Chapter 16 [First Update]
Su Ruyi glanced at it once and then looked away.
The palpitation lasted only a moment; the heart pounded rapidly for a short time before gradually calming down.
As a heterosexual, it's perfectly normal to have a reaction when you suddenly see a man who is outstanding in appearance, has excellent temperament, and fits your aesthetic standards.
Su Ruyi didn't find anything special about it, and it was far from being something that would last a lifetime.
This wasn't the first time Su Ruyi had felt this way. There are countless moments of excitement in a person's life, but this kind of excitement doesn't count as love; at most, it's just a slight interest in the other person.
Su Ruyi wasn't really a teenage girl; she lacked the innocence of a young girl and quickly recovered her composure.
This must be the male lead. The people who entered were all outstanding, but he still stood out.
In the original text, it's not surprising that Su Ruyi would fall for such an outstanding man.
Although Su Ruyi didn't think she was the type of person who would fall in love at first sight and then become obsessed with love.
Even in her most innocent and carefree teenage years, she didn't act recklessly.
For the sake of the Zhang family's power and money, Su Ruyi didn't consider herself such a materialistic person.
Although Su Ruyi's experiences differed between the two lifetimes, there were bound to be some differences in the details.
Although Su Ruyi is very poor in this life in her current opinion, that is in comparison to her memories of the previous life. In fact, Su Ruyi has never had any worries about money in this life.
Su Ying has always done her best to provide Su Ruyi with the best she can, which has made Su Ruyi one of the better off among her peers.
Beyond economics, Su Ying brought Su Ruyi the most spiritual enrichment, making Su Ruyi confident and optimistic from a young age.
Even when faced with the allure of big cities, they may be tempted and corrupted.
But Su Ruyi felt that her true nature was there, and she wouldn't easily become vain.
Moreover, she has Grandpa Zhang as her support, which is completely different from ordinary rural girls who drift alone in the glitz and glamour.
Many thoughts flashed through Su Ruyi's mind, but in reality, they only lasted for a moment.
If you weren't paying attention, no one might have noticed that she had given that man a serious look.
Old Master Zhang also heard the sneer, and his face instantly darkened as he glared at the person who had spoken.
Zhang Wenying was completely unaware, and when she walked in, she was still scrutinizing Su Ruyi with a critical gaze.
"Dad, I heard we have a guest. Could this be him?"
Zhang Wenying's tone was contemptuous, looking at Su Ruyi as if she were a poor relative begging for money.
The man next to Zhang Wenying quickly pulled her aside, shook his head at her with disapproval, and then explained to Old Master Zhang:
"Dad, Wenying just came back from abroad and is still jet-lagged."
Zhang Wenying pursed her lips, looking indifferent, but seeing that the old man's expression was not good, she didn't say anything more. However, she didn't pay any attention to Su Ruyi and went straight to the sofa to sit down.
Grandpa Zhang stopped her with his cane, saying, "What are you doing back here?"
Zhang Wenying was stunned, then said angrily, "Dad, this is my home, why can't I come back!"
Zhang Wenying felt extremely wronged that the old man was so disrespectful in front of so many people.
"What did I tell you last time?"
"Alright, I have important guests here today, and I don't want to listen to your nonsense."
Grandpa Zhang pulled Su Ruyi to sit down next to him, his voice strong enough for everyone present to hear clearly.
"This is Su Ruyi. She is my savior and is just as important as me in this family."
The room fell silent immediately. Her words, spoken with such ease, made everyone re-evaluate Su Ruyi.
Although everyone knew about the old man's past experiences, they didn't take it too seriously.
It was just a little help when the old man was at his lowest point; people like that would be extremely grateful for a little money.
Moreover, they had already lent a helping hand before, so there had been a reciprocal exchange.
I never expected the old man to value her so much, actually comparing a little girl to himself.
Grandpa Zhang's sharp gaze swept over everyone present, expressing his seriousness about the matter and that he was not just making things up.
Zhang Wenying was very angry, but she still nodded.
The tall, handsome man looked at Su Ruyi and gave her a gentle, friendly smile:
"Hello, I am Zhang Qingfeng. I have heard about you from my grandfather before. My grandfather and our family are very happy that you can come."
Zhang Qingfeng, the eldest son and grandson of Old Master Zhang, is also the male protagonist of the original story.
Compared to the others, he was clearly more imposing and stood out from the crowd.
Unlike the typical domineering CEOs or male protagonists in period novels who are unruly and arrogant, he is as warm and gentle as a spring breeze, like an older brother.
However, this might be because he only shows his soft side in front of his family. Su Ruyi could sense that beneath his humble and polite exterior lay a sharp edge and a strong ambition.
Su Ruyi didn't think there was anything wrong with having such a personality; on the contrary, she admired such people.
Only those with such strong willpower have the energy to venture out and build their own careers.
Su Ruyi just couldn't understand how such a person could be controlled by her clumsy methods.
Could it be that the author forced him to become less intelligent because he was controlled by the plot?
But Su Ruyi increasingly felt that this was not a book, but the real world, which could not be controlled by the author with just a pen.
"Hello."
Su Ruyi smiled and greeted him generously.
When the other party shows goodwill, she won't deliberately be indifferent to avoid it. Isn't that telling everyone, 'You are very special to me?'
Zhang Qingfeng didn't show anything unusual, and pointed to the girl next to him, saying:
"If you need anything, just tell my sister Qingxue. She's only two years older than you, so you should have a lot in common."
Zhang Qingxue rolled her eyes inwardly. What common ground could she possibly have with a country girl? If her girlfriends knew, they'd laugh themselves to death.
However, she didn't show it on her face, and sat down on the other side of Old Master Zhang, smiling kindly:
"Yes, don't be so polite with me. You can come to me if you need anything. Grandpa, don't worry, I will take good care of Ruyi and this other girl."
Zhang Qingfeng didn't forget Wang Huiting beside Su Ruyi either. Everyone on the field focused their attention on Su Ruyi and completely ignored Wang Huiting beside her.
Zhang Wenying didn't even glance at her. She didn't even care about Su Ruyi, let alone Wang Huiting, who was completely unrelated to her.
Wang Huiting wasn't upset by everyone ignoring her. She usually loved to show off, but she knew very well that it wasn't her place here. Besides, she was afraid of losing face in front of these people. It was fine for her to be alone, but it wouldn't be good if her sister got dragged into it.
Everything about the Zhang family had a huge impact on her; she hasn't recovered yet.
Zhang Qingyun, who was also invisible, wanted to say something but couldn't get a word in edgewise, so she didn't force her way in and instead looked at Wang Huiting.
Wang Huiting felt it almost instantly. She subconsciously turned her head, and the other person smiled at her. She smiled back at the other person.
Grandpa Zhang had four children: three sons and one daughter. Zhang Qingfeng's father was the eldest son, Zhang Wenzhi; Zhang Qingyun's father was the second son, Zhang Wenbo; the third son, Zhang Wentao, and his family had not yet arrived; and Zhang Wenying was the youngest daughter.
Mr. Zhang also had an adopted son whom he valued highly, but he has now passed away. His son, Li Mingzhe, should now be managing Mr. Zhang's company.
Su Ruyi remembered him clearly because he was an important male supporting character in the original story. Relying on the old man's trust, he secretly sabotaged the male lead, poached employees from the company, and later even started his own business to compete head-on with the male lead and seize market share.
In the original story, Li Mingzhe also seems to have a relationship with Su Ruyi, since Su Ruyi is always an enemy of the male protagonist.
Normally, only Grandpa Zhang lives in the old house; his children all have their own homes elsewhere and do not live together.
Grandpa Zhang didn't notify everyone to come; they came on their own after hearing the news. The Zhang family has quite a few children: three in the eldest branch, two in the second branch, four in the third branch, and Zhang Wenying also has a daughter. And that's not all.
Seeing that everyone's attitude towards Su Ruyi was relatively friendly, Old Master Zhang's expression improved.
He was fairly satisfied with Zhang Qingfeng's sensible attitude, and his manner of speaking to him became much gentler.
"There's so much going on at the company, you don't need to rush back."
Zhang Qingfeng smiled and said, "I happen to have a document that needs your signature, so I simply called Qingxue along. I thought it would be easier for girls to talk to each other. There are some things that Ruyi can't mention to you, but she can tell Qingxue. It will also prevent us from not recognizing each other if we meet on the road."
Grandpa Zhang nodded in satisfaction and said to Su Ruyi:
"This is your home, please don't be shy. I'll call the children over later so they can all get to know you."
Su Ruyi: "Grandpa Zhang, there's no need for such trouble. It's enough that I know you. I came here just to visit you."
Grandpa Zhang laughed and said, "That won't do. I still remember our agreement. You didn't just throw my pen away, did you?"
"It's gone, it's all gone."
Grandpa Zhang tapped her head with his finger: "You're making fun of this old man again."
Apart from Wang Huiting, everyone else present was stunned. This was the first time they had ever seen the old man be so affectionate towards a younger generation.
In their eyes, the old man had always been a very serious person. He was not close to his sons, daughters, or grandchildren, and he never teased children.
This was the first time they had ever seen the old man interact with people like this.
"It's really lost. You know me; nothing stays in my hands for more than a few days. So let's just let bygones be bygones."
Grandpa Zhang glanced at her sideways, completely unmoved by her charm.
"So what if it's lost? I have plenty of fountain pens anyway, I'll give you another stack."
Su Ruyi gasped, "Grandpa Zhang, are you trying to make me make a mistake?"
A pen represents a marriage contract; how many times is she going to get married?
"Hmph, don't try to play tricks on me."
"Grandpa Zhang, you're so old-fashioned." Su Ruyi looked disgusted, but couldn't help wanting to put her hands on her hips and try to reason with him.
"What era are we living in? That kind of thinking isn't popular anymore. Haven't you seen the TV dramas these days? They're all about breaking free from feudal shackles and having freedom that's higher than the sky."
Zhang Wenying's face was ashen: "How dare you, a little girl, speak to my father like that..."
Grandpa Zhang glared at her and interrupted, "Ruyi is talking to me, what business is it of yours! Go away, don't disturb my conversation with Ruyi."
He wasn't angry at Su Ruyi for her disrespectful behavior, but he felt like beating or killing her for just saying the wrong thing.
Grandpa Zhang found the group of people around him annoying, so he sent them away and pulled Su Ruyi aside for a private chat.
Wang Huiting felt it wasn't appropriate for her to stay. Old Master Zhang and Su Ruyi hadn't seen each other for so long, they must have a lot to talk about, so she took the initiative to ask to leave as well.
Su Ruyi hesitated, and Wang Huiting said, "Sister, don't worry about me. I also want to see the world on my own."
As she spoke, she looked at Zhang Qingyun and asked, "Can I call you Yunyun? Can we play together?"
That one glance made Wang Huiting feel that she could get along well with Zhang Qingyun.
Sure enough, Zhang Qingyun's eyes lit up: "Great! Let's look around together. You call me Qingyun, and I'll call you Tingting, okay?"
Zhang Qingyun felt very uncomfortable in the old house. She had never been good at handling such situations, and now that she was all alone in the house, she felt even more helpless.
Now that someone is with her, she's overjoyed.
The two little girls skipped and hopped off to play together, while the others watched the old woman and the little girl interact intimately, each with their own thoughts.
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