CHAPTER 217: CHAPTER 217: VISITING IN PERSON

Lin Xue’s gift selection was just right—not too expensive, nor too casual—showing proper respect.

Early in the morning, the two of them went out for breakfast before preparing to return home.

Although Zhang Yuan had already telegraphed his grandparents saying he would bring his fiancée home, he did not specify the exact day, merely saying it would be within these few days. Hence, when they arrived, it was Sister-in-law Zhang who opened the door and informed the elderly couple that their precious eldest grandson had returned.

Sister-in-law Zhang served them tea before she went upstairs to call the grandparents.

Although it was already past seven, Grandma had not been in good health, so Grandpa remained upstairs with her, neither of them had come down yet.

Lin Xue looked at the small western-style building villa, which was quite opulent and magnificent indeed...

Outside, there was a small garden, and though Lin Xue couldn’t see if there were rooms on every floor of the three-story western-style building, the living room was vast, and the sofas were luxurious, leaving Lin Xue astonished in secret.

Seeing the young girl in such a state, Zhang Yuan teasingly pinched her nose and then took a sip of tea.

Sister-in-law Zhang brewed very good tea; Zhang Yuan had quite liked drinking it back in the day. Since going down for rural work, he hadn’t thought about drinking tea, not because he couldn’t buy it but because it was too conspicuous.

Before having meals at Lin Xue’s home, Zhang Yuan ate just like other educated youths, having to occasionally go to the town for a decent meal to satisfy his hunger.

Lin Xue pouted; why had this person developed a habit of pinching noses now?

It wasn’t long before the two elderly came downstairs.

The two elders were both happy and excited, and Grandma kept calling, "Xiao Yuan, Xiao Yuan."

The stairs below her seemed a bother in her eyes, as if she wished to dismantle them altogether.

Seeing this, Zhang Yuan quickly ran forward to support Grandma, helping her come down step by step.

Lin Xue also stood up, standing in front of the sofa politely without stepping forward or sitting down on her own.

This action made Mr. Zhang Sr. nod subtly. Though they said they didn’t oppose the girl their eldest grandson liked, they were inherently a bit dismissive of country girls.

Yet, upon seeing Lin Xue, Mr. Zhang Sr. saw none of the rustic aura but rather an elegance that surpassed even elite socialites from Capital City; her attire and demeanor displayed the poise of a refined young lady.

Zhang Yuan helped Grandma sit down. Once Grandpa sat beside Grandma, Zhang Yuan drew Lin Xue forward to introduce her to them.

"Grandpa, Grandma, this is my fiancée Lin Xue!"

"Hello, Grandpa, hello, Grandma!" Lin Xue greeted them with a fitting smile, neither servile nor arrogant.

Such demeanor made Mr. Zhang Sr. regard her more highly.

After seeing their wealth, she could still converse with them without a hint of inferiority or timidity. It’s truly rare—how many can manage this? Coupled with an aura that was quite commanding.

"Good, good! Come over, and sit next to Grandma!" Grandma immediately beamed and tapped the space beside her on the sofa.

She instantly took to this girl—not only was her appearance lovely, but her temperament was good too, matching her grandson very well.

She didn’t consider family background when looking for a granddaughter-in-law; she only cared if her grandson liked her. Now it seemed, her grandson’s choice was someone she also liked. How could this not make her happy?

"Sister-in-law Zhang, go cut up some fruit, and prepare everything I planned! Tonight, we’ll host a dinner for my eldest grandson and granddaughter-in-law! Old man, you sit over there! Let my eldest grandson sit here!" When she was delighted, half of her illness seemed to be cured, and she had the energy to push the old man.

Grandpa Zhang hadn’t had the chance to say anything before he was moved aside by his wife.

Zhang Yuan, leading Lin Xue, sat beside Grandma.

"Grandma, I brought some supplements for you and Grandpa, remember to have someone cook them to eat!" Lin Xue felt relieved seeing how easily she’d won over Zhang Yuan’s grandparents and then remembered the gifts she’d brought for the elders.

Fine wine, good tea, supplement tonics—items useful to elders.

"Good, good! Xiao Xue is so considerate!" Grandma patted Lin Xue’s hand, her face crinkling with a smile, and with that, she removed the bracelet from her wrist and slipped it onto Lin Xue’s wrist.

"Grandma, this is too precious, I can’t accept it!" Lin Xue immediately tried to remove the bracelet.

Even for someone who didn’t know how to judge antiques, she could tell it was valuable—it was indeed too precious.

Hearing this, Zhang Yuan looked over, unable to suppress his smile from rising.

This bracelet was a symbol for daughters-in-law in the Zhang Family. It had been worn by his mother, passed down to Grandma when his mother died.

The stepmother had coveted it over the years, yet it ultimately ended up with his young lady. If that stepmother knew, hed have no idea how she’d react.

"Xiao Xue, you mustn’t refuse unless you don’t want to marry our Xiao Yuan!" Grandma Zhang stopped Lin Xue’s attempt to remove the bracelet and explained its origins to them.

It turns out this bracelet was meant for the Zhang Family’s eldest daughter-in-law. The previous owner was Zhang Yuan’s mother, and now it was time for it to pass on to Zhang Yuan’s wife—it was a symbol of status, meant to later be passed on to their eldest daughter-in-law!

Lin Xue blushed upon hearing and lowered her head. What eldest daughter-in-law—their marriage hadn’t even happened yet!

Seeing them shy, Grandma Zhang laughed heartily; watching the young couple’s embarrassment, she finally softened her laughter.

"Here, Xiao Xue, have some fruit—it’s hot, it’ll refresh you!" She picked up the fruit Sister-in-law Zhang brought and offered it to Lin Xue.

Over at Zhang Haijun’s, Mr. Zhang Sr. still sent notice back. Regardless, Zhang Yuan was his eldest son, and now bringing home his fiancée, not informing the father was unreasonable.

When the service soldier and driver Xiao Qin went to inform Zhang Haijun, he wasn’t home; it was that wife he married later, Lin Cuifen, who was there.

She agreed readily, saying she’d let Zhang Haijun know when he returned.

Yet once Xiao Qin left, she began slamming things, cursing under her breath, her mood sour beyond compare.

When her daughter had to go for rural work, the grandparents did not offer any help despite being her biological grandparents, keeping their eyes solely on that eldest grandson.

She was genuinely furious—how could those two old bastards only love that grandson?

The woman had been dead for so many years; she had borne the Zhang Family two sons and a daughter but still received no good face during holidays and family visits.

She understood that the old lady might know about it, yet what could she have done? If she hadn’t acted as she had, she would have been unable to survive.

In those times, she was no longer a young girl; she might even have been pregnant, facing such conditions, she could only find a way to have that woman make room for her.

Every man for himself. She knew this idiom from childhood, seeing it now as truth.

She did nothing wrong—if she hadn’t manipulated things to result in the woman’s difficult childbirth, she could not have entered the Zhang Family, even though she and Zhang Haijun had long confirmed their pregnancy together.

As things stood, she lived reasonably well, though she hadn’t moved into the lavish villa but still held her husband’s heart with children as well. Living there was just a matter of time.

Those two old people surely wouldn’t outlive her.

Once they passed, wouldn’t everything be hers?