"Your father is being stubborn again? Doesn't your maternal grandfather do anything about him?" Madam Yang said unhappily. "I don't know how many times I've told him. He's getting old now, not like he used to be. His leg injury has worsened. How can he still act like he's in his prime?"
Hearing that her father had become stubborn again, Yang was extremely worried and thought to herself that she must give him a good talking-to when she saw him later.
Lili keenly caught the words "leg injury," and she didn't miss the momentary disappointment in Yang's mother's eyes.
Could it be that Grandpa has some incurable leg ailment?
Lili felt even more curious about the Yang family she was about to meet.
"Oh, Wan Niang is back?"
"Sister Yang, is Wan Niang taking her husband back to her parents' home?"
"Who is this little girl? She's quite pretty, but she looks unfamiliar."
Led by Yang's mother, the group walked along the road and encountered many villagers along the way.
Xiucai Village was no different from any other village; they were all pretty much the same. After glancing at it a few times, Lili hid in Yang's arms.
He's an intermittent socially anxious person.
These were the women who had watched Yang grow up since she was a child. Yang greeted them with a smile and responded to their words.
"This is my daughter, Lili!"
Lili nestled shyly in Yang's arms, only raising her head bashfully when Yang called her name.
Those around her were quite surprised to see Lili.
"Huh? My daughter?"
"I remember a few months ago, when Wan Niang came back for the New Year, she wasn't pregnant yet, was she?"
"She wasn't pregnant... how did such a big girl suddenly appear out of nowhere?"
Yang's mother had been carefully observing Lili, afraid that the little girl would be saddened by hearing words like "not her biological child" and "adopted," so she quickly said, "Sisters, my daughter has finally come back today, let's talk again next time? I'm taking my daughter and son-in-law back now."
To everyone's surprise, Madam Yang answered without any hesitation, "This is my adopted child, Li Bao. Please say hello to everyone."
Hello everyone~
Lili blushed shyly, yet greeted everyone with grace and poise, seemingly unconcerned about her background.
For a moment, Yang's mother was lost in thought. Shouldn't children of this age care about these things the most?
When Wan Niang was about the same age as Li Bao, she would pester her all day long, asking how she was born and where she came from.
Every time this happened, she would lie to her, saying that she had found her in a garbage dump.
After only a second of confusion, Yang's mother's attention was drawn to the man who was limping over, struggling to use a wooden cane.
"Yang Ji, what are you doing?!"
Yang's mother's gentle demeanor vanished completely; she lifted her skirt and stormed toward the man.
Madam Yang also called out urgently, "Father!"
Her maternal grandfather?
Lili looked over curiously.
A face with distinct features, eyes like stars beneath sword-like eyebrows, and a broad, full forehead with a few fine lines.
He was dressed neatly and cleanly, but his slightly disheveled hair and the little gray rabbit he was holding gave away the fact that he had just returned from the mountains.
"Linniang, look, I actually caught a little rabbit today! I rushed over to pick up Wanniang right away!" The man smiled, holding up the little gray rabbit in his hand, looking very pleased with himself.
Guo was both angry and anxious, yet she couldn't hide her bitterness. Seeing her once spirited husband so happy just because he caught a wild rabbit for their daughter, she almost burst into tears.
Yang stood there, her heart filled with mixed feelings.
Lili just noticed that her grandfather always put his weight on his left foot, while his right foot seemed to have a bent leg bone.
When Yang Ji was standing, he intentionally lifted his right foot slightly and deliberately blocked it from behind.
"Mom, Grandpa's leg seems to hurt a lot."
Lili leaned close to Yang's ear, looking somewhat worried.
Judging from my mother's and grandmother's reactions, my grandfather must have a serious leg ailment to be so anxious, and I feel sad and sorry for him.
Shen Laosan quickly put down his things and came over to help Yang Ji.
"Father, why did you come out in person? Wan'er and I will be home soon." Shen Laosan carefully helped Yang Ji. "How about I carry you back?"
"Grandpa, are you alright?" Shen Jialuo noticed the faint bloodstains on Yang Ji's pants and couldn't help but worry.
He knew that his grandfather's leg was bad and that it often bled, which was quite frightening.
It must hurt a lot!
Yang Ji's right foot twitched slightly, his smile froze for a second, then returned to normal: "It's nothing, when has Grandpa ever been in trouble?"
After saying that, he patted Shen Laosan on the shoulder with a smile: "I had nothing to do, so I went up the mountain and hunted a rabbit. It seems that my bones are still of some use!"
Shen Laosan frowned, disapproving in his heart, but also aware of his stubbornness.
Only then did Madam Yang approach and speak, "Father! Why do you still like to make Wan Niang worry so much?"
Yang Ji felt a little guilty only when he saw his daughter: "I just missed you... What, can't I come?"
Madam Yang sighed. How could she not know that her father was simply unwilling to admit defeat?
So Yang stopped talking and gestured for Shen Laosan to take the rabbit from his hand. She then shoved the little dumpling into her arms and said, "This is your granddaughter, Libao. Say hello!"
Yang Ji, who was suddenly stuffed into someone's arms, and Li Li, who was also suddenly stuffed into someone's arms, looked at each other in bewilderment.
Lili immediately called out sweetly, "Grandpa!"
Yang Ji was immediately captivated by the little dumpling who was smiling sweetly and calling him grandpa. With its small nose and eyes, and fair and tender skin, it looked exactly like his mother when she was a child!
They're all so cute!
"Oh! My dear grandson! Look at our little Pear, he looks exactly like your mother, like they were made from the same mold!"
Upon hearing Yang Ji's words, everyone present wore strange expressions.
Lili chuckled; Grandpa was quite amusing.
Guo turned her head away speechlessly, and seemed to sigh, muttering "idiot."
Yang turned her head away, both amused and exasperated, and called to Shen Jialuo to move the things over there.
Yang Ji continued to coax the child as if no one else was around: "Does Li Bao like rabbits? Your mother loved catching rabbits to play with when she was little. How about Grandpa takes you to catch one later?"
Lili was conflicted. She really liked rabbits, but with her grandfather's leg condition, she felt it was better for him to stay at home.
"Alright, let's go home quickly, so as not to keep Grandpa and Grandma waiting."
Yang couldn't bear it any longer, so she hugged Lili back into her arms and put the basket on her back.
"Father, let Sanlang carry you back."
Mr. Yang's leg injury has been present for over twenty years, and over time it has become increasingly severe.
When Yang Ji was young, his leg injury wasn't actually that serious; at least he could walk slowly without much trouble.
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