After telling the news to Grandfather Ji, one conversation led to another. Madam Lu, Old Lu and Lu Han were the first to leave while Zhuang Xue Li and Zhuang Li did not leave. The father and son duo were spending the night at the Ji Mansion.
Glancing at the wall clock in the living room, Lu Tian was surprise so see how late into the night it had gotten.
"Grandfather Ji, it is getting late so I will take Yue Ling home."
Lu Tian spoke as he stood up from the sofa.
Knowing his wife wanted to stay behind longer, he willingly agreed. However, it was already one in the morning.
Grandfather Ji looks at his granddaughter then to Lu Tian. Even if he wanted to spend more time with her, Lu Tian was right. Tomorrow is a off day from work, but she still needed to rest.
He nod his head and turn to his granddaughter who sat next to him. He pat Yue Ling"s hand and smiles.
"Ah Ling take care of yourself. Eat healthy meals every day and do not stress yourself."
Yue Ling smiles a nod in understanding. As much as she wanted to stay longer, she knows that her grandfather must be tired from the long night.
"I will come back to visit again."
Grandfather Ji answers with mm and lift his hand to pat Yue Ling on the head. His eyes held happiness and a mixture of sadness. He then looks to Lu Tian.
"Make sure both mother and child are properly taken care of. If you need any help, I am here to help."
Lu Tian nod his head with a mm. Even if this is first time taking care of a pregnant woman, he will do everything he can because she is his wife. For all the things he does not know, he will study them.
Heading towards the front door, Grandfather Ji and Zhuang Xie Li walks the young couple out as they bid goodbye to each other.
Ji Jingxu and Zhuang Li had already said their goodbyes earlier as both boys needed to sleep for tomorrow"s long training.
Watching Yue Ling and Lu Tian get into the back seat of Liu Shan"s black car, both men stood on the front steps of the Ji Mansion.
As the back lights of the car slowly furthers into the distance, Grandfather Ji and Zhuang Xie Li finally returned inside the house.
Grandfather Ji sighs as the entire house suddenly return to it"s usual quietness.
Although it is just him and Ji Jingxu, the Ji Mansion isn"t as quiet, but to see it now, he felt it was more quieter than before.
Having Yue Ling and the Lu family here, the Ji Mansion actually felt warmer with many people.
His eyes looks ahead and he sighs again. Indeed it is nice to have a big family.
Now that they have all left, he isn"t even tired anymore.
Walking to the living room, he stops in the center of the room and held both his hands behind his back.
Raising his head, he stares at the painting Lu Tian had gifted him.
He made sure Lu Tian"s "Five Drunken Generals" was hung in the living room while Old Lu and Madam Lu"s "Springtime Memories" was hung in his study room.
"Have you really decided not to tell them?"
From behind, Zhuang Xie Li"s voice suddenly sounds. He couldn"t help but ask as he is the other person besides Zhong Yang who really knows about the old man"s health.
Even he was shocked, and heart broken when he heard the news. He only knew because the General had a fall out while they were training the soldiers. If it was not for that, he would have never known.
With eyes on the painting, Grandfather Ji did not answer right away. He continued to admire the painting before a faint smile curl on his lip.
"I will, but not now. Yue Ling is with child. I do not want her to stress over me. As for Jingxu, he is graduating soon. I want him to focus on his studies."
His words fell as he slowly turn his head to face one of his most trusty subordinates. Lifting his hand, he pat Zhuang Xie Li on the shoulder.
"When my time comes and I am no longer here, I hope that you will be one of the people I trust who will help look after them."
Zhuang Xie Li felt a sharp sensation in his chest as he listens. He wanted to tell the old man that everything will be fine, but the moment he met Grandfather Ji"s eyes, he could only nod his head.
"I will follow your order until the death of me."
Grandfather Ji smiled faintly and turns back to look at the painting on the wall. Both his hands reaches into the pockets of his pants.
As his hands return out, what he brought in his hands was the gifts of both his grandchildren.
He stares down at the jade stone and gla.s.s bead for a long minute before walking over to a table against the wall that hung the painting.
The table had rows of drawers, but he did not pause to see which one he needed to open.
He pulls the second drawer open and reach inside to take out a wooden box.
Removing the top part, Zhuang Xie Li was curious to know what is inside the box. He quietly gasps when he saw that inside was filled to the rims with many gla.s.s beads of the same color.
"General, why do you have so many prayer beads?"
Hearing the question, Grandfather Ji chuckles and he place the gla.s.s bead and jade stone he had received inside.
"Jingxu gave them to me."
His fingers gently trace the many prayer beads and a small smile curl on his lip.
"When my wife was still alive, Jingxu and her would always go to the temple to pray. Since then, that boy had always crafted them on his own and gave it to me every year for my birthday."
Ji Jingxu had always asked him if he keeps the beads. In his reply, he would lie and say they were unimportant.
He knows how words may hurt, but Ji Jingxu never cared. He still continued to give him the same gift every year.
Closing the lid, he place the wooden box back inside the drawer.
"This year, I finally have the 108th bead to complete the necklace."