Chapter 77
Chapter 77: They Showed Up…
Panda Novel
Hao Ren walked into the kitchen and said hello to Zhao Hongyu and his grandma who were busy cooking. Zhao Yanzi followed suit and greeted her mom Grandma.
Since dinner wasn’t ready yet, Zhao Hongyu asked Hao Ren and Zhao Yanzi to go up and play before the dinner was served. Thus, they went upstairs and entered Zhao Yanzi’s room.
Zhao Yanzi was no longer feeling any resistance against Hao Ren entering her room, but it still was her territory, and Hao Ren must obey her rules while he was in there.
“I’ll play games, and you read,” upon entering the room, Zhao Yanzi immediately assigned tasks.
From the bookshelf, Hao Ren picked up the novel he was halfway through reading. He asked with deliberate casualness, “Your birthday is coming up?”
“It’s next month,” Zhao Yanzi answered. She turned on the computer before changing into the pink slippers she usually wore in her room.
“What’s the West Ocean your Third Uncle just mentioned?” Hao Ren continued to ask.
He knew very little about the Dragon Tribe. Sometimes he felt like they were no different from ordinary people, and sometimes every movement and every word of theirs was a mystery.
“The West Ocean is also a dragon clan, just like our East Ocean Dragon Clan but with different areas under control. They suck at running businesses on the land, and they are stupid and arrogant,” Zhao Yanzi’s tone revealed her resentment toward the West Ocean.
“And there are South Ocean and North Ocean too?” Hao Ren speculated.
“Yeah, but we have little contact with them; we would only meet at the annual conference,” Zhao Yanzi said while waiting for the computer to start.
“Annual conference?”
“Yeah, it is a regular meeting for River, Steam, Lake, Ocean Dragon Clans. Except for the annual conference, there are biannual Dragon Tribe Meetings. This stuff is more complicated than you can imagine. However, it’s not my business, and my dad takes care of it,” she said.
The game flashed on the computer screen, and Zhao Yanzi jumped onto her chair and grabbed the mouse; she was no longer in the mood to chat with Hao Ren.
On the other hand, Hao Ren didn’t want to ask any more questions. He knew he must get used to it gradually since things, just like Zhao Yanzi said, were more complicated than he had imagined.
From Zhao Yanzi’s short answers, Hao Ren knew Zhao Guang was running the East Ocean Dragon Clan and thus had a lot on his plate. No wonder he was busy all day long, and his younger brother Zhao Kuo exceeded him in cultivation levels.
As Zhao Guang’s wife, Zhao Hongyu was also a busy woman. Only Zhao Yanzi, cherished by all, was the stress-free and happiest one. Even though this was the case, she would have to shoulder her share of the burden and obligations when she grew up.
Sitting in the reclining chair and looking at Zhao Yanzi who was busy playing the online game, Hao Ren mused to himself.
After thinking for a while, he picked up a novel to kill time.
The clock ticked away, and the dinner was soon ready.
“Zi! Ren! Come down for dinner!” Zhao Hongyu called to them at the foot of the stairs.
“Coming!” Zhao Yanzi and Hao Ren answered and got up at the same time before running out of the room together.
“Where is Third Uncle?” coming downstairs, Zhao Yanzi asked when Zhao Kuo was not in her sight.
“He had to go back to finish some business,” Zhao Hongyu said with a helpless expression on her face.
“He must have quarreled with Dad,” Zhao Yanzi pointed out the truth before sitting down. “It doesn’t matter. I will go visit him later,” she said.
“Your Third Uncle is short-tempered and stubborn. He needs time to think things over,” Zhao Hongyu took off the apron and said. Then, she turned to Hao Ren and his grandma and added, “Auntie, Ren, let’s eat.”
“Well…” Grandma sat down and wrung her hands. “I’ve stayed here for so long, and I’m sorry for the trouble I have caused you,” she said.
“No trouble at all. Auntie, you have helped me a lot,” Zhao Hongyu said warmly.
Grandma smiled and turned to Hao Ren as she said, “Ren, I’ve decided with your father that tomorrow, our two families will have lunch together and get to know each other.”
“Tomorrow…” Hao Ren nodded, having expected that such a day would come.
“So, this dinner is the last meal I will have in Zi’s home,” Grandma added with slight melancholy.
During her stay, she and Zhao Hongyu had become friends, she liked Zhao Yanzi a lot, and although Zhao Guang rarely spoke, he showed sincere respect towards her. Those were the reasons why Grandma felt reluctant to leave their home. After all, her son and daughter-in-law, who had always been busy with their work, had never given her such warmth.
“Auntie, don’t say that. You can come over any time you want. If you want, you can stay here forever,” Zhao Hongyu said immediately.
“Hehe, it’s impossible. I can’t trouble you anymore. Let’s eat,” Grandma said.
Seeing the sorrow and reluctance on Grandma’s face, Hao Ren wished that she could continue to live here. However, just like what Grandma said, they couldn’t trouble Zhao Hongyu’s family anymore. Besides, his dad and mom had returned from abroad, and there was absolutely no reason for his grandma to live in someone else’s home.
“Ren, you can stay here for the night and don’t need to go back to school,” Zhao Guang said abruptly.
“Ok,” Hao Ren said immediately, wanting to spend more time with his grandma.
It was drizzling outside, and the atmosphere in the dining room was a little melancholy.
It was the second time that Hao Ren stayed the night in Zhao Yanzi’s home. He slept on the beddings on the floor in his grandma’s room, and they chatted well into the night. Grandma was full of praises for Zhao Yanzi’s family, and it was clear to Hao Ren that she had formed a deep bond with them during her short stay there.
The next day was Saturday, and it was a sunny day. Zhao Hongyu had packed for Grandma while still trying to change her mind about leaving.
Grandma wanted to stay with them, but she also felt uncomfortable staying any longer. To show her gratitude, she had asked her son to book a reservation at the Starlight Restaurant, the best in East Ocean City.
The lunch was scheduled for 11 A.M. According to the plan, Hao Ren’s parents should drive to Zhao Yanzi’s home to pick up Grandma’s bags before going to the restaurant together for lunch.
However, Hao Ren’s parents didn’t show up at 11 A.M.
Grandma, who had been restless all morning, couldn’t wait anymore and called her son. Soon, she was informed that they were delayed and would arrive soon.
Therefore, they sat in the living room and waited.
Half an hour passed, and Hao Ren’s parents still didn’t show up. Grandma who had been trying to appear calm became agitated.
“Auntie, take it easy. The traffic must have delayed them,” Zhao Hongyu comforted her.
Hao Ren was getting impatient too. Zhao Yanzi’s family put off everything and waited for his parents, but they just wouldn’t show up.
Another half hour passed. As Grandma was about to call again, a white Ford arrived at the door.
Hao Ren’s father in a silver suit and his mother in a long black dress came out of the car and hurried over hand in hand.
They matched each other perfectly, no matter in looks or temperaments.
If Xie Yujia was here, she would have been stunned because the couple was no other than Hao Zhonghua and Yue Yang who gave the science lectures at East Ocean University a couple of days prior!
Seeing Hao Zhonghua and Yue Yang coming to her side, Grandma didn’t show any joy on her face; instead, an unusually stern expression appeared. She pointed at the floor and said as her body shook slightly “Extend your hand!”
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