Tang Tang had made the same suggestion last time at her eldest uncle's house. Tang Nanzhou had been angry then, too, but other things had soon distracted her.
Tang Jian had suddenly come down with a cold and fever the day before yesterday. She had stayed by his bedside caring for him right up until last night. If he still hadn't recovered today, they would have had to miss the old lady's birthday banquet.
Fortunately, yesterday's injection and medicine had worked, and he had finally recovered after a night's sleep.
Looking at Tang Jian, who had been too weak to even sit up in bed last night but was now bouncing around and "charming the ladies" as though nothing had happened, Tang Nanzhou couldn't help superimposing him over the adult Tang Jian in Tang Tang's thoughts-the one too frail to lift his own hands, yet still smoking and drinking day and night.
Tang Nanzhou felt even closer to a heart attack.
No.
I can't keep spoiling him like this.
Tang Jian had no idea what his mother was thinking. He only noticed that her expression had suddenly become very strange.
His instincts immediately told him that trouble was brewing. His mother was definitely plotting something.
While Tang Nanzhou was distracted, Tang Jian wriggled out of her grip, leaped several feet away, and went on full alert.
"I took my medicine like a good boy today. You can't beat me."
Tang Nanzhou: "..."
Tang Tang found this fascinating.
So the flashy peacock is afraid of Eldest Aunt's iron fist?
If he ever dares bother me again, I'll tell Eldest Aunt and have her beat him!
Tang Jian: "..."
Little cousin, we're family, aren't we?
You're a kid. How can you side with the adults?
Where's your loyalty?
Tang Nanzhou: "..."
The little girl is pretty observant.
"Tang Jian."
Since it was the old lady's big birthday celebration, Tang Nanzhou didn't want to cause too much of a scene. She warned him, "Tangtang, Xiaozhen, and Xiaohao are still little. Their immune systems are weak, and they get sick easily. Stay at least three meters away from them."
Having just taken a beating, Tang Jian didn't dare talk back at a time like this. He raised both hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. I get it."
It wasn't as though Mom could follow them around every second anyway.
The group went inside.
The old lady's birthday banquet was officially supposed to begin that evening, but almost everyone had already returned, except those tied up with especially important work.
Tang Zhilin, Xie Yazhi, Second Grandpa and Second Grandma, Third Grandpa and Third Grandma, Tang Dongcheng, and the others were chatting with the old lady in the living room.
When she saw Tang Tang's family, Xie Yazhi was the first to stand and greet them.
"Our Little Candy is here."
She took Tang Tang straight out of Su Xiajing's arms. "Come on, Grandma will take you to meet Great-grandma."
Tang Tang: ...Meeting Great-grandma is fine, but that nasty old man is over there too. I don't want to see him.
Grandma, whatever you do, don't take me over to that nasty old man.
I hate the person who threw me away and got my beautiful mommy killed. I hate him so, so much.
Tang Zhilin: "...?"
Tang Zhiqiang: ???
Tang Zhisong: ???
Tang Shengying: ???
Who was talking?
The old lady lifted her eyes and fixed them on Tang Tang.
The old lady sat on the sofa in the middle of the living room. Xie Yazhi could have carried Tang Tang straight through the middle, but after hearing her thoughts, she deliberately took a detour around the back of the sofa.
Word of what Tang Zhilin had done to Tang Tang had already spread through the Tang Family. Seeing Xie Yazhi act this way, everyone simply assumed she was keeping her distance to avoid any awkwardness.
"Mom, this is A-Chen's daughter, Tangtang."
Xie Yazhi bent down and held Tang Tang in front of the old lady so she could get a better look.
The old lady lowered her head and leaned closer to look at Tang Tang.
"What a sweet, adorable girl."
Then she reached out to hold Tang Tang.
Xie Yazhi carefully placed Tang Tang in her arms.
Tang Tang stared intently at the great-grandmother she was meeting for the first time.
Great-grandma looks so spry.
At ninety years old, her eyesight and mobility were still reasonably good, and the hands holding Tang Tang barely trembled.
The old lady's eyes curved in a smile, and she touched Tang Tang's cheek with a finger.
"What beautiful, bright eyes."
Tang Tang was still little and couldn't communicate. Besides, Great-grandma wasn't handsome or adorable like her eldest brother and fourth brother, whom she could look at endlessly without getting bored.
After meeting the old lady's gaze for a while, she was the first to look away.
The old lady was the birthday girl today. After arriving, Xie Yazhi and Tang Nanzhou had helped her dress up and put on her favorite jewelry.
As Tang Tang's gaze dropped, she spotted the gemstone hanging over the old lady's chest. It was a rich, translucent green. Even Tang Tang, who knew little about precious stones, could tell it was a rare treasure.
What a beautiful emerald!
This is an emerald, right?
Oh my gosh, I never thought I'd get to see such a gorgeous emerald with my own eyes in this lifetime!
I love it! I love it!
Can I touch it?
It should be okay, right?
I'm a little baby now, after all. Babies are naturally restless, and nobody knows I'm deliberately trying to touch the emerald.
Everyone who heard this: "..."
After finishing her internal debate, Tang Tang decisively reached out and grabbed the dangling emerald-but the gem was so big that her tiny baby hand couldn't hold it securely.
It felt cool and wonderfully soothing.
"Tangtang!"
Su Xiajing jumped in alarm.
The jewelry the old lady was wearing today was no ordinary set of green gemstones.
Her late husband had bought this emerald set at a jewelry auction for tens of millions. Now, the emerald necklace alone was worth tens of millions, and with the earrings and ring, the set was worth at least a hundred million.
Tang Tang was bold, but the adults were terrified that a child wouldn't know her own strength.
"It's fine, it's fine."
The old lady smiled and waved a hand, then looked down at Tang Tang.
"Does our Little Candy like this?"
Clutching the emerald tightly in one little hand, Tang Tang flashed the old lady a wide grin.
I do!
This emerald is prettier than gold. It's my favorite.
Of course, it was also worth more than a piece of gold.
Su Xiajing: "..."
Sweetheart, that's what you're really thinking, isn't it?
The entire Tang Family knew their Little Candy liked gold. The uncles and grandparents who had yet to formally meet her had all switched their first-meeting gifts to gold jewelry after hearing the news.
Hearing Tang Tang's thoughts, those who had already given their gifts couldn't help chuckling, while those who hadn't silently congratulated themselves on changing theirs.
Tang Tang didn't know much about the value of gemstones, but she knew a top-quality emerald like this had to be incredibly expensive, so she only dared indulge herself by touching it.
Unexpectedly, after hearing her thoughts, the old lady smiled and handed Tang Tang back to Xie Yazhi.
Then she raised her hands, removed the necklace, and placed it around Tang Tang's neck.
"Then our Little Candy can have it."
"This is Great-grandma's first-meeting gift to you."
Everyone's breath caught.
Something so valuable had been given to a little baby just like that.
The old lady settled the necklace flat against Tang Tang's body, then stroked her cheek with a finger.
"Our Tangtang has been through so much lately."
It was both a first-meeting gift and a gift of apology.
She was apologizing to her little great-granddaughter on behalf of her muddleheaded son.
Tang Tang fell silent for a moment, then deliberately skipped over the apologetic part of her words.
I'll just take this as Great-grandma's first-meeting gift.
You haven't done anything wrong, so you don't need to apologize to me, and I won't accept an apology from you.
Besides, that nasty old man still hasn't shown the slightest remorse. Why should you have to apologize?
Everyone looked toward Tang Zhilin on the sofa on the old lady's other side. He was still sitting ramrod straight, acting as though none of this concerned him.
Exactly. Someone else was the one who had done wrong.
Why should anyone have to apologize on his behalf?
Before you continue