Chapter 62

Mentioning Lu Mingyuan, the three grandparents and grandchildren had no mood to talk; some hurts and regrets could not be resolved in a few words.

Not to mention Lu Lao Zu, even the Shen Man siblings would never forgive him...

Jiang Ye sat calmly beside his wife, silently making a note of that person in his heart, and had his own plans.

Don't worry, Mother-in-law, I will protect Manman from now on, and I won't let her suffer unfair treatment or be bullied by outsiders again.

I will give her freedom, give her respect, and share everything I have with her...

Meanwhile, in the Capital thousands of miles away, while Lu Mingyuan was attending a morning meeting at his unit and the leader was giving an important speech on the podium, he suddenly sneezed uncontrollably—

"Achoo!"

Instantly, he became the focus of the conference room.

His direct superior's expression changed slightly, and with a fake smile, he called him out with concern:

"Section Chief Lu, why do you seem so preoccupied and unfocused in your work lately?

Did something happen at home that is distracting you?"

Lu Mingyuan naturally understood the hidden meaning in his superior's words and hurriedly tried to explain, "I, achoo—"

People, the more they fear something, the more it happens.

The heads of other sections in the conference room hid their true thoughts and lowered their eyes to watch the situation unfold.

No one who could reach this position lacked insight.

In such a solemn and serious conference room, Section Chief Lu's loss of composure was indeed inappropriate...

Lu Mingyuan knew it himself, but since he was in the wrong, he could only be scolded like a grandson.

It wasn't until the meeting ended and the heads of the various sections had left one after another that he slumped into his chair, unable to recover for a long time.

Since when had he been marginalized by his leaders?

From a promising key position, he had fallen into doing odd jobs in a slack department, and even became a background prop for the unit...

Clearly, his father held a high position, their Lu family had extensive connections, and there were many opportunities for promotion in the unit; as long as his father said a word, he could have moved, couldn't he?

Thinking of his father, bitterness spread in his heart.

His father had left; his father would rather reunite with the children than stay in the Capital and see him...

Just as he left the conference room, Section Chief Li from the Finance Section called out to him—

"Section Chief Lu."

"What is it?"

"Last month's allowance and salary are out; find some time to come to our section to pick them up."

"Okay, by the way, I want to remit half of the allowance directly to the Sea Island, to my daughter; I don't know what procedures are needed?"

"Daughter? Isn't your daughter working at the hospital?"

"..."

Hearing the suspicious look in the other person's eyes, Lu Mingyuan felt like he had needles on his back, and his heart ached painfully.

He suddenly realized one thing: for so many years, his colleagues, friends, and relatives all seemed to think his stepdaughter was his biological daughter.

He had paved the way for his stepdaughter, introduced connections, and given his adopted daughter meticulous care to make up for the debt of his comrade-in-arms sacrificing his life to save him.

But his biological daughter had grown up without a father by her side; Manman, how helpless must she have been?

And he, even colluding with his current wife, had given the arranged marriage belonging to Manman to his stepdaughter...

Too late, he realized that what he had lost was not just a son, but also—

His biological daughter!

At the same time, Lu Lao Zu arrived on the Sea Island, first going to the Junqu Jiayuan to see his granddaughter's future residence.

Then, after eating lunch at the Canteen, he insisted on going to the Guesthouse and moved into 209, next door to his granddaughter's room.

After sending away his grandson and granddaughter's husband who still had work to do, the two grandparents and grandchildren could finally talk.

Shen Man dripped a drop of Spiritual Liquid into the thermos, poured a cup of hot water, and carefully handed it to her grandfather:

"Grandpa, drink some water."

"Hey, I don't know if it's psychological, but I feel like seeing you siblings makes all my fatigue disappear, and now I'm full of energy."

Lu Lao Zu took the water cup and sighed with emotion.

Then he took a sip of the hot water, his eyes lit up, and he took another sip, then another.

Shen Man sat down on the chair opposite her grandfather and invited him obediently:

"Then Grandpa, once our wedding house is renovated, come live with us; the furniture in the second bedroom is all ready, you can move in anytime."

In her view, her grandfather was truly wonderful to them; such a good grandfather, she and Brother Jiang Ye would treat him well in the future.

"Your wedding house isn't settled yet, and with these old bones of mine, I won't live with you two young people for now."

Lu Lao Zu stroked the stubble on his chin, having his own plans in mind.

He had seen that little courtyard, two rooms and a living room; the space was a bit small, just right for the young couple to live their little life.

Considering that his granddaughter and her husband were newlyweds, it would inevitably be inconvenient for an elder to live with them.

He was here to retire and enjoy life, it was true, but he would never be an annoying elder.

Besides, there was a convalescent home for cadres on the Sea Island; although the conditions were a bit simple, it didn't matter, what hardships hadn't he endured?

What did simple conditions matter? As long as his grandson and granddaughter were by his side, he was very content.

"Grandpa, if you don't live with us, where will you live?"

Shen Man was bewildered when she heard her grandfather refuse.

Hadn't they agreed that as long as one of them found a home, Grandpa would come to rely on them?

Now that Grandpa was here, why wouldn't he live with them?

"Silly girl, I have a place to live. Isn't there a convalescent home for cadres on the island?

I've applied, but it's still going through the approval process; once the results come out in a day or two, I'll move there.

As for your second bedroom, once you have children, I'll come over to help you take care of them, and just stay over occasionally."

Lu Lao Zu didn't say he was afraid of disturbing the newlyweds, and gave a more appropriate explanation.

Shen Man was a bit disapproving, fearing that the conditions at the convalescent home were not good and couldn't provide her grandfather with a better living environment.

"Grandpa."

"Hey, it's settled. Don't worry, the country has never treated us old soldiers badly; Grandpa trusts the country.

Besides, with you siblings by my side, if I ever get tired of the food at the convalescent home, I'll just go to your house to mooch a meal~"

Lu Lao Zu's mind was clear, and when he spoke of the country, his eyes, full of the vicissitudes of life, were filled with trust.

Shen Man fell silent; on this point, she couldn't refute her grandfather.

Indeed, the Motherland was very gentle and treated old soldiers well, not to mention the contributions her grandfather had made in the past...

"Alright, but we have a pact: we will visit you at the convalescent home every week, and you can come live at the Jiayuan anytime; the second bedroom at Brother Jiang Ye's and my place will always be reserved for you."

"Good, good, good, I'll listen to Manman."

Lu Lao Zu felt comforted; sure enough, girls were more delicate in their thinking.

His later years finally had something to look forward to.