Chapter 332: Bear Children

This lively scene of a family sitting together at the breakfast table was warming to Grandfather Xiang but it also made his heart sting a little. Why? Because it actually reminded him of the past.

The past when everything was fine.

The past where his wife sat with him at the dining table. 

The past where he'd see Mu Chenyan and Xiang Huilin bickering over little things.

The only person who remained with him from that past was Mu Chenyan. But the girl in his memories was unrestrained to the point of giving him headaches. The Mu Chenyan in front of his eyes now, not only grew up but also became calm and mature. It was the kind of evolution that he never thought he'd be able to see in his life.

But then again, he never thought his family would end up like this.

Suddenly, a long-buried memory flashed in his mind...

~~~

Xiang Tianyu had a smile on his face as he ate his breakfast with his wife. Suddenly, a fight of chopsticks ruined his peaceful breakfast. He looked up and almost had the urge to throw those two bear children of his.

There was only one Baozi(Steamed Bao Bun) left on the breakfast table and even though both Mu Chenyan and Xiang Hulin had already eaten their shares, seeing that it was the last one didn't want it to end up in the other's stomach. 

With the same thought, they both aimed their chopsticks towards the Baozi at the same time and ended up clashing. And when the fight was at the edge of evolving into a full-on fistfight, another pair of chopsticks lazily came and grabbed the last Baozi. 

Both Mu Chenyan and Xiang Hulin stopped when they noticed the missing Baozi. As they looked at Madam Xiang biting into the fluffy wrappers, they looked disappointed. But along with their disappointment came their sudden fear with the realization that they were in trouble.

Pointing at each other, they simultaneously shirked the responsibility, "He/She started it!"

Madam Xiang leisurely finished the Baozi and wiped her mouth with a silk handkerchief before her eyes landed on this pair of siblings who had no blood relation.

"It doesn't matter who started it," said Madam Xiang in a calm voice which made them even more fearful and nervous. "Chenchen," she looked at Mu Chenyan and stated, "You're joining the ladies of the military families to organize a banquet." Mu Chenyan's whole person looked like she lost her soul. And then Madam Xiang shifted her attention to her son, "And you, Hu, are gonna run around the base until I say so."

Xiang Hulin also silently accepted his punishment but gathering the courage he pleaded, "I'll run but Ma, can you let Chenchen go? She doesn't like to socialize with those young ladies."

"Auntie, I'll run instead of Ge," Mu Chenyan also pleaded for him. "Ge just got his ankle twisted last night."

Madam Xiang looked at her husband who was enjoying with a silent smile on his lips. "Look at your kids. They love to fight with each other over the smallest of things but won't even let me punish each other. What am I supposed to do with them?"

Although she sounded like she was complaining, inside she was actually quite proud of these two. She thought she raised them well. They would bear any grievance in silence but would go to any length to support the other.

"Just let them be," Xiang Tianyu decided to side with his children. "They are young."

"Young?" repeated Madam Xiang as she looked at these two and shook her head. "The other day, Mrs. Han was telling me her daughter just won a beauty pageant and Mrs. Shen added how her son brought his girlfriend home to meet the parents." Then she looked at her children in disappointment, "But what was I suppose to tell them that my sweet daughter jumped out of the window in the middle of the night to join a bloody street fight? And my dear is always there to cover up for his sister?"

"Ma, you should be proud of us," said Xiang Hulin. "Chenchen is so awesome but she doesn't need to win a beauty pageant to know her value."

"Exactly! And my Ge is already climbing the ranks in the military without any help," Mu Chenyan also boasted. "Which girl would refuse to marry my Ge?" In her heart, she thought if there was such a girl, she won't mind practicing her newly learned fist technique on her.

Madam Xiang really didn't know what to say to these two. But seeing how they echoed each other, she glared at them, "Both of you are spending the day kneeling! Don't even think of moving or I'll spank you both."

Both of them stood up and ran away to kneel immediately. Who wanted to be spanked at this age? Wouldn't that be humiliating?

Behind them, Xiang Tianyu was left laughing out loud heartily.

~~~

As Grandfather Xiang extracted his mind from that memory he still chuckled to himself but this time there was a hint of tears brimming in his eyes. There were plenty of such memories in his mind and now that he was old and sick, he often recalled those memories. They always made him laugh in spite of himself and yet he couldn't help crying because of those memories as well.

Grandfather Xiang doted on Hyson but it wasn't because he missed his own grandson. But just because he never brought up the name of Xiang Weimin didn't mean that he didn't love his own grandson. 

However, it was also true that Hyson's entrance into their life really filled a void in his heart. And perhaps that's why Hyson had eventually become even more important to him than his own grandson. 

"Fai, you get dressed first. You have a doctor's appointment today," began Mu Chenyan after breakfast. "I'll be coming with you."

Hyson raised his eyes to look at her, "Yanyan, I know I love to act like a five-year-old but I'm really not five-year-old. I don't need my mommies to come with me to the doctor's appointment."

"Oh, so you do know that you act like a five-year-old," teased Mu Chenyan.

Hyson wasn't pleased to hear that, "Yes, my brain malfunctions sometimes."

Mu Chenyan laughed at Hyson's reaction and ruffled his hair, "Fine, my little young man! I'll prepare the clothes for you. But take the driver with you, okay? We won't be reassured if you're driving on your own?"

"Over-protective family," muttered Hyson. "What a nuisance!" He had a smile on his face which he couldn't conceal as he complained in a small voice.

When Hyson went up to change his clothes, Mu Chenyan stepped over to Yue and said, "Yue, you're so not cute, how did you manage to give birth to a cutie? Did you steal him?"

Yue Yue glared at Mu Chenyan and rolled the magazine in her hand to hit Mu Chenyan who took the chance to run away. Yue Yue was annoyed and exasperated since she couldn't match Mu Chenyan's speed or her tricks. She looked at Grandfather Xiang helplessly.

Grandfather Xiang chuckled at her and beckoned her to come and sit with him. "I thought you got used to Chenyan's mischievous nature?"

'I can't seem to get used to it,' responded Yue Yue. 'She has a heart made of gold. She loves to look at things in a positive, fun, and wild way.'

Grandfather Xiang sighed out, "Well, that's our family's Chenyan." He took a pause before adding, "When my wife brought her to our family, she was really young. And the first thing my wife taught her was, no matter what goes wrong in life, there will always be a tomorrow. She took her words way too seriously. That's why she managed to keep her heart as real as it had always been."

Yue Yue couldn't refute those words. Mu Chenyan really didn't act like someone who had entered her forties. Although she repeatedly claimed that she was old, her habits were still as unrestrained as her youth. Yue Yue really wanted to learn from her how she managed to keep the child in her heart alive and also that rebellious teenager. Because to Yue Yue, in Mu Chenyan's heart was a pure child and a wild teenager living in strange harmony.

"I went to see Zhai Feiyang yesterday," Grandfather Xiang seemed to be stating it casually but his eyes were stuck on Yue Yue's expressions. "It was a surprise to meet Kuijun there." The stiffness of her body didn't manage to escape his eyes at all. "He is your elder sister's husband, I believe."

Yue Yue stared at him.

"I might be old and retired but do you really think it's that difficult for me to figure out your family background?" asked Grandfather Xiang. "Although Yue Clan and Xiang Clan had always been at odds since ancient times, it has nothing to do with your relationship with my family." He looked at her seriously told, "The only reason I brought it up to you is that they seem to be getting a divorce. I thought you should know that."