Volume One, Chapter Five: Wishing for a Hug from a Handsome Grandfather

One Month Later.

At the entrance of Sunflower Kindergarten in Jing City, Jiang Cheng and Jiang Rui held little Jiang Duoduo’s hands on either side as they stepped through the gate together.

Jiang Cheng hadn’t returned to Jing City for a long time. This place held too many painful memories for her. Her parents had passed away, and her only relative, Jiang Rui, often traveled back and forth between cities, so there was no real need for her to come back.

But a month ago, Qin Wenze and Yang Qianrou had come to Su City.

That place was no longer the peaceful sanctuary it once was.

Moreover, Jiang Rui was right—Duoduo was so intelligent and deserved a better future. She couldn’t be confined forever in that small city.

Jing City offered superior educational resources, making it a far better choice for Duoduo.

So, Jiang Cheng had returned.

Standing on this land once more, she felt surprisingly relieved.

After returning to Jing City, she busied herself selecting an appropriate school for Duoduo, handling admission procedures, and preparing for entrance interviews. Naturally, she had no time for melancholy, and her spirits improved.

“Duoduo, when the teacher asks you questions later, just answer obediently,” Jiang Rui bent down to advise her softly. “Don’t worry, your uncle has taken care of everything. You’ll definitely get admitted.”

Although the enrollment process for these prestigious kindergartens was complicated, with high standards for interviews, the Jiang family still held some standing in Jing City. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been allied with the Qin family in the first place. Even though the enrollment date had passed nearly a month ago, they still secured a spot.

The interview was merely a formality; there was no need to be overly nervous.

Duoduo looked up and gave Jiang Rui a sweet smile:

“Thank you, Rui Rui! You’re the best!”

Jiang Rui responded by tapping her forehead with his other hand:

“You little rascal, so cheeky! You have to call me Uncle!”

“No, no, I want to call you Rui Rui!” Duoduo released their hands and backed away, mischievously sticking out her tongue at Jiang Rui. “Nyah nyah nyah!”

Just as she took two steps back, she bumped into a figure emerging from around the corner.

Duoduo staggered. Before Jiang Rui could reach out, the stranger had already grabbed her collar and steadied her.

The three of them looked at each other and then noticed the newcomer was an elderly man with white hair and a white beard.

He appeared quite old, his hair naturally curled, wearing a three-piece suit and leaning on a cane. His polished leather shoes gleamed, and even his beard was neatly groomed. A fountain pen was tucked into the small pocket over his chest.

He exuded an air of utmost refinement.

Though his hair was completely white and he looked to be in his sixties or seventies, he still carried an aura of handsome charm.

When Jiang Duoduo made contact with him, her mind became unusually quiet, as if a sudden calm had settled within her. After a moment, she heard a few words:

“This child…”

Then silence.

Her bright eyes remained fixed on the old man, feeling an inexplicable closeness. She wanted to approach him, even to be held in his arms.

Unlike a typical child raised in human society, Duoduo had few inhibitions or constraints. Acting on impulse, she stretched out her small, delicate arms and said:

“Hug me, Duoduo wants grandpa to hug her.”

She remembered that someone of such advanced age should be called grandpa.

The adults were momentarily stunned.

Jiang Rui and Jiang Cheng quickly stepped forward.

Jiang Rui scooped Duoduo into his arms and said apologetically to the unfamiliar elderly man:

“Sorry, this child is still too young and doesn’t understand. Please forgive her.”

Jiang Cheng bowed slightly to apologize as well, then whispered softly to Duoduo:

“No, no, Duoduo. Grandpa is very old. If you want a hug, mommy and uncle can hold you, okay?”

Duoduo bit her finger lightly and gazed longingly at the handsome old man. She thought of those animals who, in old age, lost their teeth and claws and were forced to lie in their nests waiting to die. A bitter sadness welled up inside her.

Imagining this grandpa might end up so pitiful, tears threatened to spill.

Yet the white-haired old man showed no anger. After a brief pause, he smiled warmly, like a gentle spring breeze, and reached out to pat Duoduo’s head:

“Don’t cry, little one. Grandpa isn’t mad. I just have some matters to attend to now. Next time we meet, Grandpa will give you a big hug, alright?”

He then took two items from his pocket. One he handed to Duoduo—a large White Rabbit milk candy.

The other he handed to Jiang Cheng—a business card.

It was clear he had urgent business. After bidding farewell, he quickly left, leaning on his cane.

Jiang Rui and Jiang Cheng looked at the card.

The material was fine, with a strong sense of design, and several lines of golden small print read:

“Lin Jingzheng

Contact Number: XXXXXXXXXXX”

Only the name and phone number. No mention of his position or title.

But the name startled them both.

Was this the professor?

No wonder he seemed vaguely familiar.

This prominent figure had not appeared publicly for a long time, apparently after some family upheaval and a serious illness, and had since retreated from the spotlight.

For someone of his stature to give out such a card meant he truly cared for Duoduo. His earlier words were not mere politeness but a genuine desire to meet her again.

Duoduo, however, paid no mind to professors or big shots. She happily clutched the seemingly ordinary White Rabbit candy.

Though she had eaten this candy before, somehow the one given by this old man felt different.

She carefully tucked the candy into her small pocket, reluctant even to eat it.

Outside the kindergarten, the handsome elderly gentleman who had bumped into Duoduo approached the car waiting at the gate.

Before getting in, he couldn’t help but glance back toward the kindergarten.

The driver respectfully opened the door and looked toward the kindergarten as well, puzzled:

“Professor? Are you worried about the little miss?”

The old gentleman frowned and shot a cold glance at the driver:

“My granddaughter is the only one I have! That child was adopted by them without my permission and has no connection to me or the Lin family. I came here today for other matters and it does not signify anything else.

I will say this once: if you or anyone else cannot remember this, then do not follow me anymore.”

The driver quickly lowered his head:

“Yes, I understand!”

The old man got into the car. Once it pulled away, he closed his eyes but his thoughts lingered on the little girl they had just met.

Duoduo?

Is that her name?

If… his granddaughter were still alive, she would be about that age now.