Chapter 119 Heartache
After walking around the garden, Gu Ji saw Dan Si standing in a secluded corner with a glass of juice in his hand.
"Dan Si, what are you looking at here?" Gu Ji followed Dan Si's gaze into the garden, where he saw only flickering lights and beautifully plated food.
Startled by the sudden intrusion, Dan Si nearly dropped the glass between his fingers. Still shaken, he said, "You scared me to death."
Looking at his guilty look, Gu Ji felt a little amused. She pursed her lips and asked, "What wrong have you done that you're so easily scared?"
As she spoke, the girl's pure eyes swept over Dan Si, making him shiver with unease even in the cold winter wind.
Dan Si tilted his head and nodded in one direction, gesturing for the girl to look.
Gu Ji looked in the direction that Dan Si slightly raised his chin and saw two people standing not far away. One was Uncle Dan holding a glass of red wine, and the other was a beautiful but unfamiliar woman.
"What's wrong?" Gu Ji blinked, not noticing anything amiss between the two.
Dan Si clicked his tongue lightly and said casually, "Looks like we'll have a little aunt soon."
Gu Ji felt a sudden pang of panic, his voice slightly unsteady, "What do you mean?"
Dan Si took a sip of his juice, forced a smile, and said, "The woman across from Uncle is the daughter of the Weng family. Grandma said they went on a blind date last time. Now that they're chatting face to face, there's hope, isn't there? You know, if Uncle isn't interested in a woman, he won't say another word to her."
Upon hearing these words, Gu Ji felt a surge of panic. Her delicate hands clenched into fists, her pink nails digging slightly into her skin. The pain brought her back to her senses.
She didn't understand why hearing these words made her heart ache, as if something she had possessed had been taken away by someone else, a feeling of sadness mixed with resentment.
The girl's bright eyes were uncontrollably fixed on the two people chatting and laughing not far away. The woman opposite Uncle Dan was elegant and intellectual, with the charm of a mature woman, and her every move was graceful.
If Uncle Dan has a wife who is a good match in terms of social standing and ability, she should be happy for him.
But a voice inside her seemed to be telling her that it shouldn't be like this.
"Zhao Zhao, what are you spacing out for?" Dan Si waved his hand in front of the girl's eyes, looking at her with a puzzled expression.
Gu Ji snapped out of his daze, suppressing the indescribable feeling in his heart, and asked with pursed lips, "What's wrong?"
"Grandma sent a message in the family group asking where you are and telling you to hurry to the living room to find her." Dan Si gestured for her to look at the group message.
Gu Ji gripped her phone tightly in her slender hand, gave a soft reply, and then walked into the villa with her back to Dan Si.
Just as Dan Anwen finished discussing the new project between the two companies with Weng Yunlan, he heard Weng Yunlan ask him about the time he left without saying goodbye.
"Mr. Dan doesn't seem like the type to break promises. Why did you leave in such a hurry at the restaurant last time?" Weng Yunlan asked with a smile, swirling her wine glass.
After the man left the restaurant halfway through that meal, he never gave her any reply or explanation.
She had finally managed to catch up with Chairman Dan on his sixtieth birthday; otherwise, she would never have had the chance to see him again.
Dan Anwen's thin lips twitched slightly, and he chuckled softly, his tone gentle yet distant, "I left halfway through last time because of some things that happened at home. I'm sorry I forgot to explain it to you afterwards."
He was completely absorbed in the panic of the child's car accident and had no mind to deal with the blind date.
He forgot about it afterwards. If Weng Yunlan hadn't stopped him today to talk about the new cooperation between the two companies, he wouldn't have remembered that he had ever been on a blind date with her.
Weng Yunlan was a smart and perceptive woman. When she heard the man's seemingly apologetic but insincere words, she knew that he was not interested in her.
However, she still harbored a glimmer of hope, since according to rumors in the industry, no girl the man had his eye on had appeared yet, so she still had a chance.
"Since we didn't finish our meal last time, I wonder if President Dan would do us the honor of having another one?" Weng Yunlan swirled the red wine in her glass, her upturned eyes containing a hint of invitation.
Dan Anwen remained calm, his dark, deep eyes showing no emotion. "As a partner, it's certainly possible to have a meal with Vice President Weng."
Many things don't need to be said explicitly between adults, and Weng Yunlan instantly understood the meaning behind the expressionless man's words.
Meals are fine, but only for business partners.
"Okay, let's set a time next time." Weng Yunlan didn't press the matter further.
As a young lady from a prominent family, she had her own backbone and pride. After being rejected by a man time and time again, she certainly wouldn't pester him. Family marriages are based on mutual consent.
Since the head of the Dan Group is unwilling to use his marriage as a bargaining chip, she won't force it. It's a pity that such a good man won't be available to her.
Who knows which lucky woman this outstanding man will fall at the feet of in the future?
As soon as Gu Ji entered the living room, before he could fully recover, his mother led him to meet the ladies and young women of various social circles.
The mother held the girl's hand and patted it, saying, "Zhao Zhao, don't be nervous. You'll get to know some people in a little while."
Gu Ji calmed down the sour and strange emotions he had felt outside the garden, and slightly forced a smile, which fortunately went unnoticed by his mother.
"I understand, Grandma." Gu Ji suppressed the inexplicable emotions in her heart, resumed her usual gentle smile, and took her mother's hand to meet the ladies present.
"Mrs. Dan, who is that young lady beside you? I've never seen her before." As soon as Mrs. Dan brought Gu Ji into the familiar circle of wives, she was surrounded by people asking questions.
The mother smiled and said, "This is my adopted granddaughter, named Gu Ji."
He turned his head and said to the girl, "Zhaozhao, call her Grandma Li."
"Hello, Grandma Li." Gu Ji greeted her with a polite smile and a slight bow, showing no timidity whatsoever, and her every move was graceful and poised.
The upper-class ladies around him nodded in approval to themselves.
The girl made a very good first impression on them. Although they didn't know her background, the fact that she was recognized as a granddaughter by the matriarch of the Dan family meant that she had a powerful backer. Based on this alone, they would not underestimate the girl in front of them.
The girl had a well-behaved and demure demeanor, which made her very popular with the older generation. She showed no trace of timidity, something that even some young ladies from aristocratic families might not be able to do.
Moreover, many prominent families want to form marriage alliances with the Dan family. Even a granddaughter who is adopted by the Dan family will receive some help and support from the Dan family.
The mother brought the girl to meet people with this intention in mind: on the one hand, she wanted her to get to know more people and integrate into the circle.
On the other hand, it was to let the upper-class families in Nan'an City know that the Dan family had such a girl, so that they could introduce her to good boys in the future.
The reason why Dan's mother is making plans so early is not because she is too worried, but because good boys are always in high demand. By the time Zhao Zhao reaches marriageable age, there may not be many high-quality men left in the circle.
She wanted Zhao Zhao to marry into a good family, not necessarily a wealthy one, but at least one that would provide her with a comfortable life.
Now that Zhao Zhao is her granddaughter, her biological parents don't want her, and Dan Anwen's own marriage is still undecided, so she has to worry about everything and naturally needs to make plans as soon as possible.
Even if it doesn't work out in the end, it's good to expand your social circle.
Next, Gu Ji was introduced to many ladies and young women in the social circle by Dan's mother. After going around in circles, she felt like her face was about to freeze from smiling.
After finally getting to know each other, she was released by Dan's mother.
Gu Ji dragged his tired body to the corner he had just left, but Guan Xiang was nowhere to be seen.
As soon as she sat down, she let out a sigh. Wearing high heels to social events was really exhausting, and the wear and tear on her heels made her frown slightly.
Just as I was about to bend down to check the condition of my heels, a pair of pink slippers came into view.
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