The snow piled up on the road, while the sky lazily scattered flakes that floated down like willow catkins.
Qi Zeyan was driving, inevitably running into traffic due to the snow, biting his cheek with so annoyance. Just then his phone vibrated, and he activated the hands-free mode before answering.
"What are you up to?" It was Jiang Jinsang calling.
"Nothing much, is there sothing you need?"
"Just wanted to talk about the full moon banquet. Your parents should be back by then, right? Make sure to bring the whole family over." Qi Zeyan’s parents had been expanding their business abroad in recent years, spending very little ti back ho.
It’s year-end soon, so they should be coming back to China.
"How long has your little one been born, and you’re already planning a full moon banquet?"
"A lot of people hold celebrations at the end of the year, so it’s important to inform everyone in advance." Both Jiang Jinsang and Tang Wan were not particularly showy people, but ever since Xiaowai was born, the commotion had been quite big, making it difficult to hold a low-key full moon banquet.
"I’ll let the family know."
...
Jiang Jinsang stared at the phone call that was abruptly ended, frowning. Sothing seems off about him.
Inside, Xiaowai was sprawled on the bed, while Jiang Cuo and Jiang Jiu stood by the side, waiting for instructions from Jiang Jinsang. Seeing him on the phone, Jiang Cuo decided to amuse the little guy.
He made various funny faces at the little one, who just stared back at him with wide eyes, seemingly enjoying the show.
Occasionally, the little one squird, as if responding in kind.
This encouraged Jiang Cuo greatly.
Seizing the mont when Jiang Jinsang wasn’t looking, he went to poke the little one’s cheek, and then...
"Wah—" Xiaowai started to cry.
The baby’s cries were loud and piercing, nearly scaring him into a heart attack.
"Hmm?" Jiang Jinsang turned to look at his son, checking his diaper before comforting him, finding that he had wet himself again, and adeptly changed his diaper.
"He was being so friendly, staring and squirming, how co he suddenly started crying?" Jiang Cuo couldn’t understand babies; they could switch from a sunny disposition to stormy in a heartbeat.
"He was squirming..." Jiang Jiu pushed his sunglasses up his nose, "maybe he was starting to hold it in."
"..."
Tang Wan heard the crying and ca out of the bathroom just in ti to see Jiang Jinsang skillfully changing the diaper, guessing the reason for the wailing.
After the diaper was changed, she helped dress the little one again, trying to hold him in her arms, but he continued to fuss, eventually only calming down in Jiang Jinsang’s care.
Tang Wan was at her wit’s end.
Why is my son like this? He doesn’t like her at all.
Unless he’s hungry, he doesn’t bother with her at all.
Tang Wan sat in Jiang Jinsang’s previous seat, on the table lay the guest lists from their wedding and Huo Qinqi and Shen Shuci’s wedding.
"Have you started notifying the guests?" Tang Wan looked over the nas on the list.
"I just ntioned it to Zeyan, haven’t officially notified anyone yet—just went over the list with nothing else to do." Jiang Jinsang soothed the baby, who was sprawled on his shoulder, still hiccupping. "I’ve marked who we need to invite, take a look and see if you want to add anyone."
"Add Boss Yun," Tang Wan said, noting down Yun Hezhi’s na at the end with a pen.
"And also the lab leader Lin."
...
She reviewed the list, suddenly recalling soone, "I wonder if ’Miss Xiao’ will be free. I feel a bit sorry bringing her up."
"Hmm?" Jiang Jinsang was still comforting his son, not quite registering it at first.
"Back in Pingjiang, when my aunt and I got into trouble, she helped us out; for our wedding, she gave us such expensive jewelry; last ti, when she ca to inquire about a screen I was making, she accidentally ran into the Fourth Brother who was sick and fainted, causing a whole scene..." Tang Wan rested her chin on her hand, "Thinking back, we’ve owed her a lot."
"I wanted to treat her to a al afterward, but she politely declined."
"I don’t know if she’ll co if we invite her to the full moon banquet."
Tang Wan really hoped "Miss Xiao" would attend, but it was so hard to persuade her, plus she hadn’t finished her confinent and wasn’t convenient to go out.
"The last situation was ssed up by Fourth Brother, let him handle it. Just leave it to him." Jiang Jinsang said straight out.
"Leave it to Fourth Brother?" Tang Wan chuckled, "Is he reliable?"
"Didn’t you give him her contact information? It’s possible that ’Miss Xiao’ doesn’t respond to your invitations, but Fourth Brother’s unconventional thods might just intrigue her."
Tang Wan twirled her pen, "That makes so sense, but I’m afraid Fourth Brother might scare her."
To her, "Miss Xiao" was a gentle, soft-hearted girl, while Jiang Chengsi stord around on his motorcycle all day, looking every bit like the unexpected encounter of a soft noble lady with an unruly playboy.
Tang Wan feared that instead of getting invited, "Miss Xiao" might be terrified away.
Jiang Cuo stood by silently.
He really wanted to shout:
Don’t worry, it’s fine, the two of them have already had als together!
They probably had a great conversation.
Because he lost track of soone, he lost two months’ worth of bonuses.
"Xiaosi is always asured in his actions, he won’t deliberately scare her, plus he’s the one who screwed up last ti, it’s only right he makes so contributions."
Tang Wan knows that if she extends the invitation herself, there’s a high probability "Miss Xiao" won’t co, so she might as well let Xiaosi give it a try.
"Then I’ll call him and tell him." Jiang Jinsang handed over his already sleeping son to Tang Wan, then picked up his phone and dialed a number.
Jiang Chengsi is naturally a night owl, and with the recent snowfall sealing off the city, he’s even more reluctant to get out of bed. When he received the call, he was still lying in his bed, dreaming, "Hello—"
"Not up yet?" Jiang Jinsang glanced at his wristwatch; it was already past one in the afternoon.
"If there’s sothing, say it, if not, hang up."
"Want to ask you for a favor."
"What is it?"
"In a few days, I’m having a full month banquet for my son, and I’d like you to invite soone over."
"Do I know them?"
"You do."
"No problem," Jiang Chengsi seed rather irritated, "If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up then."
Without waiting for Jiang Jinsang to speak, the call was already disconnected. Tang Wan noticed the call ti was extrely short, not even ntioning the words "Miss Xiao," she frowned slightly, "Is that all?"
"Yes."
"Did Xiaosi agree?"
"Yes."
"Is he still not fully awake?"
"Doesn’t matter, I recorded it, he has to acknowledge it."
"..."
Jiang Chengsi indeed didn’t know whose call he just took, or even what he agreed to.
After hanging up, he sank deep into sleep again, continuing the dream he had just been in.
He dread he caught the person who broke his record, but she was wearing a helt, and he couldn’t see her face. The two of them competed again, surrounded by people cheering him on like waves crashing...
But the cars of both remained neck and neck, and he felt an indication of being overtaken, which distressed him half to death.
**
On the other side, Qi Zeyan finally drove to the complex where Ruan ngxi lived, taking half an hour longer than usual. He had stayed here for a period before, and had things like the card for the elevator and the keys to Ruan ngxi’s house, so it was effortless for him to arrive at her door.
Heading to the door with an air of aggression, although he had the key, he didn’t open it directly, but rather rang the doorbell.
Suddenly, he rembered he was about to co face-to-face with that proverbial crane among the clouds, instinctively tidying his hair.
At that mont, Ruan ngxi and Yun Hezhi had just finished eating hot pot and were planning to clean up the table.
"Boss Yun, could you help open the door?" Ruan ngxi was seated far from the door, with her hands still covered in so greasy dip, making it inconvenient for her.
Yun Hezhi nodded but before opening the door, he looked through the peephole to see who was outside.
He recognized the man, having seen him at Tang Wan’s house...
Yun Hezhi is perceptive; ever since he entered this ho, he sensed traces of soone else’s life here, like two pairs of n’s slippers, subtle clues always betray sothing.
Moreover, when he encountered this gentleman yesterday, his attitude wasn’t friendly, Yun Hezhi thought maybe the man looked down on his profession, harbored biases.
Yun Hezhi is a perforr known for singing female roles, with a sowhat soft appearance, maybe at tis he, too, invests deeply in his roles to the point might co off effeminate, sothing he’s been ridiculed for, but he’s used to it.
So when Qi Zeyan regarded him with strange eyes yesterday, he thought it was this disregard for his deanor, didn’t take it to heart, now it seed the source was recognized...
After associating it with Ruan ngxi’s ntion of an unrequited love, he finally pieced everything together.
He opened the door directly, Qi Zeyan didn’t expect it would be him answering, truthfully, he had an impulse to drag him out.
But then he thought:
He wasn’t in any position now, felt sowhat deflated.
Yet in front of a "rival," he stood tall and proud, couldn’t lose montum.
"Boss Yun, who is it?" Ruan ngxi asked upon noticing the door opened but no movent followed.
"Should be your friend, please co in." Yun Hezhi politely stepped aside, inviting him in, quite in the manner of a host.
Ruan ngxi was slightly surprised to see the visitor, "Boss Qi?"
"Hello, I’m Qi Zeyan." He extended his hand to Yun Hezhi.
"Yun Hezhi."
The two n’s fingers clasped, sparks seed to fly, so things need no explicit articulation, they fully understood each other.
Ruan ngxi looked puzzled, why did he co over? What was with that look?
As if she had done sothing to wrong him.
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