From the rucksack, Qi Youxuan pulled out a packet of sunflower seeds, a bag of broad beans, and a bag of popcorn. “Grandpa, Grandma, have some of these.”
“Good boy! Youxuan is five this year right?” Yu Qianying was very pleased—her eyes crinkled as she smiled.
“That’s correct. He’ll be attending elementary school next year,” Guan Liya replied.
Yu Qianying looked around and only saw the few of them. She asked, “Chengyue is not coming?”
“She…” Guan Liya smiled awkwardly and told the truth, “No matter what, Song Yu and Jian Yi had a past together. I was worried that having them today would make things uncomfortable.”
Yu Qianying was uncertain if the words were sincere or Guan Liya was hinting at something else. “There’s nothing to be awkward about. When we were bankrupt, Jian Yi helped us a lot. It’s fate that we’re becoming relatives now.”
“Haha!” Guan Liya laughed dryly and did not comment any further.
Yu Qianying turned her attention back to Qi Youxuan.
After a while, Grandfather Qi and Grandmother Qi arrived. Trailing behind them was Qi Zhongliang and Xia Wenna.
Song Donglin and Yu Qianying were very respectful toward the two Qi family elders.
As everyone took their seats, Xia Wenna ended up beside Yu Qianying.
Hesitation crossed Xia Wenna’s face but she whispered, “Qianying, if we became family, you can rest assured. Our family, along with Chengzhi, will never do anything that might harm your family again.”
Yu Qianying did not catch the operative word, ‘again’.
They were childhood friends who drifted apart after the Song family bankruptcy incident. To say that there were no friendly sentiments between them was a lie.
Hence, because of their close relationship, the fallout hit Yu Qianying twice as hard.
The words from Xia Wenna’s mouth were apologetic. It was not easy for someone of her stature to say such things. It had been many years since the incident. Yu Qianying thought of their shared past and friendship, and now with this joining of their families, it was hard for her to be angry.
She made the first move after a moment of hesitation. She took Xia Wenna’s hand.
Xia Wenna’s eyes teared up and held onto Yu Qiangying’s hand. “Qianying… Does this mean you forgive me?”
Yu Qianying let out a sigh. “We’re soon to become family. There’s nothing to forgive. It’s not like we can avoid each other in the future.”
Grandmother Qi spotted Xia Wenna’s expression and nodded wisely. “Alright, alright. Today is a day of happiness, not a place for tears. Have we ordered the dishes?”
“Dynasty has a meal package for engagements. We’ve already ordered it,” Qi Chengzhi answered.
Grandmother Qi had a satisfied look on her face. She smiled heartily. “Fate ties us together again after many twists and turns. We’re meant to be in-laws! Because of that undeserving grandchild of mine, we overlooked Song Yu. I already gave him a good scolding. Song Yu was such a good granddaughter-in-law and we lost our chance. I thought, which lucky house will get to have Song Yu as their in-law?”
“Who knew, it was my eldest grandson who lived up to my expectations and brought Song Yu back into the family!” Grandmother Qi exclaimed ecstatically.
Yu Qianying was at a loss as to how she should respond to Grandmother Qi’s enthusiasm when the door opened.
“Grandpa, Grandma, sorry we’re late,” Qi Chengyue greeted in a lively tone.
Guan Liya did not expect Qi Chengyue to show up. Grandmother Qi had advised her to convince Qi Chengyue to stay home, worrying that Qi Chengyue’s lack of manners would disrupt the banquet and Jian Yi’s presence would make it awkward for the Song family.
Guan Liya had little control over her daughter. She knew that confrontation would only backfire when it came to Qi Chengyue so she hid the event from her and secretly came with her husband. Alas, Qi Chengyue found out.
Grandmother Qi smiled and said, “You’re always late. You have all of the elders here waiting for you. When will you pick up some etiquette and manners?”
“Grandma, it was due to the traffic jam. We left quite early and would have arrived early if it weren’t for the traffic.” The waiter brought in two chairs and Qi Chengyue pulled in Jian Yi to sit. “How could we miss such an important day?”
“Jian Yi is happy for Song Yu’s marriage to our big brother. They were childhood friends, so he has a soft spot for her.” Qi Chengyue tugged at Jian Yi’s arm and said, “Don’t you?”
Jian Yi gave a tight smile. He was attending the event against his will. Qi Chengyue was persistent about coming today. She wanted him to witness with his own eyes, Song Yu’s engagement and marriage to Qi Chengzhi. Qi Chengyue wanted him to watch Song Yu love another man and to give up on Song Yu.
Give up on Song Yu?
Jian Yi’s heart was at a crossroads.
He knew that his dream to be reunited with Song Yu was a lost cause but he could not stand to watch Song Yu fall into Qi Chengzhi’s arms.
Even though he could not have Song Yu, he wanted to break them apart.
Identity, social status, power, money, these were elements that Qi Chengzhi was born equipped with. Meanwhile, Jian Yi sacrificed his love and still had none of the above.
Qi Chengzhi already had many good things in his life. Why was he deserving of Song Yu’s love? Why was he granted a perfect life?
Qi Chengzhi had so many things, and now he was taking the one thing that Jian Yi once could have had.
Song Yu was the only part of Jian Yi’s life that Qi Chengzhi did not have.
Yet, now, Qi Chengzhi got hold of even that!
Grandmother Qi’s voice broke his train of thought.
“Xiao Yu, since we’re meeting today, why don’t we take this time to discuss the wedding?” Grandmother Qi continued, “We were thinking of a grand wedding here at Dynasty. What’s your opinion on this? Come, share your thoughts. We can discuss.”
“I have no particular requests, just that our Song Yu can proudly marry into your family with friends and family as witnesses. Not a quiet wedding that no one knows about,” Yu Qianying spoke assertively.
“Of course!” Grandmother Qi nodded in agreement and pulled out the Chinese calendar.
Yu Qianying suspected the old woman carried the calendar everywhere she went.
“Xiao Yu, I’ve picked out some dates from within. Have a look.” Grandmother Qi passed the calendar to Xia Wenna, who gave it to Yu Qianying.
As Yu Qianying flipped through the pages, Grandmother Qi spoke, “Once we have a date, Chengzhi can speak to Xiao Yunqing to block out Dynasty. We’ll have the whole restaurant to ourselves for the day.”
“The whole Dynasty? You’re really going all-out with the expenses!” Grandfather Qi glared at her with his nostrils flaring.
“And what? My eldest grandson is getting married and deserves a grand, opulent wedding! We’ll get a helicopter for some aerial photos,” Grandmother Qi shouted back. She was not afraid of her husband.
“I’ve been thinking, now, weigh in if you have reservations, we can have the day session in Dynasty. Chengzhi knows Xiao Yan so we can have the reciprocal banquet at Red Roof Club. We’ll book the whole club. I think the booking fee won’t be a concern and Xiao Yan may just cover it on our behalf.”
“We’ll get Xiao Han to take care of the wedding ceremony. We won’t need to use the ones provided by the wedding company. Xiao Han’s company has several famous hosts and hostesses, we’ll let him pick one for us. The music and audio effects can also be delegated to Xiao Han.”
Grandmother Qi counted on her fingers. “Let’s not invite those celebrities. They may take this as a chance to frolic among the young and talented. It paints a bad image for the wedding.”
“Hm? Talking about this, let’s get Xiao Han to bring in Director Wu from his company, along with that famous photographer. What’s his name again? He always works with Director Wu. They can be in charge of the wedding’s videography. Their company can also provide top-notch editing services. The wedding video will be as good as a movie.”
As Grandmother Qi got more and more excited, her ideas fell into unreasonable territories. Grandfather Qi commented, “Are you done? People have work to do, you can’t just order them to come. It’s just a wedding, there’s no need to make such a big hoo-ha!”
“I will get Xiao Han to give me a list of available staff. His company has a bunch of famous directors, there will be someone available for sure. I think we won’t consider using the ones from the wedding company, we just need to provide them with a masterplan. We can get a makeup artist from Xiao Han too. One that will make Song Yu the prettiest of them all!”
All this while, no one had the chance to speak out. Grandmother Qi mulled over something and said, “Maybe I can find time to pay a personal visit to Xiao Han’s company, to let him know about this.”
This meal was making Yu Qianying sweat. She felt that Grandmother Qi was taking it a bit too far with the wedding plans.
Jian Yi watched all of this with a disinterested look. His phone rang in his pocket and he excused himself from the table to take the call outside.
“You have something?” Jian Yi asked straight after answering the phone.
He frowned after hearing the reply.
“And the company’s legal person?” he asked in a low voice.
“…”
“I know, quickly look into it.” A thought struck Jian Yi and he said, “If possible, look into Qi Chengzhi’s status that year.”
…
…
Guan Xiaolin was at a Jixia High School alumni gathering. They were using Li Zhuoan’s room as he was the only one here that had a VIP room in Dynasty. The room lacked standards compared to the one frequented by Qi Chengzhi and his friends.
As the group came out of the room and turned a corner, they saw Jian Yi in the corridor. He had just ended his call.
Jian Yi did not go back into the room immediately. He leaned back against the wall and lit a cigarette. He took a long, deep breath.
Guan Xiaolin said softly to the others, “I’m gonna go say hi.”
She walked toward Jian Yi. He seemed to not have realized her presence—his sullen gaze was fixed upon the door across the corridor.
Guan Xiaolin’s brows furrowed, ‘When did Jian Yi start smoking?’
He did not look like his usual self. There was a sense of gloom as he smoked.
The door facing Jian Yi opened suddenly as she was opening her mouth to greet him. Guan Liya and Qi Zhongxun walked out of the room, followed shortly by Qi Chengyue.
Guan Xiaolin figured it was their family gathering and greeted, “Auntie, Uncle.”
“Xiaolin?” Guan Liya saw her and smiled, “Why are you here?”
“Having a catch-up with a few of my friends from high school. I saw-” Guan Xiaolin broke off when she saw Song Donglin and Yu Qianying walk out of the room.
Then, Qi Zhongliang and Xia Wenna exited the room, followed by Qi Chenglin and Qi Youxuan. Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu followed suit, ending with the two Qi family elders, Grandfather Qi and Grandmother Qi.
The whole Qi family was out in action.
Surprise gripped Guan Xiaolin. The presence of Song Donglin and Yu Qianying combined with the whole Qi family could only mean one thing.
It could only be an engagement party. Why else would both sides of the family be present with full attendance?
It was just shocking that the Qi family so readily accepted Song Yu and that Song Yu’s parents did not object to the marriage.
Even the grandparents came to witness in person.
Was the marriage between Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu that important to them?
“Xiaolin? It’s been some time since you came over to our place. Busy days?” Yu Qianying asked genially.
Guan Xiaolin was the only person who stayed friends with Song Yu after the bankruptcy, therefore Yu Qianying was particularly fond of her.
Before the bankruptcy, Yu Qianying did not really like Guan Xiaolin but now she realized the girl was not a snob—the fact that she did not unfriend Song Yu due to the bankruptcy. Such friendships were rare.
Yu Qianying was not aware of the things that Guan Xiaolin had done behind Song Yu’s back. Song Yu kept her mouth shut. If it were not for Jian Yi’s sudden appearance at her house, she would have never told her family about what had happened with him.
Guan Xiaolin watched Song Yu with a curious eye but avoided Qi Chengzhi. He radiated omnipotence and her sins were all laid bare. She dared not meet his gaze.
Song Yu was expressionless and did not bother to greet Guan Xiaolin. She turned around and started chatting with Grandmother Qi.
“Yeah, I’ve been busy,” Guan Xiaolin could only give a vague answer.
The interaction or lack thereof between Song Yu and Guan Xiaolin was noted by Yu Qianying and she promptly figured out the situation. Yu Qianying was not a fool.
She had faith in her own daughter’s character—she had raised her after all. Song Yu never lacked manners and was the type who would repay a dime with a dollar.
When Song Yu considered someone a true friend, it meant she was willing to take a knife for the person.
If the friendship had soured, it meant the friend had done something despicable.
At that moment, Yu Qianying smiled and let go of Guan Xiaolin’s hand. The smile on her face remained but it was no longer warm and sincere like before.
Guan Liya asked in a surprised tone, “Xiaolin and Song Yu are friends?”
It was rare to have the whole Qi family gathered in one place, especially the grandparents. Guan Xiaolin wanted to leave a good impression.
Although Guan Liya was her aunt, Guan Xiaolin’s access was limited to her aunt only. Qi Zhongxun was always neutral toward her, not a hint of warmth. As for the Qi family, she had little hope to gain their favor.
In their small neighborhood, the grandparents were known to be approachable but they were a rare sight.
Hence, she wanted to make a good impression today.
Guan Xiaolin planned to ignore Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu and act as if she was Song Yu’s good friend. However, before she could open her mouth, Song Yu stated without feeling, “She’s just an ex-schoolmate.”
This line confirmed Yu Qianying’s suspicions.
Guan Liya was surprised by Song Yu’s coldness.
Hearing Song Yu’s words, Grandmother Qi nodded lightly. Grandfather Qi and Grandmother Qi returned Guan Xiaolin’s warm greeting with a polite but aloof greeting.
The friends of Guan Xiaolin flocked toward them. They were not about to pass up a chance to interact with the Qi family. Polite greetings were extended to the Qi family elders.
Grandfather Qi and Grandmother Qi were humble and entertained their pleasantries but without much enthusiasm.
Qi Chengzhi saw Li Zhuoan walking over. He also caught an eye of Gao Jingqiu who he assumed had hidden away to avoid him.
Qi Chengzhi gave Li Zhuoan a slight nod and smirked. Then, Qi Chengzhi turned around and tucked a lock of Song Yu’s hair behind her ear.
The movement was affectionate. The gentleness in his eyes was meant only for Song Yu.
The gesture was natural and intimate, performed in spite of the crowd surrounding them.
“Let’s go,” he spoke in a calm voice. Qi Chengzhi guided Song Yu with a hand on her hip.
“Xiao Yu, that time we invited your family to our house but you never turned up. I was waiting for you at home,” Grandmother Qi waved Yu Qianying over. She held Yu Qianying’s hand tightly, “Today, we finally had that meal and caught up with both our families. Come on, let’s go back to our house and continue the conversation.”
Yu Qianying thought the words were just a courtesy, but Grandmother Qi was serious.
With Grandmother Qi clutching her hand, Yu Qianying would feel bad if she rejected so they all headed toward the Qi family manor.
Grandmother Qi noticed Yu Qianying’s fondness for Qi Youxuan and smiled, “Don’t worry. When Chengzhi and Song Yu get married, you will soon get a chubby grandchild.”
Guan Xiaolin was rooted in her spot, watching the backs of the Qi family members becoming smaller and smaller. She overheard that last statement by Grandmother Qi.
“That was the Qi family and the Song family? They-” Wu Lijun walked up to Guan Xiaolin’s side, a look of disbelief on her face. She spotted the retreating Qi family around the corner, amidst the group were Song Donglin and Yu Qianying.
“Why are they together?” Li Qianyi, too, came over and asked.
Were not the two families like oil and water?
When Song Yu got together with Qi Chengzhi, everyone was dead set on the fact that both families would never accept the pair.
Guan Xiaolin’s face was sour as she said, “From the looks of it, seems like marriage is not far away. Both families have accepted their relationship. It was probably for their parents to meet.”
“Grandmother Qi seemed really taken by Yu Qianying. Even Xia Wenna and Yu Qianying looked as if they were very close. What’s happening?” Li Qianyi asked in disbelief. Her question might as well be rhetorical as Guan Xiaolin could not provide an answer.
Since the beginning, none of them thought Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu would last.
They even thought Qi Chengzhi was only toying with Song Yu.
“If it was for their parents to meet, why would the whole family be here?” Wu Lijun commented. Another possibility came into her mind and she exclaimed, “Could it be an engagement?”
Wu Lijun’s words made everyone turn to look at the direction of the departing Qi family.
Although there was nary a soul, they kept staring into the empty corridor.
Guan Xiaolin thought of the tender love shown by Qi Chengzhi. A pang of jealousy hit her. She wondered how it felt, being loved and protected by a man like Qi Chengzhi.
As Guan Xiaolin looked on absentmindedly, Li Qianyi was muttering to herself, “Unthinkable… Unthinkable…”
It was just a word but everyone knew what she meant.
It was unthinkable that Song Yu was going to marry Qi Chengzhi.
The full attendance of the Qi family and the rare appearance of Mr. and Mrs. Song Donglin pretty much confirmed the forthcoming nuptials.
While Li Qianyi was silent, her heart was envious.
The sentiment was shared by many.
…
…
There was a prayer ritual for the first shoot of Han Zhuoli’s company’s television series. Grandmother Qi’s status exempted her from joining in with the cast and crew.
The last time Grandmother Qi rang up Han Zhuoli, she got the role as the female lead’s mother with ease.
Though she was old, her complexion was well-maintained and nabbing the role of the female lead’s mother was not far-fetched.
The role did not demand a lot of screen time. Most scenes were filmed in their courtyard and Grandmother Qi did not even leave the manor’s estate. She would just stroll out of the house to meet the team and when her scenes were done, she would just walk back home. Sometimes, she even went out just to chat with the cast and crew.
Initially, the role was taken up by another actress—she was the sister-in-law of an established actor in the entertainment industry. She also relied on her contacts to get the role.
However, since Grandmother Qi was interested, Han Zhuoli gladly acquiesced.
While others may have prioritized the actor’s request, Han Zhuoli showed no hesitation in switching the role over to Grandmother Qi.
The actress, of course, complained to her brother-in-law. He personally came to dispute with Han Zhuoli and was promptly dismissed. Meanwhile, Grandmother Qi was kept in the dark.
The first Saturday after they had the engagement lunch was Grandmother Qi’s first day on set.
Grandmother Qi hid her identity from the team. She did not want the actors and actresses flocking to her as she was too tired to deal with the attention.
She also wanted to be treated like everyone else. She wanted to test her acting skills.
If they knew her identity, they might give biased feedback. Even if she was terrible, they would still compliment her.
However, Han Zhuoli was also worried that Grandmother Qi would be bullied by the team. If her identity was not known, the team might treat her with disrespect and take advantage of her. Therefore, Han Zhuoli discretely told the director about her true identity.
The director understood then. No wonder Young Master Zhuo came multiple times personally to inquire about the filming despite it being only a television series.
The director made a point to look out for Grandmother Qi..
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.
From the rucksack, Qi Youxuan pulled out a packet of sunflower seeds, a bag of broad beans, and a bag of popcorn. “Grandpa, Grandma, have some of these.”
“Good boy! Youxuan is five this year right?” Yu Qianying was very pleased—her eyes crinkled as she smiled.
“That’s correct. He’ll be attending elementary school next year,” Guan Liya replied.
Yu Qianying looked around and only saw the few of them. She asked, “Chengyue is not coming?”
“She…” Guan Liya smiled awkwardly and told the truth, “No matter what, Song Yu and Jian Yi had a past together. I was worried that having them today would make things uncomfortable.”
Yu Qianying was uncertain if the words were sincere or Guan Liya was hinting at something else. “There’s nothing to be awkward about. When we were bankrupt, Jian Yi helped us a lot. It’s fate that we’re becoming relatives now.”
“Haha!” Guan Liya laughed dryly and did not comment any further.
Yu Qianying turned her attention back to Qi Youxuan.
After a while, Grandfather Qi and Grandmother Qi arrived. Trailing behind them was Qi Zhongliang and Xia Wenna.
Song Donglin and Yu Qianying were very respectful toward the two Qi family elders.
As everyone took their seats, Xia Wenna ended up beside Yu Qianying.
Hesitation crossed Xia Wenna’s face but she whispered, “Qianying, if we became family, you can rest assured. Our family, along with Chengzhi, will never do anything that might harm your family again.”
Yu Qianying did not catch the operative word, ‘again’.
They were childhood friends who drifted apart after the Song family bankruptcy incident. To say that there were no friendly sentiments between them was a lie.
Hence, because of their close relationship, the fallout hit Yu Qianying twice as hard.
The words from Xia Wenna’s mouth were apologetic. It was not easy for someone of her stature to say such things. It had been many years since the incident. Yu Qianying thought of their shared past and friendship, and now with this joining of their families, it was hard for her to be angry.
She made the first move after a moment of hesitation. She took Xia Wenna’s hand.
Xia Wenna’s eyes teared up and held onto Yu Qiangying’s hand. “Qianying… Does this mean you forgive me?”
Yu Qianying let out a sigh. “We’re soon to become family. There’s nothing to forgive. It’s not like we can avoid each other in the future.”
Grandmother Qi spotted Xia Wenna’s expression and nodded wisely. “Alright, alright. Today is a day of happiness, not a place for tears. Have we ordered the dishes?”
“Dynasty has a meal package for engagements. We’ve already ordered it,” Qi Chengzhi answered.
Grandmother Qi had a satisfied look on her face. She smiled heartily. “Fate ties us together again after many twists and turns. We’re meant to be in-laws! Because of that undeserving grandchild of mine, we overlooked Song Yu. I already gave him a good scolding. Song Yu was such a good granddaughter-in-law and we lost our chance. I thought, which lucky house will get to have Song Yu as their in-law?”
“Who knew, it was my eldest grandson who lived up to my expectations and brought Song Yu back into the family!” Grandmother Qi exclaimed ecstatically.
Yu Qianying was at a loss as to how she should respond to Grandmother Qi’s enthusiasm when the door opened.
“Grandpa, Grandma, sorry we’re late,” Qi Chengyue greeted in a lively tone.
Guan Liya did not expect Qi Chengyue to show up. Grandmother Qi had advised her to convince Qi Chengyue to stay home, worrying that Qi Chengyue’s lack of manners would disrupt the banquet and Jian Yi’s presence would make it awkward for the Song family.
Guan Liya had little control over her daughter. She knew that confrontation would only backfire when it came to Qi Chengyue so she hid the event from her and secretly came with her husband. Alas, Qi Chengyue found out.
Grandmother Qi smiled and said, “You’re always late. You have all of the elders here waiting for you. When will you pick up some etiquette and manners?”
“Grandma, it was due to the traffic jam. We left quite early and would have arrived early if it weren’t for the traffic.” The waiter brought in two chairs and Qi Chengyue pulled in Jian Yi to sit. “How could we miss such an important day?”
“Jian Yi is happy for Song Yu’s marriage to our big brother. They were childhood friends, so he has a soft spot for her.” Qi Chengyue tugged at Jian Yi’s arm and said, “Don’t you?”
Jian Yi gave a tight smile. He was attending the event against his will. Qi Chengyue was persistent about coming today. She wanted him to witness with his own eyes, Song Yu’s engagement and marriage to Qi Chengzhi. Qi Chengyue wanted him to watch Song Yu love another man and to give up on Song Yu.
Give up on Song Yu?
Jian Yi’s heart was at a crossroads.
He knew that his dream to be reunited with Song Yu was a lost cause but he could not stand to watch Song Yu fall into Qi Chengzhi’s arms.
Even though he could not have Song Yu, he wanted to break them apart.
Identity, social status, power, money, these were elements that Qi Chengzhi was born equipped with. Meanwhile, Jian Yi sacrificed his love and still had none of the above.
Qi Chengzhi already had many good things in his life. Why was he deserving of Song Yu’s love? Why was he granted a perfect life?
Qi Chengzhi had so many things, and now he was taking the one thing that Jian Yi once could have had.
Song Yu was the only part of Jian Yi’s life that Qi Chengzhi did not have.
Yet, now, Qi Chengzhi got hold of even that!
Grandmother Qi’s voice broke his train of thought.
“Xiao Yu, since we’re meeting today, why don’t we take this time to discuss the wedding?” Grandmother Qi continued, “We were thinking of a grand wedding here at Dynasty. What’s your opinion on this? Come, share your thoughts. We can discuss.”
“I have no particular requests, just that our Song Yu can proudly marry into your family with friends and family as witnesses. Not a quiet wedding that no one knows about,” Yu Qianying spoke assertively.
“Of course!” Grandmother Qi nodded in agreement and pulled out the Chinese calendar.
Yu Qianying suspected the old woman carried the calendar everywhere she went.
“Xiao Yu, I’ve picked out some dates from within. Have a look.” Grandmother Qi passed the calendar to Xia Wenna, who gave it to Yu Qianying.
As Yu Qianying flipped through the pages, Grandmother Qi spoke, “Once we have a date, Chengzhi can speak to Xiao Yunqing to block out Dynasty. We’ll have the whole restaurant to ourselves for the day.”
“The whole Dynasty? You’re really going all-out with the expenses!” Grandfather Qi glared at her with his nostrils flaring.
“And what? My eldest grandson is getting married and deserves a grand, opulent wedding! We’ll get a helicopter for some aerial photos,” Grandmother Qi shouted back. She was not afraid of her husband.
“I’ve been thinking, now, weigh in if you have reservations, we can have the day session in Dynasty. Chengzhi knows Xiao Yan so we can have the reciprocal banquet at Red Roof Club. We’ll book the whole club. I think the booking fee won’t be a concern and Xiao Yan may just cover it on our behalf.”
“We’ll get Xiao Han to take care of the wedding ceremony. We won’t need to use the ones provided by the wedding company. Xiao Han’s company has several famous hosts and hostesses, we’ll let him pick one for us. The music and audio effects can also be delegated to Xiao Han.”
Grandmother Qi counted on her fingers. “Let’s not invite those celebrities. They may take this as a chance to frolic among the young and talented. It paints a bad image for the wedding.”
“Hm? Talking about this, let’s get Xiao Han to bring in Director Wu from his company, along with that famous photographer. What’s his name again? He always works with Director Wu. They can be in charge of the wedding’s videography. Their company can also provide top-notch editing services. The wedding video will be as good as a movie.”
As Grandmother Qi got more and more excited, her ideas fell into unreasonable territories. Grandfather Qi commented, “Are you done? People have work to do, you can’t just order them to come. It’s just a wedding, there’s no need to make such a big hoo-ha!”
“I will get Xiao Han to give me a list of available staff. His company has a bunch of famous directors, there will be someone available for sure. I think we won’t consider using the ones from the wedding company, we just need to provide them with a masterplan. We can get a makeup artist from Xiao Han too. One that will make Song Yu the prettiest of them all!”
All this while, no one had the chance to speak out. Grandmother Qi mulled over something and said, “Maybe I can find time to pay a personal visit to Xiao Han’s company, to let him know about this.”
This meal was making Yu Qianying sweat. She felt that Grandmother Qi was taking it a bit too far with the wedding plans.
Jian Yi watched all of this with a disinterested look. His phone rang in his pocket and he excused himself from the table to take the call outside.
“You have something?” Jian Yi asked straight after answering the phone.
He frowned after hearing the reply.
“And the company’s legal person?” he asked in a low voice.
“…”
“I know, quickly look into it.” A thought struck Jian Yi and he said, “If possible, look into Qi Chengzhi’s status that year.”
…
…
Guan Xiaolin was at a Jixia High School alumni gathering. They were using Li Zhuoan’s room as he was the only one here that had a VIP room in Dynasty. The room lacked standards compared to the one frequented by Qi Chengzhi and his friends.
As the group came out of the room and turned a corner, they saw Jian Yi in the corridor. He had just ended his call.
Jian Yi did not go back into the room immediately. He leaned back against the wall and lit a cigarette. He took a long, deep breath.
Guan Xiaolin said softly to the others, “I’m gonna go say hi.”
She walked toward Jian Yi. He seemed to not have realized her presence—his sullen gaze was fixed upon the door across the corridor.
Guan Xiaolin’s brows furrowed, ‘When did Jian Yi start smoking?’
He did not look like his usual self. There was a sense of gloom as he smoked.
The door facing Jian Yi opened suddenly as she was opening her mouth to greet him. Guan Liya and Qi Zhongxun walked out of the room, followed shortly by Qi Chengyue.
Guan Xiaolin figured it was their family gathering and greeted, “Auntie, Uncle.”
“Xiaolin?” Guan Liya saw her and smiled, “Why are you here?”
“Having a catch-up with a few of my friends from high school. I saw-” Guan Xiaolin broke off when she saw Song Donglin and Yu Qianying walk out of the room.
Then, Qi Zhongliang and Xia Wenna exited the room, followed by Qi Chenglin and Qi Youxuan. Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu followed suit, ending with the two Qi family elders, Grandfather Qi and Grandmother Qi.
The whole Qi family was out in action.
Surprise gripped Guan Xiaolin. The presence of Song Donglin and Yu Qianying combined with the whole Qi family could only mean one thing.
It could only be an engagement party. Why else would both sides of the family be present with full attendance?
It was just shocking that the Qi family so readily accepted Song Yu and that Song Yu’s parents did not object to the marriage.
Even the grandparents came to witness in person.
Was the marriage between Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu that important to them?
“Xiaolin? It’s been some time since you came over to our place. Busy days?” Yu Qianying asked genially.
Guan Xiaolin was the only person who stayed friends with Song Yu after the bankruptcy, therefore Yu Qianying was particularly fond of her.
Before the bankruptcy, Yu Qianying did not really like Guan Xiaolin but now she realized the girl was not a snob—the fact that she did not unfriend Song Yu due to the bankruptcy. Such friendships were rare.
Yu Qianying was not aware of the things that Guan Xiaolin had done behind Song Yu’s back. Song Yu kept her mouth shut. If it were not for Jian Yi’s sudden appearance at her house, she would have never told her family about what had happened with him.
Guan Xiaolin watched Song Yu with a curious eye but avoided Qi Chengzhi. He radiated omnipotence and her sins were all laid bare. She dared not meet his gaze.
Song Yu was expressionless and did not bother to greet Guan Xiaolin. She turned around and started chatting with Grandmother Qi.
“Yeah, I’ve been busy,” Guan Xiaolin could only give a vague answer.
The interaction or lack thereof between Song Yu and Guan Xiaolin was noted by Yu Qianying and she promptly figured out the situation. Yu Qianying was not a fool.
She had faith in her own daughter’s character—she had raised her after all. Song Yu never lacked manners and was the type who would repay a dime with a dollar.
When Song Yu considered someone a true friend, it meant she was willing to take a knife for the person.
If the friendship had soured, it meant the friend had done something despicable.
At that moment, Yu Qianying smiled and let go of Guan Xiaolin’s hand. The smile on her face remained but it was no longer warm and sincere like before.
Guan Liya asked in a surprised tone, “Xiaolin and Song Yu are friends?”
It was rare to have the whole Qi family gathered in one place, especially the grandparents. Guan Xiaolin wanted to leave a good impression.
Although Guan Liya was her aunt, Guan Xiaolin’s access was limited to her aunt only. Qi Zhongxun was always neutral toward her, not a hint of warmth. As for the Qi family, she had little hope to gain their favor.
In their small neighborhood, the grandparents were known to be approachable but they were a rare sight.
Hence, she wanted to make a good impression today.
Guan Xiaolin planned to ignore Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu and act as if she was Song Yu’s good friend. However, before she could open her mouth, Song Yu stated without feeling, “She’s just an ex-schoolmate.”
This line confirmed Yu Qianying’s suspicions.
Guan Liya was surprised by Song Yu’s coldness.
Hearing Song Yu’s words, Grandmother Qi nodded lightly. Grandfather Qi and Grandmother Qi returned Guan Xiaolin’s warm greeting with a polite but aloof greeting.
The friends of Guan Xiaolin flocked toward them. They were not about to pass up a chance to interact with the Qi family. Polite greetings were extended to the Qi family elders.
Grandfather Qi and Grandmother Qi were humble and entertained their pleasantries but without much enthusiasm.
Qi Chengzhi saw Li Zhuoan walking over. He also caught an eye of Gao Jingqiu who he assumed had hidden away to avoid him.
Qi Chengzhi gave Li Zhuoan a slight nod and smirked. Then, Qi Chengzhi turned around and tucked a lock of Song Yu’s hair behind her ear.
The movement was affectionate. The gentleness in his eyes was meant only for Song Yu.
The gesture was natural and intimate, performed in spite of the crowd surrounding them.
“Let’s go,” he spoke in a calm voice. Qi Chengzhi guided Song Yu with a hand on her hip.
“Xiao Yu, that time we invited your family to our house but you never turned up. I was waiting for you at home,” Grandmother Qi waved Yu Qianying over. She held Yu Qianying’s hand tightly, “Today, we finally had that meal and caught up with both our families. Come on, let’s go back to our house and continue the conversation.”
Yu Qianying thought the words were just a courtesy, but Grandmother Qi was serious.
With Grandmother Qi clutching her hand, Yu Qianying would feel bad if she rejected so they all headed toward the Qi family manor.
Grandmother Qi noticed Yu Qianying’s fondness for Qi Youxuan and smiled, “Don’t worry. When Chengzhi and Song Yu get married, you will soon get a chubby grandchild.”
Guan Xiaolin was rooted in her spot, watching the backs of the Qi family members becoming smaller and smaller. She overheard that last statement by Grandmother Qi.
“That was the Qi family and the Song family? They-” Wu Lijun walked up to Guan Xiaolin’s side, a look of disbelief on her face. She spotted the retreating Qi family around the corner, amidst the group were Song Donglin and Yu Qianying.
“Why are they together?” Li Qianyi, too, came over and asked.
Were not the two families like oil and water?
When Song Yu got together with Qi Chengzhi, everyone was dead set on the fact that both families would never accept the pair.
Guan Xiaolin’s face was sour as she said, “From the looks of it, seems like marriage is not far away. Both families have accepted their relationship. It was probably for their parents to meet.”
“Grandmother Qi seemed really taken by Yu Qianying. Even Xia Wenna and Yu Qianying looked as if they were very close. What’s happening?” Li Qianyi asked in disbelief. Her question might as well be rhetorical as Guan Xiaolin could not provide an answer.
Since the beginning, none of them thought Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu would last.
They even thought Qi Chengzhi was only toying with Song Yu.
“If it was for their parents to meet, why would the whole family be here?” Wu Lijun commented. Another possibility came into her mind and she exclaimed, “Could it be an engagement?”
Wu Lijun’s words made everyone turn to look at the direction of the departing Qi family.
Although there was nary a soul, they kept staring into the empty corridor.
Guan Xiaolin thought of the tender love shown by Qi Chengzhi. A pang of jealousy hit her. She wondered how it felt, being loved and protected by a man like Qi Chengzhi.
As Guan Xiaolin looked on absentmindedly, Li Qianyi was muttering to herself, “Unthinkable… Unthinkable…”
It was just a word but everyone knew what she meant.
It was unthinkable that Song Yu was going to marry Qi Chengzhi.
The full attendance of the Qi family and the rare appearance of Mr. and Mrs. Song Donglin pretty much confirmed the forthcoming nuptials.
While Li Qianyi was silent, her heart was envious.
The sentiment was shared by many.
…
…
There was a prayer ritual for the first shoot of Han Zhuoli’s company’s television series. Grandmother Qi’s status exempted her from joining in with the cast and crew.
The last time Grandmother Qi rang up Han Zhuoli, she got the role as the female lead’s mother with ease.
Though she was old, her complexion was well-maintained and nabbing the role of the female lead’s mother was not far-fetched.
The role did not demand a lot of screen time. Most scenes were filmed in their courtyard and Grandmother Qi did not even leave the manor’s estate. She would just stroll out of the house to meet the team and when her scenes were done, she would just walk back home. Sometimes, she even went out just to chat with the cast and crew.
Initially, the role was taken up by another actress—she was the sister-in-law of an established actor in the entertainment industry. She also relied on her contacts to get the role.
However, since Grandmother Qi was interested, Han Zhuoli gladly acquiesced.
While others may have prioritized the actor’s request, Han Zhuoli showed no hesitation in switching the role over to Grandmother Qi.
The actress, of course, complained to her brother-in-law. He personally came to dispute with Han Zhuoli and was promptly dismissed. Meanwhile, Grandmother Qi was kept in the dark.
The first Saturday after they had the engagement lunch was Grandmother Qi’s first day on set.
Grandmother Qi hid her identity from the team. She did not want the actors and actresses flocking to her as she was too tired to deal with the attention.
She also wanted to be treated like everyone else. She wanted to test her acting skills.
If they knew her identity, they might give biased feedback. Even if she was terrible, they would still compliment her.
However, Han Zhuoli was also worried that Grandmother Qi would be bullied by the team. If her identity was not known, the team might treat her with disrespect and take advantage of her. Therefore, Han Zhuoli discretely told the director about her true identity.
The director understood then. No wonder Young Master Zhuo came multiple times personally to inquire about the filming despite it being only a television series.
The director made a point to look out for Grandmother Qi..
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.
