Xiao Ziyan hurried back to her room and picked up her phone to call Wen Nian.
Wen Nian picked up the phone quite quickly,
"Get back here right now! Your grandfather has been looking forward to your visit, and now you’re leaving again right after getting here, what’s the meaning of this?"
"I don’t think there’s anything wrong with him."
"What do you mean there’s nothing wrong? Your grandfather cried just now!"
"Ah Nian, when have you ever seen him cry before? In his life, he’s always been the one making others cry!"
"Yeah, in his life, he’s always made others cry, and now it’s his turn to cry. It would only be fair for the heavens to make that so."
"Wen Nian, what are you even saying! Everything you have today, isn’t it all thanks to your grandfather’s support? Your current behavior is the very definition of ingratitude!"
Xiao Ziyan had never criticized Wen Nian so harshly before.
But today, seeing the heartbroken look on Wen Liangyu, she too was somewhat angry.
"Is marrying a woman I wish to marry considered ingratitude?"
"Is it that by not accepting that woman who has you head over heels, you can’t even fulfill the basic duty of filial piety?"
"Mom, the other day when you went to the President Mansion, I heard... you got physical."
Wen Nian said calmly, without much reproach; at most, it was just stating the facts.
Yet this was enough to infuriate Xiao Ziyan!
"Was it Song Lili who told you? Was that what you call getting physical?"
"Don’t protect her anymore! No matter how you look at it, this woman is scheming! I really don’t know what spell you’re under! She’s just driving a wedge between you and your family, Ah Nian, don’t you see..."
"Mom, you’re getting too worked up right now, let’s get in touch when you’re calmer."
Wen Nian said soothingly, then hung up the phone.
He looked out the window, took a shallow breath... and then exhaled deeply.
He was not unmoved by the slightly choked words of Wen Liangyu.
But... he couldn’t face it.
For Wen Liangyu, it was because of his cultivation and painstaking effort that Wen Nian had his present success.
But Wen Liangyu had always overlooked one issue: whether his cultivation and hard work was really what Wen Nian desired...
Why should he feel grateful for things that were forced upon him? What sense did that make?
Wen Nian could not agree, nor could he really understand Wen Liangyu’s "well-intentioned efforts".
Xiao Ziyan sighed deeply, then slumped despondently onto the sofa.
Wen Chou stood upstairs, seeing his wife with her hand on her forehead, looking very troubled.
He walked over to his wife, "What’s wrong?"
Xiao Ziyan told Wen Chou about Wen Nian’s visit and the phone call, including how the conversation had gone.
"What should we do about this? Could it be that he really intends to disown his grandfather, disown us forever?"
Xiao Ziyan spread her hands, very frustrated.
Wen Chou placed his hand on her shoulder, "Don’t worry... there will always be a way... Ah Nian is not heartless or disloyal."
"To me, he seems to have already had his mind bewitched by Song Lili, that vixen!"
"Ah Chou... seeing dad , my heart feels as if it’s being sliced with a knife. Dad built the Wen family empire, we saw all the hardships he endured in his life. And now, all because of a woman..."
"Alright, Ziyan, leave this matter to me, I’ll think of something."
Wen Chou patted Ziyan’s back,
"Go and take a nap. You’ve worked hard these past few days."
"I’m not really tired, it’s mainly that seeing dad so upset and disappointed... it doesn’t feel right."
Wen Chou did not speak, just sighed softly, already resolved in his heart.
Half a month passed, and Song Lili’s health had considerably improved.
When Wen Nian came out from the bathroom, he saw Song Lili feeding the little troublemaker.
He walked over, looking at the little girl with envy, his drooling expression left Song Lili speechless.
"It’s as if you’ve never seen me feed her..."
Once the little troublemaker was full, she let go of Song Lili.
Lili held her, rocking and soothing her, watching as the little girl drifted back to sleep.
Wen Nian took her and placed her in the crib, then climbed into bed and wrapped Lili in his arms,
"Are you even human, using a new mother for warmth?"
"Lili, do you feel especially happy now?"
"...A little bit, yes..."
"I’m very happy. Really."
"...Did you go to the Wen Mansion today?"
"I noticed you seemed a bit off... what’s wrong?"