Chapter 30: Helping you with your engagement banquet.

Li Zhan naturally didn't get to drink the soup.

He didn't go home.

Sheng Man and Li Kaiji made more than a dozen calls, but in the end, the other end simply turned off the phone.

Despite the embarrassment of the two elders, Jing Ge remained unmoved and finished off the plate of sweet and sour pork ribs with Li Ying.

"Aunt Man, I want to eat it again next time."

"..." Sheng Man was both amused and exasperated. "Then tell Aunt Man, what's going on between you and Li Zhan?"

Thinking it would make it easier for them to talk, Li Kaiji offered to take Li Ying out for a walk.

The little girl said in a clear voice, "I want to know too."

“What do you know?” Sheng Man shooed her away. “I need to talk to your older sister.”

Li Ying: "I also want to say that."

Sheng Man: "Will you get 12 points on this monthly exam?"

Li Ying was furious: "I'm leaving! What's the point of mentioning grades!"

Jing Ge paused for a moment, then asked, "What score did she get on the last test?"

Sheng Man: "10 points."

"..." Jing Ge remained silent for a long time before finally managing to say, "How about... forget it, as long as she's happy."

Sheng Man sighed, "I wonder if the Li family's intelligence genes stop with your uncle."

Jing Ge: "Yingying has many paths to take."

Sheng Man looked at her with a complicated expression: "Are you blaming your dad and your grandma?"

That's a pretty sharp question.

Jing's father and grandmother are forcing her to abide by the marriage agreement. If Jing Ge has any complaints, it would be tantamount to her disliking the Li family.

What right does she have to look down on it?

“No,” Jing Ge replied politely, using the foolproof formula, “As long as Li Zhan doesn’t feel wronged.”

"..." Sheng Man sighed inwardly. The carefree little girl had been battered by life and turned into a sensitive person. "Aunt Man still thinks there is a certain information gap between the two of you. It would be better if you just talked things out."

They could all see that the two children had a good relationship.

Even if we were young then and didn't have romantic feelings for each other, it wouldn't be like this today, where we're in such a state of turmoil whether we see each other or not.

“Aunt Man,” Jing Ge thought for a moment, “actually, the engagement is very unfair to Li Zhan. The Jing family can't help him, and I'm not the person he likes…”

Upon hearing this, Sheng Man frowned and interrupted, "Who said that?"

Jing Ge: "What?"

Sheng Man: "Who said you're not the person he likes?"

Jing Ge said earnestly, "I sensed it; he likes that kind of bright and vibrant..."

Before she could finish speaking, Sheng Man couldn't help but recall the incident where Li Zhan was encountered by Li Mushi in the mall and then thrown into the artificial lake.

That girl was the bright and beautiful type.

Will Jing Ge find out about this?

Sheng Man felt guilty about this: "The rumors might not be true. The things locked in his bedroom closet are all gifts you gave him..."

"Rumors?" Jing Ge looked at her. "They've reached your ears?"

"......"

no.

How many did that brat actually get?

Seemingly having a brain fart with her, Jingge subconsciously asked, "How many has he dated?"

Sheng Man: "".

broken.

Judging from Jingge's reaction, he was probably caught before.

“But it’s okay, Aunt Man,” Jing Ge said, his expression unreadable. “Fan Mingjie and the others have already talked to more than a dozen people. Li Zhan feels wronged to be tied to me, so let him have his fun.”

"What are you talking about!" Sheng Man exclaimed anxiously, "He wouldn't dare..."

Jingge didn't want to talk anymore: "Aunt Man, I should go see my grandparents."

"......"

Grandpa Li and Grandma Li do not live with their younger relatives. The elderly couple lives alone in the retirement home, where they usually drink tea and play chess with their retired colleagues, living a carefree and leisurely life.

Jingge thought that since she chose a time after dinner, there wouldn't be many people around at the two elders' place.

She has a bit of a phobia of elders.

Unexpectedly, the old man's living room was full of people.

They were all elders.

To my surprise, Li Mushi was also there.

She had just sworn during the day that she would avoid him for a while.

Jingge made a face, stood between the two rows of elders, and forced a smile: "Happy New Year, Grandpa and Grandma! Happy New Year, Uncle and Aunt, you're back! Happy New Year, Cousins ​​and Aunt! Happy New Year, Grandpa Zhang! Happy Grandma Wang!"

Finally, Jingge said weakly, "Happy New Year, Uncle."

The old lady couldn't stop laughing: "Alright, alright, luckily you have a good memory. If it were that kid Li Zhan, I would have just said 'Happy New Year to everyone' to get rid of him."

Li Yingguo, who rarely returns, asked kindly, "Where's Li Zhan? Why didn't he come with you?"

“He has evening self-study sessions,” Jing Ge lied without batting an eye, “Studying is important.”

Li Mushi glanced at her indifferently.

Jing Ge: "......"

What are you looking at?!

“That can’t be right, girl,” Aunt Wu Qiuzhi teased. “We called him just before we came back and told him he was having a reunion with his classmates.”

Jing Ge: "......"

Li Mushi glanced at her again.

Sure enough, he would never give someone a look for no reason.

This was clearly a reminder that everyone already knew where Li Zhan was.

Jingge stammered, "Is...is that so? He...he dared to lie to me. Tomorrow I'll scratch his face to smithereens..."

A group of people burst into laughter.

Jingge blushed deeply.

I'm looking for an excuse to leave.

"Alright, stop teasing her, you bunch of old folks," the old lady said, wiping away her tears with a smile. "Now it's time to give her a red envelope."

Jing Ge quickly waved his hand, "No need, no need..."

The old lady left no room for refusal: "Yes, if Li Zhan hadn't come, your grandfather and I would never have let him off the hook."

Jingge received a bunch of red envelopes.

There was also Li Mushi.

Jingge wanted to say that he didn't need it, since they had already folded them into physical objects before the New Year.

Li Mushi, with a calm expression, placed the red envelope on top of the pile of red envelopes.

The old lady said, "Sit down and chat with us."

"..." Jing Ge swallowed back the words "Then I'll go back first" that were about to come out of his mouth.

The nanny brought in a chair.

Under the pressure of the elders, Jing Ge took the chair first and then found an empty seat next to Li Mushi.

At least I can catch my breath.

The elders chatted about their own topics.

Jing Ge reached into the fruit plate and took a strawberry.

Next to the fruit platter was Li Mushi's teacup. Jing Ge's loosely undone cuffs brushed against the teacup.

Jingge's cuffs were damp with tea, and he paused, then withdrew his hand like a little rabbit.

Pretend nothing happened.

Anyway, Li Mushi was focused on listening to others, so he might not have seen it.

The next second, the man's gaze remained fixed on the elder who was speaking, but his hands, as if equipped with a tracking device, switched the fruit plate and teacup.

Place the fruit platter next to her.

The strawberries, exuding a refreshing fruity aroma, looked rosy and fresh under the light.

Jing Ge glanced at the youngest elder in the hall, then quietly touched the largest and reddest strawberry.

Having just taken a bite, Li Yingguo suddenly asked, "What's your opinion, Princess?"

Jingge held the strawberry to her lips: "Huh?"

She didn't listen.

"It's Li Zhan's birthday," Li Mushi said calmly, turning his head away. "I'll help you with your engagement banquet."

"......"

The old man and woman both agreed: "We'll give the betrothal gifts when we get engaged, and then we'll get married two years later. It'll be a good time for the family to have some happy events."

Jingge didn't know how to answer.

The red strawberries reflected the girl's bewildered face.

Li Mushi withdrew his gaze and said to everyone, "Let's talk about it later. Let's catch your precious grandson first before discussing this matter."