Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Grandfather and Granddaughter’s Heart-to-Heart

Jin Mo gave Du Chen a light punch. "What are you talking about? We’re live right now."

Du Chen wasn’t annoyed at all. On the contrary, he took Jin Mo’s hand and asked if she’d hurt it. The sight made Lu Wen’s eyes ache. Couples who had just gotten together were always so clingy.

"We have to head out to film the show, so we’ll have to trouble you to look after Little Leopard. You’re not afraid of dogs, are you, Jin Mo? I hope it won’t be an inconvenience."

"It’s fine, of course it’s fine." Jin Mo readily agreed. "Little Tiger and I are really close. I’m always the one who walks him. I’m sure Little Leopard and I will get along great, too..."

As she spoke, she put her arms around Rover, who was squatting beside her, her eyes full of affection.

With the dog-sitting arrangements settled, Lu Wen and Jin Xi didn’t stay long at the Du family’s home, mainly because Lu Wen felt a bit awkward. No one had expected something like this to happen—a boss walking in on her employees’ private lives, especially when they were a couple who hadn’t even gone public yet.

Jin Xi, walking on the outside of the curb beside Lu Wen, was the calmest of them all. "Still feeling awkward? It’s no big deal."

Lu Wen patted her cheeks. "It really is awkward."

Jin Xi was amused. "Little Jin and Old Du aren’t embarrassed, but you’re the one blushing."

Lu Wen changed the subject. "Can we talk about something else?"

Jin Xi played along. "Alright, let’s talk about something else. Has Director Li sent over the show’s rundown yet?"

"No," Lu Wen said with a pout. "Apparently, they want to create a completely unscripted reality show..."

The romance reality show Lu Wen was participating in was the center of national attention. From the moment it started until it ended, she was constantly the top trending topic. Her level of fame was enough to make others in the industry despair. Thankfully, she was planning to retire. If someone like her remained in the business, how would other stars and artists ever survive?

* * *

The ear-splitting shriek of cicadas. A glass of bland, cool water at her side. An impossibly difficult math competition problem in her hands. Any one of these things would be enough to make a person antsy and irritable. Yet Tan You’s expression was serene, betraying none of the agitation one might expect on such a scorching day.

Tan Deming was lounging on his recliner, listening to the radio with his eyes contentedly narrowed. Seeing Tan You sitting perfectly still, he waved his woven fan. "Is the problem too difficult? You’ve been staring at that one for a long time."

Tan You snapped back to reality, her gaze falling on the math problem before her, which felt both familiar and foreign. "Mm, math really is a game for smart people, and I’m not particularly smart."

"Nonsense. My granddaughter is plenty capable," Tan Deming retorted. "You’re just... what’s the word for it? Lopsided. Yes, that’s it, your studies are lopsided."

Tan You smiled. "Alright, lopsided it is. The sciences really are difficult."

"Your mother was hoping you’d major in the sciences," Tan Deming remarked. He wasn’t some clueless old man; he had done his research back when he was hunting down textbooks for his granddaughter.

"I’m definitely choosing the science track," Tan You said, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I won’t know how hard it is until I actually study it."

Thinking about the sciences reminded her of Teacher Shi from her life as Han Tingting. Honestly, Tan You really missed her. She had been a classic lopsided student; back in middle school, her Chinese and English teachers had adored her because she truly excelled in those subjects.

But when it came to math, physics, and chemistry, Tan You was hopeless, and those teachers were mostly indifferent to her.

But Teacher Shi never gave up on her just because she was bad at math. In all honesty, in that world, Teacher Shi represented the first true act of kindness Tan You had ever received.

Besides, Tan You wanted to study the sciences herself. It wasn’t out of any great passion for the subjects, but because she had her own reasons. The eye drops, medical pods, mechs, and starships the Beauty System had shown her—could a humanities major create any of that?

That was why Tan You had to pursue science and engineering. It was a way of planning for the future.

Tan Deming knew his granddaughter was ambitious. "I’m just worried it will be too hard on you. It’s difficult to study things you aren’t good at."

Tan You knew that, of course. Back when she was Han Tingting, she had worked herself to the bone studying, so she was well aware of the hardship involved. "I know, but no matter how difficult it gets, I have to see it through."

She set down her math competition book. "I have to get out of here. I have to make it so that no one ever dares to look down on me."

Tan Deming sighed. "I don’t know who you take after, being so headstrong."

"I take after my mom, I guess," Tan You said quietly. She never shied away from talking about Cheng Wenhui. "My mom... she hasn’t had it easy. Really. Saddled with a man who has a temper but no skills, plus a nasty mother-in-law... her life has been really hard."

"And on top of all that, she had to worry about my future. She really hasn’t had it easy."

Tan Deming said, "Your mother... sigh. Your grandma... she’s only good to your father. Not to me, not to the rest of the family. Look at her brothers—they don’t even visit anymore."

"She isn’t good to your aunt, either. Your aunt doesn’t even come back once a year now."

Tan You smiled. "I think Grandma looks down on women, even though she’s one herself. I can’t be bothered to argue with her about it; it’s a waste of my time. All I need is to make sure she’ll take good care of you in the future. That’s enough."

"Actually, Grandma... wasn’t exactly good to me in the past, either."

Her eyes fell. "I just don’t feel like dredging up the past."

Tan Deming said, "In a family like ours... it’s been hard on you. You’ve suffered since you were a child. When your mother gave birth to Tan Yue, you were only nine years old. Your mom had married far from her family, your grandma refused to help her during the postpartum month, and your dad was busy with work on the farm."

"I still remember you back then, squatting by the creek washing diapers. I remember thinking, how did our family’s life get so hard?"

"When all is said and done, it’s because your father is incompetent."

"And it’s my fault, too, for being in poor health."

Tan You couldn’t help but think back to that time. "Honestly, after Tan Yue was born, I was exhausted because I had to help raise her. Just think, I was helping them raise a baby at nine years old, dealing with diapers and messes. That’s why I don’t like kids at all."

Tan You put her book down. "I don’t want to get married or have children in the future. They say a lot of women look for boyfriends who are like their fathers. I’d rather stay single my whole life than find someone like my dad."

"Petty, short-tempered, emotionally unstable... I guess his only virtue is his frugality."

"I wouldn’t want a man like that even if he were served up to me on a silver platter."

"And I really, really don’t like small children. I remember studying at school all day, and then at night, if Tan Yue wet the bed or started crying, I’d be the one who had to get up and change her diaper..."

"Mom’s health was never good after giving birth to Tan Yue, so she couldn’t do any of it."

Tan Deming chuckled at Tan You’s words. "Your dad... your mom is about the only person who can keep him in line. But honestly, his personality is a carbon copy of your grandma’s."

"That’s why I say my mom hasn’t had it easy, living with two people like them."

Tan You smiled, too. ’Her grandpa really was unflappable.’ She had just told him she never wanted to get married or have kids, and he didn’t even bat an eye.