Return to Eighteen, the Spoiled Young Lady Acts Fierce with Her Beauty - Chapter 25: Complete Relief

Chapter 25: Complete Relief

Even though she had slept deeply, Mingzhu still felt exhausted.

She struggled awake from chaotic dreams.

The sky had gradually darkened.

The dim light in the room made it difficult for her to distinguish between dreams and reality.

Mingzhu quickly sat up, her chest heaving violently, her palms drenched in cold sweat.

“Is this… my room?”

Muttering softly, Mingzhu clutched the bedsheet tightly.

When her gaze swept over the familiar furnishings in the room, an overwhelming sense of unreality washed over her.

She had returned to being eighteen – eighteen-year-old body, eighteen-year-old room.

Could all of this just be an illusion created because she missed her grandfather too much?

A sharp palpitation gripped her heart.

Mingzhu threw off the covers, not even bothering to put on shoes, and rushed out barefoot.

The thick carpet absorbed the sound of her hurried footsteps, but couldn’t calm her racing heart.

“Young Miss!”

The cleaning staff in the hallway were startled by Mingzhu’s sudden appearance and quickly greeted her.

Mingzhu had no mind to respond to them right now.

At this moment, she had only one thought – she needed to see with her own eyes whether her grandfather was still here.

Mingzhu ran to the study, where the door was tightly closed.

Her hand hovering over the doorknob trembled.

Countless chaotic thoughts flashed through her mind.

Just as she was about to push the door open.

The study door suddenly opened from inside.

Several elderly gentlemen in suits walked out facing her.

They paused when they saw her, then showed kindly smiles: “Young Miss.”

Mingzhu recognized them – they were all senior members of the Ming Corporation and her grandfather’s longtime friends.

In her previous life, they had all passed away one after another.

Suppressing her rapid breathing, she nodded politely: “Hello, Grandpa Xu, Grandpa Wang, Grandpa Zhang.”

“My, Mingzhu is getting more and more beautiful!”

Director Wang examined her with a cheerful laugh, his eyes full of grandfatherly affection.

“You’re too kind, Grandpas.”

Mingzhu responded softly, but her gaze couldn’t help but look past them, occasionally peeking into the study.

These men were all extremely perceptive.

Of course they could tell at a glance that she was distracted.

Director Xu patted Director Wang’s shoulder and joked: “No wonder Old Ming insisted on working from home today – it’s because his precious granddaughter is back!”

As soon as he finished speaking, a vigorous voice came from inside the study.

“What are you old fellows doing blocking my granddaughter’s way? Make way quickly!”

Old Mr. Ming walked out briskly. At this time, he had just passed sixty.

When he saw Mingzhu, his eyes immediately lit up with joy, and he reached out to ruffle her hair: “Zhuzhu, awake from your nap?”

Mingzhu felt the warmth of the hand on her head.

Her eyes heated up again, threatening to shed tears once more.

Seeing this, Director Wang shook his head and said with a smile: “Brother Hu is truly blessed. My grandsons are never home – not as considerate as Mingzhu at all.”

Old Mr. Ming snorted proudly: “Of course! My granddaughter is naturally the best!”

The directors laughed heartily, exchanged a few more pleasantries, then took their leave.

After everyone had left, Old Mr. Ming took Mingzhu’s hand and walked slowly into the study.

Mingzhu’s fingers tightly clutched Old Mr. Ming’s sleeve, unwilling to let go.

Uncle Zhou was cleaning the tea set used for the guests and immediately stopped when he saw them: “Miss.”

When the study became quiet again.

Old Mr. Ming sat down on the sofa.

Old Mr. Ming’s eyes were filled with heartache.

“Pearl, tell Grandpa, what exactly happened?”

Mingzhu looked at the healthy and robust Old Mr. Ming.

An uncontrollable wave of sorrow surged in her heart once more.

Before either of them could react, she abruptly knelt down.

Uncle Zhou’s face paled at the sight, rushing forward to help Mingzhu up: “Young miss…”

Before he could finish.

Old Mr. Ming raised his hand to stop him, pausing mid-air, his eyes filled with profound depth.

Uncle Zhou immediately understood Old Mr. Ming’s meaning.

He retreated half a step, quietly watching Mingzhu kneeling on the ground.

Old Mr. Ming’s gaze rested heavily on Mingzhu.

Suppressing the urge to immediately lift her up.

Sometimes, people need such rituals to release their emotions, need this to confirm reality.

Mingzhu pressed her forehead against the floor, unwilling to rise for a long time.

A tear trailed down her cheek and quickly disappeared into the carpet.

The first dull thud was particularly clear in the quiet room.

Old Mr. Ming’s fingers gripping the armrest tightened sharply.

The second was heavier than the first.

Uncle Zhou stood nearby, his lips twitched, but he remained silent.

After the third kowtow, Mingzhu slowly straightened up.

Mingzhu had used all her strength.

A red mark had already appeared on her smooth forehead.

“Grandpa…” her voice was soft, as if afraid to disturb something, “Thank you… I’ve missed you so much…”

Old Mr. Ming accepted the kowtows, nodding with an unchanged expression.

Only the bulging veins on the back of his hands revealed his extreme inner turmoil.

Old Mr. Ming’s gaze swept over Mingzhu’s reddened forehead.

Then settled on her tear-filled eyes.

This was definitely no ordinary grievance – something monumental must have happened.

Who could it be?

Old Mr. Ming mentally screened through possible enemies one by one.

Business rivals? The Ming family’s old foes? Or… those shady forces?

Old Mr. Ming slowly stood up, each step firm and steady.

He helped Mingzhu up from the floor.

The faint scent of sandalwood from Old Mr. Ming enveloped her.

He examined the red mark on Mingzhu’s forehead, but his voice was softer than ever.

“Pearl, tell Grandpa, who has wronged you?”

Mingzhu took a deep breath.

Under the serious gazes of the two elders, she slowly began to recount her previous life.

Old Mr. Ming and Uncle Zhou exchanged a complex look, but neither interrupted her narration.

After finishing, Mingzhu looked up, tightly grasping Old Mr. Ming’s hand.

“Grandpa, promise me you won’t go looking for that pocket watch anymore. I only ask that you stay healthy and accompany me from now on…”

By the end, her voice choked up again.

Any chance to start over, any fate-altering pocket watch – in her heart, none compared to Grandpa’s safety and happiness.

Truth be told, she didn’t even care much about that somewhat failed marriage.

What she cared about most was Grandpa’s early passing.

And again due to serious illness, an abrupt and painful death.

Uncle Zhou timely eased the atmosphere.

“Old master, it seems the young lady had a terrible nightmare.”

Old Mr. Ming’s expression visibly relaxed, his large hand gently patting Mingzhu’s back.

“Yes, Pearl, it was just a dream. See? Grandpa is perfectly fine right here.”

“Then promise me you’ll never go looking for that pocket watch…”

Mingzhu stubbornly repeated, her eyes carrying unprecedented seriousness.

Old Mr. Ming was amused by her childlike persistence, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothing out.

“Alright, alright, I’ll listen to whatever my good granddaughter says.”

Mingzhu let out a long sigh of relief.

She had finally spoken all these things aloud.

The gloom that had been weighing on her heart vanished, replaced by an exceptionally light feeling.

Mingzhu gently rested her head on Old Mr. Ming’s shoulder and revealed a relieved smile.