Hua Xiucheng's eyes darted around, and he walked up to the group of people who were enthusiastically embracing, carrying his luggage.
"Elder Chi, Little Sweet, you are quite fast. You got off the train in the blink of an eye after I looked away!" Hua Xiucheng said familiarly.
His demeanor was such that anyone unaware would have thought he and Chi Ge were close friends.
Upon seeing the person he disliked had followed them off the train, Chi Yiyuan's expression immediately soured.
Even his joy at returning home faded a bit.
"Comrade, you've been following us all the way. Do you intend to follow us home as well?"
Chi Yiyuan's tone was displeased, and his voice became even sharper as he spoke.
Hua Xiucheng was unfazed. This kid had disliked him from the start anyway.
He wasn't after this brat, so it didn't matter if he continued to be disliked.
As long as the Su siblings found him agreeable.
Su Xiaosi didn't have any particular ill feelings towards Hua Xiucheng. She just felt that the person in front of her looked very righteous.
She didn't understand what Hua Xiucheng had done to displease Chi Yiyuan.
Throughout the journey, apart from being a bit greedy and always wanting to eat their food, this person had no other faults.
Well, even when he ate their food, he didn't eat for free. He paid for it, and paid quite a lot.
By calculation, they had profited.
"This comrade is..." Shen Zizhen asked gently, looking at Chi Ge.
At this moment, Shen Zizhen didn't know that it wasn't Chi Ge who attracted Hua Xiucheng, but Su Xiaotian.
"This is a young friend I met on the train, Hua Xiucheng. We get along very well!" Chi Ge introduced with a smile.
Chi Ge genuinely liked Hua Xiucheng. Although he had never explicitly stated his identity, based on his words, Chi Ge believed this person was likely a soldier.
Even though he had never served in the military, he had a natural respect for soldiers!
These people who dedicated themselves to the country and its people deserved everyone's respect!
However, since the other party hadn't explicitly stated it, he couldn't either.
Therefore, even though he saw Chi Yiyuan's misunderstanding, he didn't explain further. If the person was truly good, Little Yuan would eventually realize he had misunderstood.
Unexpectedly, when Du Tonghe heard Hua Xiucheng's name, his expression suddenly changed, and he even looked at Hua Xiucheng a few more times!
Yu Ruiyuan carefully noticed the fleeting change on her husband's face but didn't know why.
However, her attention was entirely focused on Su Xiaotian at the moment, so she didn't think much of it.
Instead, she shifted all her focus back to Su Xiaotian.
"Xiaotian, I've prepared a room at home, and we can rest well when we get back."
Yu Ruiyuan affectionately held Su Xiaotian's hand, her attitude exceptionally intimate.
Fortunately, she had always treated Su Xiaotian well, so this closeness didn't seem out of place.
Upon hearing Yu Ruiyuan say this, Su Taohua quickly stepped forward, "That won't do, Aunt Yu. I am Xiaotian's aunt. Now that the child has finally come to the capital, I must also do my part."
She also had a good relationship with Liang Xiu, and Liang Xiu's daughter was no different from her own daughter. Now that she was in the capital, she couldn't stay at someone else's house.
"Taohua, who are we to each other? We're like family."
Yu Ruiyuan's words left Su Taohua unsure of what to say. As she hesitated, she heard Yu Ruiyuan speak again.
"Taohua, you know our situation. It's just me and Old Du living in this big courtyard, and it feels so empty."
"It's rare for my little granddaughter to visit, and we old folks have been looking forward to it for a long time. Taohua, you can't snatch her away from me!"
Although Su Taohua wanted to invite Xiaotian and the others to her home, Yu Ruiyuan had said so much that she couldn't say much more.
The elderly couple had returned to the capital, their policies had been implemented, and a significant portion of their family property had been returned. However, they had no children, which made it rather lonely.
Never mind, Xiaotian was their acknowledged god-granddaughter.
Shen Zizhen smiled and said, "Let's go to Uncle Du and Aunt Yu's place for a couple of days first, and then we'll invite Aunt and Uncle to our home for a meal with the children."
With that, the issue was resolved.
Su Taohua felt it made sense, and it would be good to get together and get closer.
Yu Ruiyuan was relieved that the matter had been settled properly.
Su Xiaotian seized the opportunity to talk with Su Xiaomei. The sisters hadn't seen each other for over a year and had endless things to say.
Yu Ruiyuan simply invited Su Xiaomei to her home to stay with Su Xiaotian.
Su Xiaomei was also very familiar with Yu Ruiyuan, and upon hearing Yu Ruiyuan's invitation, she readily accepted without being polite.
"I couldn't invite Xiaotian, but Auntie has taken away my girl!" Su Taohua said with a wry smile.
Meanwhile, Du Tonghe's interest turned to Hua Xiucheng, and he even invited Hua Xiucheng to stay at his home.
Everyone, including Yu Ruiyuan, was very surprised by this.
Hua Xiucheng was just a stranger that Chi Ge and the others had met on the train. Why would Du Tonghe invite him as a guest?
Almost everyone found Du Tonghe's actions strange, but Du Tonghe was a man of foresight, so he must have his reasons for doing so.
"Since Elder Du has invited me, I respectfully accept!"
Hua Xiucheng put away his roguish demeanor and said seriously.
This old man was named Du Tonghe, and Hua Xiucheng found the name very familiar, but he wasn't sure if it was the same person as the one in his memory.
Although Yu Ruiyuan was curious, she also knew that her husband did everything for a reason, and he would tell her eventually.
Chi Ge's policies had been implemented, and the house had been tidied up, with Shen Zizhen helping.
This time, they were returning directly to their former residence.
Chi Yiyuan was very dissatisfied with this.
He wanted to go with Su Xiaotian, but what could he do?
However, he also knew that they had just returned to the capital, and everything was not yet in order.
He needed to accompany his grandfather to handle the procedures first.
In the end, Du Tonghe and his wife, along with Su Xiaotian, the four Su brothers, and Hua Xiucheng, headed home in a grand procession.
The Du family's courtyard was large, a big siheyuan, but it seemed rather empty.
Now that a few people had finally arrived, the elderly couple was overjoyed.
When they learned that Su Xiaotian and the others were coming to the capital, they had already asked people to buy many good things, including food, drinks, and clothing.
Upon arriving home, before Su Xiaotian could rest, Yu Ruiyuan happily took Su Xiaotian to see the room prepared for her.
"This is the room that was prepared for you a long time ago. It was prepared as soon as we returned to the capital."
Yu Ruiyuan held Su Xiaotian's hand, filled with joy.
Since they had recognized Su Xiaotian as their granddaughter, the couple truly doted on her like their own granddaughter.
Therefore, after settling into their house upon returning to the capital, they chose a very good sun-facing room and decorated it in the style favored by young girls in the capital.
The elderly couple even considered bringing Su Xiaotian to live in the capital.
However, after much deliberation, they gave up. They were aware of how much the Su family doted on Su Xiaotian, and it was unlikely they would be willing to send her away.
The elderly couple still decorated this room and tidied it up every few days, just waiting for Su Xiaotian to come and live there.
They had originally thought that Su Xiaotian would come when she was admitted to university.
Unexpectedly, it was two years earlier than anticipated.
"Grandma, this room is decorated so beautifully!" Su Xiaotian said, affectionately hugging Yu Ruiyuan's arm.
Yu Ruiyuan pinched Su Xiaotian's nose and said, "My dear, your grandpa and I have only taken you as our granddaughter. How could we not dote on you?"
As they were talking, they suddenly heard noisy sounds from the courtyard.
Yu Ruiyuan frowned.
"What is this now?"
Yu Ruiyuan was a person of excellent upbringing and had never spoken so impolitely to anyone.
Hearing this sudden remark, Su Xiaotian felt that the people who had arrived today must be particularly disliked by Grandma Yu.
"Grandma, who is it?" Su Xiaotian couldn't help but ask curiously.
"It's someone unpleasant. We don't need to bother with them!"
Yu Ruiyuan continued to hold Su Xiaotian's hand, looking at the furnishings in the room, with no intention of going out to meet guests.
"Grandma, why don't we go in and take a look!" Su Xiaotian said, hearing the noise outside gradually grow louder, fearing that Du Tonghe might be upset.
Although Yu Ruiyuan didn't want to go, she was also worried that if those people made a scene, the old man might not be able to handle it, so she reluctantly pulled Su Xiaotian out.
As soon as Su Xiaotian stepped out, she saw four or five people in the courtyard surrounding Du Tonghe and making a fuss.
The most aggressive was a woman, who looked to be around fifty or sixty years old, holding several children by the hand.
"You can't be so heartless. These children are your brother's biological grandchildren, your grand-nephews. You have no children, so you'll have to rely on them to perform the final rites in the future."
"I don't dare to expect anything, I only ask that you don't come to my door and upset me, and I'll be content!"
Du Tonghe's tone was very unpleasant, clearly showing his disdain for this woman.
"Are these your words? If you're worried these children are unreliable, then choose one and have him adopted under Xiaowu's name."
Du Tonghe glanced at the woman and said with a cold smile, "A few years ago, when I said this, what did you say?"
Du Tonghe still felt unbearable pain when he recalled the heart-piercing words from back then.
After his son died, he was sad for many years and almost couldn't recover.
This family, openly and secretly, would taunt them, always saying that they were not accumulating good deeds, which was why they were childless.
Later, as their lives worsened, they actively sought them out.
He thought that, after all, they were of the same bloodline, and adopting a child would provide him with support in his old age.
But who knew that the elderly couple would then have an accident?
From the moment they learned of their accident, this family's attitude immediately changed. They wished them eternal damnation and even fabricated some baseless slanders against them.
If they hadn't happened to meet the Su family, they might not have lived to see today.
"Things are different now, Elder Brother. Why are you still holding a grudge? Regardless, we are from the same father, aren't we?" A man who looked somewhat similar to Du Tonghe licked his lips and approached Du Tonghe, saying, "People often say that 'one stroke cannot write two 'Du' characters,' don't you agree?"
"Don't bother thinking about it. We already have a good granddaughter, and someone to see us off when we die!" Yu Ruiyuan said, her disdain evident.
"What? You have a granddaughter?"
"This is our dear granddaughter, named Xiaotian. In the future, when we die, this courtyard will be left to Xiaotian!" Yu Ruiyuan said, pointing at Su Xiaotian.
She didn't want to do this originally, but this family was too detestable. If she didn't make them give up, they would probably always be like this.
Who knew that when the woman saw Su Xiaotian, she immediately rushed over.
"Who are you? Why are you coveting our Du family's property? You look like a little vixen. What trick did you use to bewitch these old people?"
Before Su Xiaotian could even react to what was happening, she was being cursed at, and her anger could no longer be suppressed!
Why was she encountering such unreasonable people all day?
"Watch your tone!" Su Xiaotian was not a pushover to be manipulated.
"I should be polite? You're trying to snatch our family's property, and you expect me to be polite? Let me just rip your mouth apart today!"
The woman actually reached out and slapped towards Su Xiaotian's face.
Why should this little girl get so much of the Du family's property?
Although the Du family had fallen on hard times and many of their assets were confiscated, they were eventually returned, weren't they?
If nothing else, two siheyuan alone were returned, along with a small Western-style building and over a dozen shops.
How could so much property be given away for free to others?
"Ma Shanfang, shut up!" Yu Ruiyuan quickly stepped forward to block Su Xiaotian.
This Ma Shanfang was getting more and more outrageous. She was about to resort to violence at the slightest disagreement.
Xiaotian was delicate and soft. If she were injured, how could she face the Su family?
Unexpectedly, Su Xiaotian had already reached out and firmly grasped Ma Shanfang's arm.
Ma Shanfang was an adult, and Su Xiaotian was a child.
But the small hand gripping the thick arm actually prevented the other person from moving.
Du Tonghe saw this and was not surprised, but others who had not witnessed such things found it hard to believe.
Especially Du Tonghe's half-brother, Du Tianhe, found it even more unbelievable.
He knew what kind of person his wife, Ma Shanfang, was. He might not even be able to win a fight against her.
Yet, now she was being held so tightly by a little girl that it seemed fake.
"You dare to lay hands on me? See if I don't beat you to death!"
Ma Shanfang had never suffered a loss, and she had never lost even when fighting with her own husband.
Now, with her arm hurting from being held by a little girl, she couldn't swallow this insult.
Su Xiaotian snorted and said, "If you have the ability, go ahead and try!"
Her combat skills were quite good. Let alone Ma Shanfang, even Hua Xiucheng, who looked like a martial artist, might not be able to defeat her.
Hua Xiucheng was also watching with great interest.
This little girl was indeed impressive, and when she fought, she was not hesitant at all.
[Author's Note]
Babies, Happy Lunar New Year's Eve! Wishing all babies great luck and prosperity in the new year, and to be as powerful as a tiger!