Chapter 56: How is it going?

Hearing this, the Deaf Old Lady’s expression changed completely, and she hurriedly urged, "Zhuzi, don’t play games with your grandma. Tell me quickly, how did it go?"

Seeing this, He Yuzhu smiled and said, "Grandma, don't you worry. It’s practically a done deal. You’re going to have a granddaughter-in-law very soon!"

Upon hearing this, the Deaf Old Lady was overjoyed. She excitedly patted He Yuzhu on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Good, good, Zhuzi, you really are grandma's good grandson!"

He Yuzhu couldn't help but laugh as well.

He knew that marriage was one of the most important events in life, traditionally dictated by the orders of parents and the words of matchmakers.

To ensure this marriage proceeded smoothly, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and contact his father, He Daqing, whom he hadn't seen in years.

He Yuzhu first called his father, and on the other end of the line, his father readily promised to attend the engagement banquet.

However, He Yuzhu knew in his heart that his father had always been unreliable, and he found it hard to imagine things would be resolved so easily.

Therefore, He Yuzhu decided to go find his father in person.

He asked for a day off from the Hongxing Rolling Mill, took his younger sister, He Yushui, and headed to their father's residence together.

They had prepared numerous gifts, hoping to please their father so he would smoothly attend the engagement banquet.

However, when they arrived at their father's place, they were met with a closed door.

He Yushui's face immediately darkened. Staring at the tightly shut door, she said angrily, "We've come to see our own father, what right do you have to block our way?"

At that moment, a harsh, shrill voice came from behind the door: "Oh my, you two children, why are you so clueless? Your father doesn't want to see you, so stop trying to force your way in."

Hearing this, He Yushui flew into a rage, pointing at the person behind the door and shouting loudly, "Who are you? What right do you have to stop us from seeing our own father?"

The person behind the door walked out—it turned out to be He Yuzhu's stepmother.

Looking at He Yushui and He Yuzhu with a hint of contempt on her face, she said, "I've told you both countless times, your father doesn't want to see you. Whichever way you came, just go back that way."

"You two are already so old, why don't you understand this simple truth? Your father has legs of his own, can I possibly hold him back and stop him from seeing you?"

"He Daqing simply doesn't want to deal with you, so stop making a fuss here for nothing."

Looking at the sunflower seed shells scattered all over the ground, He Yuzhu felt a wave of disappointment.

He had originally thought his father still held some affection for them as siblings, otherwise, he wouldn't have sent them money every month in the past.

But looking at it now, that trace of affection was simply too insignificant—so much so that it couldn't even prompt him to see his long-unseen biological children.

He Yuzhu took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

He turned to He Yushui and said, "Yushui, let's go. We don't need to see him anymore."

Although unwilling, He Yushui obediently picked up the packages, intending to leave.

However, at that very moment, He Yuzhu suddenly stopped and took the things from her hands.

Then, combining them with the items he was holding, he threw the entire lot right at his stepmother's feet.

"Please be so kind as to pass these things along to him for me, and also deliver a message."

"Whether he wants to come to the engagement banquet is entirely up to him. The things I'm leaving here will count as my final act of filial duty."

"From this day forward, I will no longer consider him my father."

With that, He Yuzhu took He Yushui by the hand and left without once looking back.

On the familiar path leading home, He Yushui's heart felt as heavy as if she were carrying a thousand-pound boulder. The tears in her eyes finally broke free, sliding down her cheeks one by one and soaking the front of her clothes.

She choked out, her voice filled with endless sorrow and anger, "How can there be such a father in this world? Once he marries a new wife, he completely disregards the feelings of his own flesh and blood."

"If Mom's spirit in heaven could see how he treats the two of us, she'd probably jump out of her grave in anger and teach him a lesson." He Yushui's words were filled with a deep longing for her mother. She could almost picture that gentle yet strong figure standing in the clouds, gazing lovingly down upon her and her older brother.

"If Mom were still here, our lives would never be like this—having a father is no different from having none, completely alone." At the height of her emotions, He Yushui's weeping grew louder, as if she wanted to vent all the grievances and pain stored in her heart.

Nearby, He Yuzhu had initially been annoyed and flustered by his sister's crying, wishing he could find a hole to crawl into.

Gradually, however, as He Yushui's words continued to flow, his heart also calmed down, replaced by a deep sense of sympathy and tenderness for his sister.

He realized how fragile and helpless his sister's inner world was, having lacked parental care since childhood.

"Sigh, Yushui, you child..." He Yuzhu let out a soft sigh, turning to look at his sister's tear-stained face with mixed feelings in his heart.

He reached out, gently patted He Yushui on the shoulder, and comforted her with an unprecedented gentleness, "Yushui, don't be too sad. Even though we've lost that irresponsible father, you still have me as your older brother."

"As long as I'm here, you don't have to be afraid of anything."

He Yuzhu's words were like a warm current slowly flowing into He Yushui's heart, gradually subduing her emotions.

She wiped away her tears and forced a meager smile. "Brother, you said it yourself. You have to treat me well, your only sister."

He Yuzhu nodded solemnly, his eyes filled with firmness and a silent promise.

Having been through this ordeal, the siblings both harbored deeply complicated emotions. Even after returning to the courtyard, that lingering heaviness refused to dissipate for a long time.

Right at that moment, the Third Uncle, Yan Bugui, pushed open the door with a joyful expression. Seeing the gloomy looks on the He siblings' faces, he was stunned. "My word, what is this? Why do your faces look so terrible?"

"It's nothing serious, Third Uncle. Please, have a seat," He Yuzhu hurriedly invited the Third Uncle to sit down, trying to use a smile to cover up the turbulence in his heart.

"Zhuzi, I came to discuss the engagement banquet with you," Yan Bugui said with a broad smile, seemingly completely unaware of the subtle and heavy atmosphere in the air.

"Oh, Third Uncle, please wait just a moment. I need to have a word with Yushui." He Yuzhu turned to look at his sister, only to find that although He Yushui had reluctantly accepted the fact that Ran Qiuye was going to become her sister-in-law, she clearly still didn't want to hear them talk about it.

With a dejected expression, she stood up from her stool and listlessly said, "Brother, you two talk. I'm tired and going back to my room to rest for a bit."

With that, He Yushui walked away without looking back, not even leaving a polite remark for the Third Uncle.