After receiving his New Year gift, she certainly needed to express something in return.

But this was Ruan Sixian’s first time giving a gift to a man. She wasn’t familiar with the process and didn’t know how to appear calm about it.

After thinking about it, she decided to just take action.

She reached out to pull Fu Mingyu’s tie.

“Come closer.”

Fu Mingyu complied, leaning toward her.

Ruan Sixian started to undo his tie.

“What are you doing?”

Fu Mingyu pressed down on her hand, saying softly, “Today is a holiday, I’m very busy.”

“…”

Ruan Sixian suddenly gripped the Windsor knot, one hand above and one below, pulling forcefully, tightening it around his neck.

Fu Mingyu hissed, “Are you trying to kill me?”

“Can you stop filling your head with yellow paint?” Ruan Sixian, no longer as careful as before, violently undid the tie in a few movements and tossed it aside.

Just as Fu Mingyu was about to say something, the LED screen on the office door suddenly lit up.

Bai Yang was outside, needing to come in.

Ruan Sixian naturally saw this too, but said nothing, holding the tie and sitting up straight.

Bai Yang entered with a folder, expressionless, glanced at Fu Mingyu’s “disheveled” appearance without any change in expression, and placed the items directly on the table, saying, “President Fu, there’s a document that needs your signature.”

As a qualified assistant, besides being meticulous and serious about work, one must also have good emotional processing ability, not easily startled, otherwise one might become entertainment in the boss’s love life.

Fu Mingyu straightened his collar that Ruan Sixian had messed up, stood up, and walked to the table, one hand in his pocket, the other flipping through the documents, briefly scanning the content before picking up a pen and signing decisively. As he lowered his head, the sunset through the window cast a shallow golden light on his face.

Ruan Sixian stared at him openly.

Her boyfriend was truly handsome—his eyes, nose, mouth, outline… even his hair strands fell exactly where her aesthetic preference lay.

Bai Yang reported from the side: “Starting from 6 PM, the population flow during this holiday period has begun to surge. All operation duty supervisors are at their posts. Currently, the crew operations and maintenance operations control are all normal. In twenty minutes, all flight operation monitoring situations will be synchronized.”

After speaking, Bai Yang picked up the signed documents and turned to leave, expressionless as before.

Before leaving, he pressed a button by the door. After he left and the door closed, it automatically entered an externally locked state.

Fu Mingyu turned and walked toward Ruan Sixian, sitting beside her.

His eyes carried a hint of mischief as he tilted his chin, “Continue?”

Continue your head.

Ruan Sixian directly took out the box hidden behind her back, saying irritably, “Gift.”

Fu Mingyu stared straight at Ruan Sixian.

Feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, Ruan Sixian didn’t want to talk and took direct action.

She had noticed Fu Mingyu usually wore a Windsor knot, a simple triangle, the principle probably similar to a scarf.

As she worked on it, she said, “Although this doesn’t compare to what you usually use, if you say you don’t like it, it can serve another purpose.”

“Hmm? What purpose?”

“Well—”

Ruan Sixian looked up, met Fu Mingyu’s meaningful gaze, and stopped speaking.

With so much yellow waste in your brain, why not become a house painter?

Two seconds later, she couldn’t resist tugging at his neck again, fiercely saying, “A noose.”

Ruan Sixian discovered that now Fu Mingyu didn’t care at all about her harsh words.

Hearing the words “a noose,” he instead smiled.

It made her feel unaccomplished and unwilling to talk to him.

Right at that moment, someone else rang the doorbell, and Ruan Sixian let go of the tie and walked to the window.

Hearing a woman’s voice, she looked back to see the assistant entering with food containers, bending over to place things one by one on the reception table.

The reason why holidays are a battlefield is that even someone in Fu Mingyu’s position doesn’t dare to easily leave their post.

Dense flights directly double the probability of accidents. Even a small accidental delay can affect a whole chain of subsequent flights like a butterfly effect, not to mention if a safety incident occurs during this period, Fu Mingyu’s responsibility would be foremost.

Fu Mingyu lowered his head and secured his tie, and the assistant finished arranging the meal boxes and silently withdrew.

“Come and have dinner.” Fu Mingyu remembered something, “I can hardly get away for the next few days. You also have flights scheduled for the next three days?”

“Yes.”

“On the evening of the 4th, Uncle Yan’s 70th birthday celebration will be held at Warner Manor. Will you accompany me?”

Ruan Sixian blinked, “Who?”

“Uncle Yan,” Fu Mingyu said, “Yan’an’s father.”

Ruan Sixian: “…”

She wasn’t surprised at all that Fu Mingyu would attend Yan’an’s father’s birthday banquet.

After all, she had known for years that World Airlines and North Airlines were in a mutually beneficial relationship, with intricate cooperation ties dating back to Fu Mingyu’s father’s generation, truly qualifying as family friends.

Fu Mingyu thought Ruan Sixian probably didn’t like attending such occasions, but in his view, accompanying him was necessary.

First, bringing a girlfriend to such occasions was a commonly accepted etiquette. Second, since World Airlines’ official microblog announcement, people who knew Fu Mingyu and those who knew him indirectly were all aware of his girlfriend’s existence.

Moreover, for this girlfriend, Fu Mingyu had atypically made a high-profile statement, clearing up his relationship with Li Zhihuai completely. If he were to appear alone on this social occasion, it would inevitably cause speculation about his “girlfriend.”

Fu Mingyu asked again, “Will you come?”

“Sure,” Ruan Sixian said, “After all, you already know Yan’an pursued me. If you don’t mind, what’s there for me to say?”

“What would I mind? He didn’t succeed, did he?” Fu Mingyu smiled lightly, “Rather, you don’t need to mind these things. This is how he and I have been since childhood.”

Ruan Sixian stopped listening to him, her thoughts already drifting elsewhere.

For her first attendance at such a banquet, what should she wear?

They would go on the evening of the 4th, and she would only have free time on the afternoon of the 3rd. She would have to go buy clothes as if going to war.

So annoying.

“Why are you only telling me today?” Ruan Sixian was particularly annoyed, “Couldn’t you have told me earlier?”

Fu Mingyu was just about to pick up some food when he heard her sudden flare of temper. His hand paused, quite puzzled, “I gave you four days’ notice.”

Ruan Sixian glared at him, “What do you know? Even a year in advance wouldn’t be too early.”

This kind of thinking was exactly like his mother’s, who often prepared extensively for a banquet more than ten days in advance.

“Oh, right,” Fu Mingyu remembered something else, “The Zheng family will also be attending.”

The Zheng family.

Without Fu Mingyu’s explanation, she knew he mentioned it deliberately because that was Zheng You’an’s family.

“Let them come,” Ruan Sixian said.

She paused, muttering softly, “Should I deliberately avoid them or something?”

“Hmm, five o’clock on the 4th, I’ll pick you up.”

Fu Mingyu’s sense of time seemed particularly strong—he said he’d come at five, not a minute earlier.

Ruan Sixian had prepared everything by four-thirty and had to wait rigidly at home for half an hour.

During this time, she opened the window once, reaching out to feel the temperature outside.

It was cold.

Looking down at the dress she was wearing, she suddenly felt how difficult it was to be a woman.

Although she hadn’t planned to compete for attention at the banquet, she at least couldn’t appear worse than her presentable boyfriend.

So warmth wasn’t part of her consideration.

Unfortunately, her luck wasn’t good. This morning upon waking up, her period had given her a surprise by arriving early.

What could she do? Going bare-legged was respect for the dress.

Respect knows no seasons.

When the clock pointed to five, the doorbell rang precisely on time.

When the door opened, a gust of cold wind blew in, but Ruan Sixian’s facial expression didn’t change a bit.

Fu Mingyu had a moment of stupefaction.

Before him, a burgundy evening gown accentuated her proportionate waist, with clean and neat tailoring. The off-shoulder design perfectly showcased her superior shoulder and necklines, and in the middle was a small inverted triangle opening, flaunting a touch of sexiness.

Above her smooth collarbone hung the necklace he had given her, drawing attention concentrated at her chest.

Seeing the amazement in Fu Mingyu’s eyes, Ruan Sixian felt that no matter how cold it was, it was worth it.

She tilted her head slightly, “What’s wrong, don’t recognize your girlfriend?”

Fu Mingyu reached out to her, held her palm, and smiled, “Very beautiful.”

Ruan Sixian put on her coat, completely satisfied, and followed Fu Mingyu out.

High heels tapped on the corridor floor, creating a melodious sound unique to women.

“Cold?”

Fu Mingyu asked.

Ruan Sixian gritted her teeth: “Not cold, it’s just a short distance, and there’s heating inside, right?”

He Lanxiang and Fu Boyan arrived a bit earlier.

The music in the banquet hall had already started. He Lanxiang held a glass of champagne, discreetly surveying the surroundings.

“Zheng Taichu has been talking with his daughter and Yan’an for almost twenty minutes now. Does he have ideas again?”

Fu Boyan looked in the direction of his wife’s gaze.

“The situation is getting more and more critical. He’s starting to grasp at the last straws.”

“Oh my,” He Lanxiang said, “Didn’t he look down on Yan’an before?”

“What else can he do?” Fu Boyan said, “Your son so publicly announced he has a girlfriend, can he still actively pursue it?”

“But he shouldn’t push his daughter into a fire pit either. Not to criticize, but Yan’an is good in every way except he can’t settle down, at his age too.”

“Does he have a choice now?” Fu Boyan glanced at her, “If you feel sorry for him, you could help him out. Doesn’t he still have an unmarried son?”

“Please don’t. He’s not safe even abroad. Are you his father?” He Lanxiang twisted her lips, glancing towards Dong Xian elsewhere, “Besides, who wants to be in-laws with her, always so disagreeable. Fortunately, our Mingyu has a girlfriend now. I should thank her, otherwise they might have been clinging to us again by now. Oh, by the way, he’s bringing his girlfriend later. You better fix that dead expression of yours, don’t scare the girl.”

Fu Boyan smiled, and He Lanxiang looked at him, clicked her tongue, “Nevermind, better not smile. Oh, I think they’re here!”

The couple looked in that direction together.

Two fishtail-suited attendants pushed open the banquet hall doors. Under the chandelier light, Fu Mingyu was walking towards them.

And the woman on his arm was wrapped in a red dress, with flowing fishtail satin, her exposed calves long and fair, steadily striding in a pair of stilettos.

Though she hadn’t seen her face yet, He Lanxiang had already given her full marks in her mind.

With such a figure and bearing, how bad could her face be?

He Lanxiang held Fu Boyan’s arm, touching her forehead, “Ah, I’m getting older and want to keep a low profile, but some people insist on bringing me honor. What can I do? I don’t want to be envied in every aspect; how terrible it would be to invite jealousy.”

Fu Boyan sighed, habitually silent.

He Lanxiang noticed Fu Mingyu and his companion, and naturally, others hadn’t overlooked them either.

At once, gazes gradually concentrated on them.

Dong Xian sensed the disturbance in the banquet hall and also turned to look.

“Ruan Ruan?” Dong Jing beside her was very surprised, “So her boyfriend is him?”

Ruan Sixian held Fu Mingyu’s arm, with a proper smile on her lips, but her fingers couldn’t help but pinch him.

“You didn’t tell me your parents would be here.”

“I wanted to tell you last night, but didn’t you hang up on me because you were in a hurry to buy clothes?” Fu Mingyu turned to look at her, “Are you nervous?”

How could she not be?

Ruan Sixian hadn’t thought she would meet Fu Mingyu’s parents so quickly.

And on such an occasion.

She looked down at her clothes, saying softly, “If you had told me earlier, I wouldn’t have worn this.”

Before Fu Mingyu could speak, He Lanxiang had already approached Fu Boyan.

She tilted her head slightly, looking at Ruan Sixian without any disguise.

“Dad, Mom,” Fu Mingyu released Ruan Sixian’s hand, changing to a hand-holding position, “This is Ruan Sixian.”

Ruan Sixian immediately followed up: “Hello, Uncle and Auntie.”

He Lanxiang nodded with satisfaction: “I’ve heard about you. Seeing you in person today, you’re even prettier than in photos. Were you cold on the way? Would you like some hot water?”

“Not cold,” Ruan Sixian said, and as she spoke, she glimpsed two figures approaching her from the corner of her eye. She gripped Fu Mingyu’s hand a bit tighter, “Thank you, Auntie.”

He Lanxiang smiled as she looked Ruan Sixian over, increasingly satisfied.

At the same time, Dong Xian and Dong Jing also approached.

He Lanxiang glanced at them, smiling as she said, “We were just saying Mingyu should come over to greet you. Here, let me introduce you—this is Mingyu’s girlfriend, Ruan Sixian.”

“…”

Ruan Sixian first nodded to the somewhat shocked Dong Jing, “Aunt.”

The smile at the corner of He Lanxiang’s mouth suddenly froze a bit.

Wait, who did she just call “Aunt”?

Does Dong Jing have other sisters?

Ruan Sixian slowly looked at Dong Xian, her expression still maintaining a smile, “Mom.”

He Lanxiang: “…”

She gripped her husband’s hand tightly, almost losing her balance.