Wu Cheng stroked his wine glass, his tone less than pleasant. “Young Director Xuan, those words of yours aren’t very easy on the ears.”

Xuan Yanyu let out a cold laugh. “If you don’t like hearing it, then don’t listen.”

Wu Cheng ground his back molars together and downed a mouthful of liquor. “Young Director Xuan is right. I don’t want to become family with you either.”

But there was nothing he could do. Who told him to like Ran Bao.

Xuan Yanyu raised an eyebrow, draping his long arm over Yan Yunning’s shoulder, and let out a low laugh. “Best that it stays that way.”

“Why don’t the two of you reconsider?” Yan Yunning said weakly.

Xuan Yanyu glanced at her, and his knuckle-strong fingertips pinched her ear as he said with a sardonic air, “How did you and he come to know each other?”

Yan Yunning raised an eyebrow and smiled. “He’s my sister’s boyfriend. I only got to know that yesterday myself.”

“Cough, cough.” Xie Yan choked on a mouthful of water, his face reddening from the coughing.

What a family this was going to be.

Xuan Yanyu cleared his throat and rubbed his nose with some embarrassment.

“I was wondering if I’d walked into the wrong place.” Yan Yunning, who had just finished touching up her makeup, walked over. Sensing something faintly odd in the atmosphere, she said with a teasing remark.

“Sis.”

“Ran Bao.”

Xuan Yanyu and Wu Cheng spoke at the same time.

“Miss Yan.” Xie Yan smiled and gave a nod.

Yan Yunning smiled back at Xie Yan, then sat down and quietly observed everyone before casually asking, “What were you all just talking about?”

“Brother-in-law wants you to bring him home to meet the family,” Yan Yunning said leisurely.

“Oh?” Yan Yunning looked toward Wu Cheng and curved her lips into a smile. “Ready to meet the parents?”

Wu Cheng nodded.

Yan Yunning’s beautiful eyes arched upward. She thought for a moment, then said, “Tomorrow then. Tomorrow we head back to Yuanjin City.”

Wu Cheng was momentarily stunned. “Th-this soon?”

Yan Yunning let out a laugh through her nose. “Soon? Then perhaps we should…”

“I misspoke.” Wu Cheng hooked Yan Yunning’s finger and grinned foolishly. “Not soon at all. Tomorrow it is, tomorrow.”

Xie Yan: “……”

Yan Yunning and Xuan Yanyu exchanged a glance, both their eyes carrying the same speechless disbelief.

——

The next day — Qi Group.

Wu’an knocked on the office door, pressed his lips together, and walked in.

“Director Qi, Miss Shi has been taken into custody.” Wu’an’s voice carried a note of dismay.

It took Qi Qingchen quite a while before his thoughts gradually returned. “What for?”

Wu’an let out a sigh. “Miss Shi was so enraged over Director Xu breaking up with her that she smashed him with a vase. Director Xu was seriously injured.”

“To begin with, she had only gotten together with Director Xu for the money. After they started dating, she found that not only had Director Xu not given her any money, but he was also breaking up with her on top of that. She lashed out in her rage, causing intentional harm, and Director Xu chose not to forgive her.”

“Mm, understood.”

“There is one more thing. Young Director Xuan is hosting a banquet this evening. He says it is to make up for the dinner gathering he missed last time.”

Qi Qingchen’s eyes flickered slightly. “A’Yu didn’t notify me.”

It was likely still because of the matter involving Shiyao from last time — A’Yu still had not calmed down.

When he had gone to the Xuan residence last time, A’Yu had refused to see him.

Wu’an opened his mouth to persuade him. “Director Qi, the matter truly was Miss Shi’s fault. It is only natural that Young Director Xuan is upset. But if you are also at odds with Young Director Xuan over it, then your relationship truly will be beyond repair.”

Qi Qingchen leaned back against his chair in exhaustion. “I know.”

“Wu’an, tell me — after seven or eight years, how can a person change so drastically? The Shiyao of the past was kind and generous. Now…” Qi Qingchen closed his eyes, unwilling to say more.

“Director Qi, the environment, the people around someone, and the things that happen to them — all of it leaves a mark. Never mind seven or eight years; even a year or two can bring change.”

Wu’an stepped forward and replaced Qi Qingchen’s water with a fresh glass, then added, “Director Qi, no one stays exactly the same forever without any change at all. You can’t keep viewing Miss Shi through the same lens you used on her in the past. Even lenses wear out eventually.”

Qi Qingchen tilted his head up slightly, his voice low and heavy. “You’re right.”

“Director Qi, will you be attending Young Director Xuan’s banquet this evening?”

Qi Qingchen exhaled a breath. After a long pause, he finally said, “I’ll go.”

“Understood.” Wu’an checked the time. “Director Qi, Young Director Xuan’s banquet is at five o’clock in the afternoon. It’s four o’clock now. Shall we head over?”

“Mm.” Qi Qingchen stood and smoothed out his dress shirt, then he and Wu’an walked out of the office one after the other.

At the company entrance, Shi’s mother, Shi’s father, and Shiyu spotted Qi Qingchen and came running toward him, tears streaming down their faces as they dragged Shiyu along with them.

“Please stop right there.” Wu’an stepped in front of Qi Qingchen.

Shi’s mother wiped away her tears. “Little Qi, you have to save Yaoyao.”

Qi Qingchen said flatly, “Auntie, you flatter me. There is nothing I can do.”

“Little Qi, there is something you can do. For the sake of the child Yaoyao once carried for you, please compensate Director Xu and convince him to forgive Yaoyao.” Shi’s mother wept as she spoke.

Wu’an frowned. “Why don’t you compensate Director Xu yourselves? Our Director Qi has nothing to do with Miss Shi anymore.”

Shiyu bit her lip. “Mr. Qi, our family can’t afford to.”

Wu’an laughed. “Your family can’t afford it — what does that have to do with our Director Qi?”

Shiyu lowered her head in embarrassment, and when she finally spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper. “Mr. Qi, I’ll pay you back in the future. Could you please help my sister?”

Qi Qingchen politely declined. “I’m sorry, I have somewhere to be.”

“Mr. Qi.” Shiyu summoned her courage and grabbed his sleeve. Her eyes were red as she looked at Qi Qingchen timidly. “Please, Mr. Qi.”

Qi Qingchen raised an eyebrow, removed her hand from his sleeve, and said, “You’re an adult now. When you do something wrong, there are always consequences to bear. Your sister ought to learn her lesson too.”

Shiyu deflated and stood frozen in place, at a loss for what to do.

For just a moment, Qi Qingchen felt a flicker of something — the girl’s slightly reddened eyes, and the pitiful look on a face that bore some resemblance to Shiyao’s, reminded him of an eighteen-year-old Shiyao.

Pure. Kind-hearted.

A pity that all of that had long since changed…

——

Because Shi’s father, Shi’s mother, and Shiyu had delayed him for a while, and because of heavy traffic on the road on top of that, Qi Qingchen arrived at the private room to find everyone else already there.

Xuan Yanyu saw Qi Qingchen walk in and slowly furrowed his brow.

“The great busy man has finally arrived. Will you be leaving before dinner again, just like last time?” Xie Yan teased.

“I won’t.” Qi Qingchen walked over to an empty seat and sat down. He smiled and swept his gaze around the room. “How come I don’t see Jingzhi?”

Mu Heng answered coolly, “His sister brought her boyfriend home to meet the family. He’s gone to check out his future brother-in-law.”

Qi Qingchen gave a nod.

“How are things going since you tied the knot?” Lou Ao nudged Xuan Yanyu’s arm cheekily with his elbow.

Xuan Yanyu shot him a sideways look. “Tied the knot?”

Lou Ao shrugged, raised his wine glass, and took a sip. “Isn’t engagement just a shorthand for being ‘married’?”

Xuan Yanyu fell silent. Honestly speaking, these days since the engagement had not been going well.

First there was Ningning wanting to call off the engagement and break up, and then there was the matter of the child.

Even now, the child remained a knot in his heart he could not untangle.

He had investigated everyone Ningning had been in contact with three and a half months ago and turned up nothing. According to Jingzhi, Ningning had gone travelling — but the truth was that she had not.

There was no trace of Ningning having gone anywhere at all.

Based on what Shiyao had said when he woke up, and what Ningning had told him herself the day before, the girl in his mind was in all likelihood Ningning herself.