CH 175 Grandpa Miao's Story
Translated by The BL Muse (ko-fi)
Jiang Chen's hands and feet were nimble, and the apple he skinned was perfectly round and smooth. He cut it into several pieces and handed the plate to old Mr. Miao and Miao Miao who had just woken up.
Miao Miao sat on the edge of the bed, hugging old Mr. Miao tightly. She accepted the apple and said thanks, holding the apple in one hand and eating it without letting go of old Mr. Miao. Even if she wasn't crying or fussing, it could be seen from the fact that she woke up instantly when she heard a slight sound and her posture was more dependent than usual, that she was actually very insecure now.
Jiang Chen didn't know what to say. His heart was a little soft and a little distressed. He said after a while: "Is it sweet?"
Miao Miao finished eating a piece of apple, wiped her grandfather's hands and then wiped her own hands before she smiled and nodded: "Sweet."
Jiang Chen rubbed her head, "Then eat a few more pieces."
"Thank you, Brother Jiang Chen."
Old Mr. Miao remained silent, and something flashed over his eyes as he watched the interaction between Jiang Chen and Miao Miao.
"Chen Chen, if you have something to do, just go and do your own thing. I'm already awake and there's nothing to worry here. Don't delay your affairs."
"It's okay, Grandpa Miao." Jiang Chen smiled and said, "I'm on vacation right now. I haven't seen you and Miao Miao for a long time. I just want to take this opportunity to stay with you here for a while."
"Then that's good." Old Mr. Miao changed the subject to ask about Jiang Chen's studies and the situation of the He family.
After Jiang Chen returned to the He family, old Mr. Miao, who was close to the Jiang family, naturally also heard the news. He was also worried at first and even comforted the Jiangs. However, Jiang Chen became busier and busier later on, and they met less frequently. So it had actually been two years since he could ask about it for the first time.
"Everything's good." Jiang Chen smiled: "I also have a younger brother and a younger sister. If there is an opportunity, I can bring them to see you."
"That's good." Old Mr. Miao smiled kindly: "It's good to have siblings. When you all grow up, you can help each other and have someone to rely on when things happen."
The old man seemed to have thought of something, and the smile on his face gradually faded. He touched the top of his granddaughter's head and stopped talking.
There was no sun today, and even the light was dim. The gauze curtains absorbed a layer and when it fell on the old man and little girl in the ward, The layer of light appeared rather gloomy.
Jiang Chen pursed his lips slightly. He stood up and opened the curtains, turned around and raised a smile: "Grandpa Miao, you haven't had lunch yet. I'll go downstairs to buy you something. What do you want to eat?"
Old Mr. Miao seemed to have suddenly come back to himself. He was stunned for two seconds, then nodded, and smiled: "Just buy a bowl of white porridge in the cafeteria, with some side dishes."
Jiang Chen was about to go when he heard old Mr. Miao continue: "Miao Miao, can you go buy a bowl of porridge for Grandpa?"
Miao Miao stood up immediately: "Okay!"
During Jiang Chen's brief pause, Miao Miao had already taken the money from old Mr. Miao's hand and ran away.
The ward door was closed and the room became quiet again.
Jiang Chen didn't speak. He sensed that old Mr. Miao seemed to have something to say to him.
Old Mr. Miao's upright back bent, and he leaned back tremblingly. Jiang Chen took three big steps to the bedside, adjusted the pillow, and then took a look at old Mr. Miao's face, which looked a little more gray than when Miao Miao was here just now.
Jiang Chen was startled: "Grandpa Miao."
Old Mr. Miao leaned on the pillow, waved his hand gently, and asked him to sit down with a smile.
"Are you feeling unwell in any way?" Jiang Chen looked him up and down: "The doctor..."
Old Mr. Miao's cough interrupted Jiang Chen's words. He quickly poured a glass of water, handed it to old Mr. Miao, and helped him drink it until he stopped coughing.
"It's okay." Old Mr. Miao put down the water glass and said lightly: "It's an old problem."
"How about letting the doctor come and take a look?"
"No need, I know my own body well."
Jiang Chen said nothing, looking at the old man's aged face. The image of Miao Miao hugging old Mr. Miao's arm just now came to his mind, and he began feeling even more worried in his heart.
Old Mr. Miao grabbed Jiang Chen's hand and tightened his grip slightly: "Grandpa wants to ask you a favor."
"Of course."
"Go see Yang Hui for me."
Although the name Yang Hui was very common, connecting the complexity and familiarity that touched old Mr. Miao’s tone when he mentioned Yang Hui before, it was self-evident who he was referring to.
The shock on Jiang Chen's face was too obvious. When old Mr. Miao saw his appearance, the gloom in his eyes faded a little, and a smile appeared on his face, "Surprised?"
"Is it Yang Hui from Yanghui International?"
"It's him." The smile on old Mr. Miao's face gradually faded again. He looked out the window at the gloomy sky, his eyes darkened, and his aged voice with a touch of local accent was drawn out as he sighed: “Do you want to hear the story between me and him?”
Jiang Chen pursed his lips. Although it was hard to imagine how old Mr. Miao, who had spent most of his life in the countryside, met Yang Hui, the man who founded Yanghui International, he knew that old Mr. Miao would not act without aim. Judging from his expression, this story didn't have a very happy ending.
But when he met old Mr. Miao's tolerant gaze, he knew that he wanted to talk, or have someone to listen to his story. Now that he was sitting here, it could only be him.
Jiang Chen: “Yes."
The wrinkles at the ends of old Mr. Miao's eyes became deeper. His kind eyes fell on him for a moment, and then he looked away slightly. He looked at a point outside the window blankly, and slowly said: "Yang Hui, his surname was not Yang before, but surnamed Miao..."
Before old Mr. Miao was born, the Miao family was considered a well-known family in Ye City in the south. Old Mr. Miao, who was born as the eldest son of the Miao family, could also be said to have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. According to him, before he was ten years old, he never washed his hands or brushed his teeth by himself, and even went to school with a servant carrying him on his back. The wealth of the Miao family could be seen clearly.
However, the changes of the times were always unexpected and impossible to prepare for, and the extravagantly wealthy and affluent family fell to the point of being despised and ostracized by thousands of people overnight. Old Mr. Miao, who was only thirteen years old at the time, instantly went from a well-dressed young man to a “bad egg” to be avoided at all cost. The family was forced to suffer an endless class struggle as a "bad egg" that everyone shunned. The hardship had just begun, but it had already crushed old Mr. Miao's parents, who had never endured hardship their whole lives.
Old Mr. Miao's father was not a good-tempered person to begin with. The encounters that followed amplified the dark side of human nature. His irritable personality became more severe and turned into domestic violence. Old Mr. Miao's mother could no longer bear such a life, and soon separated from his father.
Before leaving, old Mr. Miao’s mother asked him if he would leave with her.
Old Mr. Miao shook his head with red eyes. He knew that his mother could only take one person away. If he left with her, his nine-year-old brother would definitely be left behind. This dark life without any prospects could be seen to the end at a glance. He couldn't let his younger brother bear this.
Later, old Mr. Miao's mother left with his younger brother Miao Hui. Time passed, and that dark time also gradually passed. His father passed away, and he also got married and had children. Although life took away some things, it did not crush him, and the days began to slowly get better.
Thirty years later, old Mr. Miao's younger brother found his way back to him. At that time, Miao Hui had changed to his mother's surname and became Yang Hui. At that time, Yanghui Group was just a hotel company with three chain hotels, but for old Mr. Miao, who had been living in the countryside, this was already quite impressive.
The brothers recognized each other, and Yang Hui stayed in the village for a few days. He remembered his older brother's kindness in letting him leave with their mother, and regretted that his brother, who was an excellent student and wanted to study abroad, became just a farmer. In order to compensate and spend more time together, he strongly invited him to take his wife and daughter to the city and live with them.
Even though old Mr. Miao was happy that his younger brother was back, he was almost middle-aged and had lived in the countryside for most of his life. He married a wife and had a child here, and got along well with his neighbors. He was not willing to leave, let alone rely on his brother's family for a livelihood. After much thought, he refused. Yang Hui did not force the matter and left with regret.
At this point in the story, although there were ups and downs, it was also quaint and warm.
However, the story did not end here. Within two years, old Mr. Miao's daughter, who was about to get married, fell into the water unexpectedly and drowned. In grief, he unexpectedly welcomed a child again. The birth of the new baby faded away the shadow of his daughter's death, and because they had lost a child before, old Mr. Miao and his wife wanted to give the best to their second child.
This child was smart and ambitious, and his grades were among the best from childhood to adulthood. Even the poor teaching standards in the village did not hold him back. He was admitted to one of the top universities in the country. After graduation, under Yang Hui's persuasion, he entered the Yanghui Group, which had by now become well-known in the industry.
Perhaps in order to repay his brother's concession back then, Yang Hui was very kind to his nephew. The uncle and nephew got along very harmoniously, and old Mr. Miao's son was indeed very talented in business. In just a few years, he took Yanghui to the public market. Yanghui Group was transformed into Yanghui International, and his position in the company became more and more stable.
Who knew, this touched the nerves of Yang Hui's three biological sons, making them particularly wary of this cousin, and they kept making maneuvers in private.
Old Mr. Miao's son was suppressed overtly and covertly at the company. In order to maintain the simple and close relationship between his father and his uncle and uncle and nephew, he resigned.
Yang Hui tried many times to persuade him to stay, demoting the positions of his two sons and even kicking his eldest son out of the company, but old Mr. Miao's son still chose to leave.
But his departure did not make his cousins let down their guard. Even if he had gone to another company, they would still test him from time to time. Especially the eldest son who was kicked out of the company held a grudge against him. On Yang Hui's 50th birthday, at the birthday party, he got him drunk openly, and then sent a prostitute to sleep with him.
In order to make a scene, the eldest son also called his wife to take their child to the hotel to find him in his name. As one could imagine, his wife had a big quarrel with him and took their child away, leaving him no time to explain. He hurriedly drove to catch up, but no one expected that they would encounter a series of car accidents on the road. Three of the four members of the family, except Miao Miao who had not returned from visiting old Mr. Miao died in the car accident.
He lost his daughter in middle age and lost his son and grandson in old age. This blow almost killed old Mr. Miao. After he recovered, he completely cut off contact with the Yang family and raised his granddaughter alone.
After hearing this, Jiang Chen was silent and didn't know what to say.
Old Mr. Miao seemed to have put down a lot of baggage, and sighed: "I am old and won't live much longer. Miao Miao is still young. I can't leave her alone. I don't want her to know about the hatred between adults, and there must be someone to take care of her..."
At this point, Jiang Chen finally understood the purpose of old Mr. Miao asking him to find Yang Hui, and he also knew that he had to help.