The faces of the elderly women instantly darkened. The great-grandmother tapped her cane on the ground again, her voice filled with anger: "Jiuyuan! What do you mean by that? Don't you have any respect for your elders?"
Yu Jiuyuan didn't reply, but lowered her eyes slightly. Her seemingly compliant appearance revealed a stubbornness that wouldn't listen to reason.
Rong Shenghan looked at her slightly tense profile, then suddenly stepped forward and pulled her behind him, bowing slightly to his great-grandmother: "Great-grandmother, please calm down. Jiu Yuan didn't mean that. She just... cares about me too much."
His voice was gentle and soothing, and when his gaze fell on Yu Jiuyuan, it was filled with undisguised indulgence: "It's my fault that she argued with the elders because of me. If the elders have any complaints, they can come at me. It has nothing to do with Jiuyuan."
These words not only gave the elders a way out, but also subtly praised Yu Jiuyuan, making it a perfect example of tactless flattery.
Yu Jiuyuan looked up at him, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, which was then replaced by a smile.
The great-grandmother stared at Rong Shenghan for a long time, then suddenly sighed: "Alright, a daughter is meant to stay. Since you've chosen him, let him stay for dinner."
The atmosphere at dinner was not exactly harmonious. Several elderly people kept asking Rong Shenghan questions, from family background to academic performance, covering almost every little detail.
Rong Shenghan handled the situation with composure, neither boasting excessively nor deliberately concealing anything. He skillfully steered the conversation back to Yu Jiuyuan, always praising her.
Yu Jiuyuan sat quietly to the side eating, occasionally picking up a piece of food for Rong Shenghan with her chopsticks. She seemed indifferent, but she always managed to subtly change the subject when Rong Shenghan was asked tricky questions.
The tacit understanding between the two is like an invisible net, quietly keeping out the probing and dissatisfaction of others.
When we left the old house after dinner, it was already dark.
As the car drove away from the sycamore-lined avenue, Yu Jiuyuan finally let out a long sigh of relief, leaned back in her seat, and rubbed her temples.
"Tired?" Rong Shenghan reached out and massaged her temples, the pressure from his fingertips just right.
“A little.” Yu Jiuyuan closed her eyes, her voice tinged with weariness. “Dealing with these people is more tiring than processing a hundred documents.”
Rong Shenghan smiled and said, "But you still brought me here."
"Hmm." Yu Jiuyuan opened her eyes, turned her head to look at him, her eyes serious. "I promised to give you a proper status."
It's not just about being the "boss" in front of those men, but also about having a legitimate title to stand by her side in the Yu family and in front of everyone.
Rong Shenghan paused for a moment, then leaned down and gently kissed her forehead, his movements as tender as if he were handling a rare treasure: "Yu Jiuyuan, do you know that this is making me more and more greedy?"
"What's wrong with being greedy?" Yu Jiuyuan raised her hand and hooked her arm around his neck, pulling him closer, her lips almost touching his. "You can be greedy for what's mine."
When the car stopped in front of the villa, Xie Zhecheng and Yuan Xu were sitting in the living room.
Xie Zhecheng was looking at documents, and Yuan Xu was fiddling with his microscope. When they saw them return, they both looked up at the same time.
Xie Zhecheng's gaze lingered on Rong Shenghan for a moment before landing on Yu Jiuyuan's face, and he said in a flat tone, "You're back."
"Hmm," Yu Jiuyuan responded, taking off her coat and handing it to the maid. "The food at the old house isn't very good. Have you eaten?"
"Waiting for you." Yuan Xu pushed up her glasses, her gaze shifting between her and Rong Shenghan. "Was the trip to the old house smooth?"
"It wasn't exactly smooth sailing, but the result was alright." Yu Jiuyuan walked to the sofa, sat down, picked up an apple and tossed it around. "I introduced Rong Shenghan to them."
Xie Zhecheng paused, his hand still turning a page of the document, and remained silent. Yuan Xu simply said "Oh," and continued adjusting the microscope.
Yu Jiuyuan glanced at them and suddenly laughed: "What? Are you jealous?"
No one answered. But the subtle tension in the air did not escape her notice.
She stood up, walked to Rong Shenghan's side, and naturally took his arm: "I'm a little tired, I'm going upstairs to take a shower first."
After saying that, she pulled Rong Shenghan toward the stairs.
As she reached the top of the stairs, she glanced back at the two people in the living room, a sly smile flashing in her eyes. Compared to the open and blatant probing in the old house, the subtle jealousy of these people around her seemed more interesting.
Soon, the sound of water came from the master bedroom's bathroom.
Rong Shenghan leaned against the door frame, watching Yu Jiuyuan's figure appear and disappear behind the frosted glass, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the ring on his ring finger.
He knew what going to the old house today meant for Yu Jiuyuan.
That not only gave him a formal title, but also placed him in opposition to the people in the old house.
This seemingly innocent and harmless young lady always reveals her inner madness and obsession in such unexpected moments.
And he did it willingly.
When Yu Jiuyuan came out wrapped in a bath towel, this was the scene she saw: Rong Shenghan leaned against the door, looking at her intently, as if he were looking at a lost treasure that had been found again.
"What are you looking at?" She walked up to him and reached out to hook his chin.
"Look at you." Rong Shenghan grasped her wrist and lowered his head to kiss it.
This kiss was different from the passionate and lingering ones of the past; it carried a kind of careful cherishing, as if confirming some hard-won happiness.
Yu Jiuyuan closed her eyes, responding to his kiss, her fingertips running through his hair as she held him even tighter.
Moonlight streamed through the sheer curtains, casting dappled shadows on the floor.
The two embraced and fell onto the bed, their bath towels slipping off to reveal smooth skin.
"Today..." Rong Shenghan's kiss landed on her neck, his voice hoarse, "Thank you."
Yu Jiuyuan chuckled softly, flipped him over and pinned him beneath her, her fingertips tracing his chest, her eyes filled with a languid allure: "Thank me? Then how about... thanking me in a practical way?"
Rong Shenghan's breath hitched, and a flame instantly ignited in his eyes.
He pulled her down and pinned her beneath him, showering her with kisses that carried a long-suppressed longing and tenderness.
“Yu Jiuyuan,” he whispered in her ear, his voice thick with nasal tone, “you can only be mine.”
“Mmm,” Yu Jiuyuan replied with a smile, her fingertips gently tracing his back, “I am yours.”
As night deepened, the breaths and whispers in the master bedroom mingled together, creating a tender melody.
Yu Jiuyuan nestled in Rong Shenghan's arms, listening to his steady heartbeat, a satisfied smile curving her lips.
Bringing him back to the old house was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but a well-thought-out one.
She needed someone to stand by her side, someone who could see through all her pretenses yet still choose to embrace her. And Rong Shenghan was clearly that person.
As for Xie Zhecheng and the others… Yu Jiuyuan’s gaze fell on the closed door, a hint of amusement flashing in her eyes. Jealousy or dissatisfaction, it doesn’t matter.
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