"Don't you want to keep me from getting scolded by Grandpa?"
Xiao Xiao's eyes curved with a smile.
The Elegant old man froze.
Then a smile, tinged with emotion, appeared on his face.
"All right."
"Your grandfather really does have a wonderful grandson."
"No wonder he's always full of praise for you..."
The Elegant old man had heard plenty of his old classmates praise their grandchildren.
At the time, he'd thought it was simply the fondness old people had for their own grandchildren.
But now that he'd met his old classmate's grandson in person, he realized the boy truly deserved every bit of his old classmate's praise, even if it was a little exaggerated.
The boy was special.
He was a little different from all the other children the old man had met.
He didn't have the restless air so many children—or young people—seemed to carry.
Instead, there was a certain calm purity about him, as though he'd shed all worldly trappings.
The Elegant old man was curious.
How had the boy developed such a temperament?
"Grandpa Ouyang."
Xiao Xiao held out the box of pastries to the old man.
"These are the pastries Grandpa asked me to bring you."
"Careful."
"They're a little heavy."
Only after the old man had a firm hold of the box did Xiao Xiao slowly let go.
The Elegant old man tightened his grip.
"It's fine."
"This much weight is no problem for an old man like me."
"I'm stronger than I look."
"I carried Da Fu inside all by myself before."
The Elegant old man sounded a little proud.
"Da Fu?"
Xiao Xiao looked puzzled.
"The stray dog I found at the entrance some time ago."
As he spoke of the old companion who'd been with him for