Chapter 29.3

Before long, Chu Xiaoxiao enjoyed her grandmother’s signature milk tea. She took a sip of what Grandpa had referred to as “ditch water,” let out a comfortable sigh, and almost exclaimed, “So fragrant.”

Ignoring her grandfather’s mournful expression, it was truly a pleasant tea-drinking moment.

After tea time, Grandpa Jitong followed his routine of practicing calligraphy. He spread out his brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table, instantly capturing Chu Xiaoxiao’s attention.

On the other side, the remaining four were flipping through a photo album. Lu Sumin enthusiastically narrated, “Xiaoyi, this was when your dad had just come to our home…”

In the yellowed photo, Chu Jiadong was still a youthful young man, albeit with a slightly naive smile. He and Xiao Bi stood on either side of Grandpa Jitong,  appearing quite harmonious.

Chu Jiadong showed an embarrassed smile, “That was a long time ago.”

Lu Sumin added, “At that time, you two weren’t even a couple yet. You came over for a meal, and coincidentally, there was a photographer downstairs.”

Chu Xiaoyi gazed at the photo in disbelief, then glanced at Chu Jiadong, exclaiming, “Dad, you used to be quite handsome when you were young?”

Chu Jiadong patted his belly and, in a rare light-hearted manner, said, “Well, I’m still quite handsome now…”

Xiao Bi playfully nudged her husband, “He’s not really afraid to boast, isn’t he?”

Chu Xiaoyi flipped through the old photos at his grandmother’s house and felt a sense of wonder growing within him. His parents in the pictures were about the same age as him, full of vitality and spirit, exuding the same youthful energy.

He had only ever remembered his parents as parents, but at his grandmother’s house, he saw a new side of them as children.

They also wore fashionable and stylish clothes from that era when they traveled, strolled through sun-drenched university campuses, and carried unique and heartwarming memories of their youth.

They didn’t have to hustle outside every day to earn a living, nor did they return home to deal with endless chores and trivial matters. They were living beautifully and delicately, just as radiant.

“At this time, Xiaoyi was born, and your grandmother and I took you to Tiananmen for a photo.”

Lu Sumin’s face revealed a nostalgic expression. “He doesn’t remember me now. Back then, it was quite amazing.”

Chu Xiaoyi looked at the photos of his smiling grandmother and mother, as well as his own innocent and young self, feeling a hint of emotion in his heart.

Perhaps he hadn’t witnessed his grandmother’s clear-minded moments, but he remembered a capable and energetic grandmother who efficiently went about her tasks. He also remembered some of the wonderful memories of times he spent with them.

The two siblings integrated into the family at different points in time, each gaining and losing something in their own way. They had their own share of experiences and missed opportunities during their respective phases, making it difficult to determine what was better.

Chu Xiaoyi reached the end of the album and suggested, “How about we take Xiaoxiao for a photoshoot another day? Is this her only photo?”

Lu Sumin replied, “There are more, but they’re all on my phone. I don’t know how to transfer them.”

Chu Xiaoyi asked, “But there’s no family portrait?”

Of course, that was also his own fault since he hadn’t been home, so how could there be a family portrait?

Chu Jiadong said, “Sure, let’s pick a day to take one!”

Lu Sumin chimed in, “Xiaoyi should hurry up and get married and have kids. Then we’ll have four generations under one roof. It’ll be so lively when we take photos by then!”

Chu Xiaoyi widened his eyes in astonishment, “Grandma, how did we end up on this topic again?”

Chu Xiaoyi was truly on the verge of collapsing. He felt like the elderly were constantly dropping hints, catching him off guard. Even if he explained to his grandmother that his job wasn’t conducive to dating and marriage, she would just dismiss it with a disdainful expression and not take it seriously at all.

Lu Sumin said, “What kind of job worries about these things? Are you working undercover in the underground party?”

“…”

He indeed needed to be as cautious in matters of the heart as someone in an underground organization.

[Grandma delivers a perfectly matching opening and closing remark, hitting the nail on the head with the first priority of urging marriage!]

[A family of four, and Xiaoyi is the least attractive.]

[When my parents were young, they looked really good. Actually, Mom still looks good now, there’s just not enough camera time.]

[Single dog Chu Xiaoyi is being bombarded with his parents’ lovey-dovey display of affection, and on top of that, he’s getting pressured to get married. It’s practically bringing tears to the eyes of those who hear about it, and heartache to those who witness it?]

Chu Xiaoyi was genuinely scared of his grandmother. He quickly found an excuse to escape, saying he wanted to check on Grandpa and Chu Xiaoxiao.

Grandpa Xiao Jitong was currently practicing calligraphy with Chu Xiaoxiao. He had prepared the brush and ink and invited his granddaughter to write.

Chu Xiaoxiao wasn’t very tall yet. She stood on a chair, one small hand supporting the table, the other holding the brush, resembling a lazy stretching kitten, earnestly writing calligraphy with her head raised.

Chu Xiaoyi watched her small, trembling hand holding the brush as she made a crooked stroke on the paper, like an unattractive caterpillar. He didn’t know what to say for a moment.

Seeing this, Grandpa Xiao Jitong loudly praised, “Excellent! Our Xiaoxiao completed that stroke in one go, displaying the spirit of a modern Wang Xizhi*! This is really well written!”

*T/N: 王羲之 was a Chinese calligrapher, politician, general, and writer.

“…”

You’re even trying to imitate Wang Xizhi with that big of a difference in grade-level?

Chu Xiaoyi felt that his grandfather, as a professor of literature, should at least act like one. Why did he look like an overly enthusiastic fan in an idol fandom, irresponsibly showering his sister with compliments?

Author’s note:

I apologize for the term “戏子*” (actor) used by Grandma Lu Sumin. It’s highly inappropriate, but it’s the actual phrasing used by older people around me. Yes, even educated elderly people sometimes express themselves in different ways due to the era they’ve lived through. This portrayal is based on real-life material and will not be changed.

*T/N: A more disrespectful term for low-born Opera/ theater actors

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