The Young Miss Refuse To Love
Chapter 42: Grandpa Qi

Chapter 42: Grandpa Qi

"Grandpa."

The three siblings greeted their grandfather, their voices tinged with awkwardness. Qi Jianyi, standing in the middle, reluctantly took on the role of the eldest. She walked towards Grandpa Qi, with the twins trailing behind her like timid kittens.

"Grandpa, I’m Jianyi, and these are my two brothers, Jinlu and Jinli," Qi Jianyi explained softly as she knelt beside her grandfather’s knees, allowing him to get a good look at her.

Grandpa Qi, overjoyed after so long without seeing his grandchildren, nodded enthusiastically.

"I know, I know. How could grandpa forget his own grandchildren? Let me take a good look at my little angels. You’ve all grown up so much. I’m relieved to see how healthy you’ve become," he said, his voice brimming with pride.

"Jianyi, don’t kneel on the floor like that. You’ll dirty your dress and hurt your knees. You must take better care of yourself. You’re still young—what would you do if you got hurt?" Grandpa Qi’s tone shifted to a gentle scolding, his paternal concern taking over.

Though he was known for his strictness with his own children, Grandpa Qi always softened in the presence of his grandchildren.

With an obedient smile, Qi Jianyi rose and sat on her grandfather’s right side. Mr. and Mrs. Qi settled on his left, but the twins, overlooked in the moment, remained kneeling on the floor, facing their grandfather, giving him a full view as he inspected them carefully.

"Grandpa, it’s been such a long time since we visited. The twins and I have really missed you," Qi Jianyi added, her words sweet as honey.

The moment Grandpa Qi heard his granddaughter’s affectionate tone, he shot a triumphant glance at Grandpa He, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips as if to say, ’Look, my granddaughter misses me. Not you!’

Grandpa He, unimpressed by the smug expression, turned away with a huff. Out of sight, out of mind!

It was not long ago that Grandpa He had the upper hand, gloating about how Qi Jianyi had grown more approachable under his care. Her usually distant demeanour had softened, earning Grandpa He many moments of satisfaction, especially in the face of Grandpa Qi’s envy.

Everyone in the family knew how cold Qi Jianyi had been toward them, and despite their repeated attempts to win her affection, neither grandparent had much success. The only person capable of moving her heart had been her nanny.

After the nanny’s passing, both grandfathers found themselves completely shut out.

But now, with Qi Jianyi’s attitude finally thawing, Grandpa He had enjoyed the luxury of a granddaughter’s affection, leaving Grandpa Qi yearning for the same privilege.

"How are my grandchildren doing in school? I heard you’re studying economics, Jianyi. What about you two? What are your plans after graduation?" Grandpa Qi, satisfied with his earlier gloating, turned back to the siblings, ready for small talk.

"I’m doing well with economics. It’s been interesting to learn," Qi Jianyi responded briefly, before glancing at her brothers, silently urging them to speak up.

Catching her look, Qi Jinlu cleared his throat and continued, "Grandpa, Jinli likes to paint, so he’s planning to study art in the future. As for me... I’m not really sure what I want to pursue yet. I’ll probably end up studying business."

Qi Jinli, ever the quieter one, merely nodded in agreement with his brother’s words.

Grandpa Qi’s brow furrowed as he looked at Jinlu. "Why do you sound so reluctant? Do you not want to pursue business? If you don’t, then don’t. There’s no point in studying something you don’t like."

Though business was a respectable path, Grandpa Qi never believed in forcing his grandchildren into anything. The family had more than enough wealth, and he always encouraged them to follow their own passions, as long as they remained on the right moral path.

Hearing his grandfather’s support, Qi Jinlu hesitated, stealing a glance toward his father. The subtle movement didn’t escape Grandpa Qi’s sharp eyes.

"What’s going on?" he asked, his gaze now fixed on his son.

Mr. Qi, suddenly thrust into the spotlight, stiffened at the question. His response was rigid, almost rehearsed. "Jinlu is the heir, so he needs to pursue business."

The weight of his words settled into the room, creating a brief but noticeable tension.

Everyone in the room was a notable figure, connected in some way to the business world. It was no secret that the guests had been under the impression that Qi Jianyi, the eldest daughter, would inherit Mr. Qi’s company. Many had been quietly maneuvering to form connections with her, hoping their children could secure a future partnership.

But now, Mr. Qi’s revelation was a shock—a slap in the face. The heir to the company was not Qi Jianyi, but her younger brother, Qi Jinlu!

Grandpa Qi’s expression darkened, his disapproval clear. "Shouldn’t Jianyi be the heir? Why would you skip her and give it to Jinlu? Jingxuan, don’t tell me you’re discriminating against women. She’s your daughter!" His stern voice sliced through the room, challenging his son directly.

The room grew tense. Father and son, who had only just reconciled moments ago, were once again on the verge of a confrontation.

"Dad, don’t get upset. Let me explain first," Mr. Qi replied, attempting to calm his father. He knew he had misspoken, creating the misunderstanding that he didn’t value his own daughter.

Meanwhile, Qi Jianyi and Qi Jinlu, the subject of all this tension, sat back and watched the unfolding drama with a faint, amused smile.

"It’s not like that, dad," Mr. Qi continued, hastily trying to set the record straight. "Jianyi told me she doesn’t want to inherit the business, and I couldn’t force her. Jinli, well, he’s more interested in painting than anything else, and I know he wouldn’t thrive in a corporate setting. I only have three children, and since neither of them wanted the responsibility, I had to turn to Jinlu."

Grandpa Qi’s sharp gaze shifted to Qi Jianyi, his frown deepening. "Why don’t you want to inherit your father’s business?" he asked, his voice firm but not unkind.

Suddenly, the focus of the conversation shifted to her. Qi Jianyi, caught off guard, felt her composure slipping. "Well..." she drawled, stalling for time.

She had a sinking feeling that the same excuse she used with Grandpa He wouldn’t work on Grandpa Qi. His eyes were too sharp, watching her every movement with suspicion.

"I-I want to..." she stammered, struggling to find her words as the pressure mounted. The weight of the room’s attention made her nervous.

"I want to start my own business!" she blurted out at last.

It was a lie.

In truth, she preferred a laid-back lifestyle over the stressful world of corporate management. The idea of being a hands-off shopkeeper appealed to her far more than running a business empire.

Despite the absurdity of her statement, Grandpa Qi’s eyes lit up with delight. His stern expression softened, and a smile tugged at his lips.

The rest of the room, including Mr. Qi and the other guests, looked equally surprised. After all, why would she start a new business when she could inherit a multi-billion-dollar company?

Yet, recalling how her cousin He Zeqing had also ventured into starting his own business, the claim didn’t seem entirely out of place.

"What kind of business do you want to start?" Grandpa Qi asked, his voice brimming with excitement. "Tell Grandpa, and I’ll give you some pocket money to get started."

Across the room, Grandpa He was sulking, feeling left out. Why hadn’t Qi Jianyi mentioned anything about wanting to start a business when he’d asked? Now, Old Man Qi was getting the chance to support their granddaughter’s dream first.

Annoyed, Grandpa He turned to his grandson, He Zeqing, who had been standing quietly by.

"Did you know about this?" he asked suspiciously, his tone indicating that he believed Zeqing had hidden something from him.

Caught off guard by the sudden accusation, He Zeqing quickly defended himself. "Grandpa, I didn’t know anything about it. Cousin Jianyi never mentioned it to me."

But Grandpa He wasn’t convinced. He favoured Qi Jianyi far more than his own grandson, and his skepticism lingered. "Are you sure you’re not lying to me?" he asked, his eyes narrowing in doubt.

He Zeqing sighed internally, feeling unjustly blamed for something he had no part in. "I swear, Grandpa, I’m telling the truth."

Meanwhile, Qi Jianyi realised she had shot herself in the foot.

As her bold declaration of starting a business settled into the room, she felt a growing sense of regret. The initial thrill of evading Grandpa Qi’s intense questioning was quickly replaced by the realisation of what she’d just committed herself to.

Starting a business? Qi Jianyi’s mind raced—What business? She had no idea, and she certainly wasn’t prepared for the hard work that would come with it.

The amused look she had worn earlier faded as she glanced around the room. Everyone was staring at her with interest, especially Grandpa Qi, who now looked more supportive than ever, his eyes gleaming with pride.

There was no easy way out now.

Internally, Qi Jianyi couldn’t help but cursed herself for blurting out the lie. She had no desire to dive into the world of entrepreneurship, let alone explain the complexities of a business plan to her grandfather.

Yet here she was, trapped by her own words, with no choice but to see it through—or at least pretend to for as long as possible.

Qi Jianyi was a novel author and scriptwriter. She wrote fictional things, bringing them to life with a lot of bullshits and golden fingers. But writing paper works about business? She has no talent for that.

And for once, she finally realised the consequences for talking without thinking.

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