Chapter 274: I Did Not Want to Deny Him

Ning Huaiqing subconsciously hugged Youyou tighter in her arms.

She had just heard the doorbell ring and had asked the nanny to check the door; the nanny recognized Sheng Hongyao and immediately turned to tell her.

She had been stunned for a moment upon hearing Sheng Hongyao's name, then felt astonished to see it was truly him through the video doorbell, but now, hearing his words, she couldn't help but grow nervous.

Youyou, who was already feeling a bit unwell, sensed her nervousness and grew nervous as well.

His little hands gripped the clothes on Ning Huaiqing's chest tightly, and his pair of large, dark, glistening eyes stared timidly at Sheng Hongyao, yet they also revealed a tenacity that belied his young age.

Realizing that her emotions were affecting the child, Ning Huaiqing gently patted Youyou's back with her palm to soothe him.

After a long while, Ning Huaiqing nodded, "Yes, he is Yu Ge's child."

She did not feel surprised at all that Sheng Hongyao knew about Youyou's identity.

There are no airtight walls in this world; she had been back in the country with Youyou for several months, so it was impossible for there to be no rumors outside, and even if there weren't, as the head of the Sheng Family and the former Chairman of the Sheng Group, how could anything be hidden from him?

What's more, with the relationship between Sheng Yu and Zhu Yuan broken, Sheng Hongyao would know as soon as he checked.

Sheng Hongyao looked at Youyou's little face; Youyou had been sick several times in the past few months, and there was less flesh on his little face than before, but his spirit was still quite good, and his fair little face was tensed as he stared at him.

"Won't you let me come in and sit for a while?" Sheng Hongyao shifted his gaze back to Ning Huaiqing's face.

It was midsummer, and at home, Ning Huaiqing was wearing a thin dress; the clothes on her chest were being tightly clutched by the nervous Youyou, revealing a large expanse of alluring scenery.

Sheng Hongyao caught a glimpse of it from the corner of his eye, narrowed his eyes slightly, withdrew his gaze without a trace, and a faint, ambiguous arc curled at the corners of his lips.

Ning Huaiqing did not notice anything and quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, Uncle Sheng, please come in and sit; it was my oversight."

She held Youyou and made way for him.

Sheng Hongyao entered the house and looked around the large flat.

Ning Huaiqing was the eldest daughter of the Ning Family and a graduate of a prestigious foreign university; she had held a high-paying job, which she only resigned from after returning to the country, and she had plenty of money on hand, so living in a place like this was not difficult for her at all.

The nanny brought over a cup of tea, "Mr. Sheng, please have some tea."

Sheng Hongyao leaned on his cane, walked over slowly, sat on the sofa, took a sip of the tea, and looked at the child in Ning Huaiqing's arms, "Bring him over and let me get a good look."

Ning Huaiqing's eyes brightened slightly.

Yet she couldn't help but worry about what the true purpose of Sheng Hongyao's visit was.

Would he snatch Youyou away from her side?

But she had no time to overthink it; after she hesitated for a few seconds, a look of obvious displeasure appeared on Sheng Hongyao's face.

And two of Sheng Hongyao's bodyguards had followed him in; she was afraid that if Youyou didn't go over, Sheng Hongyao would order his men to snatch him by force.

She had no choice but to carry Youyou to Sheng Hongyao's side, worried that if she handed Youyou directly to him, Youyou would be scared—Youyou had been sick often these past few months and was easily frightened by the slightest movement—so she sat beside Sheng Hongyao while holding Youyou.

After sitting down, Youyou immediately burrowed into her arms, afraid to be near Sheng Hongyao.

"Don't be afraid, Youyou, he is your grandfather," Ning Huaiqing soothed him softly, trying to use such a warm term to keep Youyou from being afraid.

But she did not see that when she said the word "grandfather," Sheng Hongyao curled his lips into a cold, mocking smile.

He reached out, pulled Youyou's hands away from Ning Huaiqing's chest, and asked Youyou, "Why are you afraid of me?"

This sudden movement caused Ning Huaiqing's body to stiffen instinctively.

Just now, Sheng Hongyao had grabbed Youyou's hands from her chest; this action made her feel offended, as it was not an action an elder should make toward a younger generation.

But it was also possible that she was overthinking it and being too sensitive.

It was Sheng Hongyao who wanted to talk to Youyou, and he hadn't noticed her at all.

Ning Huaiqing's face flushed with shame and anger due to Sheng Hongyao's previous action, and seeing that Youyou was still so afraid of Sheng Hongyao, she said patiently, "Youyou, it's your grandfather."

Youyou pulled his little hands free from Sheng Hongyao's grip and clutched Ning Huaiqing's clothes tightly, "Mommy, Youyou is scared."

Seeing Youyou so resistant to Sheng Hongyao, Ning Huaiqing had no choice but to apologize to Sheng Hongyao while holding Youyou, "I'm sorry, Uncle Sheng, he is shy around strangers."

"It doesn't matter, there is plenty of time," Sheng Hongyao said meaningfully, then looked at Ning Huaiqing's still-flushed face, as some images flashed through his mind.

In a dim room without the lights on, a girl struggling beneath him, crying out, "Sheng Yu, no."

"You don't have a job now; do you have money to spend?" Sheng Hongyao asked her in the tone of an elder concerned for a younger one.

Ning Huaiqing nodded, "I have some savings, and I also have shares in the Ning Family company; although my uncle is managing the company now, I can still receive dividends every month."

At the beginning of the year, her father had been pushed down the stairs by her; although he later woke up, he was still badly injured and could no longer work, so the company had to be handed over to her uncle to manage.

Sheng Hongyao handed her a card, "Tell me if it's not enough."

"No need, Uncle Sheng," Ning Huaiqing pushed the black gold card back, "I have enough money."

"It's for Youyou," Sheng Hongyao said in a deep voice.

His tone was stern, and Ning Huaiqing dared not refuse, so she had to take it in her hand and say to Youyou in her arms, "Youyou, thank your grandfather."

However, Youyou buried his head in the crook of her neck, not daring to speak.

A flash of embarrassment crossed Ning Huaiqing's face, but Sheng Hongyao didn't care at all, "No need to be hung up on titles; he doesn't have to call me grandfather either."

Ning Huaiqing's expression stiffened.

What did that mean?

Giving her money while saying Youyou didn't have to call him grandfather—was he trying to get her to take the money and leave with Youyou?

At the thought of leaving Jingdu City and leaving the place where Sheng Yu was, Ning Huaiqing's emotions became unstable; she first handed Youyou to the nanny, "Auntie, take Youyou to the children's room to play with his toys."

"Alright." The nanny carried Youyou away.

Ning Huaiqing handed the black gold card back, "Uncle Sheng, I can understand if you don't want to acknowledge Youyou; after all, this child was born while I kept it from Yu Ge, and I am well aware of the conflict between you and Yu Ge. If you don't want to acknowledge this child, I won't force him to claim a relationship with you."

Sheng Hongyao lowered his eyes to look at the card; the nanny had already taken Youyou to the children's room.

In the entire open space, apart from Ning Huaiqing, everyone was his own person.

He listened to Ning Huaiqing's words, suddenly understood why she wanted to return the card, and smiled, "I didn't say I didn't want to acknowledge him; on the contrary, I want to acknowledge him, but not now."

Ning Huaiqing was bewildered, "What do you mean?"

Sheng Hongyao suddenly reached out and placed his palm over the back of Ning Huaiqing's hand.