Visiting Part 1

No matter how many times Ji Zenan knocked, no one came to open the door. Perhaps he had been too loud, as it eventually prompted someone to come out.

Aunt Li was hired by the Ji family some time ago. After the reform and opening-up, various places encouraged people to find jobs, and private enterprises emerged. The domestic help industry also existed, but hiring domestic workers was still rare. Many people feared being labeled as capitalists, worried about their social status, or concerned about being sent to farms.

The Ji family hiring Aunt Li was a way to signal to those around them that policies had changed and that they need not be afraid anymore.

“No one is coming to open the door,” Aunt Li said. “The old master and old madam are out. They’ve said you’re not a Ji family member and not their biological son. Go back to your own home and find your own mother.”

“You…” Ji Zenan glared at Aunt Li, furious that she would treat him this way.

Ji Mingzhu, who was over seven years old, saw her angry father and felt frightened.

Suddenly, Ji Mingzhu began to cry.

When Old Madam Ji and Old Master Ji returned, they heard Ji Mingzhu’s cries.

Upon hearing the cries, Old Master Ji instinctively said, “My dear.”

“She’s not your dear, nor is she our biological granddaughter,” Old Madam Ji quickly interjected, grabbing her husband’s hand to prevent him from going to see Ji Mingzhu at this time.

Old Madam Ji noticed that Ji Zenan had deliberately brought Ji Mingzhu along, knowing they had a soft spot for her. They couldn’t afford to show any leniency towards Ji Zenan at this moment. They couldn’t allow Ji Zenan to be seen as a member of the Ji family.

The announcement in the newspaper that Ji Zenan was not a Ji family member was initiated by Old Madam Meng. Although Old Madam Ji felt it was a bit rushed, she still agreed with Old Madam Meng’s decision.

Old Madam Ji understood that despite raising Ji Zenan for so many years and her years of concern for him, she still felt a twinge of compassion. Her elder sister’s advice was correct: if one doesn’t sever ties decisively, one may face trouble.

If they continued to treat this fake son well, it would be like stabbing their biological son in the back.

The Ji family had not announced Lin Chengshan’s status in the papers yet, nor had they approached him to understand his stance. They needed to be cautious. They felt guilty for not discovering the switch earlier.

“Why pamper the granddaughter of your enemies when you have your own?” Old Madam Ji said.

The Lin family, once benefactors to the Ji family, had now become their enemies.

“Go, go to the mall,” Old Madam Ji said. “We need to buy more things. We can’t let the child use second-hand items.”

If they let their biological granddaughter use Ji Mingzhu’s old things, what would that mean?

Old Master Ji did not speak, tacitly agreeing with Old Madam Ji’s words. Old Madam Ji might not have loved Ji Mingzhu as much, possibly because she had a daughter of her own and was used to favoring boys over girls.

Old Madam Ji told herself not to be soft-hearted. If she softened, she should think of her deceased younger brother. It was possible that the younger son was the reincarnation of her late brother. Even if not, he was still her biological son, and she couldn’t fail him.

“Look, the car,” Ji Mingzhu said, pointing at a car in the distance. “It’s Grandpa, it’s Grandpa.”

By the time Ji Zenan looked over, the car had already started moving.

“Dad!” Ji Zenan hurried over, but he couldn’t keep up with the car. He could only watch helplessly as it disappeared from view.

Ji Zenan realized that his parents truly had no intention of acknowledging him. He looked down at his daughter, his affection for her largely stemming from his awareness of how much Old Master Ji adored his granddaughter.

“You’re of no use now. You’ve cried, and Grandpa won’t come to see you or let you in,” Ji Zenan said.

Outside the mall, Lin Chengshan’s first day of setting up a stall was not particularly successful but decent. He placed a basket of steamed buns on a small table for his daughter to eat first.

Lin Chengshan had also brought some food that had cooled since he made it in the morning. While he didn’t mind eating it cold, he didn’t want his daughter to have to. With the hot weather, bacteria could grow quickly, and he worried about her getting a stomach ache.

He was very cautious with his daughter.

“It’s too hot,” Lin Qingqing said as she bit into a steamed bun, feeling the hot filling inside.

“Drink some water,” Lin Chengshan said, quickly handing her a drink.

“Boss, one egg burger, please,” said a passerby.

“Coming right up,” Lin Chengshan replied, needing to finish attending to his daughter before he could continue making food.

Lin Chengshan had already put up a sign with the prices for the items. He had personally prepared the seasonings, and the sauces tasted particularly good and fragrant.

Some people bought an egg burger, and after finishing, they came back to buy more.

“Eat slowly,” Lin Chengshan told his daughter. “There’s more after you finish.”

Other stall vendors noticed how well Lin Chengshan cared for his daughter and thought he was a decent man. He knew how to set up a stall to make money and take care of his child, unlike some men who just laze around at home.

“Wait a moment,” Old Madam Ji said from the car as she saw the scene outside. Even though she had only seen Lin Chengshan once, she recognized him at the stall. “Stop the car.”

“Dear, what’s wrong?” Old Master Ji asked.

“It’s Chengshan, our biological son,” Old Madam Ji said. “Look, the one setting up the stall.”

Old Madam Ji thought about the hot weather and how Lin Chengshan was out there setting up a stall. From what she knew, Lin Chengshan had only recently arrived in Rongcheng City, and it was surprising that he had set up a stall so quickly.

“Where?” Old Master Ji asked hurriedly.

Old Master Ji had some positive feelings towards Lin Chengshan, especially after learning that he had joined the military. He felt that Lin Chengshan was the type of person who should have been his son. Unfortunately, Lin Chengshan had given up a promising future for a woman, who then rejected him after the college entrance exams.

Old Master Ji and Old Madam Ji didn’t go to find Lin Chengshan today because they wanted to first resolve matters with Ji Zenan and also prepare a room for Lin Chengshan. They needed to replace the bedding and other items with new ones. They had no intention of letting Lin Chengshan stay in the room Ji Zenan used to live in. That would be too disrespectful.

“What is he looking at?” Old Master Ji asked as he saw Lin Chengshan looking back.

“He must be watching his daughter. He brought the child out,” Old Madam Ji said. “In this hot weather, in the middle of the day, he brings the child out to set up a stall. Isn’t he afraid the child can’t handle it? The child looks so thin. If she’s malnourished, shouldn’t she be resting?”

“Doesn’t anyone else help take care of the child?” Old Master Ji asked. Since Ji Mingzhu wasn’t his biological granddaughter and fate had given him another biological granddaughter, he wondered if he could keep this biological granddaughter by his side. “I’m hungry. Let’s buy something to eat.”

Old Master Ji got out of the car and used his cane to approach the stall Lin Chengshan had set up.

Lin Chengshan thought that the Ji family must be out of their minds, always coming around.

“How much are these?” Old Master Ji asked.

“They’re marked. Look for yourself,” Lin Chengshan said, really not wanting to engage with the Ji family.

Lin Chengshan had a strong dislike for the Ji family. If not for their support, the Dong family wouldn’t have been so powerful. The Dong family had committed crimes but managed to get away with them, which Lin Chengshan found unbelievable. But he understood this was the harsh reality of society.

For example, when the Dong family’s men had attacked him, as long as he didn’t die, they could force him to reconcile. Even if he found evidence, the Dong family could still remain unpunished.

The Dong family’s company evaded taxes, and the matter ended up with a simple tax payment and nothing more.

Lin Chengshan wasn’t sure if Old Master Ji and Old Madam Ji knew about these issues, but in the future, when the two elders were no longer around, it would be uncertain if they knew how much the Ji family had helped the Dong family.

This was also why Lin Chengshan’s attitude towards the two elders wasn’t particularly bad. He looked back at his daughter to make sure she was sitting there. He was afraid she might wander off.

Some children had been lost right outside their homes, taken by human traffickers.

Lin Chengshan needed to keep an eye on his daughter, ensuring she stayed close.

“Is that your daughter?” Old Master Ji asked.

“Yes, my daughter, my biological daughter,” Lin Chengshan wanted to roll his eyes but, being in the service industry, he had to be polite to Old Master Ji, who was an elderly man.

“Give me two baskets of soup dumplings,” Old Master Ji said. “Can we sit here and eat?”

“We don’t have tables and chairs,” Lin Chengshan replied. “Everything is for takeout.”

Old Master Ji looked towards Lin Qingqing, who had a small table in front of her. The table was indeed very small.

“Respect for the elderly and love for the young. My daughter is still small. You’re able to move, so you should go to the nearby mall and find a place to sit and eat. It’s cooler there,” Lin Chengshan said, feeling uncomfortable as Old Master Ji stared at his daughter.

“Alright, let’s go sit and eat at the mall,” Old Madam Ji quickly said, pulling her husband along. It wasn’t appropriate for them to stand here discussing these matters. “What time did you set up your stall this morning?”

“Around ten o’clock,” Lin Chengshan answered.

Lin Chengshan had no plans to sell breakfast in the morning because there weren’t many people at the mall then. Preparing everything alone took time, so he couldn’t come too early.

“Okay,” Old Madam Ji thought she knew when to come back to find Lin Chengshan.