Chapter 4, the Jade Pendant

Chapter Four:

“Xiao Xi just got home today, and Shao Yan hasn’t even had dinner with her yet. It’s inappropriate to make him kneel in front of Mom’s photo.” Mu Zheng’s tone was gentle. “Even if my mom were here now, she definitely wouldn’t agree.”

When Mu Feng heard him mention his wife, his anger subsided slightly.

Mu Zheng added, "Shao Yan, don't you know what you can and can't say? Stop saying things like that in the future!"

This tone was very stern.

Mu Shaoyan: ...

"What are you still standing there for? Sit down!" Mu Zheng looked at him.

Mu Shaoyan: ...

Mu Shaoyan had no choice but to sit down, feeling frustrated.

Honestly, he secretly vowed that he would never say "whose mother" again. Weren't they forbidding him from saying "whose mother"? Then he would say "whose father"! Anyway, his father wasn't dead, so he didn't deserve respect!

Mu Feng, who is not worthy of respect: ...

Mu Feng was furious at the sight of his unruly youngest son. He looked away and, by sheer coincidence, saw Mu Shaoting, who was also a troublesome fellow!

Thinking of his second son who hadn't come home yet, Mu Feng was so angry he almost had a stomachache.

He turned his head and looked at Mu Zheng. Fortunately, there was still a reliable person at home. But the next second, he thought of Mu Zheng's wife and her son, whose father was unknown and who was not Mu Zheng's.

Mu Feng: ...

Mu Feng felt he might as well just die now and go see his wife.

Every single child in this family is a handful!

It's not like he doesn't have one. Mu Feng suddenly realized that he had gained another grandson.

Mu Feng looked at Ye Qingxi, who was sitting quietly in a chair, without saying a word, neither crying nor making a fuss.

What an obedient child! Even so, Mu Shaowu still dares to be late. He really deserves a beating!

"Let's eat," Mu Feng said.

He picked up a piece of fish and placed it in Ye Qingxi's bowl, softening his tone as he said, "You eat it."

Mu Shaoyan: ? ? ?

No, his father can actually speak in such a gentle voice?

Is this still his father?

He had never heard such a tone of voice used to coax a child before.

Mu Shaoyan snorted inwardly, thinking to himself that the old man was biased. When they were young, he favored his older brothers, then his sister, and now he was favoring his grandson who was not related to him by blood. He didn't like him at all.

Thinking about this, Mu Shaoyan lost his appetite.

However, if he put down his chopsticks now, not only would his father not be happy, but his brother would also cut off his allowance, accusing him of not giving face to the new kid. Therefore, Mu Shaoyan stuffed food into his mouth in frustration, occasionally glancing at Ye Qingxi, wanting to see what kind of magic this little devil had that made his iron-blooded and ruthless father take such good care of him.

Ye Qingxi: ...

Ye Qingxi naturally felt his gaze. He raised his head, looked at Mu Shaoyan, and blinked innocently.

Mu Shaoyan immediately lowered his head, thinking to himself that this kid was quite clever. And to be honest, he was quite cute, much cuter than his older brother's adopted son.

No wonder his father likes him.

His father is really pitiful. He nominally has two grandsons now, but one was brought over when his sister-in-law got married and has no relation to his family at all. The other is his friend's child and has no blood relation to him either. Thinking about it, his father has had a tough time.

Thinking of this, Mu Shaoyan looked at Mu Feng with a sense of pity.

Mu Feng: ?

"Why are you looking around with your eyes instead of eating properly?!"

Mu Shaoyan: ...Well, he's just being overly concerned.

Why show concern for his father? Does his father even need his concern?

What a waste of emotion!

Mu Shaoyan lowered his head again and stuffed rice into his mouth.

The meal went fairly well.

Now that Ye Qingxi has shrunk in size, her appetite has naturally decreased, and she finishes eating much earlier.

He put down his chopsticks and heard his phone ring.

Mu Shaoting answered the call, and upon hearing something, exclaimed with delight, "Really? Okay, okay, I'll be right there."

After saying that, she hung up the phone and looked at Mu Feng, "Dad, my friend needs to talk to me, I have to go now."

Mu Feng: ...

Mu Shaoting then looked at Ye Qingxi, "Take your time eating. Auntie is leaving now. I'll bring you a small cake next time we meet."

Ye Qingxi could only nod politely, "Goodbye, Auntie."

Upon hearing this, Mu Shaoting grabbed his bag and quickly left the restaurant.

Her movement caused Mu Shaoyan to stand up as well.

"I have something to do too."

"What do you want?!" Mu Feng asked, puzzled.

Mu Shaoyan: ? ? ? ! ! !

See? He said his dad disliked him the most, right? When Mu Shaoting said he had something to do, his dad didn't say anything, but when it was his turn, it was just, "What do you want?"

"I have important business to attend to!" Mu Shaoyan said deliberately.

Mu Feng scoffed, "What important business could you possibly have?"

Mu Shaoyan: ...

Mu Shaoyan was so angry that he didn't want to say anything, and turned around and walked straight out of the restaurant.

"Stop hanging out with your bunch of scoundrels!" Mu Feng roared.

Mu Shaoyan ignored him and slammed the villa door shut.

Ye Qingxi: ...

Ye Qingxi glanced at the old villain beside her out of the corner of her eye and saw that his expression was indeed not very good.

"One by one..." Mu Feng couldn't eat anymore. He threw down his chopsticks, stood up, took a few steps, and turned around to say "come here" to Mu Zheng, but he accidentally saw Ye Qingxi.

Mu Feng: ...Really, you're so angry you've forgotten about your grandson whom you just recently adopted.

"Xiao Xi, have you finished eating?" Mu Feng quickly turned back and walked to Ye Qingxi's side.

Ye Qingxi nodded, "I'm done eating."

Mu Feng breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the smile on his face. Fortunately, the child didn't seem to be affected.

"Then I'll take you back to your room."

Ye Qingxi shook her head, jumped off the chair, and said, "I'll go back by myself."

"OK."

Mu Feng didn't think that going back to his room was something a child couldn't do alone and that he needed to accompany him.

Upon hearing Ye Qingxi's words, Mu Zheng stood up and walked over to him.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Mu Zheng, and I'll be your uncle from now on." He said, taking out a box. "This is a gift for you."

Ye Qingxi was somewhat surprised.

He never imagined that someone would send him a gift upon meeting him.

He lowered his head, and Mu Zheng opened the box, inside which was a lustrous and clear jade pendant of Guanyin.

This was an experience Ye Qingxi had never had in her previous life.

No one had ever given him such a jade pendant, let alone when he was so young.

However, it seems that he did want a Guanyin jade pendant like that once.

When was that?

Ye Qingxi thought about it very carefully and finally remembered.

He was very young then, about six or seven years old. He saw his classmate wearing a jade pendant and thought it was pretty, so he wanted one too.

So when he got home, he told his parents, but they were busy contacting the film crew and getting ready, and didn't pay any attention.

"What would a little kid like you need this for?" his mother laughed. "When you make another movie and earn more money, you can buy one for your mother first, okay? I don't want a jade pendant, I prefer a jade bracelet."

Ye Qingxi naturally nodded in agreement.

He felt that he should buy it for his mother first, and then he could buy it for himself.

Later, after he finished filming, his mother did indeed have a jade bracelet on her wrist. It was smooth and lustrous, and looked very beautiful.

“This bracelet is very expensive, worth hundreds of thousands. You have to say, my Xiaoxi is really capable. Other kids this age are still spending money, but my Xiaoxi can earn money to buy me gifts.”

"Xiao Xi is amazing!"

"I wish my son could be like Xiaoxi."

"Sister Hua, do you think it's possible to send our Miaomiao to act as well?"

Ye's mother was surrounded by people.

Hearing their praise, Ye Qingxi felt a sense of pride and happiness.

After everyone left, he asked his mother, "Mom, when are you going to buy me a jade pendant?"

"What jade pendant?" his mother asked, somewhat puzzled.

"It's the one my deskmate wears, the kind with Guanyin on it."

His mother smiled and said, "I've already told you, what are you doing wearing this for, you're not a girl, why are you so vain?"

Ye Qingxi was speechless for a moment after hearing what she said.

His mother patted his head and said, "Good boy, don't be so vain. Look, even your mother doesn't have a jade pendant, and you want to wear one. Aren't you ashamed?"

Hearing her say that, Ye Qingxi felt too embarrassed to ask for more.

He was puzzled, though, since his deskmate wasn't a girl, so how could she wear it?

"Why are you wearing this? Are you showing off?" Ye Qingxi asked her deskmate.

"Of course not." The classmate looked at his jade Guanyin. "My mom bought it for me, so I wear it."

"Then why did your mom buy this for you?"

"They say Guanyin Bodhisattva can protect me," the classmate said, clutching the jade pendant.

Ye Qingxi looked at his jade pendant; he still liked it very much and thought it was beautiful.

Moreover, he also wanted the protection of Guanyin Bodhisattva.

So, Ye Qingxi bought a jade-colored pendant for one yuan at a roadside stall near the school gate. Of course, it was fake. It wasn't made of glass, but plastic, and the workmanship was very rough, with obvious gel in some places.

Ye Qingxi thought it wasn't as nice as the one his deskmate was wearing, but at least he had one.

He put the plastic Guanyin pendant in a box in the drawer, taking it out to look at it whenever he remembered, and secretly wearing it around his neck. When his mother found out and thought he was being vain, he would put the pendant back.

Later, as Ye Qingxi grew up, she had more money and saw more beautiful jade products. Naturally, she gradually forgot about that plastic pendant and her former expectations.

It wasn't until now, when he transmigrated into the body of five-year-old Ye Qingxi and unexpectedly received a jade pendant from his uncle who was not related to him by blood, that past seemed to be activated and returned to his mind.

Ye Qingxi looked at the jade Guanyin in the box, then looked up at Mu Zheng.

"Thank you," he said. "I don't want it."

He was not the real Ye Qingxi, but Mu Zheng wanted to give her to the still young Ye Qingxi.

He didn't intend to give it to him; he had no right to ask for it.

Mu Zheng didn't expect him to say that; he thought he would accept it happily.

He took back the box and picked up the jade pendant inside.

Before giving this jade Guanyin pendant to Ye Qingxi, Mu Zheng had already arranged for someone to string a black cord around it so that she could wear it directly.

He raised his hand and gently placed the ring around Ye Qingxi's neck.

"Once it's given to you, it's yours."

“You’re still young. Wearing this Guanyin Bodhisattva pendant will protect you and help you grow up safely and healthily. Your grandfather will be happy to see it.”

Ye Qingxi was stunned for a moment. He looked down at the jade Guanyin on his neck. The carving was exquisite, and the jade was emerald green and translucent, as if the heart of the deity was always so clear.

Ye Qingxi suddenly found it somewhat amusing, feeling as if everything was preordained.

His mother did not give him such a jade pendant; he bought a fake one himself. Therefore, he did not grow up peacefully and healthily, but died at the age of eighteen, on the day he should have come of age.

He didn't even get a single bite of cake.

It is neither peaceful nor safe.

It's also unhealthy.

Everything is ordained by Heaven.

Ye Qingxi was at a loss for words for a moment, as if he suddenly didn't want to say anything anymore.

—Those who are not loved are born to die.

However, Mu Zheng didn't need him to say anything.

Ye Qingxi was only five years old, but in Mu Zheng's eyes, his short five-year life was quite remarkable.

His father died in the line of duty shortly after he was born, his mother abandoned him when he was two years old and remarried, and now his grandfather is also leaving him.

He is five years old, not five months or five days. He can remember things and has his own thoughts.

For a child of that age, all alone, integrating into a new extended family is not an easy task.

Therefore, Mu Zheng hoped that the gods would bless him and help him grow up healthy and safe. That's why he took the initiative to show goodwill, hoping that his actions would make Ye Qingxi feel good about this family and be willing to get close to the family she would entrust the rest of her life to, instead of being afraid or dreadful.

He silently took out another box, opened it, took out a phone watch, and then pulled Ye Qingxi's hand and put it on his wrist.

"Here, take this too. My phone number is saved in it. You can call me anytime if you need anything."

Ye Qingxi's negative emotions were interrupted by his action. He shook his wrist and looked at the smartwatch on his hand. To be honest, once he put it on, he instantly felt like a child again.

"Save my number for him too," Mu Feng said.

“I’ve already saved them.” Mu Zheng looked up at him. “Yours, mine, and Shao Wu’s are all saved.”

Upon hearing this, Mu Feng snorted disdainfully, "What's the point of saving his number if his dad is always somewhere else? You might as well save your number instead."

Mu Zheng: ...

However, it was indeed a good idea to save another number, so Mu Zheng also saved his work number. "Call the one with 'A' first, and if that doesn't work, then call the one without 'A'."

Upon hearing this, Ye Qingxi looked down and tried operating his phone watch. She then discovered that Mu Zheng had only added the first letter "A" to his private number, so his private number was displayed at the top of the contacts list and could be seen at a glance.

He's such a responsible uncle. He's so responsible to a kid he just met and has no connection with. No wonder he went on a crazy revenge against the protagonist for his younger brother and sister. No wonder he divorced his wife at the end of the story so as not to be a burden to her and took care of his disfigured and mentally unstable brother all by himself.

Looking at his handsome features and eyes that concealed tenderness beneath his coldness, Ye Qingxi sighed silently in her heart.

In this world, people who lack morality and a sense of responsibility are the happiest, while those who are too moral and responsible are more likely to be dragged down.

We still need to find a way to stop his cheap grandfather—a man in his sixties—from staging a bloody scene. Otherwise, his dead grandfather won't feel pain, his crazy father won't know what pain is, and only his cheap uncle, who is still alive, will feel real and profound pain.

Well… Ye Qingxi glanced at the old man, who was still vigorous and imposing without being angry. He climbed the stairs faster than she could and seemed capable of killing her with a single punch. This was quite a challenge!