Chapter 38: The Old Master’s Fondness

“Grandpa, do you know me?”

On the way here, Yao Yao had listened to Granny Zhao’s explanation—she was going to visit Aunt Wei’s home, and would meet Aunt Wei’s father and older brother.

Looking at the thin old man before her, Yao Yao gave a sweet smile.

She originally wanted to jump down and walk closer for a better look, but her waist was still encircled by Xie Yixing’s arms, so she gave up the idea and instead tilted her head to look at the dark pink plum blossom pastries next to Grandpa Wei’s hand.

Old Master Wei nodded and examined the chubby little girl carefully. Seeing her studying him as well, he couldn’t help teasing her, “Yao Yao, did you know that the plum blossoms you just picked are my treasures?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Xie Yixing, who was holding Yao Yao, suddenly said, “It wasn’t her—it was me who picked them.”

Only then did Old Master Wei take a closer look at his grandson’s delicate face.

Although still young, his skin was like flawless jade, translucent and radiant.

His brows were soft and sparse, and when his long eyelashes lowered, they cast faint shadows over his eyes. His whole being seemed like snow or ice—exuding a chilly aura.

He looked… so much like her.

Old Master Wei couldn’t help but think of his late wife.

His little grandson had the same cold, distant gaze as his wife. Even his features resembled her by thirty percent.

And his wife had been one of the great beauties of the capital—he had worked so hard to win her hand.

But alas, beauty is fleeting. A simple cold took her life.

Before he could gather his thoughts again, Yao Yao spoke softly, “Grandpa, if these pretty plum blossoms are your treasures, how could you bear to eat them?”

Her eyes were fixed on the plum blossom pastries on the jade plate, and her bright, spiritual gaze sparkled with longing.

Old Master Wei was caught off guard by her words, though his tightly drawn face eased slightly.

This little girl was just too adorable—red lips, white teeth, a face carved from pink jade, and two faint dimples tinged with blush.

No wonder his eldest son had been thinking about her after just one meeting.

Ever since his son had mentioned Yao Yao, Old Master Wei had been eager to meet her in person.

She was just a child—what kind of charm could make his son talk about her non-stop?

He hadn’t expected that upon seeing her, his own eyes would light up too.

Back then, he had advised his daughter-in-law that daughters should be raised delicately, not stingily.

But she refused to listen, believing that raising a daughter was just preparing her for someone else’s family. She even made little Hui memorize the classics for girls every day and restricted her food.

Every time he saw Hui, he felt the girl was too thin.

Especially now, standing next to Yao Yao, his own poor granddaughter looked like a bamboo stick—so skinny she might blow over in the wind.

Such a shame.

Staring at Yao Yao’s plump little face, a thought emerged in Old Master Wei’s heart: he would raise the children in his house to have a good appetite like Yao Yao—only then would they be healthy.

From the moment she walked in, Yao Yao had noticed the peach blossom pastries beside the old master.

But she remembered what her mother had said: when visiting someone else’s home, never ask for food or speak out of turn.

Still, she really wanted to taste the peach blossom pastries. Her thoughts poured straight from her eyes.

Old Master Wei noticed her longing, but deliberately didn’t respond. He planned to use the opportunity to pull Yao Yao into his arms and personally feed her the pastry.

But then, out of the corner of his eye, he sensed a cold, silent glare aimed mercilessly at his face.

His old bones trembled with his cane, and he suddenly felt that the room’s temperature had dropped too quickly.

Fortunately, his eldest son entered just in time, distracting everyone.

But instead of helping, Wei Dalang ignored his father’s desperate glance, rushed forward, picked up the jade plate of peach blossom pastries, and presented it directly to Yao Yao.

Yao Yao’s eyes sparkled with surprise as she looked up at him.

Wei Dalang asked eagerly, “Yao Yao, do you remember your uncle? I once brought you pastries at the marquis estate.”

“I remember! You’re Uncle Wei!” Yao Yao beamed with a bright smile.

She pointed to her little belly with her chubby hand and proudly announced, “Uncle Wei, the pastries you gave me are all in Yao Yao’s tummy now!”

“Yao Yao loved them!”

Hearing this, Wei Dalang’s eyes squinted with joy. He almost wanted to dump the entire tray of peach blossom pastries into Yao Yao’s hands.

But the pastries were too large, and Yao Yao’s little hands too small—she could only hold half at a time.

So, Wei Dalang simply placed the whole jade plate on the table closest to Yao Yao, completely ignoring the dark expression on his father’s face.

Old Master Wei, being elderly, usually found ordinary pastries too sticky for his teeth. That was why he had reluctantly allowed the kitchen to break off a few branches of plum blossoms from his courtyard to make this soft and fragrant pastry.

He hadn’t even had a bite before his son took the tray away as an offering.

Wei Dalang watched Yao Yao carefully pick up a pastry and placed the rest on the nearby table. Seeing that the table was otherwise empty, he immediately frowned at the servants.

“Is this how you treat guests?”

Known for his good temper, Wei Dalang rarely got angry. The servants, startled, rushed to the kitchen and returned with several trays of freshly made pastries, piling them next to Yao Yao.

Old Master Wei could only watch helplessly as all his pre-meal pastries ended up next to Yao Yao. He silently drank his plain tea.

Sigh.

The pastries were gone.

And he hadn’t even gotten to hold the little girl.

Meanwhile, Yao Yao was perfectly content, holding the plum blossom pastry in both hands, quietly and obediently nibbling away.

In an instant, her little cheeks puffed out.

So delicious!

Yao Yao had never eaten pastries made with actual plum blossom petals before.

Her mother had promised that when it snowed this year, she would make some for her—but they hadn’t gotten to it yet.

Yao Yao chewed with joy, her little head bobbing. From the side, only the back of her head and profile were visible, but even that was enough to ease Xie Yixing’s expression.

Old Master Wei finally managed to tear his eyes away and was about to discuss the Xie family situation with his daughter, when a servant suddenly reported, “Master, the marquis has arrived.”

Wei Dalang, still distracted by watching Yao Yao eat, didn’t react immediately. “Which marquis?”

The servant paused, thinking Wei Dalang was being sarcastic, and stammered, “The… the Marquis of Chengming…”

“Heh… I haven’t even gone looking for him yet, and he comes here himself…”

Wei Dalang reluctantly stood up, just as the Marquis of Chengming burst into the room.

Upon seeing the old master seated at the head, he immediately dropped to his knees in a dramatic act of repentance.

“Father-in-law, it’s all my fault—Minglan has been wronged because of my failure. I accept any punishment you see fit. Whatever you want to say or do, I will accept it all.”

Old Master Wei snorted coldly and struck the floor hard with his cane. The dull thud echoed like a thunderclap.

“When you knelt in front of me back then, begging to marry my Lan girl, you swore to treat her well for a lifetime—to never let her suffer even a bit of grievance!”

“But these past years, all the humiliation and hardship my Lan girl has endured in your house—I haven’t even begun to settle those scores!”

“And now, just as your family members arrive, the first thing they do is try to drive her out. Who are you trying to make room for—some new woman?”

Every word from Old Master Wei hit like a dagger, making the Marquis of Chengming deeply ashamed. He lowered his head even further.

“I will never let Minglan down again. I’ve decided—I’ll stay and spend the New Year here with everyone. I won’t return to the marquis estate for now.”