The old man shakily extended his left hand to her, his fingers slightly bent, the back of his hand full of wrinkles.
You Xingguang's eyes revealed a complex emotion. She hesitated for a moment, then tightly held her grandfather's hand.
Although her grandfather was biased towards males over females, he never treated her harshly in daily life, so You Xingguang did not harbor any resentment towards him.
Holding his granddaughter's hand, Xu Qingnian unexpectedly shed tears and began to ramble sorrowfully. "The Xu family has been through many hardships these years, first you suffered, then your mother. Now seeing the Xu family in such dire straits, my heart aches."
You Xingguang stared blankly at this scene.
The grandfather in her memory was never one to shed tears, not even after her grandmother died. Yet now, his tears fell effortlessly.
Grandfather had grown old.
In the end, the old man sighed, "Your grandmother left early; she was fortunate."
You Xingguang didn't know how to respond, so she simply kept silent.
Xu Zeqing could no longer stand the stench. He patted You Xingguang on the shoulder and said to her, "You should leave first, and talk to your grandfather after having a meal."
"Okay."
When You Xingguang left the room, she thoughtfully closed the door but didn't leave immediately.
The house was well soundproofed, but strangely, You Xingguang had exceptionally sharp hearing. She heard Xu Zeqing lowering his voice as he spoke to Xu Qingnian, "Dad, don't worry. Now that Xingguang has awakened, our Xu family has hope."
Xu Qingnian asked him, "How can we be saved?"
Xu Zeqing said, "Do you remember that Jiang Heng? He has a new girlfriend now and is about to get married. Knowing that Xingguang has woken up, he feels guilty and has promised to help me restart the company. He also said he would give me a piece of land in West Continent City!"
"Bastard!" Xu Qingnian was furious. He picked up something and threw it at Xu Zeqing, exasperatedly scolding, "All those books you read over the years have gone to waste! Just after Xingguang's accident, that boy Jiang Heng found another woman. He is nothing but a heartless and ungrateful dog! I absolutely won't allow you to accept his help!"
"Your company simply went bankrupt due to mismanagement, it's not like the family has been destroyed, there is no need to sell your daughter!"
"Moreover, a man should be able to stand on his own! Only useless people would use a woman to exchange for wealth and power. Xu Zeqing, oh Xu Zeqing, I was so wise all my life, how did I end up raising such a useless thing like you?"
"Get out! Get out of here immediately!" The old man's scolding was harsh, and he started coughing incessantly.
He probably wanted to hit Xu Zeqing, this bastard, but unfortunately, his body was paralyzed, and aside from his hands, he couldn't move any part of his body, so he could only vent his anger by shouting.
Xu Zeqing was scolded until his face turned a mix of green and white.
He picked up a cup and placed it on the bedside table, appeasingly saying, "Alright, alright, I'll listen to you, you rest."
Hearing this, You Xingguang quietly walked away.
From what her grandfather said, he seemed to be unaware that Xu Zeqing had agreed to let Jiang Heng draw her blood to save his mistress, nor did he know that the Xu family's bankruptcy was not due to Xu Zeqing's mismanagement but rather Jiang Heng's oppression.
Although Xu Qingnian's preference for males over females was indeed wrong, he was still a decent elder. At least he had some conscience left. Although he looked down on his granddaughter for being a girl, he wouldn't use her to exchange for money.
Xu Zeqing rubbed his chin, which was a bit sore from being hit by the old man, before heading to the living room.
The meal was already cold, and You Jingqiu and the maid were reheating dishes in the kitchen.
You Xingguang glanced at the unfamiliar siblings not far from her and suddenly stood up, "I'll head back to my room first. Dad, please move the things Bai Xuan sent me back to my room." A once-familiar home had been occupied by outsiders, making You Xingguang uncomfortable staying here.
Her room was her private space; she'd feel more at ease staying there.
But Xu Zeqing looked embarrassed.
He told You Xingguang, "Xingguang, there are more people at home now, and space is tight. You've been staying in the hospital all these years, and it would be a waste to leave your room empty, so it's been given to your Sister Mingyue. She's been in that room for two years, and her things are quite a lot. It would be troublesome to pack them up..."
You Xingguang understood what Xu Zeqing meant.
She no longer had a room.
"Then where am I going to stay?" She heard herself asking calmly.
Xu Zeqing said, "The large attic on the top floor has always been empty. I specifically had it cleaned and redecorated. I bought you a brand-new bed, knowing you like pretty things, and I even had a whole wall of closets made for you..."
You Xingguang interrupted Xu Zeqing's rambling, saying, "The attic is my mom's library."
Xu Zeqing suddenly fell silent.
"Dad, there are at least nine hundred books in the library up there. You'd rather go through all the trouble to clear out the attic than return my room to me..." Glancing at You Mingyue, who was sitting on the sofa playing with her phone but had both ears perked up and eavesdropping, You Xingguang chuckled mockingly, "It seems this home no longer has a place for my mother and me."
The Xu family had a total of five rooms. Grandfather and grandmother had separate rooms due to late-life compatibility issues, occupying two rooms.
Xu Zeqing and Mo Yinshu stayed in the master bedroom, You Xingguang in the daughter's room with a wardrobe, and the remaining guest room was usually empty, only occasionally occupied by Hong Ruhai when he came back to visit.
Now, the master bedroom had become the room for Xu Zeqing and his newlywed wife You Jingqiu, You Mingyue had taken over You Xingguang's room, and You Jiaoyang moved into the room of the deceased grandmother.
Grandfather still lived in the elderly room downstairs, and Hong Ruhai had a cleanliness obsession and refused to sleep in used beds, so his room couldn't be touched.
So, the unexpectedly awakened You Xingguang had nowhere to stay.
The unused library on the top floor naturally became the best choice.
How sad it was that as the only daughter of the Xu family, she didn't even have a decent room in this home.