CHAPTER 180: REALISATION

As Qi Jianyi left the living room, leaving the old couple behind, Grandma He immediately stretched out her hand and gave her husband’s waist a sharp pinch. Her face showed clear displeasure as she scolded him.

"You’ve made Jianyi unhappy. Are you satisfied now?" Her glare was sharp, and her tone carried no softness as she continued to lash out at him.

"We have already lost one granddaughter, and now, instead of cherishing the one we still have, you keep pushing her away!" Frustration laced every word that left Grandma He’s mouth.

She had thought her husband would have the sense to know when to stop acting like a child, yet to her dismay, he refused to rein in his stubbornness. Rather than showing care, he continued to push Qi Jianyi aside because of his petty attitude toward Song Chengfeng.

"You know that wasn’t my intention," Grandpa He muttered, his voice low as he tried to defend himself.

"Of course I get annoyed at that brat’s shameless behavior, but that doesn’t mean I disapprove of Jianyi being with him." He reached for his wife’s hand, which was still digging into his side, trying to soften her anger with gentle touches.

Deep down, he knew he had made a grave mistake today. His attempt of explaining himself was no more than a feeble act to appease his wife. It was true that Grandpa He disliked Song Chengfeng’s audacity and cheeky manner. But in truth, he had already long accepted the young man’s place by Qi Jianyi’s side.

Unfortunately, his way of showing dissatisfaction had only led Qi Jianyi to believe that he could not stand her beloved at all.

"Hah!" Grandma He scoffed loudly, clearly unimpressed by his excuse. She tried to pull her hand away, but Grandpa He refused to let go, clasping it tightly in his own.

"Old Song, maybe you really are getting too old, and age has clouded your judgment. Have you forgotten? She only just returned to this world after so many years, and she came back entirely because of Xiao Feng. She gave up everything she worked so hard for, just for the chance to spend a little more time with him. And yet, instead of treating her with warmth and good hospitality, you dared to throw her looks and pull faces at her. Honestly, it would be strange if she didn’t get upset." Grandma He let out a long, weary sigh.

Sometimes she truly wished she could pry open her husband’s head and see what kind of thoughts were rattling around in there, for he seemed determined to say all the wrong things that would only drive Qi Jianyi further away.

"Don’t you remember?" she continued with a serious expression. "When she returned to this world just four days ago, she clearly told us she would be living in City A and would not stay in close contact with us. Her reason was that she did not want us to feel uneasy about her living in our granddaughter’s body. If you think about it, that alone proves she never expected us to play a part in her life. She has never needed us. We are not included in her plans. If she ever felt truly unwelcome here, then as long as Song Chengfeng remains by her side, she would not care whether we accepted her or not."

"But maybe, it was your persuasion, as well as everyone else’s, that made her feel it would not be so bad to stay here by our side. Back then, we showed her that we truly accepted her for who she is. And you said it yourself, didn’t you? You said you would treat her and care for her as if she were truly our granddaughter. In fact, perhaps she really is our granddaughter in that other world. Do you remember what Xiao Yi told us? She said that Jianyi’s parents looked exactly like our daughter and Jingxuan. If that is true, then doesn’t that mean you and I also resemble her grandparents there?"

Grandpa He remained silent, taking in his wife’s steady words. With a tired sigh, Grandma He leaned against him and softened her tone.

"She chose to stay because she saw something worth holding on to in us. She saw that we were worth giving a chance. Xiao Yi never gave us that chance, but Jianyi did. Let us not ruin it, alright?" Her brows knitted slightly as she pleaded with him.

They were no longer young. Both of them understood that their time together in this world was limited. Instead of clinging to pride and seniority, Grandma He only hoped her husband could put aside his ego and simply enjoy what time they had left, letting the younger generation make their own choices about love and life.

It might have been a casual remark to Grandpa He, but to Qi Jianyi it was far from a joke. She had taken his words seriously, so much so that they struck a chord deep within her heart.

For a moment, she had even questioned whether she might end up losing her family in this world.

"I know," Grandpa He finally admitted, his voice low. His arm came up to rest around his wife’s shoulders, drawing her close. He buried his head against the crook of her neck and mumbled, "Perhaps I am old and have become far too childish. Jianyi must have been deeply hurt and annoyed by what I said."

At last, Grandpa He began to reflect on himself. He realized he had gone too far. Qi Jianyi had not even fully settled back into this world, and he had already made her uneasy by complaining about the man she loved.

If he continued acting dissatisfied without reflection, perhaps one day Qi Jianyi would truly leave them behind and live as if she were an orphan, cut off from family altogether. The thought unsettled him.

"I will speak to Jingxuan later as well, so that he will not repeat my mistakes. If I allow him to act the same way, Jianyi might end up resenting all of us," he murmured, already resolved to lecture his son-in-law to treat his future grandson-in-law kindly.

Grandma He’s lips curved into a small, relieved smile as she gently stroked her husband’s head.

"Good. Then I will speak to Jianyi and explain what you really meant. That way she will not misunderstand and think we despise Xiao Feng. But after that, you must apologize to her yourself. Do not you dare act as if nothing happened." Her eyes narrowed as she pinched the soft flesh at his side once more, warning him.

Feeling the sharp tickle at his waist, Grandpa He quickly nodded in agreement. "I know, I know. I will apologize to Jianyi later. You go and speak to her first. If she is willing to see me, I will go to her then."

His words carried a touch of hesitation, for the look in Qi Jianyi’s eyes earlier had been clear. She was not only upset but truly disappointed. And the one she was disappointed in was none other than him.

If she refused to see him, then... No. There must be no such outcome. Grandpa He clenched his fists inwardly, silently swearing to himself. He would make certain that his granddaughter forgave him.

...

In Qi Jianyi’s bedroom, the granddaughter whom both Grandpa and Grandma He treasured was lying on her bed with countless thoughts running through her mind. She wondered if her words earlier had been too harsh, if she had simply been too sensitive.

Yet, another part of her insisted that she had every reason to feel upset, that her emotions were not without cause.

The feeling left her tangled and unsettled. Qi Jianyi kept staring at the ceiling above, her eyes unfocused, as confusion swirled within her chest. She could not decide whether her reaction had been right or wrong, whether she had crossed a line or merely spoken what was true to her heart.

In the world she came from, she had never known the presence of grandparents. It had always been just her parents, and so she had no guide for how a granddaughter should respond to the dissatisfaction of a grandfather.

When Grandpa He showed his disapproval of her lover, Qi Jianyi did not quietly endure it. Instead, she lashed out at him, unrestrained and raw.

Soon after, guilt began to stir within her heart. The creeping unease made Qi Jianyi’s restless and annoyed with herself. It had been so long since she felt this uncertain about her own actions.

After all, having worked for years in the business world, she had learned to measure every word, to think twice before speaking, to avoid mistakes by choosing her language with care.

Yet this time was different.

For once, Qi Jianyi had not hidden behind caution. She had spoken honestly, with no filter, letting her emotions spill out. Perhaps it was her sincerity showing through, or perhaps it was simply weakness she had long kept buried.

Either way, it unsettled her.

While Qi Jianyi was still lost in thought, a gentle knock on the door suddenly brought her back to the present.

"Jianyi, it’s grandma. Can I come in?" Qi Jianyi lifted herself into a sitting position, her voice soft when she gave her reply, allowing Grandma He to enter.

Receiving her granddaughter’s answer, Grandma He pushed the door open and stepped inside. In her hands was a bowl of freshly prepared meat buns, their warmth carrying a familiar aroma that filled the room.

It was a simple offering, but one chosen with care, because she remembered that Qi Jianyi liked them. Yet as she held the bowl, a quiet ache stirred in her chest. The thought struck her suddenly. Perhaps liking meat buns was the only thing she truly knew about this granddaughter of hers.

That realization pierced her heart, leaving her with a pang of guilt. She wanted to blame herself for not knowing enough, for failing to understand Qi Jianyi more deeply.

Still, another voice reminded her gently that it was not entirely her fault. After all, Qi Jianyi had only been back in this world for four short days.