Chapter 42: Young Madam

"Great-grandfather."

As Lu Jiaorong stepped into the small courtyard of the Western-style villa, she heard a soft, milky voice calling out.

"Oh, why has little Dong come out?!"

The elderly man hurriedly took a few steps forward, bent down, and reached out to gently stroke the little boy's head, asking with a broad smile.

"Great-grandfather, I was waiting here for you."

The little fellow tilted his tender little face upward and said in a very milky voice, clearly showing a deep attachment to the old man.

"Great-grandfather just went to bring your aunt back. Come take a look, your little aunt is here."

The old man doted on him immensely. As the saying goes, affection skips a generation, and affection skipping two generations is even deeper. The little fellow was both adorable and sensible, making the old man love him beyond measure.

*Little aunt?!*

Over the past couple of days at home, the little fellow had heard his great-grandfather and his father talking about his little uncle and little aunt, so he knew who she was.

Thus, Lu Jiaorong saw a little fellow peeking half of his body out from in front of the old man, his large, rolling eyes looking at her curiously.

*Ah, what a cute little child.*

Lu Jiaorong loved children, especially those who were good-looking, sweet, and fair-skinned.

The little toddler before her eyes was clearly her preferred type, and consequently, Lu Jiaorong couldn't help but offer him a gentle smile.

"Hello there, my name is Lu Jiaorong."

She raised her hand slightly and greeted him with a beaming smile.

Little Dongdong pursed his lips in a shy smile, ducking bashfully into his great-grandfather's embrace. Still, this little aunt looked very kind.

*Such a little rascal,* Lu Jiaorong was instantly won over by his cuteness.

"Xiao Lu, this is Dongdong, Xiao Ji's eldest brother's youngest son. He is three years old this year."

The old man picked up his great-grandson in a very good mood, utterly charmed by the toddler's antics as well, and stood up to introduce him to Lu Jiaorong.

*Ah?!*

*How strange, why is Gu Fengji's elder brother's son with the old man?!* Lu Jiaorong felt puzzled inside, but she didn't show it on her face.

"Xiao Lu, come inside and sit down."

The old man offered no explanation. While welcoming Lu Jiaorong, he held little Dongdong's hand and walked toward the house.

Lu Jiaorong carried her things and followed them inside.

"Grandfather, you're back."

Just as she stepped through the door and before she could get a clear look at the interior of the small villa, a mellow, resonant voice rang out.

"Father, Great-grandfather brought the little aunt back."

Before the old man could speak, the little toddler piped up cheerfully. Twisting his head to flash a shy smile at Lu Jiaorong behind him, he let go of his great-grandfather's hand and scampered forward with quick, pattering steps.

At that moment, Lu Jiaorong finally caught sight of the scene inside the room.

The living room was not particularly large, containing only a set of sofas and a coffee table, an old-fashioned TV cabinet and television, along with a dining table and refrigerator not far away.

A man in his thirties with very refined features sat in a wheelchair, with a small child leaning close to his side. He looked at her with a calm expression.

Lu Jiaorong looked back at him, equally calm, her gaze entirely unruffled. However, inside her heart, she was surprised and filled with numerous questions.

"Xiao Lu, this is Xiao Ji's eldest brother, Gu Fengrui, and this is Dongdong."

"Xiao Rui, this is Xiao Ji's wife. She came today to visit and get acquainted with the family."

"Dongdong, hurry and greet your little aunt."

While welcoming Lu Jiaorong, the old man introduced everyone to one another and beckoned to the little toddler.

The little fellow quickly and affectionately ran back into the old man's arms, surrounded by them as he sat on the sofa.

"Eldest Brother, I am Lu Jiaorong, from Guilin Province. This is my first time visiting, and I'm disturbing you."

Welcomed by the old man, Lu Jiaorong sat down on the nearby sofa. After introducing herself with a smile, she placed the items she was holding onto the coffee table.

"We are family, don't talk about whether it's a disturbance or not. You should just come and live here at home."

Gu Fengrui waved a hand at her, but his words carried a deeper meaning.

Because the home he referred to was this place, not the Gu family compound on the other side.

"I told Xiao Lu the exact same thing. It's not safe for her to live alone outside."

The old man chimed in at that moment, wholeheartedly agreeing with his eldest grandson's remark. He still hoped that Lu Jiaorong would come back to live here, so at least they could look out for one another.

"No, no, the place I'm staying at now is quite nice. The people over there take good care of me, everyone knows who I am, and no one dares to bully me. I won't come over and add to your troubles."

*How could that possibly work?!*

It was completely out of the question for her to live with the Gu family. Even though the old man seemed quite pleasant, since she could live alone in peace and freedom, why would she subject herself to living with others?!

Lu Jiaorong's mind and body utterly rejected the idea.

The old man and Gu Fengrui exchanged a glance, and seeing her stance, they decided not to press the matter further.

Afterward, the grandfather and grandson began asking about various conditions in Guilin Province. Both of them had visited the province a few times and actually possessed a fairly good understanding of the situation there.

Especially Gu Fengrui.

Lu Jiaorong noticed that he was exceptionally knowledgeable about Guilin Province, and upon seeing him seated in a wheelchair, a few speculations formed in her mind.

Elder Gu's rank must be quite high; apart from having guards, there were also logistics personnel stationed at home.

Just as it was approaching mealtime, an older woman began bustling about in the kitchen. Lu Jiaorong tried to offer her help, but she wasn't allowed.

Not long after, several sets of footsteps echoed from outside, and soon four older children filed into the house in single file.

"Great-grandfather, Dad, we're back from school."

"We're back from school, Great-grandfather, Father."

The children first greeted the old man and Gu Fengrui upon entering, and only then did they notice that there was a guest in the house.

"Hurry up and greet her, this is your little aunt."

The old man beckoned the children over and introduced Lu Jiaorong's identity to them.

*Little aunt?!*

*Little uncle's wife?!*

The children all understood what an aunt meant, and they widened their eyes, staring at Lu Jiaorong with curiosity.

"Hi there, hello everyone. I'm Lu Jiaorong, and you can also call me Sister Lu."

*My, four children—no, five children. This eldest brother, Comrade Gu Fengrui, is certainly fertile,* Lu Jiaorong marveled inwardly while smiling warmly as she greeted the four youngsters.

The four children consisted of two boys and two girls, all carrying schoolbags and looking like they had just returned from school. At the moment, they appeared somewhat shy.

However...

"Auntie, is Little Uncle back?!"

The eldest boy opened his curious eyes and looked at her expectantly.

The other children wore the same expression. They all deeply liked their little uncle Gu Fengji, who always bought them many things whenever he came—food, toys, picture books, and even made them countless playthings out of spent bullet casings.

"Auntie, Little Uncle is so, so good."

At this moment, little Dongdong, nestled snugly in Lu Jiaorong's arms, also tilted his little head up and spoke in a milky voice. After half an hour of her efforts, the little fellow had already grown close to her.

"Your little uncle is still out on a mission. He's the one who asked me to come back and check on you all. Oh dear, I forgot to bring the gifts he prepared for you."

Faced with the expectant gazes of so many children, Lu Jiaorong had no choice but to tell a partial truth, then pretend she had done something careless.

Upon hearing that their little uncle had prepared gifts for them, the children immediately lost their disappointment. Happily, they crowded around Lu Jiaorong, eagerly asking questions about their favorite little uncle.