Yan Cheng quickly turned around, looking at the person slowly walking in from outside the door with a shocked expression.
"You...you're not..."
"What? Are you surprised to see me return unharmed?" Yan Jingzhou smiled coldly, took Gong Ning's hand, and walked in unhurriedly.
He stared intently at Yan Cheng, a sarcastic smile playing on his lips.
In just a few moments, Yan Jingzhou turned his head to look at Old Master Yan, his tone indifferent, but without the usual icy coldness and aloofness, "Dad, the birthday banquet will begin soon. Please change your clothes and attend today's banquet looking your best!"
Grandpa Yan was stunned for a moment, then his eyes flashed with a look of flattered surprise. He quickly stood up, leaning on his cane. "Oh, I'll go right now. Huai'an, come on, help me to the bedroom. We'll change our clothes!"
Watching the old man happily go upstairs, a complex emotion flickered in Yan Jingzhou's dark eyes, but it vanished in an instant.
Upon learning of his car accident and fall off a cliff, Old Master Yan suffered a relapse and fainted...
He was aware of the old man's concern, and he wasn't as cold and distant as he appeared on the surface, unmoved...
But some things, once they've happened, they've happened; the tragedy has already occurred. Can he really pretend that nothing happened?
“Jingzhou, listen to me,” Yan Cheng said with a hint of flattery, “I was just worried that the old man’s health wouldn’t be able to handle it. I didn’t mean anything by what I just said…”
Yan Jingzhou didn't even give him a faint glance, and took Gong Ning's small hand and went straight to the living room.
I sat on the sofa waiting for the old man.
This scene is strangely similar to the scene of waiting for the old man to go to Qingyan together.
However, Yan Jingzhou's state of mind underwent a silent change.
Yan Cheng's face darkened, and a feeling of embarrassment and anger at being ignored welled up inside him. His hands, hanging by his sides, clenched and unclenched.
After barely managing to suppress the anger in his heart, he forced a smile and said, "Well, Jingzhou, you wait for the old man. I'll go check on the hotel first, then I'll be leaving!"
After saying this, Yan Cheng turned and strode out.
Yan Jingzhou can ignore him.
But he can't...
Yan Cheng's resentment intensified, and he forced himself to walk out, suppressing his anger.
Yan Jingzhou gently squeezed the small hand he held in his palm, his eyes softening slightly. "Jiaojiao, all the Yan family relatives will be attending today's birthday banquet. I need to go to the airport in a bit. Once Grandpa is ready, you can go to the hotel with him. Can you... manage alone?"
"No," Gong Ning wrinkled her little nose, clinging to him like a little puppy, a mischievous glint in her clear black and white eyes, "I want you to take me wherever I go~"
Her obedient tone was particularly endearing, provided one ignored the barely suppressed excitement in the little girl's voice.
Judging from his tone, he might be trying to cause trouble for him again...
"Naughty!" The man gently pinched her delicate, upturned nose. "No pranks today. Just let Grandpa celebrate his birthday quietly. If you misbehave, I don't mind using special methods... to make you behave..."
When the man said the last few words, he suddenly lowered his voice, which was tinged with an ambiguous and inexplicable tone.
Gong Ning blushed, quickly stepped out of the man's arms, picked up a small fork, and squatted down in front of the coffee table to eat fruit.
He said nothing and didn't even look at Yan Jingzhou.
A gentle smile flickered in the man's eyes as he patted the girl's head. "Good girl!"
Then he got up...
——
The old man didn't like outsiders coming to Yan Garden, so he simply held the banquet at Chenyi Hotel.
The old man came downstairs dressed in a Tang suit. Perhaps he was in a good mood, as his spirits were high and he looked exceptionally radiant.
Gong Ning stood up and went to greet him, "Uncle Yan, shall we go?"
"good!"
Ji Chen, whose trip to Africa had finally come to an end, was waiting outside the door. When he saw Gong Ning come out, he quickly went up to her and said warmly, "Miss Gong, I'm back!"
Gong Ning was taken aback. She looked closely at the slightly dark-skinned man in front of her and asked uncertainly, "Are you Ji Chen?"
“Yes, Miss Gong, thank you so much,” Ji Chen said, her eyes brimming with tears. “For so many days, I was worried that the master had forgotten about me, but thankfully you remembered me…”
Gong Ning: "..."
Slightly awkwardly touching her nose, Gong Ning coughed lightly, "It's good that you're back. Be careful not to make the same mistake again next time. It's getting late, let's go!"
"good!"
...
Grandpa Yan's birthday banquet began amidst a cacophony of controversial voices.
The entrance to Chenyi Hotel was once again packed with people, as lively as the previous Qingyan event.
Any slight movement by the Yan family, a once exceptionally low-profile aristocratic clan, can cause quite a stir in this bustling Liangcheng.
The arrival of Grandpa Yan and Gong Ning caused the once lively banquet hall to fall silent for a moment, and then a large number of people gathered around.
They all congratulated the old man.
Surprised gazes involuntarily fell upon Gong Ning...
Wasn't it said that Yan Jingzhou and his fiancée are now missing, their fates unknown?
But Gong Ning is standing right here, perfectly fine...
Gong Ning's appearance put an end to everyone's desire to find out the old man's next move, and they decided to wait and see.
Gong Ning helped the old man up, smiled slightly at everyone, and quietly listened to their greetings.
A light pink dress accentuated her elegant and serene demeanor.
People around her, intentionally or unintentionally, focused their gazes on Gong Ning, their eyes filled with a hint of inexplicable meaning and inquiry.
People say that the future wife of the Yan clan chief is of ordinary background and not of any high status.
But this elegant and extraordinary demeanor doesn't seem like something a poor family could cultivate...
"Uncle Yan, I'm Feng Qing," a young girl greeted her sweetly and affectionately, handing over a long gift box and casually pushing Gong Ning aside. "Happy birthday! May you stay healthy and become more and more handsome!"
Gong Ning's lips curled slightly, seemingly unconcerned.
"Oh dear, look at you, girl," the old man said, his good mood still lingering from Yan Jingzhou's kind words earlier. "It's been a long time, Feng Qing has become even more beautiful. You must be nineteen this year, right?"
"Yes, Uncle Yan, I'm a sophomore this year!"
"Time flies! In my memory, you were still a little girl who always asked me for candy!"
Feng Qing gave a disgruntled, coquettish laugh, "Oh dear, Uncle Yan, this happened so many years ago, why are you bringing it up again!"
The old man sat on the sofa, tapping the floor with his cane with a hint of pleasure. In the blink of an eye, he saw Gong Ning carrying a fruit plate over. "Ning girl, don't bother. Come, sit next to your uncle and keep me company. Speaking of which, you and Feng Qing are about the same age, right? You two should have things to talk about!"
Feng Qing blinked, a hint of surprise in her eyes, and said, "Really? Then you're in college now, right? Are you a sophomore? Which college are you in? Maybe we're even alumni!"
Gong Ning smiled innocently, revealing two soft dimples on her cheeks. "I'm only a freshman in college."
Feng Qing's eyes flickered, a dark glint flashing in them...
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