Chapter 315 Bitterness

After the makeover, Zhang Yueran looked in the mirror again and again, feeling completely refreshed.

From inside the yard came her older sister's call: "Yueyue, get in the car!"

Zhang Yueran quickly grabbed her small handbag, pulled Xiaoman along, and ran outside.

Nan Zhiyi carefully locked the door and got into the passenger seat.

Half an hour later, the jeep stopped in front of a magnificent Soviet-style building with vermilion pillars and a tall gate.

Upon arriving at the banquet hall entrance, it was brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, adorned with large red silk flowers and brand-new red flags. Guests arrived in an endless stream, chatting and laughing.

Through the open, carved door, the spacious banquet hall was filled with bright crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, red carpets covering the floor, and rows of round tables covered with snow-white tablecloths, all neatly arranged. Cold dishes and wine glasses were already set on the tables, sparkling and reflecting the light.

"My God..." Zhang Yueran murmured subconsciously, clutching her small handbag tightly, "Sis, this...this is too much of a fuss, isn't it?"

Nan Zhiyi took Zhang Yueran's arm and patted it, "It's quite a grand occasion. We're just here for a meal and to share in the joy."

Zhang Yueran felt like she had found her pillar of support, and she leaned half her body against her sister, ignoring the cold stares from her fifth brother.

The four of them followed the flow of people into the welcoming area.

The place was even more lively. Qin Fen was wearing a crisp new military uniform with a big red silk flower pinned to his chest, looking very energetic.

Standing beside him was his bride, Li Xiaoxuan, dressed in a festive red dress, her hair styled in an updo adorned with red hair accessories, and a shy yet happy smile on her face.

The elders from both sides were also smiling and welcoming the guests.

Qin Fen saw them and, with Li Xiaoxuan in tow, came forward to greet them, "Old Gu, sister-in-law, you've finally arrived! Welcome, welcome!"

His gaze fell on Zhang Yueran, who was standing right next to Nan Zhiyi, and he greeted her warmly, "Zhang Yueran is here too, great, great!"

Gu Xiao shook hands with Qin Fen. "Congratulations, Lao Qin, you look great today." Then, he gestured to Xiao Man, who was looking around curiously. "Son, call him Uncle Qin and Aunt Li."

Xiaoman greets people sweetly.

Nan Zhiyi also smiled and offered her blessings: "Minister Qin, Comrade Li, congratulations on your marriage, may you live a long and happy life together."

Zhang Yueran quickly stepped forward, "Minister Qin, Comrade Li, congratulations! May you two grow old together in happiness!"

Li Xiaoxuan said in a friendly tone, "Thank you for coming, Zhang. Don't be shy, eat and drink well."

She then smiled at Nan Zhiyi and said, "Sister-in-law, please come in. The seats have all been arranged."

After exchanging pleasantries, someone came over to guide them, led them to their seats, and handed over their monetary gifts.

After sitting down, Zhang Yueran began to take in the sights of the distinguished guests around her, as well as the grand scene she had never witnessed before.

Gu Xiao said to Zhang Yueran in a low voice, "Yueyue, sit here for a while. I'll take your sister and Xiaoman to meet some elders and leaders, say hello, and then we'll be right back."

Zhang Yueran nodded obediently, "Okay, Fifth Brother, I'll wait for you here." She breathed a sigh of relief, no longer having to face those unfamiliar faces with their powerful auras.

She watched as Gu Xiao held Xiao Man's hand, who was looking around anxiously, with one hand, and with the other hand loosely around Nan Zhiyi's waist, protecting her as they walked through the crowd toward several distinguished elders and leaders.

Zhang Yueran withdrew her gaze, listlessly picked up a piece of hard candy from the fruit plate, unwrapped it, and popped it into her mouth, the sweet taste melting on her tongue.

She sipped the candy slowly, her gaze involuntarily following her sister's figure.

Just then, a slight commotion arose at the entrance of the banquet hall, as if someone's appearance had drawn attention.

Zhang Yueran subconsciously looked up.

Against the light streaming in from outside, a tall, slender figure slowly walked in.

The man was exceptionally handsome, with fair skin, dark eyebrows, a high nose bridge, and pale lips. Combined, he possessed an extremely refined and aloof appearance.

The moment he walked in, the surrounding laughter and festive music suddenly faded away in Zhang Yueran's ears, leaving only the sound of her own heart pounding, thumping like a drumbeat, pounding against her eardrums, making her fingertips go numb.

who is he?

The man wasn't keen on socializing; he simply nodded slightly in response to the guide before walking to a seat not far behind Zhang Yue and quietly taking his place.

The overhead light streamed down on him, outlining his profile and creating a soft halo around him.

In Zhang Yueran's eyes at this moment, the way he sat there quietly was so beautiful that it seemed unreal, unlike anyone else in this mortal world.

For some reason, seeing that figure sitting alone at the edge of the bustling crowd, Zhang Yueran felt a pang of sadness, her eyes welled up, and she even had an urge to cry.

She hurriedly lowered her head, blinked hard, and forced back the inexplicable dampness. The candy in her mouth seemed to have lost its sweetness, leaving only a slightly bitter and cool taste.

Zhang Yueran hung her head, her heart still pounding wildly.

She dared not look openly anymore, only daring to steal glances at the figure behind her from the corner of her eye.

My mind is a mess, like a ball of yarn, I can't make sense of it.

You might only see someone like that once in your life.

This thought made her nose tingle.

A nameless sadness and emptiness enveloped her. She didn't understand what was wrong with her, only that her chest felt extremely tight.

Just as she was feeling confused, she saw her fifth brother leading her older sister and Xiaoman toward the direction where the person was sitting.

Fifth Brother and Sister seemed to know the man, exchanging a few words briefly, while Xiaoman, held by Fifth Brother's hand, looked up at the unfamiliar uncle with curiosity.

They know each other? Does my sister know him?!

At this moment, Zhang Yueran was overwhelmed by a mix of emotions, and could barely sit still.

She had been waiting for her sister to come home for a long time, and she grabbed her sister's hand tightly. "Sister, who...who is that person?"

Nan Zhiyi looked in the direction she indicated and saw Zhou Xingzhi sitting quietly alone.

"His name is Zhou Xingzhi. He specializes in the antique furniture and collectibles business, and he's quite well-connected. That's about all I know."

Antique furniture collection...

Zhang Yueran silently repeated the word in her mind, feeling even more distant from her own world.

She opened her mouth, countless questions were on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them back down.

In what capacity did she ask this question? And why did she ask it?

She didn't even know what she wanted to know, and this confusion and helplessness made her even more flustered.

Nan Zhiyi noticed that something was wrong with her mood and squeezed her cold hand. "What's wrong, Yueyue? You seem distracted."

Zhang Yueran lowered her head, stammering, "It's nothing. It's just... he's really good-looking... when he came in just now, a lot of people were looking at him..."

Upon hearing this, Nan Zhiyi couldn't help but smile and whispered, "He is quite handsome. But, I think Fifth Brother is even better looking."

As she spoke, she secretly reached out and grabbed Gu Xiao's hand beside her.

Zhang Yueran thought to herself, "Fifth Brother is indeed strikingly handsome."

But... but that person is different.

She gave a muffled "hmm" and didn't say anything more, her heart filled with melancholy.