The Tender Beauty is Sweetly Doted in the 20th Century Novel!-Chapter 214 - 213: Acknowledging Kinship

"Then you must get better quickly, okay? I’ll be giving birth in a few months, and your grandson wants to open his eyes and see his grandma too."

Ye Manman spoke slowly, using gentle persuasion, injecting new goals and hope into Liu Rulan’s desolate heart.

Liu Rulan nodded heavily, as if she couldn’t say anything else, but she understood everything.

Ye Manman was delighted and held her hand to chat more, sharing stories about her marriage, her college entrance exam, and how she found her. Liu Rulan listened attentively to every word, her eyes shining, nodding happily from time to time.

Time flew by, and it was already past midday. Ye Manman always ate regularly, but today she skipped lunch, and her stomach soon protested.

She originally wanted to chat more with Liu Rulan, but her stomach was already growling, so she had to stop.

"Mom, I’m hungry. I need to go eat lunch."

"I still have class this afternoon. I’ll come to see you after class, okay?"

As soon as she mentioned leaving, Liu Rulan immediately gripped her hand tightly, shaking her head vigorously.

Coincidentally, Ye Manman’s stomach let out a growling noise.

She had eaten a tangerine earlier, which had whet her appetite, and now she was extremely hungry.

Upon hearing her stomach growl, Liu Rulan seemed to understand something and slowly released her hand.

She became anxious, pacing back and forth in the yard, occasionally opening her mouth toward Ye Manman as if trying to say something. Initially, Ye Manman didn’t understand, but soon she realized Liu Rulan was worried about not having food to offer her. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

In this yard, there were only tangerines and flowers. Liu Rulan’s meals were delivered by a caregiver hired by the Liu family at scheduled times every day, due to her irregular waking hours. Hence, meals were usually delayed, and it wasn’t yet time for lunch.

Ye Manman called out to her again, "Mom, there’s a lot of delicious food at my school. You don’t need to cook. I’ll go eat at school now, okay?"

Liu Rulan hesitated for a moment, a moment of joy on her face followed by a look of disappointment.

Ye Manman had thought she would need to coax her a bit more, but to her surprise, Liu Rulan dragged a bench from the yard to the door and sat on it, waving at her.

As if to say, "Mom is here waiting for you, go eat."

Ye Manman’s heart tightened, feeling the impulse to skip class for the first time.

But she held back, "Then, Mom, I’ll head to school to eat. I still have class in the afternoon. I’ll come see you after class, okay?"

"I’ll bring you something tasty when I return, okay?"

Her tone was like coaxing a child having a tantrum, as Liu Rulan’s expression was truly pitiful, like an abandoned child.

Ye Manman couldn’t bear to look at those loving and reluctant eyes any longer. She steeled herself and turned to leave.

Several people, including Liu Gaoyuan, looked back worriedly, as if fearing Liu Rulan might have a breakdown.

But Liu Rulan just sat quietly by the iron gate, watching them. Specifically, she was watching Ye Manman leave.

She gripped her left hand with her right, clenching her teeth tightly, as if struggling for control with another person inside her.

One part wanted to scream and lose control, while the other wanted to quietly wait for her daughter to return. Both sides were in a fierce tug-of-war, and Liu Rulan’s hands were scratched, with several cuts.

Yet Ye Manman was unaware of any of this; she dared not look.

Liu Rulan had been mentally ill for over a decade and couldn’t fully recover in a day. Ye Manman had to force herself not to dwell on Liu Rulan being alone in the yard.

Everything couldn’t be rushed, nor could it be chaotic. The fact that Liu Rulan could now understand her was a good sign. Ye Manman believed that one day she could fully awaken Liu Rulan.

Because today, she deeply felt the power of family bonds.

Strengthened to the point where even she, who usually disregarded family ties, developed a strong sense of love, unable to resist responding to Liu Rulan’s affection. They were mother and daughter, certain to conquer chaos and madness.

"Manman... can your mom really understand you? We all came out, and she didn’t scream."

Yanghua was a bit apprehensive, "Are you really coming back after class? If so, Uncle will pick you up."

Ye Manman nodded, "Yes, I’ll come. If I have time, I’ll visit every day, talk to her more, stimulate her brain, and she should be able to say more words in the future."

After today’s events, she felt very confident.

Yanghua was momentarily stunned, then burst into joy.

"Really, truly? Then I—"

"No need for you to pick me up every day. You have your work and life, and I’ll take the bus when I have time. As long as someone at home can open the door for me, that’s enough."

Ye Manman cut off Yanghua’s words, not wanting her issues to interfere with the Liu family’s life. Yanghua seemed to be the pillar of the Liu family and was undoubtedly very busy.

Old Mr. Liu frowned deeply, "That won’t do. You’re pregnant and can’t jostle with others on the bus every day. We have a driver. Give me a copy of your class schedule, and I’ll have the driver wait for you at the school gate. Safety first."

Ye Manman was carrying their Liu family’s grandson, so Liu Gaoyuan was keen to avoid any mishaps.

Ye Manman was about to say something when He Chen suddenly spoke up, "Then thank you."

He had expressed gratitude on her behalf, so Ye Manman couldn’t say anything further.

Upon further reflection, it indeed made sense. Riding a private car was safer than taking public transportation, and having someone pick her up would save time, so she didn’t object.

Old Mr. Liu was delighted, "Shall we go grab a meal now? After eating, Grandpa will drive you back to school. Yanghua, go find a driver. I’ll handle the pick-ups for the next couple of days."

Despite his age, he was in good spirits and health, often driving himself. Hence, when the old man suggested picking up Ye Manman, Yanghua had no objections.

"Sure."

In reality, finding a driver was quite simple. As his son, Yanghua naturally understood his father’s intentions.

He likely wanted to use this time to bond with his granddaughter. More interaction and conversation would strengthen their relationship, making it easier for Ye Manman to accept the Liu family.

Ye Manman didn’t exactly understand, "Grandpa, you’re quite old. Are you sure it’s okay to drive?"

Although Liu Gaoyuan appeared vigorous, his long white beard suggested age, and Ye Manman worried about his health.

Liu Gaoyuan paused, "You called me Grandpa?"

His beard quivered with unmistakable joy on his face, "Does that mean you’re willing to acknowledge me as your Grandpa?"

Ye Manman replied with a mere "Mm," "Grandpa."

She called him without much sincerity, mainly considering Liu Rulan’s feelings and decided to acknowledge this family. After all, she’d never met grandparents or similar relatives, so having a Grandpa wasn’t a bad thing.

Unaware of her indifference, Liu Gaoyuan’s wrinkled face broke into a broad smile.

He responded joyfully, "Hey!"

This left Yanghua envious. He quickly chimed in, "What about me, what about me?"

Previously, Yanghua seemed quite elite to her, but now he appeared somewhat less dignified.

Ye Manman couldn’t help but smile, "Uncle."

Her voice was soft and sweet, and this long-awaited "Uncle" made Yanghua feel utterly comfortable.

He promptly responded too, "Hey!"