Wei Minghao’s birthday coincided with Qi Chengze’s death anniversary, but because it was the birthday of the Wei family’s patriarch and by virtue of both families’ status as part of the Eight Great Families, it was impossible for the Wei family not to invite the Qi family over. In the same vein, the Qi family could not decline that invitation.
After visiting Qi Chengze’s grave in the morning, the family went to Dynasty that night.
Due to the pregnancy, Song Yu wore shoes with very short heels. Her sapphire-blue knee-length dress made her skin look much fairer.
Her skin was very healthy, to begin with, so Song Yu skipped the makeup in light of the pregnancy. A bit of lipstick was all she put on. Nevertheless, she was in glowing spirits, with a pink blush radiating from her cheeks.
The old lady walked into the hall, saw the other families’ elderly matriarchs, then went to join them. Song Yu could clearly see that they were trying to avoid the old lady once they spotted her.
Both the old lady and the old man went in search of their respective friends, while Qi Zhongliang and the others were socializing with their own peers.
“Can you, like, control your old woman?” A grumbling voice came reverberating out of the blue. Song Yu was frightened, but she soon realized that it was Han Zhuoli, who moved over to them rather stealthily.
His face was gloomy and he did not look too happy. “My grandmother has been showing me plenty of pictures these past few days. She wants to set up a blind date. Your grandmother is being a bit excessive, isn’t she?”
Han Zhuoli pointed toward a particular direction. Song Yu’s gaze followed his finger, and she saw that the old lady was tugging at Grandmother Han’s hand rather animatedly. It was almost certainly because she was flaunting off her granddaughter-in-law.
Song Yu knew full well that there was a large number of pictures. After she went home the other day, she did mention it to Qi Chengzhi as well.
Qi Chengzhi pursed his lips. “Well, it’ll all be done if you just picked one.”
Han Zhuoli, “…”
All of a sudden, the three of them heard an arrogant laugh. They turned and saw Grandfather Qi laughing like nobody’s business. The old man then raised his voice, as if afraid that no one could hear him clearly. “HAHAHAHA, my eldest grandson isn’t special. He found a wife much later than other people, but at least he’s finally getting married!”
“You’re annoying us on purpose, aren’t you?” Grandfather Yan was starting to get angry. His eyes scanned across the room in search of Yan Beicheng, whom the old man then proceeded to glare at.
“Not at all, not at all. Ever since he got married, he insists on bringing his wife over to the home. You know that I like to play chess, but because they’re always coming over, I can’t play my chess in peace. If they have a child next time, I’d have to take care of my great-grandchildren! I have enough of a headache taking care of my great-grandson. If they gave me another great-grandchild, I’m going to be tired to death!” With that intonation of his, he was not so much speaking as he was shouting—he was so loud that the entire hall could hear him. His mouth may be complaining, but his face seemed to be quite excited, and his pride was far more infuriating than the old lady’s.
“Agh, I’m not talking to you again, you bloody old man! Who the bloody hell is going to believe you when you say you’re not happy! You’re just showing off with every sentence you say!” Grandfather Gui stared at him in anger.
“Exactly! Just look at how smug you are. Lao Wei already has two great-grandchildren, but you don’t see him being as cocky as you!” Grandfather Yan exclaimed in irritation.
Grandfather Wei smiled contentedly after his name was called out. He looked like he was just keeping a low profile.
…
That night, Qi Chengyue arrived alongside Qi Chenglin. Ever since she told Jian Yi she wanted a divorce, Jian Yi would not cooperate, and that prompted the Qi family to contact Lawyer Song. Lawyer Song did not specialize in divorces, and so introduced Lawyer Ge—an expert in that area.
“Cheng Dongge’s here, too?” She was surprised to see Cheng Dongge’s presence when she scanned the surroundings.
“Dad and Uncle are going to retire soon. Sooner or later, our big brother is going to return to Qilin Technology, and I’ll be the one who takes up the director’s position at Qilin Properties. The general manager’s position will be empty then, and our big brother wants Cheng Dongge to fill the position. That’s the reason he wanted Cheng Dongge to attend events like these, to expand his connections,” Qi Chenglin explained.
“I know that Big Brother wants him to become the general manager, but I didn’t expect Big Brother to think so highly of him,” Qi Chengyue responded in awe.
Qi Youxuan was holding her hand until that point in time, but he suddenly let go of her and ran off.
Qi Chengyue was not worried that something might happen to Qi Youxuan, but she stared in shock as he just bolted away. Only then did she realize that Wei Ziqi’s family had arrived. The chubby little Qi Youxuan was running directly toward Wei Muran.
“…” Speechless, she looked at her nephew dashing off with his wiggling butt. She had not forgotten what he told her earlier.
“Auntie, don’t worry, I’ll be by your side the whole night!” Back in the car, Qi Youxuan made that solemn vow while thumping his chest using his fist.
They had arrived for barely a few minutes, but the boy had already forgotten his promise completely.
“I think Qi Youxuan will grow up to be someone who will change his heart easily when he sees something new,” Qi Chengyue narrowed her eyes and remarked.
Qi Chenglin pursed his lips, and together with Qi Chengyue, they walked over to Wei Ziqi’s family. Qi Chenglin wanted to get his son back.
While they were talking with Wei Ran and Wei Ziqi, someone suddenly jumped on Wei Ran’s back.
“Wei Ran!” A woman hugged Wei Ran’s neck from behind. She then saw Wei Ziqi cocking his brow and looking at her in silence.
Wei Ran need not turn around to know who it was. Controlling her desire to squeal excitedly, she eventually turned and hugged the other woman. “Nanxi!”
The two excited women continued hugging each other before finally letting go of one another. Wei Ran looked all around herself and asked, “You didn’t bring Niannian over?”
“We’re actually here on official business to solve a case, so we didn’t bring the child with us. We took some time out today to come join in the celebrations,” Lu Nanxi explained.
The man beside her dressed in a well-cut suit. His character was distinct, but his hair was so messy that no amount of combing could seem to tame it. As a result, he looked like someone who was constantly feeling sleepy.
Fang Boran greeted Wei Ziqi and handed over a gift. “Wen Ren had an assignment and couldn’t come. He asked me to bring this for you.”
“Is Jiaran alright?” Wei Ran asked.
“She is. She’s pregnant again, so she’s now in confinement at Lanshan Courtyard. Wen Ren went away on assignment, so he didn’t allow her to come here by herself.” Lu Nanxi smiled, then leaned over and whispered, “Because of the pregnancy, Wen Ren wanted to prevent any prenatal influences, so he searched for all the porn films and Hentai comics that she hid. He took all of them away so she couldn’t watch or read them. You know, when Wen Ren dispatched the undercover bodyguard to search the entire courtyard for all those things, he searched energetically for them and found all those materials in heaps. In the end, even the straight-faced bodyguard couldn’t keep it together anymore.”
Wei Ran could not help but smile when she thought of Fang Jiaran’s rather unique hobby.
“Jiaran couldn’t keep a straight face as well after the search. The entire Lanshan Courtyard knew of her little pastime, but just imagine how she felt when it was laid bare in front of everyone. She was so embarrassed that she refused to come out and meet anyone for a few days. Because of that, she got so mad at Wen Ren that she came running to our house just to sleep at our place for a couple of days. Wen Ren had to keep begging her for her to return. Then he promised her that he’ll bring her to Japan after the child is born. She’ll have the freedom to choose all the films, comics, and anime that she wanted, and bring them all home.”
Lu Nanxi was troubled because she spent the past few days dealing with a case, thereby robbing her of the time to speak with Wei Ran. The urge to gossip was just boiling inside of her, and when she finally got to see Wei Ran in person, she felt like she was transported to the past—that was when she spent most of her time gossiping to Wei Ran.
Fang Boran stood on one side, massaging his temples. Lu Nanxi’s busybody tendencies were all inherited from her mother, and as the years went by, her penchant for gossiping was getting more and more out of hand.
The two women were enjoying themselves very much, and since Fang Boran did not want to bother them, he started a conversation with Wei Ziqi and Qi Chenglin.
Capitalizing on the fact that Wei Ziqi’s attention had been diverted to Lu Nanxi and Fang Boran, Qi Youxuan took out a ring-shaped candy from his pocket and said to Wei Muran, “This is for you, Muran.”
As he spoke, he placed the candy into Muran’s ring finger.
By the time Wei Ziqi saw it, little Muran had already raised her hand to eat the ring-shaped candy.
Wei Ziqi finally had enough of Qi Youxuan’s harassment. He kept his voice low and asked Qi Chenglin, “Can you please control your son?”
Qi Chenglin looked at the two young ones and raised a brow, saying, “I’ll let him take the responsibility when he’s older, but as for today, let’s treat it as their engagement.”
Wei Ziqi, “…”
The entire Qi family were a bunch of audacious people.
No one expected Qi Youxuan to hear what his father said. He swayed his indistinct waist shyly, and while blushing, he said, “Mm, I think that’s quite okay y.”
Wei Ziqi, “…”
Wei Ran, “…’
Qi Chengyue, “…”
“Brother, I’m going to the washroom for a bit,” Qi Chengyue told Qi Chenglin softly.
She could not sustain a conversation with the three men, and because Wei Ran and Lu Nanxi were close friends since young, the two definitely had much to talk about after a long period of not meeting each other. It would be awkward for Qi Chengyue to butt in, as it would then cause the two of them to be unable to fully talk without restraint with each other. Moreover, she was not close to either of them, and she would only be speaking a few courteous words at most. It would be rather untoward of her to just enter into their conversation, and it probably would have spoiled the mood.
Feeling out-of-place, she took the opportunity to leave for a brief moment.
Qi Chenglin nodded but still felt worried for her.
Qi Chengyue’s divorcing of Jian Yi, after being married for barely a few months, was something that could not be kept hidden. The news had spread out.
Wei Minghao’s birthday celebration was a grand event, and members of the Eight Great Families were not the only invitees. Also invited were those with significant status from the upper-circle, so the attendees were more varied than usual. It was inevitable that they would gossip and badmouth her behind her back.
“Call me if you need anything,” Qi Chenglin told her.
Qi Chengyue smiled and walked past the hall, looking left and right—Qi Chengzhi was talking with Yan Beicheng and the others. Qi Chengji met a fellow comrade and congregated with his army buddies, who all came from various prestigious families. Song Yu was being dragged and flaunted around by the old lady.
With nowhere for her to go to, she decided to head to the washroom.
When she reached the washroom and opened the door slightly, she heard the voices of three women, all of which were tending to their makeup. One of them she could distinctly recognize—it was the Gui family’s Gui Rongxuan. Another, surprisingly, was Guan Xiaolin!
The remaining voice belonged to Li Qianyi.
The Guan family was not considered one of the higher-status families, but the Wei family invited them over as courtesy to Guan Liya.
Even though she could not conceal the news of her divorce with Jian Yi, the man’s affair with Guan Xiaolin was known only to the Qi family, no one else.
“Did you see how Qi Chengyue looked today? Her complexion is just terrible. She looks jaded even though she applied makeup,” Li Qianyi remarked as she looked at her reflection in the mirror.
“Could her complexion be any better? She’s only been married for a few months but she’s already asking for a divorce. From what I see, she isn’t the type who can keep her man. What use is there to have the Qi family’s prestige over her head?” Gui Rongxuan was not applying any makeup. She merely looked at the bright big mirror and stared narcissistically at her own face. Left and right she admired her cheeks from every possible angle.
“Hehe, I didn’t really believe it at first, but since she came here alone today, I think the two of them will divorce for sure!” Guan Xiaolin exclaimed smugly and pretended not to know the entire situation.
Qi Chengyue saw that Guan Xiaolin wore flats and was holding tight on the door handle. Was Guan Xiaolin afraid that the others knew not of the pregnancy?
“Is continuing the marriage even an option? I was never optimistic for their marriage when I knew she’s getting married to that Jian Yi.” Gui Rongxuan then continued to make cutting remarks. “Qi Chengyue’s a stubborn girl spoiled by her family. No man can be patient with a temper like hers. If her husband was on the same social status as her, he definitely wouldn’t be able to stand her. Did she think that if she found someone ordinary like Jian Yi, she could just boss him around?”
“I say, since he’s an ordinary person, then he probably viewed her only for her money and status. She still jumped into the marriage like an idiot though. Could it be that she wants to divorce because she finally realized the truth after getting married?” Li Qianyi put her powder puff away. Their subject of conversation did not actually concern her at all, but as if there was not enough havoc already, she said, “That’s why those who have high statuses like us must look for a partner on the same level. At least if we’re taken advantage of, we can do the same to them. It won’t be a one-sided situation where we’re completely being taken advantage of.”
Guan Xiaolin’s action of opening the tap came to a halt and all of a sudden, she held onto the spout with all her strength. It was but a brief moment, and she once again resumed her action of opening the tap to wash her hands.
The other two did not notice that something was amiss, as Wei Rongxuan was busy looking at the mirror while Li Qianyi was still doing her own makeup.
Guan Xiaolin then said, “If something like this happens to me, I’ll definitely be ashamed to show up at this kind of event. Everyone who’s anyone will be here, and they’ll be laughing at me if I showed my face. Her mental strength is pretty impressive!”
With much force, Qi Chengyue pushed the door open immediately. The result was a loud bang as the door slammed onto the wall, startling all three of them.
“One, I didn’t have an affair. Two, I didn’t steal someone else’s husband. And three, I didn’t spread lies behind other people’s back. Why should I be ashamed?” Qi Chengyue stood at the door and asked.
“It’s only my first divorce. I’m still far behind you, Miss Gui,” Qi Chengyue said bluntly.
All three had a sour expression, with Gui Rongxuan’s face turning stiff. She divorced twice already and was currently in her third marriage. In her first marriage, both she and her husband cheated on each other and had their respective affairs. In the second, she slept with a married man and was discovered by the man’s wife, who then exposed the affair to the world. The third and current marriage was with that same married man, who divorced the wife in order to be with her.
Both she and the current husband were both players, and after the initial feeling of love was gone, they got tired of each other. Nevertheless, they both endured the marriage because they had rather good financial backgrounds. Divorce was a subject that was never brought up, but both sought the company of people outside of their marriage.
Her husband was embroiled in scandals involving celebrities and young models, while she kept a young boy just for herself.
In fact, the entire upper-class circle was well aware of Gui Rongxuan’s situation.
Regarding Qi Chengyue’s jibe of ‘stealing someone else’s husband’, Guan Xiaolin knew that it was aimed at herself.
“Miss Guan, I heard you got pregnant. Who’s the father? And when’s the marriage? Oh, do tell!” Qi Chengyue narrowed her eyes and stared goadingly onto Guan Xiaolin’s tummy.
Qi Chengyue was spot-on in deducing that Guan Xiaolin would keep her relationship with Jian Yi under wraps. After all, it was not something particularly pleasing to talk about. Qi Chengyue’s guess was that after the divorce, Guan Xiaolin would wait out for a bit before getting married to Jian Yi. Then, after a few months, she would reveal that she was pregnant. Once the child was born, people would sense that the timing did not add up, but everything would have been a foregone conclusion by then.
If Guan Xiaolin were to say it all out now, it would add on to what was already a massive scandal.
Sure enough, the other two turned immediately to look at Guan Xiaolin’s stomach, right after Qi Chengyue finished speaking. Gui Rongxuan and Li Qianyi both had excessive attention to detail. Qi Chengyue’s words led them to notice Guan Xiaolin’s reaction, and they knew instantly that Guan Xiaolin had done something utterly shameful. It was unlikely that the child’s birth would be a grand affair.
Guan Xiaolin’s expression turned stiff, and after looking stupefied for a moment, she pursed her lips and retorted sarcastically, “I’ll make the announcement myself after some time. According to old customs, we can’t simply tell anyone about the pregnancy during the first three months.”
She walked over to Qi Chengyue, and said smugly when she was beside the latter, “When the time comes, I’ll definitely give you a wedding invitation.”
Gui Rongxuan and Li Qianyi felt awkward as well, and they left angrily.
Qi Chengyue’s words offended both of them thoroughly.
After they left, she leaned listlessly on the door frame. Breathing out a few deep breaths, she prepared to leave after some time had passed.
She knew that gossip would be aplenty during that day, and therefore, she had been mentally prepared for that outcome. The more they gossiped, the more she wanted to stand strong. After all, was it not just a few sentences from them?
They could say whatever they wanted, for she knew she did nothing wrong. Those who should be feeling ashamed were Guan Xiaolin and Jian Yi, but surprisingly, Guan Xiaolin was still brave enough to show herself at such an event!
Resilience began coursing through her body. She clenched her hands into fists and was adamant on not showing any weakness.
She stood upright and was about to leave, but she spotted a figure coming out from the men’s washroom.
Upon seeing who it was, she was left shocked.
‘Why is it always Cheng Dongge?’
He was rubbing his nose. Earlier, he was about to come out of the bathroom, but suddenly heard the conversation between Qi Chengyue and the other ladies. The door to the ladies’ room was wide ajar, and knowing that he would have to pass there if he were to go out, the women would almost certainly find it awkward. All he could do was hide at the door and leave only after the women had left.
He heard some footsteps, followed by the absence of any other sound. Thinking that they had all left, he stuck out his head cautiously.
Seeing Qi Chengyue in front of the ladies’ room stunned him for a moment.
“Miss Qi,” Cheng Dongge greeted calmly, and his expression seemed oblivious to what happened.
Qi Chengyue did not buy that look of his, and so narrowed her eyes. “You didn’t hear the conversation just now, did you?”
Cheng Dongge, “…”
“Couldn’t you wait until I left before coming out of the toilet? You’re always seeing me at my most embarrassing moments!” Qi Chengyue’s face was red-hot, and she felt extremely shy.
“…” A moment of silence was followed by Cheng Dongge pointing to the men’s room behind him. “Do you want me to go back in and wait for you to leave before coming out again?”
Qi Chengyue, “…
“Do you really think deceiving yourself is going to fool anyone?” Qi Chengyue rolled her eyes, and seeing that happen on her baby-face elicited a smile from Cheng Dongge.
“Ah yes.” Qi Chengyue looked down and took out a white-and-brown checkered handkerchief, which she handed to Cheng Dongge. “This is yours.”
Cheng Dongge was curious. He did not take it yet, but asked her, “You knew I was coming today?”
Qi Chengyue began to blush. She did not know of course, but for some reason, she was always bringing it around with her since that day.
She would not admit it though, so she waved her hand and said, “Yes, I knew. My brother told me.”
Cheng Dongge nodded and took the handkerchief back. His other hand, however, was lifted up, and his fingers touched her cheek.
Qi Chengyue was startled. She could feel the warmth and slight roughness of his fingertips. They traced across her cheek, sending a snake-like electric current that trickled all over her face. It was numbing, causing a shiver to come over her immediately.
A red blush appeared in the exact spot that he touched, and it soon began spreading through her entire face. It complemented her baby-face as well as her large, exotic-looking eyes, creating a look that could stir one’s heart.
The silky feeling of her skin was like the smoothest of fresh butter.
Cheng Dongge gulped. He wanted to let his finger stay there without moving, but at the same time, he wanted to keep them going and feel even more of that silkiness.
His movements came to a grinding halt and he retracted his hand immediately. He knew that his actions were a bit too brazen and could fuel a misunderstanding. Letting out a dry cough, he showed her the tip of his index finger. “There was an eyelash on your face.”
Qi Chengyue looked down and saw that long and delicate eyelash. She did, in fact, misunderstand a few moments ago, but after seeing that Cheng Dongge had no other intentions, she felt her face turned even redder.
Even though Cheng Dongge also lowered his head, he could make out her reddening ears. Seeing them made his heart skip a beat.
He retracted his hand and was about to flick the eyelash away, but Qi Chengyue grabbed his wrist. Her palm was smooth and soft—a complete contrast from his. Despite being held by the wrist, his heart was beginning to melt.
“Wait, don’t get rid of it!” Qi Chengyue called out. She pulled his hand back again and carefully took the eyelash from his finger.
Cheng Dongge remained silent while his dark pupils observed Qi Chengyue’s movements. His masculine fingers were the perfect complement to her feminine ones. The softness of her fingers could be perceived clearly when they brushed through his fingers with feather-like lightness.
She picked up the eyelash and placed it on her palm before wrapping her hands into a fist. She then lowered her head, planted her lips on her fingers, and closed her eyes. Her serene appearance was very beautiful—all traces of her usual headstrongness was completely gone.
Moments later, she opened her eyes and spread out her fingers. She then blew on the eyelash and said, “They say doing this can make your wishes come true. Apparently, it’s very effective.”
Qi Chengyue raised her gaze at him and noticed his eyelashes. They were thick and long, but not as upcurved as hers.
“If you find an eyelash on your face, you can try it too.” Qi Chengyue smiled. She no longer had the foul mood that she had when she bumped into Guan Xiaolin. Her two dimples even made an appearance on her face.
Cheng Dongge was smiling too when Qi Chengyue ordered, “Give me your arm.”
He cocked a brow at her never-ending demands. In the past, he often despised her excessive and oftentimes inconsiderate requests.
At that time though, he unwittingly stretched his hand to her before his brain could even process her request.
She looked at his outstretched hand and laughed. “Pfft, not like that.”
With both hands, she grabbed his forearm and bent it down. It was only after coming into contact with them that she noticed how robust and firm he was, possibly the result of regular training.
She wrapped her arms around his and began dragging him along. “You don’t have a female companion, right? Well, accompany me out. This way, I won’t lose my ego.”
…
…
Qi Chengzhi was busy speaking to Yan Beicheng and Han Zhuoli when someone tugged on his arm. A waft of perfume permeated the air at the exact same time.
“Big Brother Chengzhi!” A crisp, tender voice reverberated within the ears of all three men.
The expressions of Yan Beicheng and Han Zhuoli perked up immediately. They looked at Qi Chengzhi with teasing eyes and waggled their brows. Half-smirking, they began sizing up the woman that had interrupted them so suddenly.
“Why are you here?” Qi Chengzhi asked unenthusiastically. He freed his arm from the woman’s grasp, then grabbed a glass of champagne from the trays of one of the servers. He gave the drink to the woman, preventing her from having any idle hands which she could use to grab him with. His movements were so smooth that it did not give away his actual intention.
“I’ve graduated, so I followed my brother back to the country.” Mu Sisi smiled and stared admiringly at Qi Chengzhi. She made no effort to try and conceal that admiration. “Our family’s company is cooperating with Wu Feng, so Wei Ziqi invited us over.”
She lifted her hand to obscure her smile, and although her buoyant character was bizarre, she was nonetheless a beautiful woman who could attract the attention of most men.
In the opinion of both Yan Beicheng and Han Zhuoli, Mu Sisi was more childish, lacking the staid that Song Yu had. Standing beside him, she did not look like a good match for Qi Chengzhi, and overall, she seemed unable to sustain the aura Qi Chengzhi possessed.
Song Yu seemed like a gentlewoman who led a simple life. Put her with Mu Sisi, and Song Yu’s character might appear slightly dull—pair her with Qi Chengzhi, and she became a silent magnetic force that absorbed Qi Chengzhi’s imposing aura, turning it into nothingness.
As long as Song Yu was beside him, his formidable energy dwindled automatically, causing others to fear him much less.
“It’s been a week since I came back, but I told my brother not to tell you. I knew you’re going to join in the celebration too, and I really wanted to surprise you here.” Mu Sisi wanted to hug Qi Chengzhi’s arm again, but as she was just about to stretch her arms, she realized she was holding a champagne glass, and was left with no choice but to halt her movements.
“You’re a meanie, Big Brother Chengzhi. You never reply to my WeChat messages or text messages,” Mu Sisi frowned and grumbled. Her tender, coquettish voice made her frown look particularly adorable.
Be on WeChat or through text, Qi Chengzhi never replied because he blacklisted her number long ago.
Qi Chengzhi found it annoying that Mu Sisi always texted him. What if Song Yu saw those texts and misunderstood?
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Wei Minghao’s birthday coincided with Qi Chengze’s death anniversary, but because it was the birthday of the Wei family’s patriarch and by virtue of both families’ status as part of the Eight Great Families, it was impossible for the Wei family not to invite the Qi family over. In the same vein, the Qi family could not decline that invitation.
After visiting Qi Chengze’s grave in the morning, the family went to Dynasty that night.
Due to the pregnancy, Song Yu wore shoes with very short heels. Her sapphire-blue knee-length dress made her skin look much fairer.
Her skin was very healthy, to begin with, so Song Yu skipped the makeup in light of the pregnancy. A bit of lipstick was all she put on. Nevertheless, she was in glowing spirits, with a pink blush radiating from her cheeks.
The old lady walked into the hall, saw the other families’ elderly matriarchs, then went to join them. Song Yu could clearly see that they were trying to avoid the old lady once they spotted her.
Both the old lady and the old man went in search of their respective friends, while Qi Zhongliang and the others were socializing with their own peers.
“Can you, like, control your old woman?” A grumbling voice came reverberating out of the blue. Song Yu was frightened, but she soon realized that it was Han Zhuoli, who moved over to them rather stealthily.
His face was gloomy and he did not look too happy. “My grandmother has been showing me plenty of pictures these past few days. She wants to set up a blind date. Your grandmother is being a bit excessive, isn’t she?”
Han Zhuoli pointed toward a particular direction. Song Yu’s gaze followed his finger, and she saw that the old lady was tugging at Grandmother Han’s hand rather animatedly. It was almost certainly because she was flaunting off her granddaughter-in-law.
Song Yu knew full well that there was a large number of pictures. After she went home the other day, she did mention it to Qi Chengzhi as well.
Qi Chengzhi pursed his lips. “Well, it’ll all be done if you just picked one.”
Han Zhuoli, “…”
All of a sudden, the three of them heard an arrogant laugh. They turned and saw Grandfather Qi laughing like nobody’s business. The old man then raised his voice, as if afraid that no one could hear him clearly. “HAHAHAHA, my eldest grandson isn’t special. He found a wife much later than other people, but at least he’s finally getting married!”
“You’re annoying us on purpose, aren’t you?” Grandfather Yan was starting to get angry. His eyes scanned across the room in search of Yan Beicheng, whom the old man then proceeded to glare at.
“Not at all, not at all. Ever since he got married, he insists on bringing his wife over to the home. You know that I like to play chess, but because they’re always coming over, I can’t play my chess in peace. If they have a child next time, I’d have to take care of my great-grandchildren! I have enough of a headache taking care of my great-grandson. If they gave me another great-grandchild, I’m going to be tired to death!” With that intonation of his, he was not so much speaking as he was shouting—he was so loud that the entire hall could hear him. His mouth may be complaining, but his face seemed to be quite excited, and his pride was far more infuriating than the old lady’s.
“Agh, I’m not talking to you again, you bloody old man! Who the bloody hell is going to believe you when you say you’re not happy! You’re just showing off with every sentence you say!” Grandfather Gui stared at him in anger.
“Exactly! Just look at how smug you are. Lao Wei already has two great-grandchildren, but you don’t see him being as cocky as you!” Grandfather Yan exclaimed in irritation.
Grandfather Wei smiled contentedly after his name was called out. He looked like he was just keeping a low profile.
…
That night, Qi Chengyue arrived alongside Qi Chenglin. Ever since she told Jian Yi she wanted a divorce, Jian Yi would not cooperate, and that prompted the Qi family to contact Lawyer Song. Lawyer Song did not specialize in divorces, and so introduced Lawyer Ge—an expert in that area.
“Cheng Dongge’s here, too?” She was surprised to see Cheng Dongge’s presence when she scanned the surroundings.
“Dad and Uncle are going to retire soon. Sooner or later, our big brother is going to return to Qilin Technology, and I’ll be the one who takes up the director’s position at Qilin Properties. The general manager’s position will be empty then, and our big brother wants Cheng Dongge to fill the position. That’s the reason he wanted Cheng Dongge to attend events like these, to expand his connections,” Qi Chenglin explained.
“I know that Big Brother wants him to become the general manager, but I didn’t expect Big Brother to think so highly of him,” Qi Chengyue responded in awe.
Qi Youxuan was holding her hand until that point in time, but he suddenly let go of her and ran off.
Qi Chengyue was not worried that something might happen to Qi Youxuan, but she stared in shock as he just bolted away. Only then did she realize that Wei Ziqi’s family had arrived. The chubby little Qi Youxuan was running directly toward Wei Muran.
“…” Speechless, she looked at her nephew dashing off with his wiggling butt. She had not forgotten what he told her earlier.
“Auntie, don’t worry, I’ll be by your side the whole night!” Back in the car, Qi Youxuan made that solemn vow while thumping his chest using his fist.
They had arrived for barely a few minutes, but the boy had already forgotten his promise completely.
“I think Qi Youxuan will grow up to be someone who will change his heart easily when he sees something new,” Qi Chengyue narrowed her eyes and remarked.
Qi Chenglin pursed his lips, and together with Qi Chengyue, they walked over to Wei Ziqi’s family. Qi Chenglin wanted to get his son back.
While they were talking with Wei Ran and Wei Ziqi, someone suddenly jumped on Wei Ran’s back.
“Wei Ran!” A woman hugged Wei Ran’s neck from behind. She then saw Wei Ziqi cocking his brow and looking at her in silence.
Wei Ran need not turn around to know who it was. Controlling her desire to squeal excitedly, she eventually turned and hugged the other woman. “Nanxi!”
The two excited women continued hugging each other before finally letting go of one another. Wei Ran looked all around herself and asked, “You didn’t bring Niannian over?”
“We’re actually here on official business to solve a case, so we didn’t bring the child with us. We took some time out today to come join in the celebrations,” Lu Nanxi explained.
The man beside her dressed in a well-cut suit. His character was distinct, but his hair was so messy that no amount of combing could seem to tame it. As a result, he looked like someone who was constantly feeling sleepy.
Fang Boran greeted Wei Ziqi and handed over a gift. “Wen Ren had an assignment and couldn’t come. He asked me to bring this for you.”
“Is Jiaran alright?” Wei Ran asked.
“She is. She’s pregnant again, so she’s now in confinement at Lanshan Courtyard. Wen Ren went away on assignment, so he didn’t allow her to come here by herself.” Lu Nanxi smiled, then leaned over and whispered, “Because of the pregnancy, Wen Ren wanted to prevent any prenatal influences, so he searched for all the porn films and Hentai comics that she hid. He took all of them away so she couldn’t watch or read them. You know, when Wen Ren dispatched the undercover bodyguard to search the entire courtyard for all those things, he searched energetically for them and found all those materials in heaps. In the end, even the straight-faced bodyguard couldn’t keep it together anymore.”
Wei Ran could not help but smile when she thought of Fang Jiaran’s rather unique hobby.
“Jiaran couldn’t keep a straight face as well after the search. The entire Lanshan Courtyard knew of her little pastime, but just imagine how she felt when it was laid bare in front of everyone. She was so embarrassed that she refused to come out and meet anyone for a few days. Because of that, she got so mad at Wen Ren that she came running to our house just to sleep at our place for a couple of days. Wen Ren had to keep begging her for her to return. Then he promised her that he’ll bring her to Japan after the child is born. She’ll have the freedom to choose all the films, comics, and anime that she wanted, and bring them all home.”
Lu Nanxi was troubled because she spent the past few days dealing with a case, thereby robbing her of the time to speak with Wei Ran. The urge to gossip was just boiling inside of her, and when she finally got to see Wei Ran in person, she felt like she was transported to the past—that was when she spent most of her time gossiping to Wei Ran.
Fang Boran stood on one side, massaging his temples. Lu Nanxi’s busybody tendencies were all inherited from her mother, and as the years went by, her penchant for gossiping was getting more and more out of hand.
The two women were enjoying themselves very much, and since Fang Boran did not want to bother them, he started a conversation with Wei Ziqi and Qi Chenglin.
Capitalizing on the fact that Wei Ziqi’s attention had been diverted to Lu Nanxi and Fang Boran, Qi Youxuan took out a ring-shaped candy from his pocket and said to Wei Muran, “This is for you, Muran.”
As he spoke, he placed the candy into Muran’s ring finger.
By the time Wei Ziqi saw it, little Muran had already raised her hand to eat the ring-shaped candy.
Wei Ziqi finally had enough of Qi Youxuan’s harassment. He kept his voice low and asked Qi Chenglin, “Can you please control your son?”
Qi Chenglin looked at the two young ones and raised a brow, saying, “I’ll let him take the responsibility when he’s older, but as for today, let’s treat it as their engagement.”
Wei Ziqi, “…”
The entire Qi family were a bunch of audacious people.
No one expected Qi Youxuan to hear what his father said. He swayed his indistinct waist shyly, and while blushing, he said, “Mm, I think that’s quite okay y.”
Wei Ziqi, “…”
Wei Ran, “…’
Qi Chengyue, “…”
“Brother, I’m going to the washroom for a bit,” Qi Chengyue told Qi Chenglin softly.
She could not sustain a conversation with the three men, and because Wei Ran and Lu Nanxi were close friends since young, the two definitely had much to talk about after a long period of not meeting each other. It would be awkward for Qi Chengyue to butt in, as it would then cause the two of them to be unable to fully talk without restraint with each other. Moreover, she was not close to either of them, and she would only be speaking a few courteous words at most. It would be rather untoward of her to just enter into their conversation, and it probably would have spoiled the mood.
Feeling out-of-place, she took the opportunity to leave for a brief moment.
Qi Chenglin nodded but still felt worried for her.
Qi Chengyue’s divorcing of Jian Yi, after being married for barely a few months, was something that could not be kept hidden. The news had spread out.
Wei Minghao’s birthday celebration was a grand event, and members of the Eight Great Families were not the only invitees. Also invited were those with significant status from the upper-circle, so the attendees were more varied than usual. It was inevitable that they would gossip and badmouth her behind her back.
“Call me if you need anything,” Qi Chenglin told her.
Qi Chengyue smiled and walked past the hall, looking left and right—Qi Chengzhi was talking with Yan Beicheng and the others. Qi Chengji met a fellow comrade and congregated with his army buddies, who all came from various prestigious families. Song Yu was being dragged and flaunted around by the old lady.
With nowhere for her to go to, she decided to head to the washroom.
When she reached the washroom and opened the door slightly, she heard the voices of three women, all of which were tending to their makeup. One of them she could distinctly recognize—it was the Gui family’s Gui Rongxuan. Another, surprisingly, was Guan Xiaolin!
The remaining voice belonged to Li Qianyi.
The Guan family was not considered one of the higher-status families, but the Wei family invited them over as courtesy to Guan Liya.
Even though she could not conceal the news of her divorce with Jian Yi, the man’s affair with Guan Xiaolin was known only to the Qi family, no one else.
“Did you see how Qi Chengyue looked today? Her complexion is just terrible. She looks jaded even though she applied makeup,” Li Qianyi remarked as she looked at her reflection in the mirror.
“Could her complexion be any better? She’s only been married for a few months but she’s already asking for a divorce. From what I see, she isn’t the type who can keep her man. What use is there to have the Qi family’s prestige over her head?” Gui Rongxuan was not applying any makeup. She merely looked at the bright big mirror and stared narcissistically at her own face. Left and right she admired her cheeks from every possible angle.
“Hehe, I didn’t really believe it at first, but since she came here alone today, I think the two of them will divorce for sure!” Guan Xiaolin exclaimed smugly and pretended not to know the entire situation.
Qi Chengyue saw that Guan Xiaolin wore flats and was holding tight on the door handle. Was Guan Xiaolin afraid that the others knew not of the pregnancy?
“Is continuing the marriage even an option? I was never optimistic for their marriage when I knew she’s getting married to that Jian Yi.” Gui Rongxuan then continued to make cutting remarks. “Qi Chengyue’s a stubborn girl spoiled by her family. No man can be patient with a temper like hers. If her husband was on the same social status as her, he definitely wouldn’t be able to stand her. Did she think that if she found someone ordinary like Jian Yi, she could just boss him around?”
“I say, since he’s an ordinary person, then he probably viewed her only for her money and status. She still jumped into the marriage like an idiot though. Could it be that she wants to divorce because she finally realized the truth after getting married?” Li Qianyi put her powder puff away. Their subject of conversation did not actually concern her at all, but as if there was not enough havoc already, she said, “That’s why those who have high statuses like us must look for a partner on the same level. At least if we’re taken advantage of, we can do the same to them. It won’t be a one-sided situation where we’re completely being taken advantage of.”
Guan Xiaolin’s action of opening the tap came to a halt and all of a sudden, she held onto the spout with all her strength. It was but a brief moment, and she once again resumed her action of opening the tap to wash her hands.
The other two did not notice that something was amiss, as Wei Rongxuan was busy looking at the mirror while Li Qianyi was still doing her own makeup.
Guan Xiaolin then said, “If something like this happens to me, I’ll definitely be ashamed to show up at this kind of event. Everyone who’s anyone will be here, and they’ll be laughing at me if I showed my face. Her mental strength is pretty impressive!”
With much force, Qi Chengyue pushed the door open immediately. The result was a loud bang as the door slammed onto the wall, startling all three of them.
“One, I didn’t have an affair. Two, I didn’t steal someone else’s husband. And three, I didn’t spread lies behind other people’s back. Why should I be ashamed?” Qi Chengyue stood at the door and asked.
“It’s only my first divorce. I’m still far behind you, Miss Gui,” Qi Chengyue said bluntly.
All three had a sour expression, with Gui Rongxuan’s face turning stiff. She divorced twice already and was currently in her third marriage. In her first marriage, both she and her husband cheated on each other and had their respective affairs. In the second, she slept with a married man and was discovered by the man’s wife, who then exposed the affair to the world. The third and current marriage was with that same married man, who divorced the wife in order to be with her.
Both she and the current husband were both players, and after the initial feeling of love was gone, they got tired of each other. Nevertheless, they both endured the marriage because they had rather good financial backgrounds. Divorce was a subject that was never brought up, but both sought the company of people outside of their marriage.
Her husband was embroiled in scandals involving celebrities and young models, while she kept a young boy just for herself.
In fact, the entire upper-class circle was well aware of Gui Rongxuan’s situation.
Regarding Qi Chengyue’s jibe of ‘stealing someone else’s husband’, Guan Xiaolin knew that it was aimed at herself.
“Miss Guan, I heard you got pregnant. Who’s the father? And when’s the marriage? Oh, do tell!” Qi Chengyue narrowed her eyes and stared goadingly onto Guan Xiaolin’s tummy.
Qi Chengyue was spot-on in deducing that Guan Xiaolin would keep her relationship with Jian Yi under wraps. After all, it was not something particularly pleasing to talk about. Qi Chengyue’s guess was that after the divorce, Guan Xiaolin would wait out for a bit before getting married to Jian Yi. Then, after a few months, she would reveal that she was pregnant. Once the child was born, people would sense that the timing did not add up, but everything would have been a foregone conclusion by then.
If Guan Xiaolin were to say it all out now, it would add on to what was already a massive scandal.
Sure enough, the other two turned immediately to look at Guan Xiaolin’s stomach, right after Qi Chengyue finished speaking. Gui Rongxuan and Li Qianyi both had excessive attention to detail. Qi Chengyue’s words led them to notice Guan Xiaolin’s reaction, and they knew instantly that Guan Xiaolin had done something utterly shameful. It was unlikely that the child’s birth would be a grand affair.
Guan Xiaolin’s expression turned stiff, and after looking stupefied for a moment, she pursed her lips and retorted sarcastically, “I’ll make the announcement myself after some time. According to old customs, we can’t simply tell anyone about the pregnancy during the first three months.”
She walked over to Qi Chengyue, and said smugly when she was beside the latter, “When the time comes, I’ll definitely give you a wedding invitation.”
Gui Rongxuan and Li Qianyi felt awkward as well, and they left angrily.
Qi Chengyue’s words offended both of them thoroughly.
After they left, she leaned listlessly on the door frame. Breathing out a few deep breaths, she prepared to leave after some time had passed.
She knew that gossip would be aplenty during that day, and therefore, she had been mentally prepared for that outcome. The more they gossiped, the more she wanted to stand strong. After all, was it not just a few sentences from them?
They could say whatever they wanted, for she knew she did nothing wrong. Those who should be feeling ashamed were Guan Xiaolin and Jian Yi, but surprisingly, Guan Xiaolin was still brave enough to show herself at such an event!
Resilience began coursing through her body. She clenched her hands into fists and was adamant on not showing any weakness.
She stood upright and was about to leave, but she spotted a figure coming out from the men’s washroom.
Upon seeing who it was, she was left shocked.
‘Why is it always Cheng Dongge?’
He was rubbing his nose. Earlier, he was about to come out of the bathroom, but suddenly heard the conversation between Qi Chengyue and the other ladies. The door to the ladies’ room was wide ajar, and knowing that he would have to pass there if he were to go out, the women would almost certainly find it awkward. All he could do was hide at the door and leave only after the women had left.
He heard some footsteps, followed by the absence of any other sound. Thinking that they had all left, he stuck out his head cautiously.
Seeing Qi Chengyue in front of the ladies’ room stunned him for a moment.
“Miss Qi,” Cheng Dongge greeted calmly, and his expression seemed oblivious to what happened.
Qi Chengyue did not buy that look of his, and so narrowed her eyes. “You didn’t hear the conversation just now, did you?”
Cheng Dongge, “…”
“Couldn’t you wait until I left before coming out of the toilet? You’re always seeing me at my most embarrassing moments!” Qi Chengyue’s face was red-hot, and she felt extremely shy.
“…” A moment of silence was followed by Cheng Dongge pointing to the men’s room behind him. “Do you want me to go back in and wait for you to leave before coming out again?”
Qi Chengyue, “…
“Do you really think deceiving yourself is going to fool anyone?” Qi Chengyue rolled her eyes, and seeing that happen on her baby-face elicited a smile from Cheng Dongge.
“Ah yes.” Qi Chengyue looked down and took out a white-and-brown checkered handkerchief, which she handed to Cheng Dongge. “This is yours.”
Cheng Dongge was curious. He did not take it yet, but asked her, “You knew I was coming today?”
Qi Chengyue began to blush. She did not know of course, but for some reason, she was always bringing it around with her since that day.
She would not admit it though, so she waved her hand and said, “Yes, I knew. My brother told me.”
Cheng Dongge nodded and took the handkerchief back. His other hand, however, was lifted up, and his fingers touched her cheek.
Qi Chengyue was startled. She could feel the warmth and slight roughness of his fingertips. They traced across her cheek, sending a snake-like electric current that trickled all over her face. It was numbing, causing a shiver to come over her immediately.
A red blush appeared in the exact spot that he touched, and it soon began spreading through her entire face. It complemented her baby-face as well as her large, exotic-looking eyes, creating a look that could stir one’s heart.
The silky feeling of her skin was like the smoothest of fresh butter.
Cheng Dongge gulped. He wanted to let his finger stay there without moving, but at the same time, he wanted to keep them going and feel even more of that silkiness.
His movements came to a grinding halt and he retracted his hand immediately. He knew that his actions were a bit too brazen and could fuel a misunderstanding. Letting out a dry cough, he showed her the tip of his index finger. “There was an eyelash on your face.”
Qi Chengyue looked down and saw that long and delicate eyelash. She did, in fact, misunderstand a few moments ago, but after seeing that Cheng Dongge had no other intentions, she felt her face turned even redder.
Even though Cheng Dongge also lowered his head, he could make out her reddening ears. Seeing them made his heart skip a beat.
He retracted his hand and was about to flick the eyelash away, but Qi Chengyue grabbed his wrist. Her palm was smooth and soft—a complete contrast from his. Despite being held by the wrist, his heart was beginning to melt.
“Wait, don’t get rid of it!” Qi Chengyue called out. She pulled his hand back again and carefully took the eyelash from his finger.
Cheng Dongge remained silent while his dark pupils observed Qi Chengyue’s movements. His masculine fingers were the perfect complement to her feminine ones. The softness of her fingers could be perceived clearly when they brushed through his fingers with feather-like lightness.
She picked up the eyelash and placed it on her palm before wrapping her hands into a fist. She then lowered her head, planted her lips on her fingers, and closed her eyes. Her serene appearance was very beautiful—all traces of her usual headstrongness was completely gone.
Moments later, she opened her eyes and spread out her fingers. She then blew on the eyelash and said, “They say doing this can make your wishes come true. Apparently, it’s very effective.”
Qi Chengyue raised her gaze at him and noticed his eyelashes. They were thick and long, but not as upcurved as hers.
“If you find an eyelash on your face, you can try it too.” Qi Chengyue smiled. She no longer had the foul mood that she had when she bumped into Guan Xiaolin. Her two dimples even made an appearance on her face.
Cheng Dongge was smiling too when Qi Chengyue ordered, “Give me your arm.”
He cocked a brow at her never-ending demands. In the past, he often despised her excessive and oftentimes inconsiderate requests.
At that time though, he unwittingly stretched his hand to her before his brain could even process her request.
She looked at his outstretched hand and laughed. “Pfft, not like that.”
With both hands, she grabbed his forearm and bent it down. It was only after coming into contact with them that she noticed how robust and firm he was, possibly the result of regular training.
She wrapped her arms around his and began dragging him along. “You don’t have a female companion, right? Well, accompany me out. This way, I won’t lose my ego.”
…
…
Qi Chengzhi was busy speaking to Yan Beicheng and Han Zhuoli when someone tugged on his arm. A waft of perfume permeated the air at the exact same time.
“Big Brother Chengzhi!” A crisp, tender voice reverberated within the ears of all three men.
The expressions of Yan Beicheng and Han Zhuoli perked up immediately. They looked at Qi Chengzhi with teasing eyes and waggled their brows. Half-smirking, they began sizing up the woman that had interrupted them so suddenly.
“Why are you here?” Qi Chengzhi asked unenthusiastically. He freed his arm from the woman’s grasp, then grabbed a glass of champagne from the trays of one of the servers. He gave the drink to the woman, preventing her from having any idle hands which she could use to grab him with. His movements were so smooth that it did not give away his actual intention.
“I’ve graduated, so I followed my brother back to the country.” Mu Sisi smiled and stared admiringly at Qi Chengzhi. She made no effort to try and conceal that admiration. “Our family’s company is cooperating with Wu Feng, so Wei Ziqi invited us over.”
She lifted her hand to obscure her smile, and although her buoyant character was bizarre, she was nonetheless a beautiful woman who could attract the attention of most men.
In the opinion of both Yan Beicheng and Han Zhuoli, Mu Sisi was more childish, lacking the staid that Song Yu had. Standing beside him, she did not look like a good match for Qi Chengzhi, and overall, she seemed unable to sustain the aura Qi Chengzhi possessed.
Song Yu seemed like a gentlewoman who led a simple life. Put her with Mu Sisi, and Song Yu’s character might appear slightly dull—pair her with Qi Chengzhi, and she became a silent magnetic force that absorbed Qi Chengzhi’s imposing aura, turning it into nothingness.
As long as Song Yu was beside him, his formidable energy dwindled automatically, causing others to fear him much less.
“It’s been a week since I came back, but I told my brother not to tell you. I knew you’re going to join in the celebration too, and I really wanted to surprise you here.” Mu Sisi wanted to hug Qi Chengzhi’s arm again, but as she was just about to stretch her arms, she realized she was holding a champagne glass, and was left with no choice but to halt her movements.
“You’re a meanie, Big Brother Chengzhi. You never reply to my WeChat messages or text messages,” Mu Sisi frowned and grumbled. Her tender, coquettish voice made her frown look particularly adorable.
Be on WeChat or through text, Qi Chengzhi never replied because he blacklisted her number long ago.
Qi Chengzhi found it annoying that Mu Sisi always texted him. What if Song Yu saw those texts and misunderstood?
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