RMM – Chapter 101 The Elder of the Xi Family

The next day, Su Ruo woke up very early. Partly because she had been sleeping too much in the past few days—she had no energy left to sleep in. Partly because today was a significant day at home.

Today, Grandpa was coming.

Su Ruo’s heart was restless, fluttering with anxiety. What if something went wrong when Grandpa arrived? What if she wasn’t up to his expectations?

“Ruoruo, why are you up so early? There’s nothing pressing to do today, so make sure you rest properly.”

Just as Su Ruo reached downstairs, she heard Shen Liang’s voice. Looking over, she couldn’t help but sigh internally.

Even now, getting up was still her latest wake-up of the morning. How could she muster the courage to sleep more?

The living room wasn’t particularly busy, but everyone was already there. Xi Yuehui was leaning back on the sofa, eyes closed in a fake nap, still looking sleep-deprived. Shen Liang sat to one side, watching her while holding a magazine.

Not seeing her father-in-law, Su Ruo guessed he had gone to the garden to practice martial arts—it wasn’t time for work yet.

“I’ve slept plenty these past few days. I only came down because I couldn’t sleep. Mom’s been feeding me so well, I’ve gained a lot of weight.”

Su Ruo walked over smiling, though it wasn’t really as dramatic as she claimed. Over the past few days, Shen Liang had been preparing meals primarily for her nutritional needs, making her feel like she had been “fattened up like a pig.” At this rate, she feared her figure might deform earlier than expected.

“Let me see,” Shen Liang said, lowering his head to check Su Ruo’s stomach. “Where’s this extra weight? It’s still flat. Don’t worry. At this stage, you need to take care—your pregnancy isn’t stable, and only by eating well can the baby absorb nutrition properly.”

Su Ruo nodded in understanding, observing her mother-in-law’s caring demeanor. She couldn’t help laughing. “I know. I’ll take care of myself. Even if I get fat, I won’t be discouraged!”

Xi Yuehui, who was pretending to nap nearby, couldn’t help but chuckle at Su Ruo’s antics. He finally opened his eyes, blinking in exhaustion but still looking groggy. “No worries. She’ll probably have a plump, healthy baby in the end.”

Su Ruo didn’t take Xi Yuehui’s teasing seriously, but Shen Liang was alerted. Indeed—just eating more wasn’t enough. The baby was growing too large, and Su Ruo’s delivery would surely be painful. They needed to prevent this now.

Shen Liang, who had already given birth to two children himself, felt frustrated at having overlooked such a basic concern.

“Yes, Ruoruo, we need to be careful to avoid this. Otherwise, not only will it be bad for the baby, but your delivery will also be painful,” Shen Liang said, frowning with realization.

“How do we avoid it?” Su Ruo asked nervously.

“Maybe buy nutrients that don’t make you gain weight or make the baby too strong?” Xi Yuehui suggested.

“Go away. What kind of advice is that? Stop messing around,” Shen Liang said, glancing at Xi Yuehui slouched on the sofa. “Sit properly, or your dad will come in and lecture you.”

At the word “dad,” Xi Yuehui reluctantly sat up straight, his sleepy expression disappearing.

He had stayed up all night reviewing materials yesterday. He could see the tension in the situation—the Wang faction was arrogant and overconfident. He didn’t believe that the relatively new Wang family could compete with the Gu family in the capital. It was laughable—they only had favor from one influential person; in truth, they were just nouveau riche.

Once the Wang faction declined, it would be time to deal with the Shi family. He hadn’t forgotten how the Shi family had previously humiliated them.

He was about to graduate and needed a career in politics. With his elder brother in the military, the family needed someone in government. The Xi family’s main focus was politics, so it was naturally his responsibility to inherit the family’s legacy. Fortunately, he wasn’t opposed to politics, so it wouldn’t be too difficult.

He wanted to contribute to the family now, to ease his father’s burden, and to gain experience firsthand—a rare opportunity.

But right now, without his father’s approval, he could only try to seize opportunities. He had spent the past few days following his father’s secretary, trying to gain first-hand information and learn how to survive in political circles. There were many twists and turns in this path.

Xi Yuehui’s actions couldn’t escape Xi Jian’an’s notice. He didn’t intend to hide anything, and the secretary likely had his approval. As long as no principles were involved, there was no secrecy.

Though Xi Yuehui usually seemed carefree, once determined, he gave it his all. His recent hard work had brought some results, and he now had a rough understanding of the current situation.

But all of this was just the beginning. If he were to pursue politics seriously, he would have to train at the grassroots level—this was the proper path, one that no one could object to.

Shen Liang noticed his son’s changes but didn’t interfere. Being born into this family came with inherent responsibilities. Normally, all he could do was watch his son’s diet. There was no point in arguing—once a male in this family decided something, nothing could stop him.

“Mom, how should I be careful then?” Su Ruo asked, breaking the silence.

“Well, you should exercise more. Take walks, don’t stay inside all the time. Go out, feel the wind, take a few steps. Tomorrow I’ll ask Dr. Chen. She knows your condition best.”

Shen Liang said with a smile. She had accompanied Xi Jian’an during Xi Yuehui’s prenatal period under poor conditions herself. Despite being pampered at her own family’s home, she hadn’t worried much back then. The first birth wasn’t too difficult, and the second even smoother.

But now it concerned her grandson. She couldn’t afford to be careless. Even for small matters, she preferred asking the responsible doctor than reading online or in books.

Su Ruo had never experienced this before. Hearing their seriousness, she agreed to consult the doctor.

Xi Yuehui glanced at the two women, who reacted like the baby’s safety depended on them, and couldn’t help smiling wryly.

Although everyone was up early and ready, the elder hadn’t arrived yet. He took a midday flight, traveling on a commercial airline, stubbornly refusing any privileges. He said he was just an ordinary citizen and should follow the proper route.

After lunch, Xi Yuehui, Zhang Huaqing, and later Su Heng went to the airport to pick him up.

The Xi and Su families had long been friends. The children often visited each other, and their relationship was very close. The Xi elder had always doted on Su Ruo and her brother. Naturally, Su Heng hurried to meet him.

Su Ruo’s grandparents had passed away early, so she and her brother treated the Xi elder like their own grandfather.

Seeing that she was the only one left at home while everyone went to the airport, Su Ruo wanted to go too. Shen Liang wouldn’t allow it—airports were crowded, and she could easily be knocked over.

“You stay home. You can’t go anywhere. Once your pregnancy stabilizes and your belly shows, you can go wherever you want,” Shen Liang said while putting on his shoes. “Don’t worry about your grandfather—he’ll probably pamper you even more than I do.”

Su Ruo had no choice but to watch them leave. She went to the garden, lying on a recliner and flipping through a baby magazine.

The sunlight was lovely, the clear, crisp weather typical of early autumn. A gentle breeze made it comfortably warm to lie in the sun.

After a while, she grew tired, her eyes gritty and uncomfortable. She set the magazine aside and focused on sunbathing. Soon, she felt drowsy, her whole body lazy and relaxed.

If only she could nap here… she thought sleepily.

Just as she was about to drift off, a sudden noise startled her awake, making her tremble slightly.

Sitting up, she held her forehead, frowning and exhaling deeply. Why had she become so easily startled?

After a moment, she felt better and got up, heading to the living room. Grandpa must have arrived.

Sure enough, as Su Ruo reached the living room, she saw someone getting out of the car in the courtyard.

The first to step out was Xi Yuehui, confirming that Grandpa had arrived. Su Ruo checked herself to make sure she looked presentable before walking toward the courtyard.

An elderly man got out of the car. He looked spry and kind, with a benevolent face. Though he radiated an aura of authority, Su Ruo guessed it was from years of holding high positions.

As she looked at him, the elder noticed her and smiled warmly. “Ruo girl, don’t recognize Grandpa?”

Su Ruo blushed, walking up to him shyly. “Grandpa.”

“It’s been so long. Ruo girl, you’re getting even prettier! Haha.” Grandpa patted her head. Though elderly, his back was straight, lean, and energetic, so patting her head wasn’t strenuous.

“You flatter me, Grandpa.” Su Ruo’s nervousness melted away with his affectionate gesture, and she instantly felt fondness for him.

“Haha, now you’re becoming a proper young lady,” the elder laughed, speaking to Shen Liang and Xi Yuehui behind him. Then he turned back to Su Ruo. “I’m ashamed. You got married, and I couldn’t be here. When something happened, I still couldn’t come… It’s all their fault, hiding it from me!”

He looked at Shen Liang and the others, scolding them gently, though there was no real anger—just a way to save face.

“Dad, look at what you’re saying. Ruoruo is fine. We just didn’t want you to worry,” Shen Liang said awkwardly. The elder was acting more like a child.

Su Ruo couldn’t help laughing—Grandpa was surprisingly cute, with none of the haughty demeanor of a family head.

“Grandpa, let’s go inside. Why stand out here?” Su Heng said, walking up with a smile. “Those things are over. Look, my sister’s fine.”

“Yes, Grandpa, it’s for your sake too. It’s not a big deal. Don’t worry. Let’s go inside,” Su Ruo added.

“Hmph, only Ruo girl and Heng kid care about me.”

The elder huffed but smiled, taking Su Ruo’s hand as they walked inside. “Let’s go in and talk. I haven’t forgotten that Ruo girl is about to give me a great-grandson.”