Chapter 70: Grandfather

Chapter 70

Grandfather

The moment the Hou heard the word ‘grandchildren,’ his ears perked up immediately.

"What?! Your Highness, what did you just say?!"

Kang Wang smiled and repeated his words deliberately.

"I said, wouldn’t you like to stay longer and spend some time with your grandchildren?"

This time, it wasn’t just the word ‘grandchild’ but the plural ‘grandchildren’ that struck the Hou. His face froze in confusion.

"What do you mean by that? Don’t tell me that she..."

The old man’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out of his head. Could it be that she...she had given birth to Song Qilin’s children!? Impossible! Maybe they were someone else’s children. He turned to stare at his former daughter-in-law, seeking confirmation.

Nie Shuang smiled calmly, her expression unchanged.

"The Hou, don’t worry—they are not your grandchildren."

The Hou didn’t know how to feel after hearing her words. Part of him was disappointed, but another part was relieved. Song Qilin wasn’t young anymore, and he had been hoping for his eldest son to have an heir. But on the other hand, he didn’t want Nie Shuang to be the mother of his grandchildren. His emotions were conflicted and confused. Yet, Nie Shuang could read his feelings clearly—The Hou still despised her, the merchant daughter-in-law. Hmph! She didn’t wanted to be his daughter-in-law either!

“The fact that you’ve come to see me today, I’ll pretend it never happened. As for your request that I leave this city, I cannot comply. I am no longer your daughter-in-law; I am a royal merchant and the top tea trader in Da Ye, responsible for the horses trade. I trust the Hou understands. Whether your son comes to Huangjing City or not is beyond my control. If you have no further business, I will take my leave.”

Nie Shuang was dismissing him, while also reminding him of her elevated status. Humph! So what if she’s a merchant? Even your son had to come to me for help. Even if you were the emperor with unlimited power, what could you do without money? In the end, you’d still have to seek her assistance. Without merchants, the empty royal treasury would never be filled.

The Hou’s face darkened as though he had just been lectured by a young woman. He stood, ready to leave, not even touching the famous Lü Cui tea the butler had served. Kang Wang let out a quiet chuckle and spoke to Xiao Tong, who was standing nearby.

“Bring Bao Bao to meet his grandfather. He was just crying to follow me, so I had the wet nurse bring him. He’s waiting just outside the room. Since the Hou is here, it wouldn’t hurt for them to meet.”

Nie Shuang’s eyes widened, turning to look at Kang Wang in confusion. She was just about to get rid of him. What were you thinking, Your Highness? Kang Wang smiled and winked at her. For the first time since knowing him, Nie Shuang felt an urge to hit the ever-so-kind Kang Wang.

Since Nie Shuang had said that her children were not the Hou’s grandchildren, the old man had remained cold and distant. Out of respect for Kang Wang, he hadn’t stormed out of the room. Xiao Tong then brought in a chubby, fair-skinned child. At first, the Hou wasn’t interested, but when his gaze landed on the boy’s face, he froze in an instant.

The boy’s face was the spitting image of his beloved son when he was a child—it was like looking at a twin.

There was no doubt about it! This child was Song Qilin’s son!

The little boy paid no attention to the unfamiliar elder in the room. He waved his chubby hands at Nie Shuang and smiled sweetly, stretching out his arms, wanting her to pick him up. Nie Shuang smiled back and stepped forward to scoop the soft, plump child into her arms. His cheeks were rosy, and he looked as adorable as a painting of a celestial child holding a peach.

“Bao Bao, being mischievous again? Why aren’t you playing with your siblings? Why did you follow Kang Wang?”

The loving bond between mother and son made the two men in the room observe with contrasting emotions. Kang Wang’s gaze was filled with warmth and tenderness, while the Hou’s eyes were filled with regret. How wonderful it would have been if this boy’s mother were not her!

Bao Bao turned and smiled at his grandfather, showing no fear of the stern-looking, unfamiliar middle-aged man. The Hou stared at the healthy, chubby boy, momentarily dazed. The sparkle in the boy’s eyes was exactly like his troublemaking son’s when he was young. Ever since Song Qilin grew up, the father-son relationship had grown distant. There were many times when the Hou reminisced about the days when his son was still young. At that time, Song Qilin was still looking up to him like a mighty tree offering shelter from wind and rain.

The old man’s heart swelled with emotion. The more he looked at the boy’s beautiful face, the more fondness he felt. The eyebrows, eyes, and nose were all like Song Qilin’s, as if they had been carved from the same mold. The child was lively and strong—be fitting of being his grandson! The rightful heir of Yong An Hou Manor!

“Ahem...”

The old man cleared his throat awkwardly as he stepped closer to his former daughter-in-law, struggling to recall her name. After a moment, he finally spoke.

“Nie...Nie Shuang. What is my grandson’s name?”

As he asked, his face flushed with embarrassment. His change in attitude made even him feel uncomfortable. Just moments ago, he had been thinking that this child couldn’t possibly be his grandson, but now, even if Nie Shuang denied it, he was shamelessly offering himself as the boy’s grandfather.

Nie Shuang, who had been laughing with her son, turned to look at the old man. Seeing the hopeful expression on his face, she responded evenly,

“His name is Nie Wuqin.”

Upon hearing the name, thet Hou’s face fell. Her meaning was clear—she didn’t acknowledge him as the child’s grandfather. And why would she? Just moments ago, he had demanded that she leave Huangjing City and sever ties with his son. Little did he know she had already given birth to an heir for the Hou Manor.

Thinking back to Kang Wang’s earlier mention of ‘grandchildren’ and how Nie Shuang had asked the boy why he wasn’t playing with his ‘siblings’, the old man’s heart itched with curiosity. Did he have other grandchildren? However, as if to tease him, Kang Wang gave him no chance to ask further. Instead, Kang Wang turned to bid farewell to Nie Shuang.

“It’s getting late, so I’ll take my leave now. I’ll stop by to visit again soon, Shuang Shuang. Bao Bao. The Hou, since you’ve come all this way to Huangjing City, why not honor me with your presence for a welcoming banquet tonight?”

How could the Hou refuse? Kang Wang’s familiarity with Nie Shuang and her son was obvious. He even called her Shuang Shuang. In fact, despite her having given birth, her beauty and grace were still striking. It wasn’t surprising that Kang Wang would be captivated by her. And to the Hou, it seemed exactly that.

This wouldn’t do! Right now, Song Qilin was still caught up in battle, leaving his young and beautiful wife behind with a close friend. Worse yet, she refused to acknowledge his family and wouldn’t even let her son take the Song family name after his father. What if, in the future, they lose the heir to the Hou Manor to Kang Wang?Suddenly, a determined look appeared in the old man’s eyes. He would not allow Kang Wang to steal his son’s wife and child. No way.