Chapter 368 I Don’t Agree with You Two Being Together
Lu Yiran: “…”
He glanced at the old man speechlessly, and inexplicably felt that the words had a green tea flavor.
It's really strange that one day, Mr. Lu would actually be jealous of him?
Chenchen pursed her lips when she heard that, and her little hand unconsciously clenched Lu Yiran's sleeve.
In fact... he had wanted to call him dad a long time ago, but he just hadn't found the right opportunity.
Or... now?
He opened his mouth and was about to muster up the courage to speak, but Lu Yiran had already saved him:
"Chenchen, you can call me whatever you want. There's no rush."
Chenchen: “…”
He sighed silently in his heart, his little face wrinkled - Thank you so much, Uncle Lu.
Seeing this, the old man snorted triumphantly and waved his hand to Chenchen:
"Come on, Chenchen, ignore him, let Grandpa play with you!"
Chenchen shook his head, stubbornly holding their hands, and said softly:
"I want to play with you guys!"
The old man's expression softened instantly when he was pulled by him. He glanced at Lu Yiran and said reluctantly:
"Okay, for Chenchen's sake."
Lu Yiran chuckled and sat down under Chenchen's force.
"Okay, let's play together."
Chenchen immediately became cheerful and assigned tasks like a little commander:
"Uncle Lu, put this together, and Grandpa, help me assemble the plane!"
The old man was amused by him and rubbed his little head:
"You, kid, are really good at making arrangements."
Lu Yiran looked at the grandparents and grandchildren, a gentle smile appearing in his eyes.
In the kitchen, Old Mrs. Lu came out with some freshly baked snacks. Seeing the happy scene in the living room, she couldn't help but smile and shook her head.
This old man and the child are really... childish.
At dinner time, the warm yellow light in the restaurant shone on the exquisite dining table. Mrs. Lu specially instructed the kitchen to prepare several dishes that Chenchen liked, including sweet and sour spare ribs, steamed eggs with shrimps, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a bowl of delicious mushroom soup.
Chenchen sat on a specially made children's chair, his short legs swaying gently, his eyes sparkling as he looked at the table full of dishes.
Mr. Lu sat next to him, constantly putting food into his bowl, muttering:
"Eat more. Grandpa sees you're so thin. Is it because your father doesn't take good care of you?"
Lu Yiran was sitting opposite him. He raised his eyes when he heard this, but before he could say anything, Chenchen spoke first:
"Uncle Lu is very good to me!"
"Huh, really?"
The old man glanced at Lu Yiran, but his tone was no longer as sharp as before.
"Then you should eat more and grow taller."
Old Mrs. Lu smiled and tried to smooth things over:
"Alright, alright, let's eat. Chenchen, try this steamed egg. Grandma made it especially for you."
"Thank you, Grandma!"
The atmosphere at the table was rare and harmonious.
Lu Yiran discovered that since he played with Chenchen with toys in the afternoon, although the old man still argued with him, there was obviously less hostility.
"Chenchen, be careful, this soup is hot."
Lu Yiran filled a small bowl of mushroom soup and blew on it carefully before placing it in front of Chenchen.
Seeing this, the old man picked up a piece of fish and carefully picked out the bones before putting it into Chenchen's bowl:
"Come, eat fish, smart."
Chenchen looked at the food piled high in the bowl, then at the two adults arguing with each other, and suddenly burst out laughing:
"Great Grandpa and Uncle Lu look alike!"
"Who looks like him?"
The two of them retorted in unison, and then were stunned.
Old Mrs. Lu couldn't help laughing:
"Look, even the way they talk is the same."
Chenchen smiled so hard that his eyes curved into crescents. He took a mouthful of rice and said vaguely:
"I like having dinner with my great-grandfather, grandma, and Uncle Lu."
This sentence makes the atmosphere at the table more warm.
Lu Yiran noticed that the old man's eyes had softened significantly, and he even picked up a piece of food for him for the first time.
"You should eat too, don't just focus on taking care of the children."
This simple sentence warmed Lu Yiran's heart. He whispered:
"Thank you, Grandpa."
After dinner, a warm atmosphere filled the living room.
Chenchen sat on the soft carpet, gesticulating and telling interesting stories about kindergarten, with an innocent smile on his little face.
Old Mrs. Lu sat beside him, looking at him lovingly and laughing knowingly from time to time.
Lu Yiran leaned on the sofa. Although his expression remained calm, his eyes always followed Chenchen's figure.
"...and then Xiao Nuan smeared paint on his face!"
Chenchen's vivid gestures made Mrs. Lu laugh uncontrollably.
Old Mrs. Lu gently stroked Chenchen's hair, feeling a mixture of emotions in her heart.
How long has it been since this long-silent old house was filled with laughter and joy?
She looked at Lu Yiran who was peeling an orange for Chenchen, then looked at the old man who rarely smiled, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart.
Mr. Lu held the teacup, his eyes moving back and forth between Chenchen and Lu Yiran.
Although he was enjoying the joy of family, he knew in his heart that some things had to be made clear.
He put down his teacup and coughed lightly:
"Yiran, come with me to the study."
The talking and laughing in the living room came to an abrupt end.
Chenchen keenly noticed the change in atmosphere and blinked nervously.
Lu Yiran paused, placed the peeled orange in Chenchen's palm, and whispered:
"I'll be right back."
Watching the two people going upstairs, Chenchen tugged at the corner of Mrs. Lu's clothes:
"Grandma, will they quarrel?"
Mrs. Lu patted his little hand soothingly:
"Don't worry, they're just going to discuss something. Come, try this orange and see if it's sweet."
In the study, the fragrance of sandalwood filled the air.
Mr. Lu stood in front of the window with his back to Lu Yiran:
"What are your plans regarding Chenchen and Mu Nanyan?"
Lu Yiran's eyes were firm:
"Chenchen is my son, and Nanyan is the one I love. Are you satisfied with this answer?"
Mr. Lu turned around and looked at Lu Yiran:
"But your father...he plans to marry you into the Hua family."
Lu Yiran sneered, a hint of sarcasm flashed in his eyes.
"Oh, you ignored me for so many years, and now you remember that you have a son?"
Old Master Lu fell silent upon hearing this. He had seen everything Lu Yan had done over the years, but he was still his son after all, so Old Master Lu couldn't say anything.
"Doesn't he have another son? If he wants to marry into the Hua family, let his son go. If that doesn't work out, he can just marry the girl himself. After all, one more and one less won't make any difference."
Mr. Lu pounded his cane hard:
"Yiran, he is your father after all!"
Lu Yiran's voice was as cold as ice:
"Father? He doesn't deserve it. Where was he when I needed him the most? And now he wants to interfere in my life? Give him up!"
Mr. Lu was so angry at these words that his chest felt stuffy, but he suppressed his anger and said in a deep voice:
"I didn't come to you today to quarrel. Chenchen can return to his roots, but Mu Nanyan... I don't agree with you two being together."
Lu Yiran's pupils shrank slightly, and he looked at the majestic old man in front of him in disbelief.
"Why?"
Lu Yiran never imagined that the first person to oppose him and Mu Nanyan being together was actually Grandpa Lu. The scene when Grandpa Lu sent bodyguards to arrest him in order to support Mu Nanyan, just to seek justice for the wronged Mu Nanyan, seemed to be still vivid in his mind.
Was the old man's protection of her at that time all fake?
Mr. Lu obviously liked her, otherwise he wouldn't have protected her so much in the beginning, but now...
"You clearly...protected her so much back then."
Lu Yiran's voice tightened, and his knuckles unconsciously clenched until they turned white.
Mr. Lu sighed heavily, his wrinkles full of traces of time:
"Your father's marriage was arranged by your grandmother and I. You saw the outcome."
"Why did you bring up the matter between me and Nan Yan? What does it have to do with them?"
Lu Yiran loosened his tie irritably, a trace of pain flashing in his eyes.
That broken family was the scar he was most reluctant to touch.
The old man continued on his own:
"Back then, I defied all odds and agreed to let you marry the girl you loved. I didn't care about family background or looks. As long as you liked her, I agreed to let her be Mrs. Lu. I thought this would make a difference, but what happened?"
The old man suddenly slammed the table and stood up:
"She ran away! My Lu family can't afford to lose this person!"
"Don't blame her for that. It's my fault for not giving her a sense of security!"
Lu Yiran slammed his fist on the desk, and the mahogany tabletop made a dull sound.
"I only look at the results. Since she doesn't want to be Mrs. Lu, we won't force her. But Chenchen must recognize his ancestral roots. He is the blood of the Lu family."
The old man said coldly, with a sharp glint in his turbid eyes.
Lu Yiran suddenly raised his eyes and finally understood the old man's plan. He wanted to "get rid of the mother and keep the son"! A sarcastic arc appeared on the corner of his mouth:
"Unfortunately, I have already given Chenchen's custody to Nan Yan."
“You…what did you say!?”
The old man's figure swayed, and his old hands tightly grasped the edge of the table:
"You...you are just fooling around! How can a member of our Lu family be left stranded out there?"
Lu Yiran adjusted his cuffs slowly, but there was a turbulent tide in his eyes:
"It's very simple. As long as you agree to our marriage, Chenchen will naturally become a legitimate descendant of the Lu family."
Lu Yiran said this and looked at Mr. Lu meaningfully:
"It depends on whether you want a great-grandson or a little face."
"You...you dare to threaten me?"
Mr. Lu was so angry that his beard was shaking.
Lu Yiran suddenly softened his tone, but his eyes became more determined:
"Grandpa, don't say such harsh words. You taught me that if you want something, you have to fight for it yourself."
Mr. Lu was left speechless by these words. His wrinkled hands tightly grasped the cane, but he could only let go dejectedly.
After all, he couldn't bear to see his great-grandson wandering around.
Lu Yiran's tone softened a bit:
"Grandpa, we should be conscientious. Chenchen has been raised by Nan Yan all these years. We can't forcibly separate them. Besides... you've seen that she has taught Chenchen very well."
The study fell into a brief silence. The old man walked back to the desk with a staggering gait. His eyes fell on the exquisite Q-version doll, and his expression was somewhat moved.
That is a Q version of Chenchen. Mu Nanyan and Chenchen made it together before, just to give it to Mr. Lu.
He was not there when Mu Nanyan brought Chenchen to the old house, so this was the first time he saw Chenchen after such a long time, but the child still remembered to give him a gift.
Compared to those priceless gifts, this little ornament full of childlike fun has become his most treasured collection.
The old man's calloused fingers gently stroked the doll's smiling face, and a hint of tenderness flashed in his eyes.
After a long while, he sighed:
"Forget it... I'm old, you young people should handle yourselves. As long as Chenchen can recognize his ancestors..."
He waved his hand, his voice tired.
"Thank you, Grandpa."
A sincere smile appeared on Lu Yiran's lips, and the gloom between his brows disappeared.
"Tonight...you and Chenchen can stay here."
The old man turned his back, his voice a little muffled.
Mr. Lu compromised, so Lu Yiran naturally had to give him this face and responded with a smile:
"Um."
The old man was concentrating on stroking the puppet in his hand, his old fingertips lingering among the delicate folds of the puppet's clothes, and his cloudy eyes seemed to contain thousands of thoughts.
The study was so quiet that only the ticking of the clock could be heard.
Seeing this, Lu Yiran lowered his voice:
"Grandpa, if there's nothing else, I'll go down first."
"Um."
The old man responded without even looking up, his voice so hoarse it seemed to come from far away.
Lu Yiran tiptoed out of the study and closed the heavy oak door.
As soon as I walked down the stairs, I saw Chenchen lying on the sofa in the living room like a little animal. Although he was playing with toys in his hands, his little head kept looking towards the stairs from time to time.
The sound of "tat tat" footsteps made Chenchen look up suddenly, and his big black eyes met Lu Yiran's gaze.
Chenchen saw that there was nothing unusual on his face, his tense shoulders had obviously relaxed, and he looked so adorable as he breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's half past nine, you should go to bed."
Lu Yiran walked over and ruffled Chenchen's fluffy hair.
"Are we staying here tonight?"
Chenchen asked with his little face tilted up, his fingers unconsciously twisting the teddy bear's ears.
Lu Yiran squatted down and looked into Chenchen's eyes:
"Well, spend more time with your great-grandfather these two days. We will be returning to Haicheng tomorrow night, and you still have to go to school."
"good!"
Chenchen agreed crisply, his eyes curved into crescents.
"So...sleep with me tonight?"
Chenchen was stunned for a moment when he heard this, and his little face suddenly turned red.
Although he had slept with Lu Yiran before, he was always carried to the bed after he fell asleep.
Now I have to sleep in the same bed with you while awake, and for some reason I feel a little... embarrassed. What's going on?
But he was only staying here for one night, and he really didn't want to bother the housekeeper and the other aunts to help him clean the room, so...
Chenchen responded softly, "Okay."
A gentle smile appeared in Lu Yiran's eyes. He reached out and picked up Chenchen, then took him to his room upstairs.
I secretly swore in my heart: One day, I will make Chenchen willingly call me "Dad".
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