Chapter 977: A Daughter Grown Up Cannot Be Kept

How can I go see the elders and children looking like this?

"I had someone prepare clothes for you; I knew you would need them."

Sheng Hanyu produced a high-necked, long-sleeved silk shirt as if by magic.

Shi Youxuan:...

It is July now; who would dress so tightly?

Sheng Hanyu smiled cheekily: "I've already thought of the excuse for you. Just say you caught a chill at the Ji Family and have a stiff neck!"

Shi Youxuan:...

Dressed properly, the two of them went home.

The Sheng Family.

"Mom."

"Mom is back, I missed you to death."

Sheng Zichen: "What death or life? You are not allowed to say such things in the future, it's unlucky."

Litian asked sensibly: "Mom, you must be tired, right? Do you want to go upstairs and rest for a while? I'll come call you when it's time to eat."

"Our Litian is still the most sensible, much better than those few."

They returned late and had originally missed dinner time, but it is the rule that everyone must eat the first reunion meal together upon returning.

While eating, Shi Youxuan noticed that Shi Ran was not there.

"Where is Ranran? Is she not at home?"

She hadn't seen her daughter since she walked through the door.

"My sister and A Heng went out, they went to a classmate's house." Sheng Zichen spoke quickly and bluntly.

Shi Youxuan suddenly turned her head to look at her husband: "A Heng is here? Why didn't you tell me?"

Sheng Hanyu's expression did not change, and he said calmly: "I forgot, wasn't I delayed by official business?"

"Cough, cough..."

She choked.

This man really becomes less reliable as he gets older.

He says everything in front of the whole family.

The mother-in-law said: "Hanyu brought A Heng back this time to stay at our house; he will develop his career in Jiangzhou from now on, and when they grow up and get married, they will also be at home."

Sheng Jiang praised his son: "Hanyu did the right thing in this matter; this is how it should be, with the whole family together, complete and not separated."

The couple of Qi Heng and Shi Ran is favored by everyone; no one thinks there will be any surprises between them, and they will definitely be together when they grow up—there is no suspense about this.

But after they get married, where they will live is what the adults need to be concerned about.

Sheng Hanyu "tricked" his future son-in-law into coming to Jiangzhou, receiving unanimous praise from everyone in the family!

Even if they don't live together after marriage, being in Jiangzhou is much better than being married off to L Country.

Before they finished speaking, the two children returned.

"Hello, Auntie. My mother asked me to bring you a gift; I will go back to my room to get it."

After he finished greeting them and prepared to go back to get the gift, Shi Youxuan pulled him back: "The gift is not urgent. Let Auntie take a look—the young man has grown taller again. It's truly great; you change every year. You all grow so fast, you're making us grow old."

What Lady Qi brought for Shi Youxuan were natural skincare products unique to L Country.

That kind of plant only exists in L Country and is very difficult to preserve, so it must be sent by a dedicated person on a dedicated plane every time.

At night, the two were lying in bed; Shi Youxuan was very exhausted and drowsy.

Sheng Hanyu, however, tossed and turned, unable to sleep, and kept sighing.

"What are you doing? Are you going to let people sleep or not?"

Sheng Hanyu: "Xuanxuan, I feel like Ranran is acting a bit strange."

"Hmm?"

She turned on the bedside lamp and sat up.

Reminded by her husband, she also remembered: although Ranran was smiling the whole time, she spoke much less than usual.

Every time she speaks less, it means she has something on her mind, and it is a rather difficult matter.

Shi Ran's personality is like her father's; at a young age, she is already able to keep her emotions hidden, making it very difficult to judge what she is thinking from her facial expressions.

"Should I go ask her?"

Her husband shook his head: "No need. She will tell us when she wants to talk; if she doesn't want to talk, you'll just be wasting your breath asking."

Shi Youxuan:...

Her husband is right.

Her daughter is sensible and smart, and has her own ideas.

But sometimes she has too many ideas and doesn't consult the adults at all; often, by the time she notifies them, the matter is already a done deal.

"What do you think she wants to do?"

Her husband shook his head: "I don't know, but the two of them have been acting mysterious these past few days. I always feel like A Heng is going to abduct my daughter."

Shi Youxuan: "That won't happen. The condition you set for opening the Diamond Mine back then was for A Heng to develop his career in Jiangzhou, and the Vice President agreed to it. He always keeps his word on things he agrees to."

Sheng Hanyu: "I know he isn't the type to change his mind overnight, but I can't figure out what else it could be besides this?"

Facts proved that his worry was not at all redundant.

Three days later.

Shi Ran solemnly found her parents and announced: "Dad, Mom, I am planning to study abroad. I hope you will agree."

Just as Shi Youxuan was about to speak, her husband asked first: "Are you planning to go abroad, or have you already completed the procedures?"

The young girl smiled shyly, but her reply was very firm: "The procedures are already done. I am going with A Heng, but not to L Country—we are going to A Country."

"Academic research in A Country is the best in the world. We want to reach a higher level and learn more knowledge. Great-grandpa and Great-grandma have already arranged the school and teachers. Great-grandpa's health hasn't been very good this year, and I also want to go over to fulfill filial duties on behalf of Mom and Auntie."

Shi Youxuan said indignantly: "You don't need to make it sound so nice. If you want to go, then go. Who cares about you? Fulfill filial duties for me? Do we need you to do that?"

"If you were truly filial, you would stay in Jiangzhou. I will bring the two elders to Jiangzhou as well. Where can't you fulfill your filial heart? Why must you travel so far across mountains and rivers?"

Shi Ran:...

Since her little scheme was exposed, she simply acted spoiled: "Mom, don't be like this. Didn't you say that reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles? I am doing exactly as you instructed. Besides, me going to A Country to take care of Great-grandpa is helping you fulfill your filial duties. You don't need to be embarrassed..."

In Shi Youxuan's dictionary, the four words "be embarrassed" do not exist.

But she couldn't withstand her daughter's pestering, and her heart softened.

"Alright, stop shaking me. If you shake me any more, all my bones will fall apart."

"People always say that a grown daughter cannot be kept at home, but I think that's nonsense. My daughter here can't be kept even before she's grown up."

Airport.

Today is the day of departure.

The entire Sheng Family mobilized to send Shi Ran and Qi Heng to the airport.

Grandma held her granddaughter's hand, nagging and giving instructions: "Take good care of yourself when you're out there. It's not like at home where there's someone to help you with everything. Be more cautious when you're away from home, and as a girl, you must protect yourself..."

Grandpa mocked Grandma: "Look at what you're saying, one thing after another without any main point."

He held his granddaughter's other hand: "If you miss home, come back. Even if you have to skip class, come back."

This sentence was the main point.

Shi Ran's eyes welled up with tears.

She nodded: "Mm, Grandpa and Grandma, I have remembered everything. Please rest assured. I will take good care of myself out there. If I miss you, I will come back immediately, even if I have to skip class."

The old couple nodded repeatedly, crying like tear-stained people.

Although they knew they shouldn't cry and make everyone feel bad, they just couldn't help it.

Although their granddaughter hadn't grown up by their side since birth, she had practically been watched by them as she grew up from a young age.

She had grown from a clever and mischievous little girl into a young woman.

Usually at home, the old couple paid more attention to their grandsons and less attention to their granddaughter.

Because their granddaughter was very worry-free and didn't need them to worry at all, but now that she was about to go abroad, they realized how reluctant they were to let her go.

Shi Youxuan didn't feel good inside either. Her daughter would be gone for about half a year before she could return, and she didn't want to be tearful and make her daughter worry.