Before he died, my grandfather forced me to marry the richest man in the capital.

The door closed, and the old man smiled, a satisfied smile, his emotions very stable, as if he had been waiting for that day to arrive at any moment.

Stepping outside, even the usually strong Tang Junyao shed tears. A single tear rolled down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away. In her pocket was the envelope her grandfather had given her. She touched it with her fingertips, as if she could feel the densely packed words inside.

After composing herself, Tang Junyao prepared to hide the envelope. She pushed open the door, and Ji Hancheng was already changing clothes. Seeing Tang Junyao come in with red eyes, he guessed, "Grandpa isn't doing well."

Tang Junyao hurriedly hid the envelope and urged the man to come downstairs. "Nothing, we just said a few words. You can go downstairs and keep an eye on Hanhan and the others, so that the two children don't make too much noise and disturb Grandpa's sleep."

But some people just don't do things their way, and they insist on exposing the truth. Behind Tang Junyao came Ji Hancheng's deep, muffled voice, "Did Grandpa give you a will?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Junyao turned around abruptly. She suspected that the man had been peeking through the corner, otherwise how would he have known? "You..."

Ji Hancheng interrupted Tang Junyao, looking as if he knew it all along. "I was raised by my grandfather. What he can think of, I can think of too. And what he can't think of, I can think of as well. You've been in the room for so long, and when you came back, your eyes were red. Doesn't that make things clear?"

His tone was relaxed, but Tang Junyao felt a pang of heartache as he recalled his grandfather's teachings. She was certain that Ji Hancheng had indeed been recalling those memories, but being a boy, he didn't ramble on like a girl, nor did he shed any tears.

Even though he knew what Tang Junyao had taken, Ji Hancheng didn't ask him to see it. He respected his grandfather implicitly. "Go ahead and hide what Grandpa gave you. Since he wants to keep it mysterious, I'll let him have his way."

"Hancheng..." Tang Junyao couldn't bear to see Ji Hancheng suppressing his reluctance and sadness, and her eyes welled up with tears. But before she could speak, Ji Hancheng pushed her forward and touched her earlobe. He then opened the door and went downstairs. "I'll go and watch over Hanhan."

Tang Junyao, left standing there, watched Ji Hancheng's retreating figure as he went downstairs. She felt a pang of heartache. How painful it would be for him if her grandfather really passed away.

She stood there silently for a while before turning around and putting the documents into the safe. Inside were her grandfather's documents. She placed the envelope from her pocket on top, pressed it down with her hand with mixed feelings, looked at the stacked documents, and remained silent for a while before closing the safe again.

Since Hancheng didn't plan to look at it now, she put it in a place they both knew, so he could take it whenever he wanted, or look at it behind her back.

Grandpa overestimated himself and underestimated the child he had raised. Ji Hancheng could guess exactly where Grandpa would place his next move, but he pretended not to know in order to play along with his grandfather.

Early the next morning.

When Xiaoyouzi finished her breakfast and was getting ready to go to school, Ji Hancheng instructed, "Go upstairs and say goodbye to Great-Grandpa."

Little Yuzu responded casually, placing the schoolbag she had just picked up back on the chair. "Okay."

She ran upstairs, carefully pushed open the door, and saw that her great-grandfather was already up and sitting on the bed reading. Little Yuzu smiled and approached, "Great-Grandpa, are you feeling better?"

The old man was deeply moved, smiling lovingly, his eyes and brows beaming with joy, a smile that seemed to conceal the marks of time. "Great-Grandpa, why isn't Lele going to school yet? She's going to be late."

Little Yuzu approached, extending her tiny hand to shake the old man's. His large, rough hand enveloped her soft, delicate one. The old man, suppressing a hint of reluctance, asked, "Have you come to say goodbye to your great-grandfather?"

"Yes, if you're not feeling well, just tell Mom. Mom is a doctor. I'm going to school now, but I'll come up to see you after school."

The old man nodded and smiled, his eyes sparkling. This child was afraid he wouldn't see him when he came home from school. He's really grown up. "Okay, great-grandfather, I'll wait for you to come home from school. Go to school without worry."

"Okay, Great-Grandpa, I've learned another word. I'll write it down for you when I get home from school." Little Yuzi, who is usually not very talkative, said a lot all at once, perhaps because the old man often spends time with him and teaches him.

What Xiaoyouzi meant by writing was actually practicing calligraphy. The old man would teach Xiaoyouzi calligraphy in his spare time, teaching her step by step. According to the old man, playing chess and practicing calligraphy can calm down restless people and cultivate patience.

Xiao Youzi closed the door again and went downstairs. Ji Hancheng was already waiting at the bottom of the stairs. "Let's go."

"Um."

"You guys go first, I'll go see Grandpa before I leave. Go ahead, I'll drive to the base myself." Tang Junyao urged the man, "Hurry up, Lele's going to be late."

Upon hearing this, Ji Hancheng finally moved. In the car, Xiaoyouzi asked the person in the driver's seat, her mood not very high, "Dad."

Ji Hancheng glanced at the little boy sitting behind him out of the corner of his eye, looking like a little adult. "Just say what you have to say, don't beat around the bush."

Little Yuzu: "Is Great-Grandpa going to die?"

The moment those words were spoken, even the air around them seemed to freeze. It was so quiet you could hear your own heartbeat. Little Yuzu held his breath, waiting for his father's reply. He had seen TV dramas where elderly people were in similar situations when they got sick, much like his great-grandfather.

Ji Hancheng paused for a moment, then tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "Great-grandfather wants to go far away to be with great-grandmother."

I thought my son would keep asking, but he didn't. Little Yuzu pursed his lips and remained silent, quietly watching the scenery receding outside. I didn't know what he was thinking, but I could tell from his face that he wasn't happy and there was a kind of sadness in him.

After school that day, Xiaoyouzi couldn't wait to put down his schoolbag as soon as he entered the door, and then ran straight upstairs to see the old man. Tang Junyao, who was following behind him, reminded him to slow down.

Little Yuzu was sharing the funny things that happened at kindergarten with her grandfather in the room. The grandfather listened attentively, smiling from time to time. When the clock in the grandfather's room struck half an hour, Little Yuzu would urge her grandfather to rest.

Looking at my sensible great-grandson, I suddenly realized that my little darling had grown up, no wonder my time had come.

After Xiaoyouzi left, Ji Hancheng returned early. Just like his son, he went straight to the second floor as soon as he entered the door. He opened the door and found that the old man had already lain down. The room was very quiet. He then went back out and closed the door again.

Then she went downstairs to ask Yuan Shu about the old man's condition today. Yuan Shu said that he was in better condition than yesterday, had eaten quite a lot, and had slept for two hours longer than yesterday.

Time passed by, and the old man spent more time sleeping than waking up each day. His memory began to become confused, and he would repeatedly talk about yesterday's events as if they happened today.

Even the most capable person can't escape the nagging and forgetfulness that come with old age.

He always called his two great-granddaughters by the wrong names, but he remembered Xiaoyouzi's name quite well. It's no wonder the old man could make a mistake; the twins really do look alike. Not only could the sick old man mistake them, but even the healthy butler Ji and the others often got them mixed up.

Days passed by one by one.

The old man didn't eat anything that day. The food that was served up was brought down intact. Aunt Ji wiped away her tears and said in a broken voice to Yuan Shu, who was standing downstairs, "Madam, he still hasn't eaten."

I skipped breakfast, I skipped lunch, and I'm not going to eat dinner either... "Give it to me."

Yuan Shu carried dinner and pushed open the door to the old man's room. The old man, who was getting thinner and thinner, sat on the bed, wearing reading glasses, and looking at the photo album with trembling hands. It was a photo album of the old lady and him when they were young. The resolution was very low, but you could still see from the photos that the old man's eyes were full of love when he looked at the old lady. You could also see that the old lady was a great beauty when she was young.

Yuan Shu placed dinner on the bedside table. "Dad, have some. If Xiao Cheng comes back and finds out you haven't eaten all day, he'll worry again. Just eat a little bit."

Without the old man's knowledge, Ji Hancheng had been sleeping on the sofa in the old man's room for three consecutive nights. The reason was simple: he was afraid that something might happen to the old man at night.

Previously, Yuan Shu called the old man "father," but ever since Tang Junyao married into the family and started calling him "Mom and Dad," the old man said that it sounded better that way, so Yuan Shu and Ji Hang changed their way of addressing him.

"Alright, then have a bite." The old man's hands trembled, his voice was weak, his eyes were sunken, his cheeks were almost devoid of flesh, and he did not look well.

Even his once straight back was now hunched over. Yuan Shu was about to feed the old man when he stopped her. The old man, who had always been strong-willed, would never allow himself to be fed. "Don't worry, he's still alive. Your mother probably doesn't want me to go there yet."

Yuan Shu withdrew her hand, her eyes filled with tears. The old man's physical functions were declining, even his appetite. A few days ago he could still eat a bowl of porridge, but today he had no appetite at all. No wonder Xiao Cheng secretly came to this room to sleep. Worried, she suggested, "Why don't you stay at the base or the Imperial Hospital?"

The old man, trembling and with no appetite, scooped up half a spoonful of porridge and struggled to put it into his mouth. After swallowing, he took a minute to catch his breath before answering his daughter-in-law's question, "Going away won't change anything. It's not a serious illness, and I can't replace any parts. It's just normal for parts to wear out; they can't be repaired or replaced. I can only reincarnate."

Seeing his daughter-in-law with her head down, a tear fell onto her hand with a soft thud. The old man comforted her instead, "Xiao Shu, don't be sad. Dad is just going to see your mother. There's nothing to be sad about. Think about it, my life has been worthwhile. I've lived to this age, almost ninety. Who has the blessing of having so many children and grandchildren? It's just that after I'm gone, this family will have to rely on you alone. Ji Hang isn't as thoughtful as Xiao Cheng, and he's not good at saying nice things, so please bear with him."

Yuan Shu's throat tightened, and her eyes reddened. She, who never showed her true emotions, broke down. The old man had always treated her like his own daughter and gave her plenty of say. "I know. Go later. Mom won't get angry. Mom has always had a good temper and won't blame you."

The old man took a couple of bites and handed the bowl to Yuan Shu. Yuan Shu urged him to eat some more, but he shook his head. Yuan Shu didn't insist and could only take the bowl and sit back down. As soon as she sat down, she heard the old man say, "That's enough. You've made up for what you owe your mother. You should go see her. You still need to keep an eye on Xiao Cheng to prevent him from making any mistakes. This happy marriage didn't come easily. Yao Yao is a very good girl. She's not only sensible, but she also has good values ​​and character. She's a down-to-earth person who lives a proper life. Don't get hung up on the idea of ​​a 'well-bred lady.' That can't be the standard for a good life."

Yuan Shu knew that the old man was subtly reminding her to be more understanding and accepting, and was speaking well of his daughter-in-law. She had long admired Tang Junyao, and had developed feelings for her after spending so much time together. "I won't make things difficult for her. She's also very outstanding. Xiao Cheng has good taste; it's just that I'm a bit short-sighted."

"It's not that you're short-sighted. Everyone has a habit of judging people based on first impressions and their own internal standards. Some people's strengths only become apparent after getting to know them better, and Yao Yao is one of those people."

Yuan Shu: "Yes, I know."

The two talked for a long time. The old man gave Yuan Shu instructions for what would happen after he left. After he was gone, Yuan Shu would be in charge of the family. The old man had to give these instructions.