A day later, Xu Ling’er came with the delivery carriage.
After getting off the carriage, she stood apprehensively for a while before taking a deep breath and lifting her feet to the door.
She was about to give the concierge a word when Meng Cheng came out from inside, saw her, froze for a moment and then subconsciously glanced back, not seeing anyone from the family, and hurriedly asked in a low voice, “Why have you come over?”
Xu Ling’er grabbed the clothes she had brought to Li An in her hand. If she could, she didn’t want to come, she was ashamed of how good the old man had been to her for so many years. With her head bowed, her voice was also low, “It was Miss Song who asked me to come.”
Yue’er?
Something flashed through Meng Cheng’s mind, but he wasn’t sure, so he opened his mouth to say something else, but the doorman had already come over and called out “Third Young Master” before asking Xu Ling’er, “Is it Miss Xu?”
“I am.”
“Miss Song has instructed me to lead you there when you arrive, so please come with me.”
“Many thanks.”
Bypassing Meng Cheng, Xu Ling’er followed the gatekeeper inside.
After a glance at her back, Meng Cheng walked towards the carriage parked at the entrance, and after a few steps, he suddenly turned back, pausing for a moment before turning around and tending to walk back.
The closer she got to the old man’s courtyard, the tighter Xu Ling’er’s grip on her clothes became, and her lips almost bit a bloody mark. Ever since she had been expelled from the Xu residence, she had never seen Old Mister again, and she wondered if he was well now.
He should be fine, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to come to Jinling.
But after what he had gone through, his old man must have been extremely sad, that was why Song Wangyue had brought him to Jinling to take a break, I wonder if he had dispersed his mood.
As she was thinking this, she noticed that the gatekeeper had stopped in his tracks. Her heart tightened and she followed suit, looking up to see Xu Liang standing at the door.
In the past, when she went to the old gentleman’s courtyard, Xu Liang had never stopped her, nor would he report it, but lifted the curtain to let her in quietly and give the old gentleman a surprise.
And at this moment, Xu Liang told the gatekeeper to retreat, and without looking at her, reported towards the inside, “Old sir, the man has arrived.”
“Let her in.”
Hearing this familiar, yet much older voice than she remembered, Xu Ling’er’s tears were no longer under control. At this moment, remorse spilled out, remorse that she had been possessed by a ghost. If she had not schemed against Song Si, she would still be Old Master’s great-granddaughter, and Old Master would not be angry with her for what her grandmother and uncle had done, and she would still be by Old Master’s side, doing her filial duty and calling him great-grandfather.
Xu Liang opened the curtain to look over and saw her face full of tears, her emotions were very mixed. He had always thought that Xu Ling’er was lucky, not being a member of the Xu family, but having been nurtured by Mr. Xu.
Only he knew that after he kicked Xu Ling’er out, Mr. Xu sat in his study and did not sleep all night.
“Go in.”
Xu Ling’er subconsciously lifted her foot and was about to go inside when Xu Liang stopped her, gesturing for her to dry her tears. Xu Ling’er hastily took out a handkerchief, wiped her tears and walked into the room with trembling feet.
Seeing the old gentleman sitting on the main seat, she knelt down, “Ling’er pays her respects to Zeng …… old gentleman.”
“Get up.”
The old gentleman’s voice sounded calm and unruffled, but if you look closely you can see that his hand on the armrest is shaking slightly.
Even a small dog or cat can have feelings after being kept by his side for more than ten years, not to mention that Xu Ling’er had always been a favourite of his.
Xu Ling’er fought back her tears and got up.
“Sit down.”
Xu Ling’er sat down, her back straight, her hands on the clothes resting on her lap, forcing herself not to let the tears flow down.
She could see that the old man’s hair was all white, and he had lost a lot of weight, looking even older than when she had left the Xu residence.
“Ling’er ……”
Hearing this long-lost familiar and unfamiliar name, Xu Ling’er’s tears once again flowed down swiftly, like a flood that had opened its floodgates, and could not be controlled.
She had wondered what it would be like to face the old man again, and now that she knew, she only felt remorse, immense remorse.
Once again she knelt down and choked out a sob, “I thought I would never hear you call me that again in this lifetime, I was wrong, I was wrong, I should not have failed your teachings, I should not have developed that kind of mind, I have no face to ask for your forgiveness, I only ask you to take good care of your health.”
The old gentleman closed his eyes and suppressed the sourness in his eyes, “Get up first, I have something to say to you.”
Xu Ling’er choked up and stood up, sitting back in her chair and letting her tears stay.
The old gentleman did not speak immediately either.
A silence fell over the room.
Meng Cheng stood at the entrance of the courtyard and looked inside the house.
When he was tapped behind him, his body trembled with fear. Turning back sharply, he met Song Wangyue’s smiling face and asked, “What is cousin looking at?” while looking in curiously with his movements.
Meng Cheng covered his chest which was shocked and glared at her, “People will scare people to death, do you know that?”
“Who told you to sneak around and stand here.”
Meng Cheng choked for a moment. He was sneaking around? He, he was standing here openly and honestly, okay.
“Cousin hasn’t told me what you’re looking at again?”
“No, nothing.”
“I, I don’t believe it, I heard that Grand Great Grandfather called Xu Ling’er over, you’re not looking at her, are you?”
“No.”
Meng Cheng was quick to deny.
Song Wangyue gave him a look of obvious disbelief.
Inside the house, when Xu Ling’er calmed down, the old gentleman spoke slowly, “At first, I threw you out of the house because I was disappointed in what you did. Although you are not from the Xu family, you bear the Xu family name and have been taught by me, I thought you would be like Wan’er and become a role model for the capital’s grand daughters, which is why I was extremely disappointed after you did something like that. But after all, you have been in the Xu family for many years, and I know your character; you are not a bad-hearted child.
I called you here today to tell you that you have now started afresh, that there is no one who knows you in this place, no one knows who you are, and no one will know your past, so if someone has a heart for you and you have that heart, there is no need to have too many scruples.”
Xu Ling’er covered her mouth as tears spurted out again.
She thought that today she was being called to warn her, to warn her to be more peaceful and stay away from Meng Cheng, or there would be no more room for their family.
Outside.
Song Wangyue looked at Meng Cheng.
Meng Cheng was so weak from the look that he turned around and walked out as if to escape, “I have something else to do, I’ll go and work first.”
Song Wangyue was quick to catch him and held him back with a smile, “What’s the hurry? He’ll be out soon, so say hello before you go.”