Mind reading saves the whole family; I'm firmly in the role of a charlatan.

Chapter 126 Nearly Ruined His Reputation in His Later Years
After two months of training, the Du family had gotten used to the joyful life of finding melons anytime, anywhere. Hearing this familiar opening, although they were a little excited inside, they didn't show it on their faces at all.

On the contrary, Du Desheng, who prided himself on having seen all kinds of storms, was witnessing such an unpredictable event for the first time. He instinctively gripped the end of his cane and tried to calm his inner shock.

Du Anrao did not notice anything unusual about the others. He stared at Miss Qiao for a while, but still felt that he needed to confirm more information before making a conclusion.

"Mom, what does my great-uncle do? I don't think I've ever seen him before, and I've never heard you mention him."

Du's mother's lips twitched slightly. She thought to herself, "Apart from Du Lianshuang, which of our relatives did we not meet for the first time on your birthday? What's so strange about a distant relative we've never met before suddenly appearing?"

That's what she thought, but in order to get the freshest news, Du's mother cleared her throat and said truthfully, "Your great-uncle retired a few years ago. Before he retired, he was involved in heavy industry investment."

Heavy industry investment? That's a broad topic. Isn't there any other concrete information?

Although Du Desheng was old, his hearing was still sharp. He had overheard most of the whispers between Du Anrao and her daughter. His eyes darted around, and he said with a faint smile, "Of course, we're all family, so I'll just say what I want to say. The reason I'm going to the trouble of asking your family to take me in is mainly because I took a liking to An'an at first sight. I was thinking that during my stay in S City, I was wondering if I could ask her to be my guide and show me around."

The Du family members, who had already seen through the other party's little scheme, said: "..."

I'm afraid their real intention isn't just to travel around, but to follow their youngest son around and get all the gossip, right? I just wonder if he'll end up getting the gossip himself.

“You are my elder, and I should not refuse your request, both morally and logically. However, An’an was only brought back to S City by us a little over two months ago, and she also stayed in J City for nearly a month not long ago. So, she has only spent a little over a month in S City, and she hasn’t had time to go anywhere yet. It’s probably not appropriate for her to accompany you.”

Du Desheng laughed: "Isn't this perfect? ​​She's not familiar with S City, and neither am I. If we go out together, we can exchange ideas anytime. As for your concerns, we can just hire another guide. It's not a big deal."

The Du family members, speechless at Du Desheng's outrageous actions, were: "...This is even possible?"
Although Du Anrao was a beat slow to react because he was thinking about the plot, he finally understood.

What's going on? Is he really after me? But I've never even met him. This "we hit it off" excuse? Even a dog wouldn't believe it!

The Du family members: "!!!"

"Cough cough...cough cough..."

Du Anrao's inner monologue was interrupted by a sudden, violent cough.

"Mom, are you alright? Did you choke?"

"It's nothing, it's nothing. I drank the water too fast and choked on it. I'm much better now."

“…Oh, then be careful.” “Mm…”

Mrs. Du forced a smile, but her attention was focused on the old man opposite her, afraid that he would be angry because of Du Anrao's rudeness.

Unexpectedly, Du Desheng was not angry at all; instead, he laughed even more happily.

"I heard about An'an from you uncles before I came. The child had suffered a lot while she was away from home. It's good that she's been found. But young people should go out and travel more, explore the beautiful landscapes on their own two feet, and experience the world beyond the mountains and the sky. Only then will they know how different the scenery outside is from what's around them."

Du Desheng changed the subject: "How about this, after we've toured around S City, An'an can come with me back to B City for a visit. Grandpa's house is at No. 9 Jingyu Street, and there's a really big garden area next door. Residents nearby don't need to buy tickets to bring people in. It's perfect for taking a walk after dinner to digest."

Du Desheng's words were also a double entendre, telling the Du family that he already knew about Du Anrao's special nature from other relatives before they came, and that he had no ill intentions towards her, so there was no need to be so wary of him. He also subtly revealed his home address, revealing more information for Du Anrao to identify.

Sure enough, as soon as Du Desheng finished speaking, Du Anrao's eyes lit up.

Jingyu Street, located in the heart of B City where land is incredibly valuable, is said to be the site of a dragon vein. It's surrounded by ancient palaces, royal residences, and former imperial gardens. Ordinary people need tickets to enter, but my great-uncle actually lives there—and coincidentally, he lives at number 9 on Jingyu Street!

The Du family members already knew that Du Desheng had a powerful background, so they weren't too surprised by Du Anrao's series of exclamations. What they were more concerned about was the number 9 that Du Anrao repeatedly mentioned. Did it have any special meaning?

So, Grandpa Du really is that legendary Master Du, the one who can make City B tremble with a stomp of his foot, and who can intimidate countless high-ranking officials and nobles with just his name?

Mr. and Mrs. Du were stunned for a moment, and subconsciously turned to look at Du Desheng, asking him with their eyes, "Does he really have such a nickname?"

Du Desheng, with his hands crossed on his cane, couldn't help but fidget with his fingers upon hearing this.

The novel related to her great-uncle is a suspenseful family drama. The female lead is Qiao Yiting, the caregiver who works for Du Desheng. As for the male lead, he should be the once-powerful Ninth Master Du.

As soon as Du Anrao dropped this news, all the Du family members present turned their eyes to Du Desheng, as if to say: I never thought that you, my great-uncle, were like this. You're so old, yet you're still having a grandfather-granddaughter relationship with a young girl!
Du Desheng understood the exchange between the group, and his hand gripping his cane began to tremble slightly. How could this be...?

He clearly already had someone he loved, so how could he possibly fall for someone else, especially since the person in question was such a naive young girl who could be his granddaughter? Absolutely not!
[Oh, of course, I don't mean the male lead has any romantic relationship with the female lead. It's simply because he occupies the second most space in the novel after the female lead. After all, it's a suspenseful domestic drama, and the house in question is his, so how can he not be considered the male lead?]

As for my great-uncle and Miss Qiao, their relationship was simply that of employer and employee, with a touch of misplaced affection stemming from a fondness for someone he had met, and a genuine grandfather-granddaughter bond born of lingering feelings for an old friend.

The Du family members: "..." Hahaha, so that's how it is. Awkward.jpg

Du Desheng: "..." Little girl, you're so young, can you not speak so dramatically? I'm an old man with half my neck buried in the ground, and I almost lost my reputation because of your words!
(End of this chapter)