Shocking! The Broke Campus Heartthrob Is My Child’s Father - Chapter 78
The next day at noon, Jiang Ruoqiao took the subway to the high-speed rail station.
Her grandparents were elderly, and from the moment they boarded until they disembarked, she had made countless calls to them. When she finally saw them struggling through the crowd with their many bags after showing their tickets, Jiang Ruoqiao’s heart felt like it was being squeezed.
This was the elderly couple’s first visit to Beijing to see their granddaughter, and they had prepared numerous items for her. Even though everything was available locally, they had insisted on bringing things from home.
Holding back her emotions, she muttered, “You can buy all of this here.”
Her grandmother gave her a look. “How could it be the same? You love apples the most—these are from Wang Uncle’s own orchard, crisp and sweet, with no pollution or chemicals. And these walnuts—your grandfather got them from someone in the countryside. We’ve been shelling them while watching TV these past few days. Don’t worry, they’re all ready to eat. Have a few every day.”
Her grandfather chimed in: “We also brought free-range eggs from the countryside. Your dormitory allows boiling water, right? Cooking an egg shouldn’t be a problem. Look how thin you’ve become! A breeze could blow you away!”
Jiang Ruoqiao had ordered a ride-hailing car. Seeing her grandparents’ disapproving expressions, she quickly showed them her phone, “It’s really not expensive. It’s very convenient now. Look, for the three of us to go where we’re staying, it’s only about twenty yuan. If we took the subway, we’d have to transfer multiple times.”
Only then did her grandmother smile. “Just twenty yuan? That’s indeed not expensive.”
She gave Grandfather a look. He reached for his wallet—older folks were extremely cautious when traveling. Before leaving home, her grandmother had even sewn an extra pocket inside Grandfather’s clothes to hold their cards. If not for his discomfort and her complaints about his smelly feet, they would have felt safest keeping money in their shoes.
“Qiaoqiao, life isn’t easy for you out here. Why do you keep trying to give us money?” Grandmother said. “We’ve saved all the money you gave us before. What could two old folks like us spend on? We both have our pensions. Though it’s not much, it’s enough for our monthly expenses. You’re young—you should spend on yourself while studying and making friends. Keep the money, be good.”
Jiang Ruoqiao naturally refused, leading to another round of back-and-forth.
Grandfather thought for a moment and tucked the card back in his pocket. “Alright, we’ll save it for you. We’ll add more to it later, and give it to you when you buy your own house someday.”
Both heartbroken and helpless, she guided them to the homestay she had booked. As she had expected, they loved the place, saying it felt just like home.
In the afternoon, after they had rested, Jiang Ruoqiao took them out for dinner. By coincidence, just as they left the complex, they ran into Lu Yicheng who was returning with Lu Siyan.
She had hoped her grandparents could interact more with Siyan, so she didn’t avoid anything. She actively waved him over and stroked his head.
Siyan, accustomed to not calling her “Mom” in front of others, chirped brightly, “Xiao Qiao!”
He then looked curiously and expectantly at the two elderly people. Were these Mom’s grandparents? Were they his great-great-grandparents…? So this is what great-great-grandparents look like!
Holding Siyan’s hand, Jiang Ruoqiao introduced him to her grandparents. “This is Lu Siyan.” She paused. “He’s a very adorable child.”
“He does look quite bright,” Grandmother said. She loved children and was still holding a banana that Jiang Ruoqiao had given her. She decided to give it to Siyan and said kindly, “Little one, would you like a banana?”
Siyan accepted it and said in a loud voice, “Thank you…” Thank you what? How should he address her? He looked toward Jiang Ruoqiao.
Jiang Ruoqiao was also at a loss. He couldn’t very well call her Great-grandmother, could he? She hadn’t come clean yet!
Grandmother obviously didn’t mind that Siyan hadn’t addressed her properly.
Only then did Lu Yicheng step forward, though he too was in a dilemma. How should he address Jiang Ruoqiao’s grandparents? Following her lead wouldn’t be appropriate—there was no relationship between them yet. Call them Grandfather and Grandmother? That didn’t seem quite right either.
After weighing both options, Lu Yicheng solemnly said, “Hello, Grandfather and Grandmother.”
Jiang Ruoqiao: “?”
Well, that form of address would do. If he had called them Grandpa and Grandma now, the two elderly people would have been too shocked to feel hungry or tired.
The grandparents finally noticed the handsome young man standing there.
The elderly couple looked somewhat puzzled.
Jiang Ruoqiao introduced him: “This is Lu Yicheng, a classmate of mine, also a junior.”
“So he’s a classmate!” Grandmother was now wide awake and looked Lu Yicheng up and down. “What a coincidence—this child must be your brother. You two brothers look very much alike.”
Lu Yicheng: “…”
Siyan silently refuted: I look more like my mom!
Jiang Ruoqiao: “?”
She bit her lip. No one would think Lu Yicheng, such a young student, was the father of a five-year-old child.
Lu Yicheng smiled, neither nodding nor shaking his head.
“Have you eaten yet?” Grandfather glanced at his watch. “Since you’re Qiaoqiao’s classmate, join us for a meal if you’re free. Our treat.”
The grandparents were extremely hospitable. Once, when she casually mentioned that Yun jia and her roommates loved the pickled papaya strips from home, a week later, Grandmother had mailed four large bottles—one for each person in the dormitory.
Lu Yicheng and Siyan simultaneously looked at Jiang Ruoqiao. Without a doubt, they were checking her attitude. If she allowed them to go, they would go; if not, they wouldn’t.
Jiang Ruoqiao: “…”
Her two Lu men didn’t need to be so obvious with their expressions!
Fortunately, her grandparents didn’t notice. She nodded slightly.
Siyan beamed with joy: Yohoo~~
Lu Yicheng also breathed a sigh of relief and nodded: “I happen to be free. Thank you…” He paused, then said with difficulty, “Thank you, Grandfather and Grandfather.”
Grandmother waved her hand dismissively. “Why so formal? Just call us Grandpa and Grandma like Qiaoqiao’s friends do. It sounds more affectionate that way!”
Lu Yicheng was completely relaxed now, but still instinctively looked at Jiang Ruoqiao.
Jiang Ruoqiao now imitated his earlier response, neither nodding nor shaking her head.
Lu Yicheng was silent for a few seconds. “Thank you, Grandpa and Grandma.”
Siyan, with childish innocence, followed up: “Does that mean I should also call you Grandpa and Grandma?”
Jiang Ruoqiao and Lu Yicheng said in unison: “Of course not!!”
Siyan: …Oh.
Grandfather smiled. “You can call us that too. After all, you and Xiao Lu are like brothers, so you’re of the same generation as our Qiaoqiao. You can call us that, you can.”
Siyan’s little curls seemed to behave themselves. “I don’t dare.”
*
The five of them went to a nearby restaurant.
Considering the elderly couple’s taste preferences, Jiang Ruoqiao ordered relatively mild dishes.
Soon after sitting down, Lu Yicheng conscientiously began washing the bowls and chopsticks for everyone.
Siyan sat next to Grandmother, who looked at his curly hair with surprise. “Did you perm your hair?”
Kids these days are so fashionable.
Siyan said shyly: “Everyone thinks it’s a perm, but it’s not. My hair is naturally curly.”
Grandfather said in amazement: “Naturally curly? That’s truly a coincidence.”
“Indeed it is,” Grandmother proudly touched her own hair, which she had dyed black just yesterday. “I have naturally curly hair, and so does Qiaoqiao. What a coincidence!”
Siyan wanted to say that this wasn’t coincidence—it was heredity.
Watching how quickly Siyan and his great-grandparents warmed to each other, Jiang Ruoqiao wondered if this was the nature of blood ties. Lu Yicheng barely spoke throughout the meal, but he was constantly taking care of everyone at the table. When Grandmother wanted water, he got up to pour it for her. When Grandfather wanted more blueberry yams and they were gone, he was the first to notice and called a server to order another plate. When Jiang Ruoqiao complained about insufficient air conditioning in the private room, Lu Yicheng went to find a server for the remote control, adjusting the temperature while asking if it was comfortable for her.
When Siyan wanted to eat shrimp, Lu Yicheng peeled them for him.
In the private room, Lu Yicheng was like a diligent little bee, bustling about. Though he didn’t talk much, his presence was unmistakable.
Midway through the meal, Grandmother needed to use the restroom, and Jiang Ruoqiao quickly accompanied her.
The grandmother and granddaughter walked arm in arm, very affectionately. When they reached the restroom and Grandmother saw no one else was there, she lowered her voice and said, “Qiaoqiao, ask the server if they have red envelopes. I find that child quite likable. I want to give him a red envelope as a token from your grandfather and me.”
Jiang Ruoqiao was stunned. “That’s not necessary. No need for a red envelope.”
“Yes, there is,” Grandmother said. “It’s just a gesture. It won’t be much—just following our hometown custom. I’ll put in two hundred yuan as a token.”
In their town, there was a custom that when elders met younger relatives for the first time, they would give a red envelope. Generally, close elders would put in two hundred yuan as a gesture.
Jiang Ruoqiao remained silent.
Grandmother continued: “That child is quite nice, and well-raised. I like him. Two hundred yuan isn’t much, just a token of my goodwill.”
Jiang Ruoqiao could only nod. The restaurant’s service was excellent, and a server brought a red envelope. Grandmother took two hundred yuan from her wristband and put it in the envelope.
Watching Grandmother’s aged hands carefully sealing the red envelope, Jiang Ruoqiao turned away. At just twenty years old, before Siyan’s arrival, she had never thought about marrying anyone or having children. Marriage seemed so distant, let alone having children. But now, watching her grandparents teasing Siyan, seeing Grandmother’s kind expression as she prepared the red envelope, her feelings were difficult to put into words.
In the private room, Grandfather watched Lu Yicheng serving him egg custard and asked with a smile, “Young man, you like our Qiaoqiao, don’t you?”
Lu Yicheng had been carefully serving the egg custard, but upon hearing this, his hand tilted, and the spoonful of custard nearly fell onto the table.
Siyan’s eyes twinkled; he began enthusiastically flattering Grandfather. “How did you figure that out? Are you like the Monkey King,” he put his little paws above his eyebrows and made a show of looking around, “with fiery golden eyes! Otherwise, how could you tell?”
Grandfather laughed heartily. “All of us experienced folks have a pair of fiery golden eyes. Isn’t that right, young man?”
Lu Yicheng: “…”
He didn’t know what to say.
Grandfather stroked his chin. “Do you know how I could tell? Just look at yourself—you haven’t stopped all evening, pouring water and serving food for Qiaoqiao’s grandmother, doing this and that for me. Anyone who didn’t know better would think you were my granddaughter’s husband. That’s how I knew!”
Lu Yicheng simply stopped responding.
After being teased by Grandfather, his ears had turned somewhat red.
Perhaps he truly had been overly attentive without realizing it?