Chapter 1291: Chapter 1291: Honored Guests Arrive
The old man’s dementia was quite severe, and he couldn’t distinguish between Zhao Feipeng and Zhao Zhongtian. He slapped Zhao Feipeng, thinking he was scolding Zhao Zhongtian.
A simple question about whether one is married seemed like a form of care and concern for the younger generations.
Zhao Feipeng felt a deep sadness.
Zhao Zhongtian’s eyes were even more downcast.
Others also had expressions of sorrow, each feeling the old man’s pain.
Even if they felt overwhelmed, they didn’t want the old man to see their emotions, so they bowed their heads and looked away, seizing the chance to sympathize with him, unwilling to let him see their troubled faces.
"Dad, have a seat for dinner. Everyone’s standing here waiting for you to speak," Zhao Feipeng urged when he saw the old man’s mood shift from scolding to calmer.
"No hurry, no hurry!" The old man glanced warmly at Zhao Ruixi and said, "Xixi, come over here, let your great-grandfather hold you."
Xixi looked at Jian Tao, feeling scared and unfamiliar with this great-grandfather in her world.
She didn’t understand what was wrong with her great-grandfather, but she dared not approach the great-grandfather who had slapped her grandfather.
Jian Tao affectionately patted her daughter’s head and gently pulled Xixi closer to the old man. She squatted in front of him, while Xixi stood there a little lost.
"Xixi, still wetting the bed?" the old man opened with such a question.
Xixi felt it a humiliating question and said in her baby voice, "Xixi has grown up, doesn’t wet the bed anymore, great-grandfather wets the bed."
She spoke the truth, with the candidness of a child, as she observed that the old man indeed couldn’t care for himself and wet the bed.
Seeing her daughter’s lack of restraint, Jian Tao admonished quietly, "Don’t be rude, especially in front of your great-grandfather. What are you saying?"
Xixi lowered her pretty face, feeling wronged.
"Grandpa, kids are ignorant, don’t mind them," Jian Tao said, holding the old man’s hand.
"Never mind, never mind, Xixi’s grown up too, my little Xixi has grown up." The old man grinned widely.
Then, the old man asked with concern, "Xiaohai, come over, let grandpa have a look."
The old man’s gaze turned to Ye Fan, causing everyone present to tense up.
Why did the old man mistake Ye Fan for Zhao Hai? Why didn’t he feel the strangeness?
Perhaps, in his world, only Chen Yifei among those present was a stranger, as if he never regarded Ye Fan as a stranger, akin to how Xixi smelled her father’s scent on Ye Fan. Such mysterious matters defy explanation.
Since he mistook the person, Ye Fan decided to play Zhao Hai temporarily, which was part of his contingency plan for this visit.
Zhao Feipeng and the others looked at Ye Fan with eager eyes.
Ye Fan calmly stepped forward.
Zhao Feipeng quickly picked up Xixi to prevent her from causing trouble by overhearing something she shouldn’t or saying something inappropriate.
Ye Fan squatted next to the old man, beside Jian Tao, greeting, "Grandpa!"
Despite the old man’s mental confusion, his consistent concern for the younger generations’ marriage made Ye Fan deeply respect this kind and genuine elderly man.
Even though Ye Fan was acting, the way he managed it made Zhao Feipeng and the others deeply grateful.
Satisfying the old man’s unfulfilled wishes was more important than anything else.
They weren’t afraid of him mistaking someone, just feared he’d call out a descendant who wasn’t present, which would be heartbreaking.
Especially Zhao Hai’s death, which must not be revealed to the old man; who knows what might happen otherwise?
"My little Xiaohai has grown up," the old man said, touching Ye Fan’s head and then commented, "Why do I feel like Xiaohai has gotten thinner?"
"A little thinner is healthier." Ye Fan replied offhandedly.
"Nonsense, chubbier is better, more blessed. Remember to eat during work, don’t go hungry, got it?" the old man urged kindly.
"Got it!" Ye Fan responded.
"That’s a good child, my Xiaohai," the old man’s laughter was loud and hearty.
Ye Fan had no choice but to go along with the old man’s wishes, hoping he wouldn’t notice anything amiss; everything else seemed unimportant.
As long as the old man was happy, some lies weren’t that important after all.
The old man looked at Jian Tao kindly and asked, "Xiaotao, Xiaohai hasn’t bullied you, has he? If he has, tell me, and I’ll stand up for you."
"Grandpa, he hasn’t bullied me, he’s very good to me," Jian Tao hastily reassured, stifling her sadness.
"That’s good, no bullying is good. I personally handled your wedding, you must be good to each other, loving and not quarrelsome," the old man seriously reminded.
Ye Fan and Jian Tao obediently agreed.
"Grandpa, please take a seat, so everyone can sit. Look, no one dares to sit or pick up their chopsticks without your say-so," Ye Fan redirected attention, saying, "Everyone’s hungry, just waiting for your word."
"My Xiaohai is hungry, then let’s eat," the old man casually said, then muttered, "What else was I going to say, why did I forget?"
The old man had a contemplative look, appearing conflicted.
Jian Tao pushed the wheelchair to bring the old man closer to the table. Others were still standing on the sides, naturally waiting for the old man to sit before they did — the rules were strict, and propriety was paramount, something the old man adhered to strictly.
Outside the Zhao Family house, a group of people arrived. With sharp eyes, Yu Weidong immediately stepped forward to greet them.
"Patriarchs, bringing your esteemed sons to the Zhao Family is truly an honor. Please come in, quickly, please come in," Yu Weidong said in astonishment.
The visitors were the leaders of the five great families: Li Chenggui, Ma Qianqiu, Huang Jingwei, Zheng Zhonghai, Chen Tiande. Also present were the heirs of the five families, including Li Yang, Ma Junqing, Zheng Junxian, Chen Xiangsheng, and several other young gentlemen.
"Please inform Zhao Feipeng that we’ve come uninvited to celebrate the old man’s birthday," Li Chenggui politely said.
"There’s no need to inform. For such esteemed guests to visit, no announcement is needed. Come right in; the patriarch will be enormously grateful and warmly welcome all of you," Yu Weidong insisted, eager to escort Li Chenggui and the others inside.
"Perhaps you should inform him anyway, we’ll wait a moment," Chen Tiande said courteously.
"Why should esteemed guests wait outside..." Yu Weidong was baffled; such respected leaders of the five great families were rarely this polite.
Before he could finish, Huang Jingwei impatiently said, "Quickly inform Zhao Feipeng; with the time you’ve wasted dithering, the message could already have been delivered."
"Yes, yes!" Yu Weidong hurried away.
