Chapter 72: The Elder Master Yan

Zhong Yuxiu was momentarily at a loss and instinctively glanced at Yan Rushan. Yan Rushan's brows and eyes were filled with encouragement; Zhong Yuxiu felt a little more at ease as she seriously considered Elder Yan’s words—could she truly shoulder such a promise?

“Yuxiu.”

“Hmm?” Yuxiu lifted her head, her eyes full of confusion.

Yan Rushan sighed inwardly, then spoke with resolve, “I’m here for everything.”

Let go of your unease, your nervousness, your worries—trust me.

Under the encouragement of his gaze, she suddenly felt she was being unfair. He tried so hard to get closer, yet she remained rooted in place.

“All right.” She nodded solemnly. If he continued to treat her well as always, she would do her best, too. “As long as you remain the same, so will I.”

“Yes.” Yan Rushan nodded heavily, and the two exchanged a smile.

Yan Guofeng was filled with satisfaction—his assist had been the right move. If he waited for his eldest grandson to take the initiative step by step, who knew how long it would take?

When her eyes met the old man’s, so full of warmth and comfort, Yuxiu awkwardly averted her gaze. Yan Rushan, laughter brimming in his eyes, turned to speak, “Grandpa, what would you like to eat tonight? We can have Goudan cook for you. Goudan’s food is delicious—looks, smell, and taste are all excellent.”

“Will there be meat?” Yan Guofeng made no attempt at courtesy in the home of his future granddaughter-in-law.

“There’s no fresh meat left, but there’s still some cured beef and pork,” replied Zhong Yuxiu. “Whatever you’d like, I’ll have Goudan make it.”

Yan Guofeng beamed and tilted his head toward her. “Still calling me ‘Elder Yan’? You should call me Grandpa.”

Zhong Yuxiu opened her mouth, managed a smile, and with some difficulty addressed him.

“Grandpa Yan.”

“Ay, I’d like beef. It’s best when stewed—after simmering for two or three hours, it’ll be tender and flavorful.” Yan Guofeng’s smile broadened, even happier than before. Though he hadn’t gotten her to call him Grandpa outright, at least she’d come close.

“All right, I’ll have Goudan make it.”

Yan Guofeng added, “Cured pork isn’t suitable for braising in soy sauce—just make it tender when boiling.”

“Understood,” Zhong Yuxiu replied briskly. “Is there anything else you’d like?”

“That’s all.”

Zhong Yuxiu nodded and told Goudan, “Do as Grandpa Yan said—make it nice and tender.”

“Beep beep beep.”

Goudan responded with three beeps and headed for the kitchen.

“I’ll go see how Goudan cooks. I’ve never seen a robot cook before,” Yan Guofeng said with a broad grin, rising to follow Goudan into the kitchen.

Zhong Yuxiu’s cheeks burned, as if scalded.

Yan Rushan, with a smile at the corner of his lips, leaned close to her ear.

“Yuxiu, Grandpa really likes you.”

“I—I know.” She pushed him back a little. “Don’t get so close, it’s hot.”

Yan Rushan chuckled softly. “I’m not hot.”

“Well, I am. Anyway, keep your distance.” Zhong Yuxiu lifted her chin, feigning composure. If not for her flushed face betraying her, she might have pulled it off.

“All right, I won’t get so close.” Yan Rushan leaned back against the sofa, looking relaxed and at ease. “When my parents got married, Grandpa didn’t say any of these things.”

“Why not?” Yuxiu was surprised.

“Before things started getting chaotic, Grandpa already saw signs of trouble. My mother’s background was complicated, so he was always looking for ways to avoid risks. He gave up a lot of benefits for that.” Yan Rushan spoke slowly, “That’s also why I was sent to the countryside. There were two children in the Yan family; one of us had to go. My age was just right, so I was sent down.”

“With a daughter-in-law of questionable background, if he’d insisted on keeping his eldest grandson at home, there would have been gossip. For the sake of the Yan family, and for my parents and Ru Hai, Grandpa had no choice but to send me away.” He paused, then relaxed a little. “I was young then and had a narrow view of things. When I first arrived in the countryside, I didn’t like it at all and found it hard to adjust.”

“For a while, I even dreamed of returning to the city, hoping Grandpa would bring me back. Every time I wrote home, Grandpa would send me money and ration tickets, telling me not to scrimp and to use what I needed.”

“Later, as time passed, I slowly came to terms with it, saw things for what they were, and let go.” He worked hard in the countryside, always thinking about how to make life a little better.

Suddenly, she felt a pang of sympathy for him. His experience was somewhat similar to that of the original host. The original was pushed out by the Wan family, while Yan Rushan was sent away by his own. The original host was mentally fragile, couldn’t handle it, and died. Yan Rushan, however, was strong-willed and adaptable, and managed well in the countryside.

A person’s temperament truly matters.

Zhong Yuxiu pressed her lips together. “You’re very strong. Back then... I got sick from not being able to deal with it.”

“You’re a girl, and you were abandoned by your adoptive father—it’s understandable.” Yan Rushan gently brushed her hair aside. “I’m a grown man, but even I couldn’t handle it for a while.”

“It has nothing to do with being a man or a woman.” She shot him a glance and said irritably, “It’s a matter of temperament.”

Yan Rushan nodded, a hint of laughter in his eyes. “All right, it’s about temperament.”

She did feel comforted.

No matter how annoyed Zhong Yuxiu was, she couldn’t take it out on him for no reason.

“Forget it, I’ll go help in the kitchen.”

“I’ll go too.”

She didn’t care whether Yan Rushan came or not, but the fact that he wanted to showed that he cared—it lifted her spirits.

As she opened the kitchen door, Yan Guofeng looked over. “What brings you two here?”

“I’m here to help Goudan,” Zhong Yuxiu replied obediently. Yan Rushan chimed in, “Same as Yuxiu.”

Yan Guofeng looked at them with a sly smile, making Yuxiu’s scalp tingle before he finally said, “All right, you help out—I’ll go read the newspaper. I have to say, Goudan’s cooking skills are better than a lot of people who’ve been cooking for years. The dishes look great and must taste even better.”

“If you like it, be sure to eat a little more,” Yuxiu replied promptly.

“Of course—I won’t stand on ceremony.” Yan Guofeng gave them a deep, smiling glance before leaving.

Zhong Yuxiu let out a sigh of relief. Dealing with elders from the groom’s side—especially one who seemed to enjoy watching their little dramas—wasn’t easy. After closing the kitchen door, she quietly asked,

“Grandpa Yan is about to retire, isn’t he?”

“Soon. At his age, it’s time.” Yan Rushan nodded, seeing Goudan washing vegetables, and went over to lend a hand, saying, “Grandpa’s worked all his life—he’ll finally be able to rest after retiring.”

That might not be the case.

For someone who’d worked all their life, suddenly stopping could make life feel empty. They might long for work again. If there were younger family around, it might be better, but in any era, there are always lonely elders.

“When Elder Yan retires, spend more time with him.”

Yan Rushan glanced at her, then looked away. “All right, I’ll let Ru Hai and my parents know, too.”

“As you wish.” She offered no further opinion.

As Zhong Yuxiu watched the pot, Yan Rushan finished washing the vegetables and came over, leaning close to whisper,

“It’d be nice if we could marry soon. When things aren’t too busy, we could take turns keeping Grandpa company, chatting with him, or taking him out for a walk.”

“Good looks and wishful thinking—since when do all the good things in the world fall into your lap?” She playfully jabbed him in the stomach.