Chapter 466: Three Years Later
Thinking that Xiao Wu was smart, Tang Moling decided to teach him now so that he could manage everything more easily in the future.
After experiencing these changes, Tang Moling was much more mature than before and had the appearance of the domineering CEO in the original novel. He had become steadier, his abilities had improved, and he could take on this responsibility and even teach others.
However, Xiao Wu wasn"t interested. He told the well-meaning Tang Moling, "Cousin, I don"t wish to learn this for the time being. I still prefer music."
"I know. I didn"t say that I wouldn"t let you write music anymore, but you can also study management at the same time. This way, when you grow up, you"ll be able to manage the company."
"Aren"t things fine with you in charge? You can continue to be in charge." Xiao Wu was still uninterested.
Tang Moling was helpless. "No, you"re the heir of the Ji Family now. You have to manage it all in the future."
"Cousin, it"d be better if you did it since you"re doing so well now. I even heard Uncle praise you previously. You"re doing great. You can continue to manage the company."
Thinking that Xiao Wu didn"t know the pros and cons, Tang Moling told him about them, but Xiao Wu remained unmoved. He was even forced to speak the truth. "Cousin, just take care of it. I believe in your ability. I just want to take the money. I"m not interested in running the company."
Tang Moling saw Ji Buw.a.n.g"s shadow in Xiao Wu. This was how Ji Buw.a.n.g had enslaved him previously. In the end, Xiao Wu copied him.
"You"ve been taught wrong. You learned bad things from Young Uncle. All you know is how to squeeze me dry." Tang Moling was speechless. "Aren"t you afraid that I"ll take over the Ji Family and change its surname to Tang?"
"Cousin, I know you won"t. Also, regardless of whether our surname is Tang or Ji, we"re a family."
These words left Tang Moling speechless. That"s right, he wouldn"t do it. He couldn"t bear to. Now, only he and Xiao Wu were left at home. In the past, he hadn"t felt much about it, but after Ji Buw.a.n.g and Old Master Ji"s departure, he realized that he had no other kin left.
He didn"t want to be alone. He needed kins.h.i.+p, and Xiao Wu was his closest kin now.
During the time that Xiao Wu and Tang Moling had accompanied Old Master Ji, their relations.h.i.+p had rapidly warmed up. He could only continue slogging away.
As the saying goes, "if you love the house, love the crow that comes with it". He thought that since his uncle had treated him so well back then, he would treat Shao Dong and the rest as his nephews and niece, as he wanted to treat them better in his uncle"s place.
The children aside, he didn"t change his way of addressing Mu Jingzhe. No matter how others looked at him, he still called her "Aunt". Who would have thought that he would one day sincerely call the girl he used to like "Aunt" without any reluctance?
Tang Moling had thought it through. His fondness for her had been genuine, but compared to Ji Buw.a.n.g"s feelings, it was nothing. In the face of such feelings, he had no regrets.
His heart ached for them, especially when he accidentally saw the white hair peeking out under Mu Jingzhe"s hat.
From then on, Tang Moling observed a lot and grew up a lot. He learned to cherish relations.h.i.+ps and he matured. He officially got together with that arm-wrestling girl and would get married when the mourning period was over.
Seeing how Shao Qihai had been silently protective of Mu Jingzhe, Tang Moling thought that, as time pa.s.sed, they might get together. However, year after year, even after many people had forgotten about Ji Buw.a.n.g, they still didn"t get together.
After putting on the white jade ring at the wedding, Mu Jingzhe had never taken it off again.
Time was the best medicine. Later on, Mu Jingzhe finally overcame her sadness, but her hair still didn"t turn black. When hair dye became a thing, she began to often dye her hair black and sometimes even blond.
Although she didn"t dress up particularly fas.h.i.+onably, because her hair was dyed blond, she exuded a trendy vibe.
Now looking like a punk, Mu Jingzhe kept busy and would even bring the small doll with her on her trips.
Now that Ji Buw.a.n.g was no longer around, Mu Jingzhe was very lucky to have the dolls with her. She had found someone to glue the broken doll and restore it to its original state.
This set of dolls was always with Mu Jingzhe"s other dolls. They were always wherever Mu Jingzhe lived.
However, the one she often carried with her was the smallest one, and the one who accompanied Mu Jingzhe to sleep every night was also Little Buw.a.n.g.
Mu Jingzhe brought it along everywhere she went and would take some time out each year to travel to the places that Ji Buw.a.n.g had promised to go with her or mentioned to her.
The five kids wanted to follow, but Mu Jingzhe didn"t let them because this was a trip for her and Ji Buw.a.n.g alone.
When she arrived, she would take a photo as a keepsake. Afraid that Shao Dong and the others would be sad to see it, she could only secretly hide Little Buw.a.n.g somewhere and act like he was in the photo with her.
She often spoke to Little Buw.a.n.g on the way, as if Ji Buw.a.n.g was accompanying her. She even attracted strange gazes, but she didn"t mind.
Other than Ji Buw.a.n.g, Mu Jingzhe would also bring Li Zhaodi and Mu Teng along sometimes. They had lived in a mountain village their entire lives. In the past, the furthest they had gone was only the county city. Later on, although they had been to some places, the places they had visited were still not many.
If the five kids needed to broaden their horizons and explore new places, it was also necessary for Li Zhaodi and Mu Teng to do so.
After going to the capital for the first time and taking a photo there, Li Zhaodi bragged about it for three months. Later on, she was quite enthusiastic about going to famous places to have fun. After each trip, she was particularly enthusiastic about bragging to others regarding her experiences.
Mu Jingzhe felt that Li Zhaodi had missed her calling. Otherwise, she could actually have been a tour guide. The travel stories she told others sounded interesting and made one look forward to visiting those places themselves. She was perfectly suited to be a tour guide.
As there were many scenic places in the country, Li Zhaodi even bought a map to mark the places she had been to. She would brag to others about how many places she had visited.
Mu Jingzhe thought that this was great. She planned to bring them along to tour famous historical sites. When it was more convenient in a few years, she would buy a globe and a world map for Li Zhaodi and take her parents around the world.
When Li Zhaodi heard Mu Jingzhe"s plans, she was overjoyed. After going to many places, Li Zhaodi was already different. When she traveled overseas, Mu Jingzhe believed that she would become even more different. She wouldn"t feel any regrets when she was old anymore.
Upon hearing the overseas travel plan, Li Zhaodi specifically bought tapes to learn foreign languages. She was more serious than anyone else. Even after learning just one or two lines, she still had to show off to others, showing everyone how impressive and filial the five kids were to her.
Li Zhaodi and Mu Teng were happy, especially after Mu Han got married.
For people like them, who came from Great Eastern Village, these were serious life changes. Their children were filial and promising, and there was no one leading a better life than them.
Their only regret was that they had lost their son-in-law and their daughter was single.
Mu Jingzhe came to see Li Zhaodi again and asked where they wanted to travel when Shao Xi and Little Bei had time during the holidays. Li Zhaodi said a few words, but she soon entered a daze.
When her daughter asked what she was thinking, she heard Li Zhaodi say, "Jingzhe, it"s been three years, almost four. What are your thoughts and plans? I think Shao Qihai is actually not bad. He"s been waiting for you all these years."