The car drove into the garden of the Ji Family’s old mansion, and from a distance, they could see Housekeeper Li accompanying Mr. Ji, who was in a wheelchair, playing chess in the pavilion.
The car stopped, and Housekeeper Li pushed Mr. Ji over.
"Grandpa..." As soon as Baobao got out of the car, he bounced over to the old man energetically.
"Hey, hey, Baobao, be careful, be careful..." Mr. Ji had an eager smile on his face, with his arms spread wide waiting for Baobao to jump into them, though he couldn’t help but remind the little one.
Le Tong and Ji Rui walked side by side behind Baobao, with Xiao Li carrying large and small bags of groceries following them.
"Hello, Chairman!" Le Tong wore a polite smile, her calm tone carrying a hint of aloofness.
"You’re here, co in quickly and sit down, it’s windy outside."
Mr. Ji cheerfully invited Le Tong, and Ji Rui nodded to him, supporting Le Tong’s waist from behind, leading her towards the main house.
"Daddy, Baobao wants to bring Little Black and Little Grey, White and Little Bai back here, is that okay?"
The little one rembered and asked loudly from behind the two of them.
Ji Rui turned his head to look at Le Tong, seemingly waiting for her decision.
This matter, originally kicked over to him by Le Tong a few days ago, he now handed back to her.
"You guys decide for yourselves, I have no objections!" Le Tong stated her stance.
Before Ji Rui could respond, Mr. Ji, sitting in the wheelchair behind them, spoke up, "Are they two little dogs and a big and small cat? Since Baobao likes them, let them co back here to be raised. Old Li will take good care of them. When Baobao misses them, he can co to see them and play with them. Besides, with just one person here, having a few little creatures around livens up the place."
Le Tong couldn’t take it when she heard the latter part of Mr. Ji’s words.
Previously, she had thought Mr. Ji and Old Madam Ji were both angry and temporarily separated. Now, hearing the old man’s words, it seed not as simple as she had assud.
Mr. Ji was over sixty years old, and with the Ji Family’s mansion so large, it was indeed quite lonely for just one person to live there.
Feeling a twinge of compassion, Le Tong reluctantly nodded slightly to Ji Rui.
"Then call the pet store and have them send them over."
Ji Rui said, taking out his phone to directly dial the pet store, instructing them to send along with the two dogs and two cats, a large pile of items including dog and cat houses, dog food, cat food, etc., to the mansion.
Baobao was so excited that he didn’t follow Le Tong and Ji Rui into the main house, instead pushing Mr. Ji around the garden to find a good spot for the cats and dogs.
Ji Rui accompanied Le Tong into the main house, where two servants greeted them and took the bags of groceries from Xiao Li to the kitchen.
Ji Rui sat with Le Tong in the living room for a while, drank a cup of tea, and then stood up to extend his hand to Le Tong, "Shall I show you around?"
Le Tong thought for a mont; last ti she visited, she only saw Baobao’s bedroom and playroom, and indeed, she had not seen other parts of the house.
"Okay!" Le Tong placed her hand into Ji Rui’s large palm, allowing him to lead her up the stairs.
"That day you ca, you didn’t go anywhere else?"
He held Le Tong’s hand, his gaze never leaving her face.
Le Tong felt uneasy under his gaze and tugged at his hand, "Watch your step, if you fall, I can’t catch you."
Ji Rui turned around gracefully, staring at Le Tong while walking backward up the stairs, "I’ve lived here since I was born. The house has only had so simple repairs, so the layout hasn’t changed much. I can walk around inside this big house with my eyes closed."
Le Tong glanced around, "You were born in this house?"
Although Ji Rui rarely made jokes about such things, Le Tong didn’t believe him.
The smile on Ji Rui’s face slowly faded, "Yes, this house was left by my grandfather."
Le Tong’s heart tightened, deeply regretting her loose tongue. "I’m sorry..."
Le Tong squeezed Ji Rui’s palm gently, apologizing softly.
Ji Rui smiled at her, "Silly, it’s been so many years, I’ve long moved on."
Le Tong responded with a soft "Hmm."
"Actually, after my mom died, he ntioned moving out."
Le Tong listened quietly, not daring to ask more.
"I said I wouldn’t go. If he wanted to move, he could take his wife and son with him and then sever our father-son relationship."
Le Tong felt a pang in her heart, imagining a child not much older than Baobao defiantly challenging his father...
"Because of my words, he didn’t dare move. I wanted his wife and son to know that even though they entered the Ji family and took the Ji na, they would always be living under soone else’s roof."
As he spoke, Ji Rui’s expression didn’t change much, but Le Tong perceived a subtle shift in his tone.
"This villa, my mom left a will that it be entirely inherited by . As for the Ji Family, a few years after I was born, it was completely out of her control. By the ti she realized, it was too late."
Le Tong didn’t know how long these heavy topics had weighed on Ji Rui’s heart; she only knew it was very cruel for a child so young to bear such a burden.
The topic of changing Ji Family’s na had been ntioned by Ji Rui before he got injured, and many things happened afterward. Until now, changing the family na hasn’t been put on the agenda.
Le Tong privately thought this matter was over, but hearing these old stories now, she vaguely understood that changing Ji Family’s na was only a matter of ti.
While speaking, Ji Rui led Le Tong to the door of the first room by the staircase, pushing it open before Le Tong could see the furnishings inside. Ji Rui said, "This room was my mom’s."
Le Tong shivered, Ji Rui released her hand, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and giving it a pat.
"Don’t be afraid, my mom would definitely like you."
Le Tong patted his hand on the back, "You misunderstood, I’m not afraid."
The shiver was rely a physical reflex. ntally, she felt deep sympathy for the unfortunate woman she hadn’t t.
"Hmm..."
Ji Rui didn’t intend to pursue further, holding Le Tong as they walked to a display counter.
On the counter were so offerings, and in the center was a large black and white photograph.
The woman in the photo had a gentle smile, appeared very young, with deep facial contours. Faintly, her features resembled Ji Rui’s.
Ji Rui glanced at Le Tong, then turned to gaze at the woman in the photo.
"Mom, this is Baobao’s mom and the woman I love. Her na is Le Tong."
Following Ji Rui’s gaze to the photo, Le Tong said, "Hello, Auntie, my na is Le Tong."
The woman’s eyes were beautiful, full of warmth. Just from looking at the photo, Le Tong felt as though the person in it had sothing to share with her, thinking she must have been a very pretty and graceful woman.
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