"Uncle, this is it."
Meng Zhilian turned his head toward the source of the sound and saw Ji Sheng leading a middle-aged man toward them.
"I didn't expect Ji Sheng to come too. Do you know him?" Meng Zhiyuan followed Meng Zhilian's gaze.
"We've met once or twice, but we're not close." When Ji Sheng came to the Meng family to help out before, the two brothers weren't there. However, Meng Zhiyuan met Ji Sheng once later when the shop was being renovated.
Ji Sheng walked over with Lan's father and naturally saw Meng Zhilian as well. Without any attempt to hide, Ji Sheng held his head high like a victor.
"Did you give Meng Wan's tickets?"
"Mr. Ji," the two brothers greeted.
"Xiao Sheng, who are these two?" Lan Zhenxie asked at the right moment, his tone gentle.
“Uncle, these two are Meng Wan’s eldest and third brothers. This is Lan Xing’s father.”
Out of politeness, the two brothers stood up and shook hands with him.
"Hello, Mr. Lan, I am Meng Zhiyuan."
"Meng Zhilian".
"Well, so you're Meng Wan's biological brothers. You're both very handsome. Wanwan is quite an amazing child; you must treat her well." Perhaps surprised to run into Meng Wan's family at the sports meet, Lan Zhenxie seemed quite excited.
“Our Lan Xing is so lucky to have Wan Wan. She can run her own business now. We used to be worried that she would squander the family fortune, but now… we’re worried that she won’t inherit the family fortune.” Meng Zhiyuan was unaware of these things, but Meng Zhilian knew that Lan’s father was talking about Lan Xing opening a small tavern.
However, judging from his expression, the two brothers knew that he wasn't hiding anything, but simply praising Meng Wan and showing off his daughter's competence.
Not knowing what to say, the two could only force a smile.
"Uncle, let's sit down first. There are other people coming up."
"That's true." Mr. Lan nodded to the two of them and sat down in the next seat. Coincidentally, Ji Sheng and Meng Zhilian sat side by side.
“In previous years, Lanxing would give me the tickets and keep one for her father, while Meng Wan would just throw them away. I didn’t expect that this year she would give them to you. It seems that you are getting along well?” Ji Sheng spoke to Meng Zhilian in a voice that only the two of them could hear.
Meng Zhilian knew his little scheme. He could have just mentioned Meng Wan, but he insisted on bringing up Lan Xing, simply to show off.
"Yes." He wasn't in the mood to talk to Ji Sheng and gave a curt reply.
Having achieved his goal, Ji Sheng naturally didn't say anything more. He turned to talk to Lan's father, holding a telescope and looking down at the audience, searching for Lan Xing's figure.
"Is that Wanwan?" Meng Zhiyuan patted Meng Zhilian on the shoulder. The latter snapped out of his daze, raised his camera, zoomed in, locked the focus, and snapped a few pictures.
In Country Y, Tang Qi rubbed his temples. Beside him sat a cup of coffee and an iPad. The iPad was lit up, displaying a live broadcast of the sports meet. Tang Qi set the iPad aside, focusing on his official duties while waiting for the official start of the games.
It has been like this for nine years.
The camera was steady, following Meng Wan's every move. In the shot, she wore a neat high ponytail and a vibrant T-shirt, yet her face remained calm and composed. Holding a sign, she stood at the front of the class, without makeup, yet her beauty was captivating.
Time rewinds at the speed of light; that year, Tang Wan had just started elementary school and was only 7 years old.
"She hangs out with that brat next door all day, and she still knows how to come home for dinner? Aunt Liu, if she doesn't come home by the time next time, just throw the food away." Tang Qi's tone was indifferent, with no discernible emotion.
"Young Master..." Aunt Liu felt a little reluctant.
"Any objections?" Tang Qi elegantly wiped his mouth and glanced at Aunt Liu indifferently.
Aunt Liu shrank back, not daring to speak, and stood respectfully to the side with her head down.
However, Xiao Tangwan ignored Tang Qi's warning and stood beside him with her schoolbag in her arms.
"What? Begging for mercy?"
Tang Qi looked at Tang Wan, who glared at him with her cheeks puffed out.
"I'm stuffed!"
"If you won't eat your own chefs but eat other people's, then get rid of all those chefs tomorrow." Tang Qi raised an eyebrow, already displaying the air of a superior at such a young age.
Tang Wan glared at him with even wider eyes, looking like she wanted to fight him.
Tang Qi sneered; he wanted to see what this little girl was up to. The two remained locked in a stalemate until Tang Wan, with lightning speed, pulled something from her bag, shoved it at him, and ran off.
Tang Qi was stunned for a moment. Only after hearing the sound of the door closing upstairs did he slowly unfold the crumpled paper ball, which looked rather pathetic.
It was a notice inviting students' parents to the school to watch the sports meet.
Tang Qi read the paper word by word, then chuckled. Contrary to his disdainful expression, he carefully folded the paper and put it in his pocket, his movements revealing a hint of caution.
Aunt Liu saw it all but didn't dare say anything. She didn't know what was written on the paper, but she could sense that the young master's mood had improved, completely unlike the gloomy atmosphere he had when he was eating alone earlier.
In the following days, Xiao Tangwan obediently went home for dinner, but the two still didn't say much to each other.
Finally, the sports meet arrived.
"Wanwan, the teacher is calling us to line up." Xiao Yannian came out to find Xiao Tangwan, but saw her looking in the direction of the parents' area on the playground.
"Yes, I'm here." A slightly childish voice said as the person walked over, still staring towards the playground.
Xiao Yan Nian smiled and took Xiao Tang Wan's hand.
"I didn't see Tang Qi." Anyone could hear the displeasure in Xiao Tang Wan's voice.
"With so many people, it's normal not to see him. Maybe he's inside." Although the parents' area is seated by class, there are no assigned seats.
"But I saw Uncle Yan and Aunt Jiang." Little Tang Wan pouted so much her lips could hang an oil bottle.
Their kindergarten doesn't have sports meets, because they're afraid the children might fall and the kindergarten wouldn't be able to afford to compensate them.
So, this was Tang Wan's first sports meet. Although she didn't say anything, she was secretly looking forward to it.
She called her parents, who said they had to go on a business trip and couldn't attend, suggesting that Butler Chen come instead. But she didn't want Butler Chen to come...
Led by Xiao Yannian, she turned her head back, unwilling to give up, wanting to take one more look and confirm it again.
Seeing this, Xiao Yannian simply stopped. The two held hands tightly, staring intently at the heads of people in the parents' area, looking at each one again and again, until finally being led back by the teacher, but they still hadn't seen the person they wanted to see.
Not only at the beginning, but also in the middle and at the end... Tang Qi never appeared.
When Xiao Tang Wan returned home and found Tang Qi there, she was overwhelmed with resentment. Ignoring Aunt Liu's attempts to stop her, Xiao Tang Wan rushed to Tang Qi's door and pounded on it repeatedly.
"Tang Qi, open the door!"
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