Family banquet

In the afternoon, as expected, a top-notch team of stylists came to her door, bringing several high-end gowns for her to choose from.

Ultimately, it wasn't her choice; the stylist selected a light pink long dress, paired with appropriate jewelry.

She was nothing more than a puppet, manipulated by others.

In the evening, Chi Zhuo's car appeared downstairs at the apartment building on time.

The moment Chi Zhuo saw Lin Tingyue, he was momentarily dazed.

The woman before me was less glamorous than she usually was at banquets, but more gentle and quiet, which suited her status tonight.

"Let's go." Chi Zhuo's tone remained calm, as if the fleeting glance he had just given was merely an illusion, leaving no trace of emotion.

Lin Tingyue cooperated fully, nodding gently and following behind him, quietly playing her role as a pawn.

The atmosphere inside the car remained silent, but as Lin Tingyue thought about what happened yesterday, she couldn't help but secretly observe the man again. His profile was smooth, yet it gave off a chill.

Adhering to the principle of not offending him, Lin Tingyue withdrew her gaze, fearing that she would be lectured again.

From the moment she arrived here, she felt like she was walking a tightrope, as if she could fall into the abyss at any moment.

The Chi family's old residence is located in a low-key and tranquil garden in the west of the city. The architecture combines Chinese garden style with Western landscape design, and the front gate is decorated with a special flower garden, which adds a touch of gentleness without losing its solemnity.

The car drove through the gate and along the tree-lined path for a while before stopping at the main entrance of the mansion, where servants were already waiting on both sides of the road.

Upon entering the hall, Lin Tingyue carefully observed the design of the living room, and everyone on the sofa turned their attention to her.

Seated in the main seat was an elderly man with an imposing presence, his full head of silver hair neatly combed, holding a sandalwood cane in his hand. His sharp gaze was fixed on Lin Tingyue.

This is the patriarch of the Chi family, Chi Heng.

Sitting next to him was Su Jinghe, who had been to the apartment before, but she didn't look too good.

The other people sitting around looked like elders of the Chi family, and there was even a group of trendy-dressed younger people.

Lin Tingyue felt like a rabbit being herded into a cage and about to die, standing next to Chi Zhuo. The group of people in front of her didn't seem to be there for a party; they seemed to be there to devour her alive.

"Grandpa, Mom, Uncle, Second Uncle, Third Uncle."

Chi Zhuo greeted everyone respectfully yet distantly, his arm gently around Lin Tingyue's waist in a protective gesture, pulling her forward. "This is Tingyue."

Lin Tingyue also responded very politely, nodding and smiling quickly.

"Hello everyone."

She tried her best to bend over properly, so as not to give others any reason to find fault.

The people opposite her had different gazes, but what remained consistent was their comparison and contempt for her.

right.

Lin Tingyue could clearly sense the scrutinizing gazes from those uncles; it was a very perfunctory attitude.

After looking Lin Tingyue up and down, Chi Heng said in a loud voice, "Hmm, she's quite sensible. Sit down."

Chi Zhuo's mother, on the other hand, was indifferent and spoke much less than before.

Chi Zhuo's uncle was quite gentle. He quickly invited them to sit down and even took the initiative to talk to Lin Tingyue.

"Oh my, I've heard Xiao Zhuo say that she's a quiet girl. But seeing her today, she's really beautiful and a perfect match for Xiao Zhuo."

After we were seated, the servants served us tea and snacks.

Chi Heng took a sip of tea and smiled, "I heard the Lin family encountered some trouble recently. Has it all been resolved now?"

To the uninitiated, these words might have seemed like expressions of concern, but Lin Tingyue knew perfectly well that the old man was reminding her that the essence of this marriage was an exchange of interests.

Lin Tingyue's fingertips furrowed slightly, but a smile remained on her face.

"Thank you for your concern, Grandpa. Everything has been resolved, thanks to... Chi Zhuo." She called out Chi Zhuo's name somewhat awkwardly.

"It's good that it's resolved." Chi Heng turned to look at Chi Zhuo, his tone serious. "Now that the outside matter is resolved, we need to think about the child, Xiao Zhuo. Take it seriously. We must have a result within a year and a half at most."

Upon hearing this, everyone else in the living room fell silent instantly, exchanging glances, especially the young people who were secretly laughing to themselves.

Lin Tingyue felt even more helpless and embarrassed, and she subconsciously looked towards Chi Zhuo.

Chi Zhuo remained expressionless, slowly putting down his teacup, his voice steady yet carrying an undeniable power.

"Grandpa, I already talked to the family about the child last time. Tingyue is still young, and we have our own plans."

The old man's words were rejected on the spot, and at that moment, everyone fell silent.

Even those uncles looked like they were watching a good show.

Chi Heng hadn't expected Chi Zhuo to be so assertive, daring to refute him in public. His expression turned somewhat ugly, and his voice deepened.

"What plans? She's married into the Chi family to have children! Your mission is also to continue the Chi family line! Do you understand?"

“Grandpa.” Chi Zhuo’s expression was calm as he met the old man’s gaze. “My wife has the right to choose. Whether or not to have children, and when to have them, is a matter between my husband and me, so Grandpa need not worry about it.”

"Husband and wife?" Suddenly, a man with a round belly spoke up, "Hey, Xiao Zhuo, you got married so suddenly. You turned down a girl who was a good match for you and suddenly found someone like this. You really don't treat her like an outsider?"

"Third Uncle!"

Chi Zhuo's voice suddenly turned cold, the air pressure around him dropped, and his sharp eyes looked at the other person with a warning tone.

"Watch your words. Lin Tingyue is now my legal wife and a member of the Chi family. If you go against her, you are going against me and the Chi family."

His voice was not loud, but every word was forceful and carried an absolute authority and oppression that made others feel somewhat intimidated.

His third uncle was also frightened by his warning and then stopped talking about it.

Everyone was somewhat shocked by Chi Zhuo's current attitude.

Lin Tingyue was also frightened. She had never seen Chi Zhuo so angry before. She rarely even saw Chi Zhuo's emotional changes. Today was quite an eye-opener for her.

She kept her head down, not daring to think too deeply about whether today's performance was a deliberate act by Chi Zhuo, or truly because of her identity, or perhaps because of her.

Lin Tingyue dared not think about it in detail, much less have such a thought.

Chi Heng gave Chi Zhuo a deep look, his eyes filled with complex emotions. He tried to discern something from Chi Zhuo's face, but in the end, he simply snorted and changed the subject.

The atmosphere wasn't particularly lively for the rest of the time, but it maintained a superficial peace, and the other people were much more friendly than when they first entered.

Lin Tingyue was pulled to the table of the younger generation. Listening to everyone chattering and asking her to tell her story of getting her marriage certificate, she didn't dare to say much and only mentioned some simple things. Even so, she was still admired by those people.

In these people's eyes, Chi Zhuo was an unapproachable block of ice.

Lin Tingyue must have something special to be able to be protected by him like this.

But after asking around for a few minutes, Lin Tingyue didn't dare to talk about how the two of them usually got along, and could only make up some nonsense.

"He's quite considerate."

"Really?"

Every word she spoke was met with skepticism and intense curiosity.

Lin Tingyue glanced at Chi Zhuo, who was still talking to the old man, and then quietly chatted with him about gossip for a while.

"Yes, she opens the door when we get in the car, holds our hands when we get out, and always speaks softly and gently."

One of the girls blinked and asked curiously, "Sister-in-law, are you sure you're talking about my brother Zhuo?"

After she finished speaking, she even secretly glanced at Chi Zhuo before continuing to add to her statement.

"It feels like what you're saying, sister-in-law, is different from what we've actually seen."

Lin Tingyue forced a smile, thinking to herself, "That's a lie, she's talking nonsense."

"That's why he defended me so much just now, you all saw it, right?"

"really!"

Now that this is said, everyone seems to feel that Lin Tingyue wasn't lying.

After the conversation ended, Lin Tingyue was still chatting with them when she suddenly heard someone talking to her from behind.

Are you tired?

Lin Tingyue froze on the spot for a moment, feeling guilty as if she had been caught doing something wrong.

She turned her head and saw Chi Zhuo; everyone else stared at the two of them in shock.

Lin Tingyue answered weakly, "It's okay."

After she finished speaking, Chi Zhuo took her hand and helped her up from the chair. "Let's go eat."

Lin Tingyue smiled slightly and waved to the others. Everyone believed what Lin Tingyue had said earlier.

Chi Zhuo truly cares about her!

On the way back, Lin Tingyue fell silent, her mind filled with a recollection of the day's events.

She even wondered if Chi Zhuo might truly have feelings for her...

She secretly glanced at the man beside her, increasingly convinced that her suspicions were correct.

Suddenly, Chi Zhuo spoke.

"You don't need to take what I said today to heart."

Lin Tingyue turned her head and looked at the other person with a puzzled expression.

Which words? Were they Chi Zhuo defending her, or were they slanders from the Chi family members?

Chi Zhuo didn't explain, and Lin Tingyue didn't dare to ask further, afraid of hearing something she didn't particularly want to hear.

She mustered her courage and looked at him, "Why did you talk back to your grandfather and your third uncle like that today? Actually, I could have accepted it if they had scolded me..."

Chi Zhuo glanced at her sideways, his eyes deep and unfathomable. "Lin Tingyue, have you forgotten what I said again?"

Lin Tingyue paused for a moment, then thought about it carefully. Chi Zhuo had said too much, and she didn't know which sentence he was referring to at the moment.

Seeing her silence, Chi Zhuo moved closer to her side again.

“You are not just yourself now, you are also my wife, Chi Zhuo.”

Feeling the oppressive aura emanating from Chi Zhuo as he suddenly leaned closer, Lin Tingyue felt a little breathless and subconsciously moved her body back a bit.

But the next second, Chi Zhuo lifted her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. The two were now less than two fingers apart.

Did you hear what I said?

Lin Tingyue's waist was a little tired, but she dared not move. She stared at Chi Zhuo's stunningly beautiful face, and for a moment she was somewhat infatuated.