Chapter 40: Directness is the Best
This apology was straightforward and crisp, making it clear that Ji Suize was sincerely apologizing to Niannian.
Niannian hated cold wars and had long wanted to make up with Ji Suize. The gloom that had hung over the morning was swept away by Ji Suize's apology. He lifted his head, a smile about to bloom, when Su Yanheng across from him raised his hand and curled his pinky a few times.
Niannian immediately remembered his agreement with Su Yanheng.
He quickly suppressed his joy, turning his head to the side to avoid Ji Suize's gaze and seizing the chance to hide his rising smile.
Ji Suize's eyes darkened: "You don't accept my apology?"
Niannian: "Then do you know what you did wrong?"
Ji Suize fell abruptly silent. Niannian looked at him again. Both his expression and eyes were filled with remorse, but Ji Suize hadn't answered his question, proving that he truly didn't know where he had gone wrong.
His apology might have been genuine, but it was merely a compromise made to placate him.
Only now did Niannian finally understand why Big Brother had told him not to rush into reconciling with Ji Suize, because Ji Suize hadn't realized his mistake. If he forgave him too easily, Ji Suize would repeat it next time.
"You're not sincere. You don't really think you did anything wrong," Niannian said angrily. "I won't forgive you."
Ji Suize: "..."
Ji Shiyu seemed even more anxious than Ji Suize. He quietly moved closer to Ji Suize and whispered, "Ji Suize, just say it! What's so hard about saying it?"
He really wanted to list a hundred mistakes on Ji Suize's behalf just to make Niannian feel better.
[Spit it out, you stubborn mouth! What's the point of having a mouth if you won't speak!?]
[Xiao Yu is just like me right now, so anxious, so anxious! Can't the little ones stop fighting? QAQ]
[I agree with Niannian's approach. This is exactly how Xiao Ze should be disciplined, otherwise he'll never realize his problem.]
Ji Suize: "I shouldn't have insisted on helping you bathe after you protested."
Niannian didn't speak, staring fixedly into Ji Suize's eyes. Just like before, he still couldn't get a satisfactory answer.
Niannian lowered his head, unhappy. "You're not sincere. I don't want to talk to you for now."
Ji Suize: "..."
Ji Suize stood there dumbfounded. It was the first time Ji Shiyu had seen him like this, and it felt completely off.
Ji Suize shouldn't be like this. He really wanted Ji Suize to return to his usual self, even if it meant being retorted at every sentence he said.
"I'll give you my seat. You sit next to Niannian," Ji Shiyu whispered, adding, "This time, think carefully before you speak. If you don't answer properly, Niannian will definitely get even angrier."
Ji Shiyu's thoughtfulness moved Ji Suize somewhat. He accepted Ji Shiyu's kindness and sat down beside Niannian, casually picking up a leek and handing it to him.
Even though the two were still in a cold war, Niannian obediently said "thank you" and didn't deliberately avoid Ji Suize's attempt to please him.
"Let me help you skewer the leeks," Ji Suize offered.
Niannian: "No, I can do it myself."
Ji Suize: "Leeks are hard to skewer. You might hurt your hands."
Niannian: "Won't your hands get hurt?"
Ji Suize: "I'll be careful."
Niannian used his own words to counter: "I'll be careful too."
Ji Suize: "..."
Niannian was usually easy to talk to, but when stubborn, he could rival Ji Suize. Ji Suize had tried to help him several times, but he refused each time, which left him feeling quite frustrated.
Niannian wasn’t exaggerating, he was indeed very careful and meticulous. Even chives that were difficult to skewer became easy in his hands.
He didn’t feel tired, but Ji Suize couldn’t help feeling distressed watching him. Knowing he couldn’t win an argument with Niannian, he simply stopped trying and picked up skewers to start stringing them himself, striving to do more and share his workload.
Over on their side, Su Yanheng and Old Master Ji had already set up the barbecue grill, and the charcoal fire was burning steadily.
They placed the skewered food one by one on the grill, and within moments, the aroma wafted out, filling the entire garden.
Cheng Bohai had been standing by the floor-to-ceiling window for a long time. He had deliberately drawn the sheer curtains, allowing him to see the people outside while those in the garden couldn’t see him.
Cheng Hao had used the excuse of “my face is disfigured, I’m too embarrassed to go to work” to deliberately skip work. Cheng Bohai had been finding him increasingly irritating lately, and Cheng Hao was well aware of it.
Yet, instead of avoiding his father, he faced him head-on. Even after being beaten by his old man several times, he still hadn’t learned his lesson, sneering coldly at Cheng Bohai’s back.
Cheng Hao had only had a daughter when he was over fifty. His daughter, Cheng Min, was five years old this year and had just returned from abroad yesterday when he brought her home. He refused to believe his own child could be any worse than Ji Han’s little nephew.
His daughter had always been sweet-tongued since she was young, smiling at everyone, and among all the grandchildren, she was the one Cheng Bohai favored the most.
Cheng Bohai doted on his little granddaughter, almost giving her whatever she wanted. However, in their interactions, it was mostly Cheng Bohai who took the initiative. He could tell that his little granddaughter was actually quite afraid of him, only approaching him out of her parents’ orders.
He couldn’t bear to see his little granddaughter being used as a tool by her parents, so over the past year, his attitude toward her had always been lukewarm. Only in private moments would he show her a kind smile. Even so, his little granddaughter was still afraid of him.
At this moment, Cheng Min was hiding in Cheng Hao’s arms, playing with the Barbie doll Cheng Bohai had just given her. Her gaze toward Cheng Bohai was filled with timidity.
Cheng Hao patted his daughter’s back, signaling her to go talk to Cheng Bohai and keep him from staring at the neighbors all day. After all, Cheng Bohai had grandchildren of his own, why did he have to fixate on someone else’s grandson?
Cheng Min trembled slightly and reluctantly put down the Barbie doll. She inched her way toward Cheng Bohai, taking half a minute to cover just a few steps.
“Grandpa, what are you looking at?” Cheng Min forced a smile and followed Cheng Bohai’s gaze out the window.
They were standing on the second floor, a vantage point that offered a clear view of the two gardens below. Naturally, she also saw the children in the neighboring garden.
“Niannian!” Cheng Min had always maintained a ladylike image in front of her grandfather, never raising her voice. After her initial surprise, she pressed against the window, peering through a small hole in the sheer curtains to get a clearer look at the child downstairs.
“You know him?” Cheng Bohai asked.
“Yes.” Cheng Bohai’s words snapped Cheng Min back to reality. She straightened her ruffled dress and resumed her gentle, quiet demeanor, unaware that Cheng Bohai had long seen through her true nature and was merely playing along with her act.
Cheng Bohai: “How do you know each other?”
"I know him, but he doesn't know me." Cheng Bohai's voice was gentle, and he even smiled at her. Cheng Min suddenly felt less nervous and became more talkative. "When I was in Country Y, Mom would watch him on her phone every day. I got to know him through Mommy's phone."
Cheng Bohai: "Your mom really likes him?"
"Yes." Cheng Min explained honestly, without showing any jealousy toward her mother's preference for a strange child. "Mom even sends comments. She calls him Baby Niannian and refers to herself as Auntie."
Cheng Bohai: "..."
Cheng Hao: "..."
Cheng Hao's expression twisted: "How could your mom take a liking to this kid? Doesn't she know I hate everyone in the Ji family?"
Cheng Min secretly rolled her eyes at her father. Her parents' relationship had long since broken down; they were only a couple in name, each doing their own thing in private.
Even five-year-old Cheng Min knew this. She was raised by her mother, and her father only remembered her when he needed her. She actually disliked her father quite a bit.
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