Chapter 169: Chapter 169: Ian Is Great-grandmother’s Little Lucky Star

“The matriarch isn’t fond of harsh sunlight. She says it upsets her,” the butler said.

“This sunlight is so warm and lovely. I feel my mood lifting just from it shining in,” Naomi Kenway said. “Grandma, what do you think? Don’t you feel it too?”

After a moment of adjustment, a smile graced Susan Hughes’s face. She blinked a couple of times. “You’re absolutely right.”

She instructed the butler, “Leave it like this. You don’t need to draw the curtains again.”

Naomi smiled. “Getting more sun is good for your health. I remember you used to love playing mahjong. Why did you stop?”

That gave Susan Hughes a bit of a headache. “The younger ones are so strict. The moment I touch a mahjong tile, they start nagging me endlessly. They say I need to rest, that I need to recuperate quietly.” She sighed. “Life has become so dreadfully boring. I’m stuck in this house, and I’ve gotten sick of looking at the same old flowers in the garden.”

Naomi leaned in and gave a playful wink. “Then how about we play a secret game? We won’t let them find out.”

Susan Hughes’s eyes lit up. She grasped Naomi’s hand. “You truly are a dear granddaughter-in-law.”

Naomi arranged for someone to get the mahjong set.

The butler walked over to intervene. “The Madam specifically instructed that the matriarch is not to touch mahjong. She said it would hinder her recovery. At her age, the matriarch should be resting quietly.”

“A cheerful mood aids recovery. Did Mom not mention that to you?” Naomi shot him a look. “Since I’m the one looking after Grandma now, I’ll be the one to handle and arrange these things.”

The butler froze, then pulled out his phone. “In that case, I’ll have to report this to the Madam.”

Susan Hughes cut him off, her expression turning cold. “This is hardly a major incident. Is there really a need to bother her about it? Nia is here, so we’ll do as she says. You may leave.”

The butler hesitated, “Matriarch, I’m simply concerned for your health…”

“Know your place. The Shaw Family didn’t hire you to argue with us. Now, get out.”

The butler could only retreat, but not before whispering something to one of the maids who remained behind.

Susan Hughes squeezed Naomi’s hand and said gently, “Our old butler resigned. This new one was hired by Jane Chandler and doesn’t understand the rules. If he continues to be so presumptuous, I’ll dock his pay.”

The mahjong tiles were set. Susan Hughes gazed at her long-lost pastime, the corners of her eyes crinkling with delight.

Normally, Susan Hughes played with a few of her close friends, but since they hadn’t planned anything today, she had to ask two of the long-serving maids to make up the numbers. Naomi joined in as well, taking the seat opposite Susan.

Ian wasn’t particularly interested in the game, but he still let Susan Hughes hold him obediently in her lap.

Hugging her great-grandson with one arm while playing mahjong with the other, Susan Hughes was experiencing pure domestic bliss.

Susan Hughes, wearing her reading glasses and slightly hunched over, looked exceptionally focused on the game.

Naomi chuckled. “I’ve played my fair share of mahjong, Grandma. You’d better be careful.”

Susan laughed. “Alright, then! Let’s see just how skilled our Nia is!”

Naomi drew a tile—a Five Dot. Her brow furrowed slightly.

“What’s wrong? Did you win already?” Susan Hughes asked from across the table.

“No, I’m still one short.” Naomi then discarded the tile she had just drawn.

Susan Hughes studied the neat row of tiles before her, struggling to decide which one to discard.

Ian stretched out his little hand and made the choice for her. Susan Hughes asked dotingly, “Doesn’t Ian like the Six Bamboo? Okay, out it goes.”

Whenever she was stuck, Ian would thoughtfully help her out. Susan Hughes just assumed the little boy liked to play and indulged him. That is, until she took the tile Ian had just drawn for her, and with a resounding SLAM, laid her hand down on the table.

“Haha, I won!”

She affectionately pinched Ian’s cheek. “Oh, Ian, you’re Great-Grandma’s little lucky charm! How did you learn? Did you learn how to play mahjong with your mommy?”

“One of the aunties was explaining the rules just now, and Ian was listening.”

“You picked it up just by hearing it once?” Susan Hughes asked, astonished. “Ian, you’re so clever! You might become a mahjong master someday!”

She then looked down and asked, “Do you like playing mahjong, Ian?”

Ian shook his head honestly, replying in a soft, childlike voice, “I don’t like it.”

This sent Susan Hughes into a fit of laughter.

“Grandma, you really are amazing,” Naomi said with a laugh. “I thought my mahjong skills were decent, but it just goes to show there’s always a bigger fish in the sea.”

Susan Hughes’s smile grew even wider.

Naomi turned her own tiles face up. Only then did Susan Hughes notice something. “Hey, why did you discard that Five Dot earlier? If you had kept it, you would have won, wouldn’t you?”

Naomi feigned surprise. “Oh, you’re right! I didn’t even notice.”

Susan chuckled. “See? You have to pay close attention when you play mahjong! I guess this round goes to me.”

They played a few more rounds, and Susan Hughes won every single one. Her sense of accomplishment was at an all-time high. “Oh, Nia,” she said, “when you have a moment, Grandma will teach you how to play properly. We can’t have those other ladies walking all over you when you play with them.”

Naomi naturally nodded. “It would be my honor.”

It was still early in the day. Susan Hughes glanced out the window and found she had grown accustomed to the sunlight that had seemed so harsh just a while ago.

“There’s a newly built park nearby. I heard the environment is very nice. Shall I take you to see it?”

Ian chimed in, “Lots of flowers! Pretty, pretty flowers!”

Susan Hughes couldn’t help but smile. “Alright then, let’s go have a look.”

When they got downstairs, they ran into the butler. Naomi now understood he was a spy Jane Chandler had left behind, and she felt a fresh wave of disgust as she looked at him.

“Young Madam, where are you taking the matriarch? Her body is frail; she can’t handle such an outing.” As expected, the butler immediately tried to stop them.

Naomi shot him a sideways glance. “Since when do we need to report our comings and goings to you?”

“I didn’t mean it like that…”

“If that’s not what you meant, then be quiet. All you ever do is ruin everyone’s mood. I’m taking Grandma out for a walk. Feel free to report that to Jane Chandler at any time.”

Susan Hughes, who moved slowly, settled into a wheelchair, which a maid pushed from behind.

The old Shaw Family estate wasn’t located on some remote mountainside but right in the heart of the city’s most bustling and valuable district. There was a park just a short distance away.

Naomi had brought Ian here a few times before. Being in an affluent neighborhood, the park had excellent security and a serene atmosphere.

Susan Hughes wore a sun hat, with a maid holding a parasol over her. Her expression was one of pure contentment. “I haven’t been out in so long. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt like this.”

She took a deep breath.

Naomi glanced behind them. A team of people carrying first-aid kits trailed them. ’This must be Jane Chandler’s doing, too,’ she thought.

Ian took on the role of a little tour guide, pointing out the sights to Susan Hughes. His voice was soft and childlike, but his words were clear and earnest.

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