388
Seeing that neither of them spoke, perhaps because they were embarrassed in front of so many people, Grandma Qi suggested, "Sister, didn't you book a private room before? Why don't you go over there and talk privately? Maybe it will be better."
Bai Qiongyu nodded after hearing this, then looked cautiously at He Tiantian and asked, "Is it okay?"
We need to act decisively; this matter cannot be delayed indefinitely.
“Okay.” He Tiantian nodded, agreeing with Grandma Qi’s suggestion.
Xianglan walked ahead, helping Bai Qiongyu and He Tiantian open the door.
Bai Qiongyu left first, and He Tiantian turned around to look at everyone.
Grandma Qi nodded and said, "Go, child, things have to be resolved. No matter what, you still have us."
The point of saying this was to tell He Tiantian that they were her support.
Hearing this, He Tiantian felt at ease.
Once inside the private room, the waiter served tea, and Xianglan closed the door from the outside, leaving the young lady and the young lady some private space.
Bai Qiongyu stared at He Tiantian as if she couldn't get enough of her.
He Tiantian looked somewhat embarrassed, unsure how to describe her current feelings.
After a while, He Tiantian picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said, "The tea is getting cold, you should have some too."
"Okay, okay, I'll have some tea too," Bai Qiongyu said repeatedly. After drinking the tea, she seemed to have found the courage to look at He Tiantian and said, "I want to say sorry to you!"
He Tiantian was taken aback, then smiled bitterly and said, "Actually, Grandfather and Father have never said a bad word about you. They must love you more than they resent you. As for me, I am just a granddaughter. My parents raised me and I was very happy growing up. So you have not wronged me. On the contrary, you gave birth to Father, and that's how I came to be. I should be grateful to you."
Upon hearing this, Bai Qiongyu couldn't help but choke up again, saying, "I was willful back then, and I should bear most of the responsibility."
“It’s all in the past now, it’s a bit too late to talk about taking responsibility,” He Tiantian said. “Your relationship with your grandfather had objective or subjective reasons. Whether you stay together or separate is your own choice. The most pitiful one is your father. He grew up without a mother, and your grandfather became a withdrawn and old-fashioned person.”
"Yes, the person I've wronged the most is your father," Bai Qiongyu said, her voice choked with emotion. "I... can I ever make it up to him?"
“My dad and I talked about you before. He had some resentment when we were young, but as he grew up and became more sensible, he realized that some things are beyond his control, so he stopped resenting you. When he saw me come to America, he even gave me a chance to look for you. But as you probably know, I’ve been busy with all sorts of things here in America, so I’ve put this matter aside,” He Tiantian explained. “When I go back, I’ll tell my dad that I saw you and that you missed him. That’s enough. You have your own life in America, and we don’t want to disturb you.”
Bai Qiongyu felt both heartbroken and moved upon hearing this, and finally couldn't help but burst into tears.
He Tiantian took out a clean handkerchief embroidered with magnolia flowers from her bag and handed it to him, saying, "Wipe your tears! Actually, the fact that you're alive and well is the best news for Dad. Don't feel so guilty; it'll hurt your health!"
Bai Qiongyu took the handkerchief, wiped away her tears, and smelled its fragrance. She said, "Thank you. Hearing what you said makes me realize my mistakes even more. I'm so old now, I don't have many years left to live, and I want to acknowledge you as my father."
He Tiantian was taken aback. What she said was the truth. As long as they knew each other was safe and well, that was enough.
This was also what my father and mother told me before they came.
"But... but won't this disrupt your current life?" He Tiantian asked, worried that her grandmother might have remarried and now have sons, grandsons, and granddaughters here.
If they were to acknowledge each other, it would inevitably provoke resentment from some people.
Especially since the grandmother in front of him is a wealthy woman, money is involved, making things even more complicated.
He Tiantian felt that her family was doing quite well as they were. As long as they could get through these next few years, they could return to Nanshi and live a peaceful and fulfilling life.
Even without a lot of money, you can still live a very happy life if you have enough to spend.
“Sweetie, I’ve remarried, but I don’t have any children. Your father is my only child in this life, so even if I acknowledge you as my children, no one will make things difficult for you,” Bai Qiongyu said. “As for my stepdaughter and stepson, since my husband passed away ten years ago, we have separated our property and have no connection with each other.”
Bai Qiongyu didn't dare say that her stepson and stepdaughter had always coveted her property.
If the siblings behave themselves, Bai Qiongyu will return half of the Xin family property left by her husband to them.
If they don't know what's good for them, she'll make sure they get nothing and regret it deeply.
"Huh?" He Tiantian was taken aback. No wonder she wanted to acknowledge her father.
"Don't be afraid, I won't let you get hurt," Bai Qiongyu said, worried that He Tiantian might be scared.
The grandmother standing before me was clearly a strong woman.
He Tiantian could only nod and say, "Yes, I'm not scared."
"Do you want to come to America?" Bai Qiongyu asked. "Here, you can receive a very good education and have a very good material life."
Upon hearing this, He Tiantian shook her head repeatedly and said, "I can't make that decision. I need to go back and tell my father."
“You can write a letter or send a telegram,” Bai Qiongyu said. “That Huo Yingjun is probably an official of China. He was able to bring you and Sister Qi here because Qi Shu has made many contributions to the country. I also contributed a lot before, so you can ask for the same.”
"It's better not to. The environment in China is too complicated. Because my grandfather studied in the United States, our family used to be frequently checked and questioned. Now we're living a quiet life in Qijia Village. If word suddenly gets out that we have a family member in the United States, I don't know what will happen to our peaceful life!"
Bai Qiongyu felt deeply disappointed. She knew the situation in China; it seemed she had been naive. Perhaps she should do something for her family.
However, there were also happy moments, as He Tiantian said that she was their family.
"If it's inconvenient for you to come, then I'll go back with you." Bai Qiongyu was eager to see her son and couldn't wait any longer.
The current political environment is relatively relaxed, so going back is not a particularly difficult thing.
He Tiantian shook her head and said, "We can't be hasty. Let me think about it."
She wanted to ask Huo Yingjun what to do about this.
If she came to the United States, she would not be able to see Huo Yingjie, which was something she could not accept.
Besides, if she doesn't come to America, her parents won't come either. (To be continued.)
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