SAG -Chapter 57 The Thoughtful Taotao

In the car, Meng Mingxuan thought for a while before calling his father.

First, he wanted to tell Meng He about the home renovation, so they wouldn’t accidentally expose the truth in front of Zhang Sicheng and his family.

Second, he wanted to tell his father what had just happened. Otherwise, he couldn’t shake the uneasiness in his heart.

“What is it?” Meng He asked from the other end of the line.

“Dad, Uncle Zhang said you should give Brother Sicheng a home renovation as your gift.”

“Fine, no problem. Leave that to me—or rather, to you. I don’t have time to go over myself. Just send me the bill when it’s done,” Meng He replied.

After speaking, Meng He waited for a while.

Meng Mingxuan remained silent.

“What is it? Did something happen?” Meng He asked again.

He knew his son well. If nothing had happened, Meng Mingxuan wouldn’t be this quiet.

Taking a deep breath, Meng Mingxuan recounted everything that had happened earlier.

Meng He fell silent for nearly two minutes after listening.

Only then did he ask, “What did you learn from this?”

Unlike Meng Mingxuan, Meng He immediately understood that Zhang Ran had deliberately kept his son there.

Otherwise, Zhang Ran could easily have sent Meng Mingxuan away along with Zhang Siyan and the others.

Meng Mingxuan was dumbfounded by the question.

What kind of question is that?

He still hadn’t realized why his father had insisted on leaving him by Zhang Ran’s side.

“Uh… don’t provoke Uncle Zhang?” he answered tentatively.

Hearing that, Meng He couldn’t help twitching at the corner of his mouth.

This son of mine really is…

After sighing, he said, “That’s true, but the more important lesson is this: your heart can’t be too soft.”

“Especially when you’re facing an opponent.”

“When it’s time to be ruthless, you must be ruthless.”

Without waiting for a reply, he continued, “Do you really think your father managed to build a company this large just by being a nice guy?”

“Do you think we’ve never faced internal crises all these years?”

At that point, however, Meng He suddenly stopped talking.

“Enough. Go take care of the renovation.”

He hung up immediately afterward.

In truth, he was in an excellent mood.

From Zhang Ran’s actions today, it was obvious that Zhang Ran genuinely intended to mentor Meng Mingxuan.

Meng Mingxuan scratched his head.

He felt he vaguely understood what his father meant, yet somehow still couldn’t quite grasp the essence of it.

Meanwhile, Zhang Ran sat on the curb outside the school with Susu.

The two of them were playing with a small toy train Zhang Ran had just bought from the convenience store nearby.

“Woo-woo! Choo-choo!”

For the first time, Zhang Ran saw a genuinely relaxed smile on Susu’s little face.

The little girl pulled the toy train along the ground while quietly making sound effects.

Her voice was so soft that only Zhang Ran could hear it.

She had only just begun to accept him.

She hadn’t truly become cheerful yet.

“Oh no! Susu, you’re about to crash into Grandpa!”

Zhang Ran cried dramatically.

The grandfather and granddaughter played happily together by the roadside.

Many parents waiting to pick up their own children couldn’t help glancing over at them.

Zhang Ran paid them no attention.

Susu, however, became a little nervous under the gazes and lost some of the relaxed happiness she’d just been showing.

Finally, the dismissal bell rang.

Holding Susu’s little hand, Zhang Ran looked toward the school gate.

Soon enough, a little whirlwind came rushing toward them, accompanied by Zhang Xiaotao’s loud, cheerful voice.

“Grandpa! Grandpa!”

Thud!

Zhang Ran firmly caught the little cannonball charging at him.

With one arm holding each child, he lifted both grandchildren into the air.

“Mwah!”

Zhang Xiaotao planted a loud kiss right on Zhang Ran’s cheek.

“So happy today?”

“What good news do you want to share with Grandpa and Sister Susu?”

Zhang Ran asked with a smile.

Susu blinked her curious eyes at her brother.

Even she could tell how excited he was.

But Zhang Xiaotao simply grinned.

“Hehe… I’m not telling.”

“I’m just happy.”

“Alright then.”

“As long as you’re happy.”

“Oh, that’s right. Tomorrow’s the weekend.”

“Where would you like to go? Grandpa will take you.”

He bounced both children gently in his arms.

The moment Zhang Xiaotao heard that, his eyes lit up.

He was growing fonder and fonder of this young grandfather.

Because of the family’s financial situation, he’d rarely been able to go anywhere fun.

He often heard classmates talking about exciting places, but he had hardly ever visited any himself.

“Grandpa…”

“Can we go to an amusement park?” he asked expectantly, yet a little nervously.

Susu also looked at her grandfather after hearing her brother’s request.

She, too, had seldom been anywhere fun.

Looking at the hopeful expressions on both little faces, how could Zhang Ran possibly refuse?

“We’re going!”

“We’ll spend the whole day there tomorrow!” he declared heroically.

Zhang Xiaotao became so excited he almost jumped straight out of Zhang Ran’s arms.

After climbing down, he bounced around happily.

“Grandpa is the best!”

“Long live Grandpa!”

Susu climbed down as well and held her brother’s hand while bouncing beside him.

Only when she was with Zhang Xiaotao did she truly let down all her defenses and disguises.

Zhang Ran laughed heartily.

“How about we eat something delicious too?”

“We can sneak it without telling Mommy.”

Seeing the children so happy made him even happier.

Zhang Xiaotao hadn’t expected so many good things in one day.

But after a moment, he hesitated.

“Maybe… we shouldn’t.”

“Why not?”

Zhang Ran asked curiously.

“If Grandpa takes us to the amusement park tomorrow…”

“…it’ll already cost a lot of money.”

Zhang Xiaotao spoke quietly.

Although he didn’t explain it clearly, Zhang Ran immediately understood.

The little boy wanted to save money.

Susu didn’t have that kind of awareness.

That difference came from the different family environments in which they had grown up.

Squatting down, Zhang Ran looked Zhang Xiaotao in the eyes.

“Don’t worry.”

“Grandpa has money.”

“Really has money.”

“This little bit doesn’t matter.”

“Really?”

Zhang Xiaotao asked uncertainly.

Zhang Ran nodded firmly.

“Of course.”

“And if Taotao doesn’t believe Grandpa, Grandpa will be very sad.”

The moment he heard that, Zhang Xiaotao hurriedly replied, “Grandpa, don’t be sad!”

“I believe you.”

“I really do!”

“Good.”

“Then don’t try to save Grandpa money.”

“Come on—we’re going to eat something delicious!”

Zhang Ran announced loudly.

“Yay! Let’s go eat something delicious!”

Zhang Xiaotao shouted back just as loudly.

Susu didn’t say anything.

She simply nodded her little head vigorously.

While Zhang Ran secretly took Taotao and Susu off to enjoy some tasty treats…

At the hospital, Sun Gaixin stared furiously at Hao Yuan.

Tian Ya also wore a look of complete disbelief.

She had never imagined that the couple who were about to become her future parents-in-law would have both of their legs broken in broad daylight.

Even more unbelievable was that Hao Yuan—her father’s trusted confidant—was stopping them from calling the police.