Shen Yanshan got out of the car with a serious expression, and then Lin Yueshan and Shen Meiyan got out of the back seat.
Shen Zhi Qiu glanced at them indifferently, then turned her gaze away and said to Mu Zi Qi, "Mom, I'll go see Grandpa first."
Shen Yanshan and his group spotted Shen Zhi Qiu immediately. When they saw her turn to leave, Shen Yanshan frowned.
"Dad, look at Shen Zhi Qiu. She saw you and didn't even say hello before turning around and leaving. She really doesn't respect you at all!" Shen Mei Yan said in a low voice, a hint of hatred flashing in her eyes.
“This child is really stubborn and hard to manage,” Lin Yueshan added, but seeing Shen Yanshan’s face darken, she immediately stepped forward and naturally took his arm, saying gently, “Yanshan, forget it. Shen Zhi Qiu is now the eldest daughter of the Rong family. Her status is different from before.”
It would have been better if he hadn't said that; upon hearing this, Shen Yanshan's expression turned even uglier.
Shen Zhi Qiu paused on the threshold, her heart sinking to the bottom of an icy lake at the sight before her. Her grandfather sat upright in his chair, his face filled with sorrow, shrouded in immense grief. His eyes were empty and deep, staring blankly ahead.
Around him, a group of mourners whispered among themselves, their faces showing sympathy and regret. However, all this noise and commotion could not break the deep sorrow in Grandpa's heart.
Shen Zhi Qiu called out softly, "Grandpa." Her voice trembled and was weak, as if afraid of disturbing her grandfather's thoughts.
Grandpa slowly raised his head, revealing a face full of wrinkles and sorrow. His eyes were red and swollen, clearly from crying. His hair had turned completely white, and the once vigorous old man seemed to have aged considerably in an instant. His unusually thin body, hidden beneath a loose coat, looked even more fragile and vulnerable.
Upon seeing Shen Zhi Qiu, a glimmer of joy flashed in Grandpa's eyes. He waved his hand, signaling the bodyguards to lead everyone around him inside. He tremblingly reached out his hand to Shen Zhi Qiu, his voice filled with sorrow, "Zhi Qiu, you're back."
Tears welled up in Shen Zhi Qiu's eyes. She knelt down and tightly grasped her grandfather's hand. She felt his body trembling, as if he were enduring immense pain. Her heart ached as if pierced by needles; she couldn't imagine the torment her grandfather was going through at that moment.
"Grandpa, I'm back. I'm so sorry I haven't come back to see you for so long!" Shen Zhi Qiu said, choking back tears, apologizing repeatedly. Her heart was filled with regret and self-reproach; if she had come back sooner, perhaps she could have eased her grandfather's pain.
"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back. I'll offer incense to your father in a bit." Grandpa gently patted the back of Shen Zhi Qiu's hand, his voice trembling and weak.
The grandfather and grandson talked for a while before the grandfather noticed Rong Mo standing silently to the side, and asked with a puzzled look, "Who are you?"
"Grandpa, this is my brother, Rong Mo." Shen Zhi Qiu finally realized what was happening and quickly got up to introduce Rong Mo to her grandfather.
"Oh, so you're a child from the Rong family." Grandpa nodded. He already knew everything from Mu Ziqi, so he said gently, "Child, thank you for making this special trip."
Rong Mo bowed slightly and said in a low voice, "Grandpa, it's only right and proper for me to come and pay my respects to Uncle Gu. Thank you for taking such good care of my sister."
"Yes, go with Zhi Qiu to offer incense to your uncle," Grandpa nodded and said kindly.
Shen Zhi Qiu's steps were heavy as she and Rong Mo walked inside. From afar, she saw Gu Qing Yan, dressed in a black suit, kneeling in front of the mourning hall.
Rong Mo frowned slightly, but seeing that Shen Zhi Qiu's expression did not change at all, he felt a little relieved, thinking that Gu Qing Yan would not make a mistake in this kind of situation.
Gu Qingyan knelt numbly, filled with remorse.
He never expected things to turn out this way.
He only looked up when he smelled a familiar scent and saw that Shen Zhi Qiu had already walked up to him. He quickly stood up.
Rong Mo frowned instantly, wanting to stand in front of Shen Zhi Qiu, but Shen Zhi Qiu gently shook her head.
The people present weren't just relatives, but many others, all watching and whispering amongst themselves. She didn't want to give people fodder for gossip, nor did she want to disturb Gu Suian.
Fortunately, Gu Qingyan did not do anything inappropriate. He simply lit the incense and politely handed it to Shen Zhi Qiu and Rong Mo.
When his fingers touched Shen Zhi Qiu's warm fingers, he lowered his head and whispered, "Zhi Qiu, I'm sorry, thank you for coming to see my father off on his final journey."
Shen Zhi Qiu didn't say anything, but simply took the incense and knelt down.
While they were kowtowing, many people were whispering among themselves.
"Isn't that Gu Qingyan's ex-wife?"
"Yes, there was a lot of noise about Gu Shao's affair a while ago, and then I heard that they got divorced."
"More than that, you've forgotten, his ex-wife is quite a figure. She's said to be the long-lost daughter of some wealthy family, and he was just recently reunited with her."
"Huh? Really? How come I didn't know that?"
"Watch the news more often. Wasn't her adoptive father on a live stream back then? Oh dear, he brought his family affairs into the public eye. It was so ugly!"
"I heard before that her adoptive father has benefited a lot from the Gu family. How could he bear to let go of such a cash cow as his daughter?!"
"Of course I'd hate to part with her. If I did, why would I personally go live and accuse my own daughter?"
They lowered their voices and hid in a corner, watching the excitement and gossiping.
Suddenly, one of the men whispered "Shh," and then gestured for everyone to look towards the main entrance.
The three members of the Shen family walked in, and everyone's attention immediately focused on them.
All the gossip targets have gathered, which is much more exciting than watching a live stream through a screen. Everyone is craning their necks, ready to watch the show.
Just as Shen Zhi Qiu and Rong Mo were about to leave after performing the rites, they saw Shen Yan Shan comforting his grandfather.
But Grandpa's reaction was indifferent; he simply instructed people to guide them inside to pay their respects, a stark contrast to his attitude towards Shen Zhi Qiu and his group earlier.
Shen Yanshan was a little embarrassed, but he still smiled awkwardly and followed the people inside.
Just as they brushed past Shen Zhi Qiu, Shen Yan Shan was about to speak to her, but Shen Zhi Qiu turned her face away.
Shen Yanshan was instantly enraged, grabbed Shen Zhiqi's arm, and glared at her with eyes like knives.
The next second, Rong Mo forcefully gripped Shen Yanshan's wrist.
"President Shen is a prominent figure in Nancheng. Are you sure you want to cause trouble here?"
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