major decisions, higher-ups would seek their opinions, and their strong opposition or support would be taken into consideration.

As for the two children Liu Yuan brought—Zhai Sining and Zhai Sian—the reasons were similar.

Zhai Sining was the example Grandpa Zhai often criticized for not appreciating blessings, deliberately starving herself for the sake of beauty.

Zhai Sining has never held a proper job, spending her days attending various events with her biological mother, Liu Yuan, clearly seeking a good marriage.

So, she constantly focused on her appearance, something the elder despised.

But since she wasn't a direct granddaughter, he found it hard to criticize her openly.

Zhai Sian, on the other hand, was better; after high school, he joined the military. However, he tried to leverage the Zhai family's influence, which earned him a warning from the two elders, preventing his father from making mistakes.

This made Zhai Sian resentful towards the two elders, feeling that he was treated differently because he wasn't a direct grandson.

Though he behaved obediently in front of them, the two elders could see through his ulterior motives.

Tang Qingqing understood Zhai Hongyi's explanation: "So that's how it is. I thought they were distant from your stepmother because of you."

"I am their grandson, and so are the other two. Grandparents wouldn't deliberately mistreat anyone. They base their attitudes purely on personal preference and the person's conduct, regardless of blood ties.

For instance, my eldest cousin and second cousin are the children of my uncle's comrade-in-arms, whom the grandparents adore because they are pragmatists, contributing to the nation's development in remote areas. But they aren't as close to my uncle's biological children because they find them less grounded."

Some people understand this preference, while others stubbornly attribute it to other reasons.

Tang Qingqing nodded, "So you're saying they genuinely like me?"

"With their support, you don't need to worry."

Tang Qingqing was puzzled, "Worry about what?"

Zhai Hongyi rubbed his nose, his gaze wandering: "No need to worry about being harassed by some trivial people, allowing you to focus on your work."

Tang Qingqing blinked, "Brother, are you overthinking? Who could harass me? Besides, I'm not that weak. I don't need someone to stand up for me when I get bullied. You're underestimating me!"

"I'm not underestimating you; it's just that this situation is different..."

Zhai Hongyi's expression was peculiar, as if he wanted to say more but hesitated.

"What's different?" Tang Qingqing grew even more curious.

Zhai Hongyi pursed his lips, silent for a while, focusing on driving.

After a moment, Zhai Hongyi finally spoke: "Qingqing, what do you think of me?"

Tang Qingqing was taken aback, "Brother, why are you suddenly asking this?"

Zhai Hongyi didn't respond, his eyes fixed straight ahead as if the road conditions were complex, though there were no cars or people around.

"You're obviously an exceptionally good person. I haven't met anyone better than you." Tang Qingqing added, "My master doesn't participate in rankings."

"Really?"

"Absolutely!"

Tang Qingqing nodded vigorously, her expression earnest, listing Zhai Hongyi's virtues one by one.

Competent, down-to-earth, kind, considerate...

Tang Qingqing wished to heap every positive adjective on Zhai Hongyi, making his ears turn red, almost losing himself in her praise.

Zhai Hongyi quickly interrupted her, fearing he might become a saint worshipped in temples.

"What if we were in a relationship?"

Tang Qingqing affirmed, "Of course, you'd still be the best."

"If you think I'm that good, how about being in a relationship with me?"