Family

Song Qianming turned around stiffly, coming face to face with an angry old man glaring at him.

How could he, the prince of a vast empire in his previous life, who had played tricks on the Grand Tutor and fooled around with the old Prime Minister's beard without remorse, not know how to react in the face of this old man?

The old man did not seem to think anything amiss and continued his tirade, "You're getting increasingly out of hand. I told you not to go to some film academy or enter the entertainment industry. Now you're unmarried and saddled with a daughter. Do you enjoy making things difficult for your family?"

Song Qianming felt like his head would explode upon hearing the old man's words, but he reigned himself in. He was not a prince anymore, and even if he were still one, he would not show such disrespect to an elder. Moreover, he agreed with the old man's words, feeling it was inappropriate for the body's original owner to have a daughter without getting married.

With everything said and done, Song Qianming refrained from responding. He did not want to say too much for fear of making a mistake and exposing himself.

Seeing his grandson so unmoved by his lecture, the old man did not know what to say. What more could he say when a pair of large eyes glared at him for dressing down his grandson? What if he said something that scared the poor child?

"Stop scolding Daddy! Daddy is the best!" Youhuan cried.

His daughter's love for him heartened Song Qianming, bringing a smile to his face. He could not help but feel smug at the open display of affection.

The old man was infuriated by his grandson's behavior. He could not understand how this rascal could produce such a good daughter.

"Great-grandpa isn't scolding your father. Great-grandpa just said a few words to your father because he didn't listen to me. Why should you have to stay in a hotel instead of your home? How can a hotel be more comfortable than home?" The old man warmly deflected. "Come child, what's your name? Great-grandpa shall carry you home, and we'll have dinner together. How does that sound? I'm sure Great-grandma will whip up a feast for us."

"My name is Youhuan! Daddy chose this name because he hopes I'll always be happy."

"Youhuan?" The old man nodded with a smile. "At least your father has learned from some of his mistakes. He chose a good name, not bad. Come, let's go home."

Youhuan did not immediately reject the old man's proposal, instead turning to her father for direction.

Song Qianming nudged Youhuan into the old man's arms. Even though he had a head full of white hair, he was still energetic and in good health. If the old man wanted to hold her, that was fine. He was afraid that he would not have anything to discuss with the old man. Now that he had a child, he had another mouth to feed, and he had to look after more than just himself. At least he did not have to worry about finding a place to stay.

The old man held the young girl in his arms as if she were a precious treasure. He did not dare to jostle her too much for fear of hurting her.

However, his actions made Youhuan uncomfortable. She writhed in the old man's arms, trying to make herself more comfortable. "Great-grandpa, it's alright."

"If you're uncomfortable, just let your Great-grandpa know."

"That's an awkward form of address," Song Qianming mumbled, but the old man's glare silenced him.

The apartment building only had one flat per floor, so it was not too crowded.

The old lady inside heard the door opening and spoke without checking to see who it was. "Why are you back so early? Weren't you going to play chess with Old Li and the others?"

"What else do we have at home? If there isn't enough, I'll buy some more for our Youhuan. She must have suffered greatly with her unreliable father looking after her," the old man responded with dissatisfaction.

Song Qianming swallowed a retort. Why did he have to return to this place? Although he did not have much money, he tried his hardest to buy the best food money could buy for his daughter. Then again, the old man was not wrong. Compared to the exotic delicacies he had eaten in the palace in his previous life, the local fare was nothing to write home about.

Shame filled his conscience when he realized he had been buying food of poor quality for his daughter and that she could not enjoy the same luxuries he had once had as a prince to a vast dynasty. He was a complete failure!

"Haven't we already eaten? Why would we need to buy more food? Who is this Youhuan? Is her father..." As the old lady mumbled, a thought came to mind, and she spun around with surprising alacrity. Shock, and unconcealed surprise, colored her weatherbeaten face.

The old lady came face to face with her eldest grandson. She had raised him since he was a child, and because of his estrangement from her husband, she had not seen him in two years. The moment she saw him, her eyes turned red.

Song Qianming did not know what to say in the face of the old lady's concern.

His previous life had not prepared him for a scenario like this. The previous emperor suspected his mother of treason, and she was beheaded. Her father, his maternal grandfather, was sent to a frontier fortress, where he died for reasons unknown. As for the empress, she had wished he and his royal brother would perish with every fiber of her being. So in the face of the old woman's unsullied love, Song Qianming stood paralyzed, unable to react.

The guilt he had buried quickly resurfaced. After all, he was not her real grandson, just an impostor who had transmigrated and taken his place.

"Have you come home at last? What your grandfather said back then were words he spoke in anger. Don't take them to heart. Besides, when did he gain the right to decide in this household?"

Song Qianming relaxed upon hearing the old woman's intimate words filled with reproach. Who would have thought the old man would be so henpecked? He could not tell at all!

The old man flushed in embarrassment, quivering in barely suppressed anger as he felt his grandson's mocking gaze on him. "Who says I can't make the decisions in this family?"

"Shut up! Are you trying to drive our grandson away? You stubborn old man. Is it so hard to admit that you missed him?"

The old lady did not give the old man a chance to speak, her eyes landing on Youhuan. "Be good. Let your ancestor hug you."

"What ancestor? What's with that title?" The old man's words may have sounded coarse, but he still handed the child to his wife.

"If I don't call Great-grandma 'Ancestor,' what should I call her?"

"Then what would you call me?" The old man asked.

"Great Ancestor," Youhuan said as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Ai!" Before the old lady or Song Qianming could rebut the old man, he happily agreed, laughing in delight.

The old lady rolled her eyes but did not correct him. Instead, she asked, "What would you like to eat, Huanhuan? Your Great-grandma shall whip something up for you."

"I'm not picky," she answered.

While it may have seemed like she had spoken sensibly, the three adults could only feel sorry for her. What did a barely three-year-old child have to have gone through to remain calm and accommodating in the new environment she had been thrust into? They would much rather the child were a little more wilful and lively.

"Does Huanhuan have anything she can't eat?" The old lady changed tactics.

"No, I don't." Youhuan shook her head.

The adults did not relax despite her answer. They believed the young girl must not have had much food to sample if she did not know whether she had any allergies. Still, it would be best if she was not allergic to anything.

"Huanhuan, go and watch some television. Great-grandma will make something delicious for you."

"Okay. Thank you, Great-grandma."

The old lady patted Song Youhuan on her head and said, "You never need to thank us, my dear." The old lady's words were steeped in sorrow.