Lunch was served in the large dining room of Miting Courtyard, and the table was filled with members of the Pei family.
Pei Yu, Pei Huan, and Pei Sui went to the banquet hall before the meal started and returned about half an hour later.
After they were seated, the old lady sitting in the head seat spoke up, "Everyone, please start eating."
After saying that, she reached out and touched the fish in front of her. Seeing that she had touched it, the others at the table began to pick up their food one by one.
The dishes served here by the old lady were not from the funeral banquet menu; they were all prepared by the kitchen of Mitingyuan.
There were more than twenty dishes, each one a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate, made with the finest ingredients.
Meng Sheng quite likes to eat crabs, but picking out the crab meat is a very troublesome thing. Fortunately, there was a maid helping her pick out the meat today, so she ate one.
After they had eaten their fill, the old lady and the other elders moved to the sofa in the living room to sit down, while Pei Yu and his two siblings, along with their uncle, went to the fifth courtyard to see the guests off.
Meng Sheng and Cen Jin stayed in the fourth courtyard to chat with the old lady and the others.
When they started discussing the cremation and burial arrangements for tomorrow, Meng Sheng and Cen Jin remained silent, as they, as semi-outsiders, had no say in such matters.
After most of the guests had left, Pei Yu and Pei Sui returned first.
Just then, Cen Jin's phone rang. She looked at Pei Yu, and seeing that Pei Yu nodded, she said "sorry" to the old lady and the other elders before going out to answer the call.
A few minutes later, Cen Jin returned and exchanged a glance with Pei Yu. Pei Yu stood up and took the initiative to speak, "Grandma, A-Jin has other things to do this afternoon."
The old lady nodded, looking at Cen Jin with a kind expression, though her tone carried a hint of regret. "Go ahead and do what you need to do. There are no outsiders here. Sigh, it's just not the right time. Otherwise, I would have A-Yu show you around the house. There are several nice spots, and A-Yu's courtyard is quite nice too. Come over and visit next time you have time. I'm not just being polite."
Cen Jin nodded respectfully, "Please put it down, I will come."
The old lady smiled and said, "I know you and Ayu are both workaholics, but work is work, so you must take care of your health, don't overwork yourself, and eat and sleep on time."
Cen Jin could tell that the old lady's words were not just polite talk, but that she genuinely cared about her.
Her voice softened, "Yes, I know, Grandma too, take care of yourself."
The old lady smiled and agreed, then said, "Hey, Ayu, why don't you see Ajin off?"
Pei Yu gave a soft "hmm" and looked at Cen Jin, "Let's go."
Cen Jin nodded, greeted everyone else in the living room, and then left the house with Pei Yu, stepping into the courtyard.
The old lady turned her gaze back to Meng Sheng, who had been mostly silent. They were now discussing how to announce the matter to the public after the funeral.
Cui Xueheng's death was sudden, and there must have been some speculation from the outside world.
Rather than having conflicting opinions and no definitive conclusion, becoming fodder for gossip, it would be better for the Pei family to give a direct explanation.
The Pei family had no objection to this.
When everyone learned that Du Ping had poisoned Cui Xueheng, they were shocked and surprised. However, they sent the younger members of the family away, for fear that they might say something they shouldn't.
No one expected Du Ping to poison anyone, and no one understood why she would do so.
Pei Rong and Nie Fang subconsciously looked at Pei Huan, their brows furrowing.
Pei Huan lowered her eyes and said nothing, but her heart felt like it had been torn open, filled not only with a raging storm but also with thunder and lightning.
Meng Sheng couldn't get a word in edgewise about this. She shouldn't have been sitting there listening in the first place, but since she couldn't get a word in edgewise, she didn't want to interrupt their conversation. Pei Sui was still holding her hand tightly.
She gently scratched Pei Sui's palm.
Pei Sui looked at her, questioning her with his eyes.
With just a blink of an eye, Pei Sui understood her meaning and turned his gaze to the old lady. Coincidentally, the old lady was looking at Meng Sheng and said kindly, "Sheng Sheng, if you are tired, go to A Sui's Zhi Shui Ju to rest. You must have had a hard time driving here this morning."
Upon hearing this, Meng Sheng did not refuse. After saying a few words, he stood up and greeted the others.
Pei Sui stood up. "I'll take you there."
"No need, it's not far. I remember the way, I can get there by myself."
This back-and-forth delivery is a waste of time, and the things they need to discuss can't be delayed.
If both brothers leave, there will be no one in charge here.
Inappropriate.
Pei Sui understood her meaning, nodded, and escorted her to the courtyard. Only after her figure disappeared from sight did he turn back into the hall.
Seeing his expression, Pei Rong joked, "I didn't realize, Asui, that you're so clingy? Oh dear, in that case, we can all attend your and your brother's wedding next year."
Upon hearing this, Pei Sui raised his eyes and said, "After Sheng Sheng's father is discharged from the hospital, I originally intended to go and propose marriage. At that time, I would have to trouble my aunt and my younger sister to accompany my grandmother on the trip."
Nie Fang readily agreed without hesitation, "Okay, once you've set a date, just call me then."
Today's date and occasion are not suitable for giving a gift.
It might be difficult to see Meng Sheng again later. When Asui goes to propose marriage, she can choose a few gifts to put inside as a meeting gift.
Pei Rong paused for a moment, but in her heart she had already accepted Meng Sheng as her future niece-in-law.
As the saying goes, there is no harm without comparison.
With Gu Ci, that despicable and shameless person, as an example, she now finds Meng Sheng much more agreeable.
She nodded in agreement, "That's great."
Pei Sui had already mentioned the marriage proposal to the old lady, and she had no objections.
At least it was during the funeral, so everyone only mentioned the wedding briefly before getting back to the main topic.
As Meng Sheng walked out of Miting Courtyard, she ran into Gu Ci walking towards her on the secluded path in the woods.
Gu Ci held a plain paper umbrella with a lotus pond scene painted by hand, and wore a short-sleeved cheongsam with a deep indigo dyeing on silk fabric. In the dappled sunlight, the broken gold on the hem of the skirt shimmered, and she walked with lotus blossoms.
She wore a specially made mask of the same material, revealing only a pair of gentle and beautiful eyes that shimmered like the sea and sky.
Suddenly, the gentleness in her eyes froze for a moment, then quickly turned into a sharp blade, shooting towards Meng Sheng without any hesitation.
Even with a mask on, you could see the coldness and gloom on her face.
Meng Sheng paid no attention to the complex emotions swirling in her eyes; to her, they were utterly useless, not even enough to tickle her.
She met Gu Ci's gaze clearly and gave a faint smile. "Miss Gu, it's been a long time."
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