I transmigrated and got a husband and a son!
Chapter 1138: Respect your elders

Chapter 1138: Respect your elders

[ZHU ANCESTRAL HOME]

"Madam." Butler Fu called worriedly, standing behind the rocking chair where Old Madam Zhu had been spending her days. "The Young Master has taken over the minister’s office. Do you want to see his press conference?"

The Old Madam didn’t speak, staring quietly at the flowers blooming in the courtyard. "Those boys... they don’t even bother checking up on their grandmother," she harrumphed quietly. "Until when would they get angry at me?"

"Madam."

"Butler Fu, summon Dominic home," Old Madam Zhu remarked in the same grumpy tone. "This time, tell him it’s a matter of life and death. That kid is getting himself in too much trouble. How could he let his children move places every few months?"

Butler Fu frowned as he gazed at the Old Madam worriedly. He wanted to tell the old madam that Dominic might not pick up a call from the Old Residence at all. After all, Dominic, especially Axel, had been estranged from them since the last anniversary of the Lyon Group during Dominic’s tenure.

Axel made it clear that he didn’t want anything to do with his grandmother and parents. Unless it was not news of their deaths, he said not to bother him. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to see him, even during their funeral. It was quite harsh for the second young master to say, but no one could blame him.

Dominic, on the other hand, might’ve kept contact. However, that was only once in a blue moon. It wasn’t like Dominic had always been in contact with his parents or the old madam in the past. But after that anniversary night, he was even more aloof. Considering he was now a minister, Dominic surely had millions of excuses not to visit.

"Does Dominic think I won’t recognize the person at that inauguration?" Old Madam Zhu mumbled. "I might have been biased, but I know my children and grandkids."

"I’ll try calling them, Madam." Butler Fu lowered his head.

"Tell him I might die soon."

"Madam."

"It’s the truth," said the Old Madam calmly. "I know my body, and I also know I don’t have much time in this world. I can’t leave this world, knowing that my grandson might have put himself in a tricky situation."

Butler Fu frowned deeply but kept his eyes down. "I’ll make the call."

With that being said, Butler Fu walked away to try his luck. Meanwhile, Old Madam Zhu stayed quiet as she rocked herself in the rocking chair.

"Dane Zhang," whispered the Madam. "He wouldn’t have approached my family without a proper reason. I should’ve told Dominic about it earlier."

**********

[Minister’s Office]

"Dom, Butler Fu is on the line," Ivy spoke while holding the connecting door of her office and Dominic’s. "Your grandmother wants to talk to you."

Dominic slowly gazed up at Ivy from behind his desk. Axel, who was on the couch in his brother’s office, also looked at her and frowned.

"What?" Ivy furrowed her brows, darting her eyes between the brothers. "It’s your grandma. I can’t just end the call."

"Is she dead?" Axel asked, earning a sour look from Ivy. "If she’s not, then there’s nothing to talk about."

"Don’t say that. Instead, tell Butler Fu I am busy settling some affairs in the minister’s office," said Dominic coldly. "We’re buried with a mountain of paperwork and I still have to attend the cabinet meeting in a few hours. Get back to work."

Ivy watched Dominic resume his work and Axel also busied himself on his laptop. She pursed her lips, sighing heavily as she realized they weren’t joking. How could this be? Although Dominic wasn’t that clingy or the type to display his affection, he was filial. He would never refuse a request from his grandmother.

Axel, on the other hand, might be a little mischievous and rebellious. However, he would never say something so mean to his elders.

What changed?

"This isn’t fair." Ivy closed the connecting door behind her and stepped into the minister’s office. "Dom, you can’t just ignore a call from your elders."

Dominic glanced up at her. "Why?"

"Because she’s your grandmother!"

"And because she is our grandmother, we should just overlook everything?" Axel inquired, his tone hostile. "And tell ourselves she can do whatever the hell she wants because why? We’re family?"

"Axel, you’re being mean."

"Mean is putting your reputation first, even if it means others will suffer," Axel argued solemnly. "Ivy, you’ve been our friend since childhood. But right now, you’re my brother’s assistant. Do your job and don’t overstep."

"I’m doing my job."

"No, you’re not. You’re asking him to talk to someone he clearly didn’t want to talk to." Axel shook his head, clearly showing his disapproval at the discussion they were having. "If you don’t understand, why not call your family first? Until you attended one family dinner with them peacefully, you don’t have the right to tell us we’re being mean to our elders."

Ivy opened her mouth, but her voice didn’t come out of her throat. She took a deep breath and cast Dominic a look, only to see the latter shrug.

"Listen to Axel," said Dominic. "He’s speaking for the both of us. Grandma is fine and she’ll be fine. Go back to your desk. I still need the files I asked you to do."

"I’m not going to ask what Grandma Zhu did or said that enraged the two of you," Ivy expressed with a heavy huff. "I know there must be a reason for you to be this angry at them. But Dom, you of all people, should know that Grandma Zhu isn’t getting any younger."

"No harm will be done if you only listen to her for a minute, even though you hate every second of it," she added. "Whatever it is, you still owed her for the life you had now. That’s the harsh reality that no matter how much you bend it, will always be a reality. Be decent. I’m saying this not just as your friend, but as your assistant. It won’t be good for your image if the public starts noticing that you don’t even spend time with your elders. It kinda breaks from your family man’s image."

She turned around and reached for the connecting door before looking back at Axel. "And Axel, although I don’t attend family dinners anymore, I am still decent enough to make a phone call to tell them I can’t make it. I hate every second of it and I always think it’s not something I should apologize for, but I still do."

With that being said, Ivy returned to her small office, making the brothers look at each other. Axel shook his head mildly.

"It’s your call," said Axel with a shrug. "I’m starting to think she’s perfect for the job, but at the same time, she’s too perfect in it, it’s annoying."

Dominic sighed and let out a defeated smile. He leaned forward, pressing a button on the telephone.

"Tell Butler Fu that I’ll call him back in ten minutes."

Ivy, who was in her office, turned her head to the transparent glass separating their office. Her lips stretched from ear to ear before she happily reached for the telephone, relaying Dominic’s message to Butler Fu.