Chapter 26

Old Master slurped his noodles and savored the meat his son had picked for him.

"This child's cooking skills are quite good."

Old Master had a discerning palate, having lived a comfortable life in the past. After all these years, Zhou Nan's handmade noodles were the only thing that impressed Old Master.

However, calling it excellent would be an overstatement.

Compared to the noodles he had enjoyed in his youth, the broth back then was made from specially simmered chicken stock, cooked for several hours.

The current conditions couldn't compare, so having a tasty and satisfying meal was already considered good enough. One must learn to be content.

"Grandfather, as long as you like it." An ZhiXia knew very well that Old Master was praising her out of courtesy.

After all, her status was there for everyone to see. She had seen plenty of good things in her life. Moreover, due to the lack of seasonings at home, even if she was skilled, the taste would still be lacking.

Liu Ling finished eating the quickest and hurriedly went to see the children, allowing Zhou Nan to join for the meal.

An WenQing was still young, and Old Madam was quite particular, afraid that she would behave improperly at the table. The rule of not speaking during meals and bedtime was not strictly enforced on normal occasions, but with Old Master and Old Madam present, no one dared to speak except for Old Master himself.

After finishing the meal, An MeiYun took the initiative to clean up the dishes and utensils.

In her heart, she cursed the two old people, but she was still afraid of them.

When she was cooking, she hid in her room and didn't dare to come out. An ZhiXia, on the other hand, would find opportunities to show off. An MeiYun hadn't seen her in the kitchen before, but she coincidentally helped with cooking when the two old people arrived. It was a deliberate act to make herself appear diligent in comparison.

An MeiYun was afraid that if she acted as the boss and left after finishing the meal, Old Madam might come up with some scheme against her.

In the past, Old Madam always found fault with her. She didn't know what she had done to offend her. She had tried her best to please her in these years, but she still couldn't win Old Madam's heart.

An MeiYun didn't know that Old Madam had lived a whole lifetime and had seen all kinds of people during the heyday of the Gao Family. She thought she was pretending well, but her little schemes were still transparent to Old Madam.

Old Master looked at An JingZhi and said, "Go to the study. I have something to ask you."

An JingZhi nodded, and Old Madam followed him.

Liu Ling glanced at Zhou Nan secretly and felt somewhat puzzled. Even though the Gao Family had been prestigious in the past, now everyone was equal. The era of landlords and wealthy people had long passed.

Moreover, after so many years of being married into the family, with several children having grown up, Old Master and Old Madam still looked down on her, never consulting her on important matters.

On the other hand, Zhou Nan seemed relieved that she wasn't called.

Dealing with her mother-in-law was always a headache, especially her elegant and noble demeanor despite her old age, which always made her feel immense pressure.

The study in the An family wasn't large because there were many people in the household, and the rooms were barely enough. The study was the smallest one available.

An JingZhi knew what Old Master wanted to discuss, so he closed the study door as soon as he entered.

There were only two chairs in the study, and Old Master and Old Madam took their seats, leaving him to stand. "How do you plan to handle the situation between Mei Yun and Zhi Xia?" Old Master asked directly.

"The Gao family has already dealt with it. The couple will never have a chance to make a comeback in their lifetime. We bought the person who was involved with Zhi Xia from the Gao couple. To protect Zhi Xia's reputation, we can't let this matter be exposed. We can only make him pay through other means. I found out that this man had previously killed a wife, so I plan to use that as leverage..." An JingZhi, who had been the principal for many years, had taught numerous students and had accumulated a significant network of connections. Sometimes, the outcome of a situation depended on the words of those in power.

Old Master patiently listened and nodded. "You handled that well. But what about the two children? What are your thoughts on that?"

An JingZhi didn't hide anything from his biological father. "Originally, I planned to raise both children. After all, our family can afford it. However, Zhi Xia disagreed. She has suffered a great deal over the years, and we can't ignore her wishes. I thought of finding a job for Mei Yun so she could live outside temporarily, and then..."

"Nonsense!" Before he could finish, Old Master interrupted him.

Old Madam glanced at him lightly. "The idea of keeping both children at home, was that your wife's idea?"

An JingZhi quickly took the responsibility upon himself. "It was also my idea. Mei Yun has called me 'Dad' for so many years, and she was just a child back then. I couldn't bear to do it, so I came up with this plan."

"It's a terrible idea." Old Master didn't give him any face. "Your raised daughter isn't someone without her own ideas. She's resolute in wanting to drive Mei Yun away. And my granddaughter, she doesn't seem easy to deceive either. If she had no backbone, it would mean she was truly ruined by the Gao family. It's not so easy to change someone who is weak-willed."

An JingZhi sighed and explained, "It was just a thought I had before. Zhi Xia disagreed, so I planned to let Mei Yun live outside by arranging a job for her. After all, Zhi Xia is the one who has suffered the most."

"That's why I said you were being foolish." Old Master looked at him disapprovingly. "Even if you arrange a job for her and have her live nearby in Jin Cheng, she'll still be close. After raising her for so many years, can you bear to drive her away? If you continue like this in the long run, both girls will feel uncomfortable, and problems will arise. Both of your children will be displeased, and it won't end well. Jing Zhi, you've been teaching students for so many years, but you don't understand the thoughts of young girls?"

"He's not clueless. He's just caught in a dilemma now and taking it step by step," Old Madam thought to herself. This was a common flaw among parents. Whoever could bear it more would bear a little more. As long as things didn't escalate, it would be fine.

Otherwise, An Jingzhi wouldn't have agreed to let An Meiyun move out when he saw that An Zhixia didn't agree to have her stay at home. It was clear that he had already prepared for both possibilities and was testing Zhixia's reaction.

It's evident that this child is not someone who readily submits to others.

An Jingzhi felt his thoughts being accurately described and felt helpless. "Mom, Dad, please don't make fun of me. Just say what you think." These past two days had been difficult enough for him.

"In this world, there's never a perfect solution. In crucial moments, you must make choices; otherwise, you'll risk getting caught in a dilemma," Old Master said, looking at him with a serious tone.

"So, Dad's implying..." An Jingzhi also understood. It seems that Old Master had already made some plans, both spoken and unspoken.