"Oh my, little Jingci has grown so big!"
Seeing his own granddaughter run sweetly toward him, the old man named Guining hurried forward with a cheerful smile.
But he soon noticed that the cinnabar mark between his granddaughter's brows had disappeared.
The lame old man suppressed his surprise, picked up his granddaughter, and pinched her soft, fair cheek. "Well, have you been doing all right lately? Your mother hasn't been scolding you, has she?"
"She has, Grandpa. Mother scolds me all the time." Tushan Jingci pouted, looking aggrieved. "Grandpa, you have to stay a few more days. As long as you're here, Mother won't scold me."
"Hahaha, all right. Grandpa will stay a few more days, then."
The lame old man nodded, then looked toward the guests in Tushan Manor.
"Why are you all paying your respects to an old man already buried up to his neck in yellow earth? There's no need to stand on ceremony. Sit down, everyone. My granddaughter is the star of the day."
"Yes, Senior."
Only after hearing the old man with the walking stick say this did everyone return to their seats.
"Father."
Tushan Xinhua stepped forward, a trace of complicated emotion on her face.
"Mm." The lame old man nodded, knowing what his daughter-in-law wanted to say. "As I said, today is my granddaughter's birthday. Even if the sky falls, we'll discuss it later."
"Yes, Father."
Tushan Xinhua nodded without saying anything more and escorted her father-in-law to the seat of honor.
Near noon, once all the guests had arrived, the maids of Tushan Manor brought out the dishes.
The leading courtesans from the great pleasure houses of Immortal Fox City, all dressed in light, gauzy gowns, danced gracefully among the banquet tables and before the main dais.
The music of strings and