Xie Shi helped Yin Shulan up from the chair. Taking two steps towards Xu Zixi, she asked, "Xiaoxi, how's Acheng?"
Supporting Yin Shulan's other elbow, Xu Zixi softened her expression and said, "Brother Cheng is fine. He only has a dislocated arm and some scratches. The doctor has already treated him. He was still asleep when I came. But I believe he'll wake up tonight."
Although Wei Shu had also said the same thing on the phone just now, it was still more reassuring to hear it from Xu Zixi herself. Remembering what Wei Shu had said about how she had cut the half - hour journey in half, Yin Shulan's gaze towards her became loving. She said softly, "Yuanxi, you've worked hard."
"Auntie Yin, you... call me Zixi from now on," Xu Zixi said. "It's my nickname."
"Zixi, I'll call you that too," Xie Shi called out. "Since you're here, I won't stand on ceremony. You asked me to suppress the news, and I did. But you know, this is Fengcheng. You must know what the Yan family represents here. You can't hide the truth forever. The news of the car accident will reach Acheng's father sooner or later. Before that old man flies into a rage, I hope you can explain why you did this."
Xu Zixi naturally understood this truth. Since she was going to attend the wedding as Yan Yincheng's fiancée, she needed Yin Shulan's cooperation. So she didn't intend to hide it. She said, "Auntie Yin, I'm sorry. It seems that all this is because of me."
Yin Shulan was stunned and couldn't help exchanging a glance with Xie Shi.
...
In Fengcheng, at the Yan family's old mansion.
Yan Haikun stole his 103rd glance at the clock on the wall. He frowned again.
It was already 5 p.m. The person he had been waiting for all day still hadn't shown up, and he couldn't get through to his son's phone. His uneasiness was growing.
Had something happened to his son since he hadn't come back for so long?
"Pang Qing, go and check..." he called out to the butler beside him. At this moment, there came the sound of a car driving on the road from outside. Yan Haikun stood up abruptly and strode towards the door with the help of his walking stick.
There was a red Porsche parked outside. Xie Shi and Yin Shulan got out of the car respectively. Yan Haikun's hawk - like eyes scanned his wife's face. She still looked calm and aloof, and he couldn't tell anything from her expression. But at least she was standing in front of him safe and sound.
Letting out a sigh of relief, Yan Haikun stepped forward and complained, "Why did it take you so long? Where's Acheng? Why did you come back in Xie Shi's car?"
Yin Shulan's heart skipped a beat. She quickly walked past him towards the house and subconsciously hid the hand with the injection mark. "Acheng is with Yuanxi now. Time is running out. I'll go in and change my clothes first."
Although she had already washed herself, she was worried that Yan Haikun would smell the blood on her.
Yan Haikun was stunned for a moment when his wife avoided him. He turned around and was about to follow her. "Did Yuanxi really come back alone? Acheng didn't lie to me, did he?"
Just as Yan Haikun was about to catch up with Yin Shulan, Xie Shi shouted, "Hey, Yan Haikun, are you going to ignore me completely? I brought your wife back safely as you asked. Aren't you even going to say thank you?"
Only then did Yan Haikun remember that Xie Shi was still there. He turned around and said crossly, "We're going to the wedding soon. We don't have time to entertain you."
Xie Shi said, "It's as if I don't need to attend the wedding. Don't you forget you sent me an invitation."
Yan Haikun said, "What do you want?"
"Let's go to the wedding together," Xie Shi said with a smile.
Distracted by Xie Shi, Yan Haikun forgot to ask about his grandson. While Yin Shulan was changing clothes in her room, Xie Shi and Yan Haikun were discussing the cooking competition in Haicheng in the living room. Inevitably, they also mentioned the two kids.
"Those two kids have such clear and bright eyes. They're so smart. Yuan Xiaoxuan is very steady and acts like a good older brother. And Yuan Xiaoxu is a naughty foodie, but he has so many tricks..."
Hearing Xie Shi say that the two kids had beautiful eyes, Yan Haikun's smile froze. Naturally, he thought of his son's eyes. Letting out an almost inaudible sigh, he had to change the topic.
"Seeing is believing. Can you give me a definite answer on whether my two little grandsons are coming or not?"
Xie Shi said, "Yan Haikun, you're so biased. Today is your eldest grandson's wedding, but you only care about your two little grandsons now?"
Yan Haikun was taken aback. "After all, Yan Zhen has grown up. Once kids grow up, they're not as close to us. Naturally, they're cuter when they're young."
Xie Shi said, "The two kids really aren't coming. You might as well give up. First, take care of your eldest grandson's wedding."
The little spark of hope was mercilessly extinguished. Yan Haikun let out a sigh. He felt so pitiful. Everyone had seen his little grandsons except him.
Xie Shi said, "Hey, Yan Haikun, I have a question for you."
Yan Haikun looked up. Xie Shi said, "I heard it was you who asked Acheng to bring Yuanxi back for the wedding. You must know the relationship between Yuanxi and Yan Zhen. Aren't you worried that her appearance at the wedding will cause controversy? After all, four years ago, she cuckolded your precious eldest grandson. Now she's with Acheng. Aren't you afraid it will affect the reputation of the Yan family?"
Yan Haikun said, "Although Yuanxi isn't the biological child of the Yuan family, I've watched her grow up. I can tell what kind of person she is. With her personality, she's not the kind of person who would have the courage to betray Yan Zhen. Who can really say what the truth is? Moreover, after that incident happened back then, I also gave her and Yan Zhen a chance. If Yan Zhen had been willing, she could still have married him. But Yan Zhen chose to give up."
"Forced love won't be sweet. Since the hearts of the two kids have deviated from the right track, it's better not to make things difficult for each other."
Xie Shi couldn't help laughing. "You're really open - minded."
"Do I look like the kind of person who cares about what others think? If I did, I wouldn't have insisted on marrying Lan back then," Yan Haikun said.
On the stairs, Yin Shulan, who had been standing there for God knows how long, couldn't help gripping the handrail tightly. She steadied herself, took a step down, and said, "I'm ready. Let's go."
At 5:30 p.m., there were several luxury cars parked outside the parking lot of the Imperial Mansion in Fengcheng. The entrance of the Zunting Hotel, the only six - star hotel in Fengcheng, was crowded with guests. Any random person you met there was a well - known figure in Fengcheng. Most of the guests knew each other. After greeting each other, they walked into the hotel arm in arm.
At this moment, a shiny Rolls - Royce stopped outside the hotel. The doorman in black quickly stepped forward to open the car door. Yan Haikun in a tailor - made suit and Yin Shulan in a dark purple evening dress got out of the car. Behind them was Xie Shi in a dark green velvet cheongsam.