Shao Chen returned to the Shao residence with his wife and son. Looking at the familiar surroundings, he felt a sense of nostalgia. After all, it was the home where he grew up, and it was only natural to miss it.
After settling his wife and son, Shao Chen was summoned to the backyard by Shao Wenyan, to stand before his grandfather's memorial tablet.
"Since you're back, burn three sticks of incense for your grandfather and kowtow three times. Sincerely apologize," Shao Wenyan said sternly.
Shao Chen looked at the black and white photograph of his grandfather on the altar, his emotions complex. "Burning incense is fine, but apologizing is out of the question. I did nothing wrong."
"If you hadn't broken your promise and eloped with that woman on your engagement day, your grandfather wouldn't have been so angered that he fell gravely ill!" Shao Wenyan shouted.
Shao Chen pursed his lips and remained silent.
He had indeed broken his word, which was something he had always felt guilty about towards his grandfather. However, he didn't want to live a lifetime of marriage like his grandfather.
His grandfather and grandmother's marriage was an arranged one. They lived more like strangers than a couple, at least in the eyes of outsiders.
In private, their personalities clashed severely. They argued constantly, with his grandfather, a man of strong will, never backing down. His grandmother was often upset by him and eventually passed away from illness.
Even then, he vowed that he would never marry a woman he didn't love when he grew up.
This was also why he frequently changed girlfriends after growing up. He wanted to find the right woman, until he met Ruan Tianxin.
When he had asked for his grandfather's help before, he had tried to set aside his personal desires and follow his grandfather's wishes, marrying and having children with Yan Xuebing. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. So, he acted selfishly for once and eloped with Ruan Tianxin.
He didn't believe he was wrong for pursuing his own happiness, because everyone had the right to pursue their own happiness.
Seeing Shao Chen's silence and refusal to apologize, Shao Wenyan's temper flared. He stepped forward and struck Shao Chen's knee with a stick, forcing him to kneel. "If you don't apologize, you will kneel here and reflect properly! Butler Shao, watch him! He won't be released until he apologizes!"
Hearing the loud thud as he knelt, Madam Shao and Ruan Tianxin, who were peeking from outside, clutched their hearts, fearing that Shao Wenyan would actually beat Shao Chen.
Shao Wenyan, truly, had learned nothing good from his father, but had perfectly inherited the bad habit of beating his son.
Although his son had made a mistake, he was merely holding onto his own convictions and choices. Parents shouldn't always assume they are right and disregard their children's feelings.
Madam Shao wanted to rush in and stop them, but Ruan Tianxin held her back. "Mom, give them some time."
This was a knot in the hearts of father and son, and even grandfather and grandson. They needed to untangle it themselves.
Inside.
"Young Master, Old Master kept calling your name before he passed away. The Old Master was always stubborn and perhaps too harsh on you, but he cared about you deeply. He had already forgiven you long ago, he just regretted not seeing you one last time before he died," Butler Shao said with earnest persuasion.
Shao Chen knelt before his grandfather's memorial tablet, looking at the black and white photograph. He remained silent.
"Actually, Shao Chen did come back from Beijiao on the day Grandpa passed away," Ruan Tianxin explained softly to Madam Shao from outside the door.
At that time, she was in her late pregnancy and about to give birth, making it inconvenient for her to accompany Shao Chen back. Shao Chen had gone back alone.
He hadn't shown himself at the Shao residence but had watched his grandfather's funeral procession from afar.
After returning to Beijiao, Shao Chen had been down for two days. Then, their eldest son, Zhan Zhan, was born, and he no longer had time to dwell in sadness.
Upon hearing this, Madam Shao was taken aback. Thinking of her son secretly watching them from nearby, her eyes welled up with tears.
The funeral of the late Shao was held very low-key, with only close relatives invited. However, she remembered receiving a wreath from an anonymous sender at the time.
They hadn't thought much of it then, assuming it was from one of the late Master Shao's many old friends. They never imagined it was from their son.
"Don't say any more to him. If he doesn't apologize, don't let him leave this spot!" Shao Wenyan said sternly to Butler Shao, then turned and walked away.
"Bang, bang, bang." Suddenly, three powerful kowtows sounded from behind him, making him pause.
Each of these three kowtows struck his heart like a heavy blow.
He turned back and looked at Shao Chen's upright back, even as he knelt on the ground. It felt as though something within him had instantly been released.
"It was wrong of me not to keep my promise. I admit fault, but I did nothing wrong in pursuing my own happiness," Shao Chen said.
Butler Shao, seeing Shao Wenyan's expression darken again after it had improved, inwardly fretted: Young Master, it would have been fine if you just apologized. There was no need to be so stubborn and explain everything so clearly!
Shao Wenyan gazed at Shao Chen's retreating back for a long time. Finally, he spoke with difficulty:
"Back then, it was wrong of us to force you to marry someone you didn't like. In the future, I hope we can communicate better about any issues."
Butler Shao had expected Shao Wenyan to get angry and, like the Old Master, hit the Young Master. He never imagined he would apologize first!
Seeing the father and son finally reconcile, his eyes couldn't help but water. He was deeply moved, thinking that if the Old Master's spirit in heaven could see this scene, he would surely feel comforted.
Outside, Madam Shao also couldn't help but shed tears. Over the years, she had often blamed Shao Wenyan for hurting their son and forcing him onto the cruise ship, and for his cold indifference towards him.
But at this moment, she too found peace.
—
The next day.
Ruan Tianxin and Shao Chen brought their child to Yu Xian Medical Clinic to seek treatment for Kai Kai from Yu He.
Kai Kai suffered from a rare congenital heart disease. He had undergone surgery at birth, but it hadn't been completely successful, and he required another operation.
The couple had taken Kai Kai to every hospital in Norway but couldn't find a cure. Out of desperation, they decided to bring their child back to China to try their luck with Yu He.
With Yu He's help, Ruan Tianxin was no longer worried.
After some catching up, Yu He took Kai Kai into the examination room for a check-up. Ruan Tianxin accompanied them. Shao Chen, on the other hand, was catching up with Qin Beiting in the east wing, having not seen each other for years.
In the living room, only Zhan Zhan and Duo Duo, who was instructed by her mother to look after her younger brother, remained.
Duo Duo was already ten years old. She had inherited her parents' tall stature and stunning looks. She stood at 1.5 meters, exuding the charm of a young girl on the verge of womanhood.
Her godmother had talked a lot about arranging a marriage for her earlier, and now her mother had asked her to look after Zhan Zhan. Duo Duo felt, well, these adults were trying to set them up.
Honestly speaking, Zhan Zhan had inherited his great godfather's handsome looks and was quite good-looking. It was just the age difference...
Duo Duo looked at Zhan Zhan, who barely reached her shoulders, and warned him, "Little brat, I, your sister, like mature handsome men, not childish little brothers. So, be sensible and don't have any illusions about me."
Zhan Zhan, inexplicably warned, couldn't fathom her narcissism. She was taking the adults' playful banter seriously.
He scoffed, "Tch~ Stop being so vain. Don't look at me being young now. In twenty years, you'll be a thirty-year-old middle-aged woman, and I'll be a young heartthrob you won't be able to get even if you tried!"