Chapter 24: Chapter 24

Author's POV

As soon as Huang Jiang spotted Wu Haoyu, he tried walking faster with his cane, the anticipation palpable. He couldn't wait a moment longer to know the truth - and perhaps finally reconnect with at least his granddaughter, since he felt he had failed his own daughter so profoundly.

"Grandpa Huang," Wu Haoyu greeted with a respectful nod.

The elderly man smiled bitterly. "Let's get this done. How quickly can we have the results?"

"Within the hour."

Huang Jiang nodded, some of the anxiety easing from his weathered features. "Good. Lead the way."

Wu Haoyu guided them to the doctor's office, where the physician swiftly took Huang Jiang's DNA sample before accepting the bagged hair strands procured from Wu Haoyu. They were then ushered out to wait for the promised hour to elapse.

"So, tell me about her," Huang Jiang said, inability to mask the longing in his gravelly voice. "What is this potential granddaughter of mine like?"

"Feisty, that much is certain," Wu Haoyu replied with the faintest quirk of his lips. "She speaks her mind without filter...and negotiated herself 50,000 yuan from me in less than twenty minutes."

A proud smile stretched Huang Jiang's lips at that. "She'll make a perfect successor, then."

Wu Haoyu inclined his head. "I believe so too. She also mentioned having moved out from her family home recently."

The old man's brow furrowed deeply at that. "But she's only seventeen, isn't she? Far too young to be living alone."

"She is," Wu Haoyu confirmed, mind clearly analyzing the implications. "Which leads me to believe there may be...underlying issues in her home life, prompting such an unorthodox situation."

Huang Jiang's expression darkened like thunderclouds gathering on the horizon. "If those people have dared mistreat my grandchild in any way, I'll make them regret drawing their next breaths."

The hour passed in tense silence after that ominous proclamation. Finally, the doctor called them into his office, results in hand. Huang Jiang's heart thundered in his hollow chest as he lowered himself into the chair across from the physician, gnarled hands gripping his cane until the knuckles went white.

Would this be the answer to a lifetime of regrets? Or another crushing disappointment to add to the pile?

"Master Wu, according to these results..." The doctor paused, consulting the papers before him. "The two individuals tested share approximately twenty-five percent of their full DNA sequence in common."

Wu Haoyu gave an infinitesimal nod of understanding, but the doctor continued unprompted, realizing the weight this carried.

"In other words, the probability that you, Master Huang, are the biological grandfather of the young woman providing the second sample is 99.9 percent. She is, to a statistical certainty, your granddaughter."

Huang Jiang's grip went bone-white as those words burrowed their way into his withered heart, the cane clattering to the floor. He didn't realize he was trembling until Wu Haoyu gripped his frail shoulder firmly, anchoring him against the torrent of emotions threatening to sweep him away.

A granddaughter. After all these years of fruitless searching, too much time and too many regrets...he had found her. His successor. His chance to atone.

The walk back to Wu Haoyu's luxurious family villa passed in a blur, the weight of this revelation rendering the world around them hazy and distant. Eventually, Huang Jiang found himself sinking into the plush depths of an armchair, the positive DNA results still clutched in his gnarled fist like a lifeline.

"Thank you, young man," he croaked out at last, voice thick with a grandfather's boundless gratitude. "You've brought peace to this dying man's weary heart. Now...now I can let go when my time comes."

Wu Haoyu shook his head firmly. "You and my grandfather are like brother after so many years of friendship. We would do anything to ease your burdens."

Huang Jiang gave a feeble nod, tears shining unshed in his eyes. "Yes, yes...I must call my old friend. He has to know the good news."

He didn't even wait for Wu Haoyu's acknowledgment before retrieving his phone and punching in the familiar number with trembling fingers. When the gruff baritone of his closest friend answered, Huang Jiang didn't mince words.

"I found her, my friend. I finally found my granddaughter... I have family again!"

A heartbeat's pause, then Wu Qiang's throaty chuckle reverberated down the line. "Is that so? Well it's about damn time, you old goat! No more whining about your misery - now you get to spoil this girl rotten like the grandfather you are!"

Despite his fragile countenance, Huang Jiang's expression split into a beatific smile at the sparring words. "Hah! You've always known how to cut through the bullshit, old friend. Yes, it's all thanks to your grandson and his efforts that I can finally lay this burden to rest."

"Then never say you gave up on your loved ones, you miserable cuss," Wu Qiang growled with no bite behind the insult. "After all these decades, finally a win for you."

"And now all that remains is finding my wretched daughter and bringing her home too." Huang Jiang sighed, free hand raking through his wispy remaining hair. "At least her daughter will be waiting here for me now."

An amused harrumph echoed down the line. "Just don't scare the poor girl off when you descend on her with all your overbearing patriarch energy, old man!"

A creaky laugh escaped Huang Jiang as he shook his head. "Bold words from the man who once tried to sell his firstborn grandson to me for a stake in the opium trade!"

Wu Qiang's bark of laughter rang out. "I was joking, and you know it! Though speaking of unions and mergers, old friend..." He cleared his throat meaningfully. "Now that this mystery grandchild of yours has been located, perhaps we should revisit those long-standing discussions of-"

"Marriage!" Huang Jiang crowed, joining his friend in rich belly laughs that belied their advanced ages, the absurdity not lost on either of them. "Yes, yes, I can see it now! We can finally be real family, connected by marriage!"

Wu Haoyu watched the exchange with a deepening scowl, instantly frowning when he heard the word 'marriage'. He knew better than to inquire further, however, as the two old patriarchs howled and squabbled like misbehaved schoolchildren for several more minutes.

Eventually, with one final parting jape about supplementing their dwindling virility, Huang Jiang ended the call. He turned to Wu Haoyu, eyes bright with renewed determination. "Take me to meet my granddaughter, young man. I'll not waste another moment in making her acquaintance!"

Wu Haoyu raised a mollifying hand. "Wait, Grandpa Huang. You heard my own grandfather's words - we cannot simply descend upon this girl and upend her world in one fell swoop. She's doubtless unaware of you and her heritage."

He ran a hand through his dark locks, recognizing the need for a delicate touch. "I believe the wisest approach is to first cultivate a relationship and earn her trust, rather than risk pushing her away with overwhelming revelations from the start."

Huang Jiang opened his mouth to protest, but Wu Haoyu continued. "She mentioned recently moving out from her home, which may simplify matters. However, we cannot merely extract her from her life here, at least not immediately."

The old man's face contorted in displeasure, thick fingers flexing restlessly around his cane. "And why ever not, boy? She's my blood - she belongs with her family, away from whatever unpleasantries prompted her to flee that household."

"Because she still attends high school here," Wu Haoyu stated plainly. "To uproot her entirely before she's completed her education would be.....unwise."

Huang Jiang's shoulders slumped infinitesimally as the fire drained from his lined face, reality crashing against his soaring hopes like icy waves against a cliff face. "I...you're correct, of course."

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