Chapter 262: Chapter 254: Kang Tudi
And so, Kang Mianhua settled into Yun Mansion, putting on a game of chase with He Chengsi every day, bringing quite a bit of laughter to the place.
Not long after, Kang Mianhua’s grandfather, Kang Tudi, also paid a visit. Kang Tudi was a burly old man with a robust build, like a tower, and appeared simple and honest with an innocent face. However, Luo Datou claimed one should not be deceived by the old man’s looks, insisting he was quite sly and slippery.
"Grandpa, have you brought food supplies?"
Kang Mianhua happily threw herself into Kang Tudi’s arms, revealing a daughter’s tender charm at that moment.
"Mhm, it’s the day to collect food coupons, so I brought them over to our Mianhua."
Kang Tudi carefully examined his granddaughter, noting her rosy complexion and the addition of flesh on her face—good, Luo Datou and his spouse had not mistreated his granddaughter. Kang Tudi nodded in satisfaction.
"Kang Tudi, you old fart, what are you doing at my place?" Luo Datou asked with a bad tone, glaring with bulging eyes and a scowling face.
The simple Kang Tudi chuckled, "Well, I’m here to deliver some rations to Mianhua. Luo Datou, it’s been a while, and you’re still as hot-headed as ever, tsk tsk. Such hot temper is not good, it easily leads to cerebral hemorrhage. You should have some bitter herbs to cool down your anger."
"Stuff your bullshit, I’m fine. I would outlive you even if you were dead!"
"My mother is already gone. If you want to hear her pass gas, you’ll have to go down below. When you go, let me know and I’ll send down some stinky tofu for her; it’s her favorite. I just don’t know if she can get it down there."
Kang Tudi said this while also shaking his head and sighing as if genuinely distressed that his old mother couldn’t enjoy stinky tofu anymore.
Tian Sisi saw Luo Datou’s nemesis, as Kang Mianhua’s grandpa made Luo Datou steaming mad in just a few sentences, shouting and yelling, yet, oddly enough, Luo Datou held back from resorting to violence, which was very unlike his usual temperament.
"Oh, Tudi is here? Why are you bringing food supplies? It’s really unnecessary, hurry up and take it back."
Niu Erniu seemed very familiar with Kang Tudi and spoke quite casually. Kang Tudi, on the other hand, spoke very earnestly with Niu Erniu, not like the teasing tone he used with Luo Datou earlier.
"No way, our Mianhua eats a lot; I can’t have your family raising my granddaughter for me!"
"Then why doesn’t Grandpa Kang take your granddaughter back with you, to spare you the trouble of carrying food around?" He Chengsi quickly took the opportunity to say.
Kang Tudi scrutinized He Chengsi, his squinted eyes glinting shrewdly. The once naïve black face now seemed somewhat cunning, with a slight curve at the mouth, appearing very pleased with He Chengsi.
"That won’t do, Mianhua hasn’t yet repaid you for saving her life!"
It wasn’t long before Kang Tudi reverted to his previous simple and honest peasant demeanor, chuckling and shaking his head.
"I don’t need her to repay anything, alright!"
"No way, we, the people of the Kang family, cannot be such ungrateful bastards. We must repay kindness for sure." Kang Tudi and Kang Mianhua, as grandfather and granddaughter, spoke exactly alike.
"Oh my, how can I not get through to you, Old Man? What business is it of yours if a girl follows me around all day? Uncle, Auntie, say something for me, will you!" He Chengsi was being suffocated by Kang Tudi and turned to Luo Datou and Niu Erniu for help.
"Chengsi, Mianhua is really nice, her being at home makes things much easier for your aunt." Niu Er Niu really liked the honest and hardworking Mianhua and had no wish for her to leave.
"Chengsi, your aunt likes her very much, and your uncle also thinks this girl is good, much more pleasing to the eye than her grandfather." Luo Datou had not a single ounce of aversion to Kang Mianhua, actually finding her quite agreeable.
He Chengsi was infuriated by these two, snorted at Luo Datou and Niu Erniu, and stormed back to his room, with Kang Mianhua following suit, like a tail.
"Luo Datou, you always have some clever calculation up your sleeve, thinking you can get a grandson-in-law for free," said Luo Datou with a cold hum to Kang Tudi.
"What do you mean get a grandson-in-law for free? My Mianhua is beautiful and has a fine figure, capable of any task inside and out, a rare find even if you searched with a lantern. If it wasn’t for your boy taking advantage of Mianhua, I wouldn’t have been willing to let Mianhua come over in the first place!"
Kang Tudi was displeased, his granddaughter was the best girl in the world—giving her to your family as a daughter-in-law, he was not even willing.
"What do you mean taking advantage? If it weren’t for my Chengsi sucking out the snake venom from your granddaughter, she’d have long been sending stinky tofu to your Old Mother."
Oh! Tian Sisi finally understood why He Chengsi and Kang Mianhua were so ambiguous when it came to this lifesaving affair—it turns out to be this reason!
"I’m here to repay the kindness, aren’t I? The old saying goes, a life-saving grace should be repaid with a promise of marriage. Your nephew has no wife, and my granddaughter has no man, isn’t this a perfect match?"
"Land, the kids are still young now, and we don’t know what the future holds, we’d better not tie the two kids together too early. When they grow up and really fall for each other, then it won’t be too late to bring it up, what do you say?"
Although Niu Erniu really liked Kang Mianhua, she liked her own nephew even more. At the moment, it seemed Chengsi had no interest in Mianhua at all, and if they really settled the marriage so early, it might lead to a resentful couple, which would be harming Chengsi!
"Alright, I’m not forcing them to marry right now, sigh, I’m well aware that a melon forced off its vine isn’t sweet. I’m just thinking of letting Mianhua have a happier time in your house. Mianhua has had a hard life, never having enjoyed any good fortune since she was little. Sister Luo, you have a kind heart, you won’t mistreat our Mianhua, and she will have a better time staying with you than following me!"
Kang Tudi said this with a sigh, and Niu Erniu sighed along, apparently knowing the reason, and thus tacitly agreed to let Mianhua stay. Luo Datou didn’t oppose it either.
Before leaving, Niu Erniu insisted on Kang Tudi taking the grain, but Kang Tudi refused, "What would I do taking it back? It would just benefit those few things. This is Mianhua’s personal quota of grain. Mrs. Niu, you keep it, and I’ll deliver the food coupons and the rest when they are distributed."
Hearing Kang Tudi say this, Niu Erniu didn’t say anything more and accepted the bag of grain. However, she took more than a dozen meat buns from the kitchen and handed them to Kang Tudi, remembering that he loved meat buns the most.
"Ah, I love the meat buns you make the best, Sister. It’s been years since I’ve had them, and they’re truly delicious!"
Kang Tudi’s face lit up with joy, and he immediately picked up a bun and started eating, even giving Luo Datou a cheeky wink. He managed to infuriate Luo Datou to the point of a blood-boiling rage, then cheerfully hummed a tune and walked home with his hands behind his back.
As Kang Tudi stepped out of Yun Mansion’s gate, he squinted and glanced at his granddaughter practicing boxing with He Chengsi, smiling contentedly with a hint of slyness in his expression.
Mianhua, your grandfather has paved the way for you, the rest of the journey is up to you! Hmph, you rascal, with a fine girl flitting around in front of you all day, I simply do not believe that you won’t take any interest!