The prime minister place was located at the west, not far from the Forbidden City. And this would be Zhan Chen's second time seeing the palace from near. He was still in awe when he saw the huge, tall walls and big strong gates.
Zhan Chen looked out of the carriage in curiosity and met eyes with one of the soldiers who were patrolling. He smiled at the man and got inside back.
The soldier whom Zhan Chen had smiled to, blushed as he stared in daze at the moving carriage. His comrade who was with him, giving him a puzzling look.
Soldier A: "What's wrong?"
Soldier B: "...I think, I just fall in love."
Soldier A: "Who's the ger?"
Soldier B: "That carriage that had just passed here."
Soldier A: "Eh, so you just saw a random ger and fall in love?"
Soldier B: "Don't blame me. The ger is too beautiful. I should find out from which family he is."
Soldier A: "Then, good luck for you, comrade."
Meanwhile, the Bai's family was heading to the Prime Minister place. Zhan Chen couldn't sit straight in his seat as he fidgeted around inside the carriage. Bai Xiu Ying and Bai Jian Yu just looked at their ger son who was so nervous. They just smiled to each other as they shook their heads.
"Your grandfather is a nice person," said Bai Jian Yu.
Stopping for a while, Zhan Chen nervously wrung his fingers. "Does father sure grandfather won't get disappointed with my memory lost?"
"Grandfather would not get disappointed. Xiao Chen is his beloved grandchild," Bai Jian Yu said and couldn't help patting Zhan Chen's head.
Bai Xiu Ying smiled kindly, "Mother agrees with your father. Your grandfather is not such a low person to be disappointed at his own grandchild for something he can't control."
"So, calm down and sit properly. The carriage has been shaking with all your fidgeting," Bai Jian Yu joked lightly.
Embarrassed, Zhan Chen finally sat properly and just took a look at the window occasionally.
He was nervous of course.
The grandfather was a famous prime minister... But, his father was a general. Thinking about his kind and loving father also warm and big hearted Wei dage, Zhan Chen could finally feel relief. If the son of heaven and the earth shattering general were kind, why not the prime minister grandpa?
With that thought in his mind, Zhan Chen tried to picture his grandfather's face. Based on what his mother said, grandfather looked like him... But, honestly, he couldn't imagine an old man with his mother's delicate and beautiful face but with taller and bigger frame. It was so weird ba!
He shuddered just by his imagination!
"We've arrived at your grandfather's place. "
Bai Jian Yu's voice woken up Zhan Chen from his over imaginative mind. He looked out of the carriage and saw the big place with walls. He came out last from the carriage and stared at the opened gate.
There, an old man, a very handsome old man with long beard welcomed them. As his mother said, the man looked just like him and he looked kind. Instantly, Zhan Chen felt relief.
The old man immediately went to Zhan Chen and hugged him tightly. Surprised, Zhan Chen stuttered, "...G-Grandfather?"
Released from the hug, Zhan Chen sighed inwardly. He tried to smile at the old man. Hm, his grandfather didn't look too old, his age might be somewhere around early sixties.
His grandfather stared at his face for a minute before he broke into a huge smile. "My grandchild looks even more beautiful now," he then glared at both his ger son and his son-in-law, "this is both of your fault! How could you not bring my grandchild here?"
The Bai's couple just laughed guiltily. The prime minister was famous for his temper. Bai Jian Yu scratched his head as he said carefully, "we're sorry, father. But, Xiao Chen hasn't been well these days."
The old prime minister, Li Huizhong, was a man in his early sixty. His ger wife had passed away when he birthed his ger son, Li Xiu Ying, now had been known as Bai Xiu Ying after he married to Bai Jian Yu. He did look like his ger son but much more manly. Eventhough, he was over sixty, his body was still strong and he was almost as tall as Bai Jian Yu.
He had been a prime minister since the previous Emperor's reign. And, had contributed to many of the success of this empire.
The only two things that could move this man were his family and his country.
"Chen'er, do you remember grandfather?"
Looking at that kind old face, Zhan Chen felt his heart move and he instantly felt guilty. He shook his head sadly, "I'm sorry, grandfather. I don't remember."
Sighing, Li Huizhong smiled warmly, "it's okay. Grandfather understands."
Bai Xiu Ying didn't want to interrupt but they had been standing at the outside for a while, so, "Father, why don't we come inside first? It's not proper to talk outside like this."
Li Huizhong slapped his forehead. "Aiya, this old man has been too old already! Come! Come inside! I've asked the servants to prepare a feast for you all."
Bai Jian Yu just looked at his wife and shrugged his shoulders. He whispered, "fortunately, your father didn't dwell too much or we would be hearing a long lecture ba!"
Holding his husband's arm, Bai Xiu Ying chuckled lightly. "Well, Xiao Chen is his only grandchild. It's our fault for forgetting how overprotective my father could be."
They went inside the house and sat down inside the dining hall. Above the dining table was a lot of different food. Zhan Chen could even see lots of sweets. He almost drool, looking at those delicious desserts.
Li Huizhong looked at his grandchild who stared hungrily at the sweets, smiled, "here, grandfather knows that Chen'er loves to eat this, so, grandfather asked the servant to make it for you," he said as he put those sweets and desserts into Zhan Chen's plate.
"Father, don't give Xiao Chen too many sweets. It's not good for his body." Bai Xiu Ying protested.
Zhan Chen who happily thought all of those were for him, instantly depleted by his mother's words. He looked pitifully at those sweets on the plate.
Looking at his grandchild's pitiful face, Li Huizhong scolded his own ger son immediately, "what cannot eat ba?! As long as he is with me, Chen'er could eat anything that he wants!"
Zhan Chen immediately brightened. However, he glanced at his mother hesitantly. "Um mother..."
"It's okay, Chen'er. When you're with grandpa, you can eat anything you want," Li Huizhong said as he pretended not to see the disapproval look from his ger son.
Zhan Chen casted a quick look at his mother and the sweets. Finally, the sweets won his heart and he quickly devoured without any guilt.
Bai Xiu Ying just casted a helpless look at his father and ger son. He could never win his father especially if it was for his only grandchild.
"It will be fine," Bai Jian Yu said seeing his partner's helpless look. "It's not like Xiao Chen will be able to eat that much sweets at home."
"Hm... I should've known that father would indulge Xiao Chen." Bai Xiu Ying sighed as he watched Zhan Chen eating sweets and his father kept putting more into his child's plate.
"Is it delicious?" Li Huizhong asked his grandchild.
"Mm.. Mm.. Mm.." Zhan Chen could only hum as he nodded his head, his mouth was full with food.
Inside his heart, Zhan Chen gave big thumbs up at his grandfather. He he he. His grandpa was the best ba!
In the future, he planned to visit his grandfather often. Maybe, once or twice a week, so, he could curb his sweet tooth.
.
.
Small Theatre
Xiao Chen: Grandfather, I want to eat this.
Grandpa Li: (gives to his grandchild)
Xiao Chen: Grandfather, I want to eat that.
Grandpa Li: (gives to his grandchild) Eat, eat. Don't hold back.
Back at home...
Xiao Chen: Mother, where's my sweets for today?
Mama Bai: You're not allowed to eat sweets for one week. You've ate enough at your grandfather's.
Xiao Chen: ......(cries without tears)
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