The Sweet Rival (Mango Shen and Nathaniel Ye)

When Mango and Noah along with others outside heard Nathaniel's cry, they couldn't help but be slightly stunned. Hence, Mango knew that Nanny Zhang had passed away. She couldn't say that she was sad, but she just felt sorry for Nathaniel.

"Mommy, is Granny Zhang gone?"

Zion asked as he blinked his eyes slowly.

"That's right!"

Mango nodded her head.

Zion was especially quiet after that.

Nathaniel stayed inside for quite some time before he opened the door and came out.

His eyes were red and swollen, and it was obvious that he had cried.

"Are you alright?"

Mango quickly went forward.

"I'm fine..."

Nathaniel held Mango's hand and asked the doctor to send Nanny Zhang's body to the morgue.

Nanny Zhang was a government servant, and there were some formalities to be taken care of.

Mango brought Zion to stay with her in the hotel while Nathaniel went off alone to arrange Nanny Zhang's funeral.

Nanny Zhang was just a housekeeper in the Ye family from the beginning, and she had not been married. Nathaniel was her only son, and everything was kept simple. After Nathaniel cremated Nanny Zhang's body, he brought Mango and Zion back to Estania.

Wisdom and Rita were very happy when they saw Mango and Nathaniel.

"Daddy, Mommy didn't let me video call you each and every time I called. Mommy is so bad that she wants to hog daddy all to herself."

Rita hurriedly complained.

Looking at his lovely daughter, Nathaniel was very happy in his heart, but Nanny Zhang's death saddened him and he could not manage a smile.

"Mommy was protecting daddy. Daddy was sick during that time, and I was afraid I'll spread the illness to you through the computer. You should thank Mommy, okay?" Nathaniel's words stunned Rita for a moment. Then, she turned to Mango in embarrassment and said, "Mommy, I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Rita."

Zion didn't say anything and went straight to his room.

Wisdom found that he was in a bad mood and wanted to ask him what happened, but he didn't know what to say.

Mango glanced at Zion. She didn't know what the kid was thinking either.

Nathaniel put Rita down and told Wisdom, "Tidy up yourself, we'll go back to Ocean City and let Uncle Song take care of you all. Daddy and Mommy are going to Nakasara." "Daddy, are you going out on a vacation again?"

Rita pouted her mouth and felt very unhappy.

Nathaniel said in a low voice, "We're not going on a trip as we have something to do. There's something wrong with your Mommy's throat. So, Daddy's gonna take her to the hospital." "Really? Mommy, what's wrong with your throat? Does it hurt?"

Rita ran towards Mango and reached over to touch Mango's throat.

Mango was glad that Rita didn't know about what happened and that she was able to give her a perfect childhood.

"Mommy's fine. As long as Rita is doing good, mommy won't be in pain anymore."

"Then you both should come back early. You adults are off gallivanting outside and we're all bored at home."

Rita said with a pout.

"Okay, well come back as soon as possible."

"Okay."

Wisdom went to tidy up. When he passed by the door of Zion's room, he saw him standing in front of the window in a daze and walked in.

"What's wrong with you? Why did you become so solemn after returning from Santell Capital?"

"Granny Zhang is dead."

Wisdom paused for a moment after hearing Zion's words. It was likely that he hadn't figured out who was Granny Zhang.

"She's the old housekeeper of the Ye Family, Nanny Zhang."

Wisdom came to his senses after hearing Zion's explanation. "How did she die?"

"She died of illness. Wisdom, I want to study medicine."

Zion had never ever felt more clear about what he wanted now.

"Medicine? That's my specialty. You'd better learn how to run a business. You'll inherit everything that belongs to the Ye Family in the future."

"Let's not joke about this. You shall inherit all these things while I'm going to study medicine. In fact, I've longed to study medicine for quite some time. It happened when Rita was in poor health and stayed in the hospital every day. Meanwhile, I was thinking that if I could alleviate her suffering by becoming a doctor. Now seeing that Granny Zhang had passed away because of illness, I'm afraid that mom or dad will also fall ill one day. What should I do then? I dare not put their lives in others' hands."

Zion's eyes became even more determined as he spoke.

Wisdom didn't think too much.

He knew clearly how his parents died, and he became Bettany's apprentice out of necessity. When he viewed Zion's circumstance, he said in a low voice, "Daddy and Mommy probably won't agree with your idea."

"It won't happen. Both of them love us so much. As long as we are happy, they'll be okay with anything. Besides, I also want to follow daddy and mommy to Nakasara." "Well, didn't they say that they were going to cure Mommy's throat?" "Granny Zhang's hometown is in Nakasara, so I want to go and have a look. She gave me a ring, but she didn't tell me about its purpose, I just want to check it out." Zion often had his own opinions and Wisdom didn't try to persuade him.

"Hurry up and pack your things. Even if you want to go with them, we'll have to return to Ocean City first."

"That's right!"

Zion quickly packed up his things and returned to Ocean City with Mango and the others.

By the time Thomas saw Nathaniel coming back, he was about to break down.

"Mr. Ye, I'm going to take a vacation! I'm exhausted! I'm running the whole HY Group. Now, I don't even have the time to send Rainie a text. I'll die young if I go on like this."

"Hold on for a while longer. I have to go back to Nakasara to deal with something. Let me succeed you when I'm back."

"What? Again?"

Thomas lay crumpled on the chair.

Nathaniel said with a serious look, "Nanny Zhang has passed away, and I'm gonna take her home."

Thomas was stunned at once.

He had grown up together with Nathaniel, so he certainly knew what Nanny Zhang meant to him. Moreover, Thomas knew very well about Nanny Zhang's identity too. "I'm sorry, Mr. Ye. Please accept my condolences."

Nathaniel patted his shoulder and said nothing.

Mango told him, "I leave the kids in your care then. We'll be back once we're done with our stuff."

"Has your throat recovered, Mrs. Ye?"

Thomas seemed delighted for her.

Mango smiled too.

"Nearly. It's been hard on you during this period of time. By the way, did Rainie contact you recently?"

"Not really, but I've seen her Instagram Stories. She's having a good time in Clayville."

Upon hearing Thomas's words, Mango was feeling relieved.

"Good to hear that."

Mango was against Zion following them, but Nathaniel didn't object.

"Well, bring him along. He needs to be exposed to the world."

Mango didn't know how to retort his words.

The bunch of them took a flight back to Nakasara again.

Mango has complicated feelings in her chest upon her return.

Nathaniel drove the car and brought along Mango and Zion to Nanny Zhang's hometown.

This place was uninhabited and had long been abandoned. Some of the existing houses had also collapsed.

Nathaniel looked at this place and he could not help but feel sentimental. This was the place where Nanny Zhang lived since her childhood.

"I want to buy this village."

He spoke faintly.

Mango understood what he meant and said in a low voice, "There's no one staying here anymore. I'm sure that the government will sell it to you. Shall I reach out to them?"

"Just find a place to stay first. I'll get contact with them."

Nathaniel had arranged for Mango and Zion to stay at the Pickwick Lodge Farm which was not far from the village. Meanwhile, he went to put in an application to the local officials to buy the plot of land. Mango knew that it was inevitable for Nathaniel to obtain it no matter how much it would cost him.

Zion was also very quiet along the way.

Mango looked at him and asked, "Why did you insist on coming? Did Nanny Zhang say something to you?"

"Nope, I just wanted to have a look."

Zion smiled lightly.

Mango noticed the way that Zion replied to her with a smile was even more mature and precocious. It made him harder to comprehend than in the past.

They inquired about Nanny Zhang's village at the Pickwick Lodge Farm.

"That village used to belong to a family of traditional medicine practitioners. Generally speaking, they would not intermarry with outsiders. No one knows who they offended, but all of them were gone in merely one night's time. Alas, this village has been abandoned for decades. What are you going to do with it? Generally, there are no traveling routes that pass by here."

Mango smiled but didn't answer.

Nathaniel brought back the approval of the government with him when he came back. Now the village entirely belonged to him.

Again, Mango and Zion followed Nathaniel back to the deserted village and found the ancestral temple.

The ancestral hall had not been maintained for years. It had collapsed long ago. The memorial tablets were still there, but they were already covered in dust and soil. Nathaniel took off his jacket and moved out those memorial tablets, cleaning them carefully.

When Zion saw Nathaniel doing this, he also crouched down to help.

Mango refused to lend a hand at first, but when she saw both the father and son were working in the blazing heat. She eventually sighed and squatted down to help.

It took them a whole morning to clean up all the memorial tablets.

"I'm going to ask someone to restore the ancestral temple and this village together."

Nathaniel whispered.

Mango looked at him and said, "Even if it was renovated and everything is done, how would people live here? Nathan, whether you believe it or not, this village is abandoned. Nanny Zhang can't see you even

if you do your best."

She knew that her words seemed very cruel, but it was the truth.

She also knew that Nathaniel felt guilty for Nanny

Zhang. He wished to make up for it, but this was all meaningless.

Nathaniel's face became increasingly embarrassed.

Zion suddenly said, "Eh? Why did everyone in this village share the same surname?"

Mango took a glance, only to discover that the surnames on the tablets were all Zhang.

"I've heard that people in the village were not married to the outside world, so they should be related by blood. It's no surprise that they all have the same surname."

"Oh, I see."

Zion nodded his head semi- understanding manner.

He paid no attention to the conversation between Mango and Nathaniel. He casually strolled around the surroundings and flipped over few collapsed houses.

Mango looked at everything around and said in a low voice, "I know how much you care for Nanny Zhang. Now that we've brought her back, let's find a place to bury her."

Nathaniel did not speak either.

He looked at the ancestral temple in a daze.

Mango did not disturb him. She knew that Nathaniel felt uneasy. Perhaps it would take some time for him to recover.

"Lemme take a look at Zion."

She stood up and walked in Zion's direction.

In the distance, Mango seemingly saw a jeep parked in front of Zion, and the person inside was talking to Zion.

Mango's heart was suddenly in her throat.

This place had already been abandoned. Who would come here?

Couldn't Zion be warier? Wasn't he afraid that the other party was a human trafficker?

Thinking of this, Mango quickly ran over.