Extreme Pampering
Chapter 151: Better Than Everyone.

Chapter 151: Chapter 151: Better Than Everyone.

Coming out of the old house, she unexpectedly ran into an old lady leaning on a walking stick, standing beside the wall and looking this way. Squinting her eyes, she asked, "Who’s there, who opened the Shen family’s door?"

Shen Zhiyi recognized her almost instantly and was quite surprised, "Grandma Zhao?"

Taking a few steps closer, her familiar voice also made the other party recognize her. Grandma Zhao shakily lifted her walking stick, trying to see her clearly, "Zhiyi?"

She had watched Shen Zhiyi grow up and helped Shen Zhiyi many times. When Shen Zhiyi left a few years ago, she had already been taken to the city by her son to be cared for in his home. She didn’t know why she had come back.

"It’s me," Shen Zhiyi grasped her hand, "I came back for a visit."

"Good, good, it’s good you’re back," Grandma Zhao was very happy to see her, rambling on about her well-being. Her eyesight was poor, and she mistook Pei Yu, who was standing behind, for someone else, "Did that young lad Huo Heng come back with you? It’s been so many years, I can hardly recognize him."

Shen Zhiyi paused, seeing that she was looking in Pei Yu’s direction and knew she had mistaken the person, "It’s not Huo Heng, Grandma, Huo Heng didn’t come back."

"Not Huo Heng?"

Grandma Zhao was somewhat surprised. Shen Zhiyi and Huo Heng had been close since they were children, and saying they were inseparable wouldn’t be an exaggeration. Back then, she often took pity on Shen Zhiyi, offering her refuge. Huo Heng’s parents were not good people either. The two children, sharing similar misfortunes, relied on each other for survival. When they left, they left together. Therefore, when she saw there was a man behind Shen Zhiyi, she subconsciously thought it was Huo Heng.

With Shen Zhiyi’s support, she took a few steps forward, squinting her eyes to scrutinize the person in front of her carefully. After a while, she nodded, "Indeed, it’s not Huo Heng; that boy wasn’t this tall. I must have seen wrong, old age doesn’t do the eyes any good."

She patted Shen Zhiyi’s hand gently and asked in a warm voice, "Do you still keep in touch with Huo Heng?"

"Not anymore," Shen Zhiyi shook her head, deciding it wasn’t necessary to discuss such complicated matters with the elderly. She vaguely mentioned, "He’s been living abroad recently."

"Went abroad?" Grandma Zhao nodded, "That’s quite an achievement. It’s just a pity that you two, who used to be so close, are no longer in contact."

Shen Zhiyi talked with her for a while. Grandma Zhao, being of advanced age, worried most about the younger generation’s major life events. She had assumed that by now, both children would have grown up and that Shen Zhiyi would have already been with Huo Heng. She was quite surprised to find out they had separated and felt some regret, "Huo Heng was really good to you; it’s truly a shame to miss out on that. Do you not have any feelings for him anymore?"

In fact, she had never mentioned to others that when the two children had gone off to study together, Huo Heng had once promised to take good care of Shen Zhiyi, willing to do so for a lifetime.

They were both in their teens then, and the meaning behind those words was very clear, so it wasn’t surprising that Grandma Zhao was persistent in asking.

Shen Zhiyi helplessly replied, "Grandma, I’ve brought someone suitable back home. Why are you still bringing up Huo Heng?"

Grandma Zhao was taken aback, and it took her a while to realize, glancing at the blurry figure not far away, "Is that him?"

"Yes," Shen Zhiyi said softly, "I chose him myself, he’s better than anyone."

Grandma Zhao turned to her, "Even better than Huo Heng was to you?"

Shen Zhiyi smiled and nodded, "Yes, he’s the best."

"If you say so," Grandma Zhao smiled kindly, "then Grandma thinks it’s good too."

She had watched Shen Zhiyi grow up, knew how much hardship the girl had endured, how many times she had been beaten unconscious by her father. There were a few times that, if not for the neighbors, like herself, who timely sent the child to the hospital, the girl might not have survived.

Because she was well aware of the suffering Shen Zhiyi had endured, Grandma Zhao always hoped she would find someone reliable. Huo Heng’s advantage was that he was a known quantity, but since Shen Zhiyi said there was another person who could treat her well, there was nothing remarkable about Huo Heng anymore.

"A few years ago I heard you donated money to the elementary school in our town," Grandma Zhao said with a hint of reproach, "You know to contribute to your hometown, but Huo Heng doesn’t understand. I heard he became a big star, why doesn’t he look back at the place where he grew up?"

As she spoke, she sighed, "When he was in junior high, he wrote an essay about making money when he grew up and wanting to help his hometown by building roads. All the teachers praised him, and we elders felt comforted. But it seems that after growing up, the child has probably forgotten all about it."

It had been too long since their last meeting, and Grandma Zhao had much to say, but in the end, the only advice she wanted to offer was, "Live well, take good care of yourself."

They say that after hardship comes happiness, and their days of suffering were completely behind them.

"Okay," Shen Zhiyi hugged her, "Grandma, I’ll come to see you again in a few days."

Grandma Zhao insisted on walking them to the entrance of the village. Before leaving, she held Shen Zhiyi’s hand and suddenly said, "Your partner looks somewhat familiar to me."

Her eyesight wasn’t good, and it took a lot of effort for her to barely make out Pei Yu’s outline. She found it familiar, as if she had seen him somewhere before.

"Really?" Shen Zhiyi didn’t pay much attention, "Maybe you’ve seen someone who looks like him."

Grandma Zhao wasn’t sure if that was the case and just nodded, "What’s his name?"

"Pei Yu."

This question was answered by Pei Yu himself, who reminded her in an even tone, "Grandma, don’t get it wrong next time."

On the walk back, Pei Yu remained silent. Shen Zhiyi glanced at his expression and felt like laughing, "Are you upset?"

"No," Pei Yu denied, squeezing her hand seriously, "I’m considering whether to change my name. I might as well just call myself Huo Heng."

"Hey," Shen Zhiyi was both irritated and amused by his nonsensical talk, "What are you talking about?"

"I’m not talking nonsense," Pei Yu’s expression remained unchanged, as he slowly said, "That way, even if I’m mistaken for someone else again, I can deceive myself along with others."

"Alright," Shen Zhiyi couldn’t argue with him, so she softened her voice to cajole, "Don’t joke like that. Grandma made a mistake because her eyesight is poor and she can’t see clearly. Moreover, she still thinks my relationship with Huo Heng is as good as it used to be, that’s why she confused you for him."

She tilted her face up, "I’ve already explained it to her."

Pei Yu looked hard to placate, "How did you explain it?"

Shen Zhiyi paused a few seconds, feigning mystery, then beckoned him with her hand. Pei Yu cooperated by bending down.

"I said," she whispered in Pei Yu’s ear, "the one I’ve chosen is the best, not even Huo Heng can compare."

Pei Yu’s eyes drooped slightly, gentle ripples appearing in his usually calm gaze, the smile deepening, "The best?"

"Yes," Shen Zhiyi nodded emphatically, as if to stress, repeating, "The best."

The best Pei Yu.