"Speak."
The assistant shrank his neck and didn't know how to start for a moment. "Mr. Ning Zhijing, the grand elder of the Ning family from Jiangcheng, is in Shanghai today. He said he wants to meet you."
The secret that Ning Anmiao is the eldest daughter of the Ning family is unknown even to Lu Yan's assistant.
As long as Lu Yan doesn't want it to be known, he can keep it from everyone.
As the assistant spoke, he was still a bit confused. "For no reason, what does this old gentleman want with you? Our Lu family is in business, while the Ning family is into culture..."
They have nothing to do with each other.
"Mr. Lu, are you going to meet him?"
Although Assistant Song was puzzled, he still asked in a business - like manner.
After a moment of silence, he heard his boss's answer. "Yes. Reserve a table at Shuyuan in advance."
Shuyuan is the most high - end restaurant in Shanghai. Most of the time, it is used to entertain business people or top - notch elites.
Hearing that his boss intended to entertain Ning Zhijing in such a place, he opened his mouth in shock, thinking he had misheard. "Shuyuan? You want to reserve a table at Shuyuan?"
As far as he could remember, very few people had received such courtesy from his boss.
Even if Mr. Ning was highly respected, it was still a bit too much...
Assistant Song was worried that his boss didn't understand the temperaments of these literati and whispered a reminder. "Mr. Lu, Mr. Ning is well - known for being aloof and proud."
"People like him surely look down on us businessmen. If you invite him to such a high - end place, he may not appreciate it."
"Yeah, I know."
He knew his father - in - law's temperaments better than anyone else.
Moreover, he could guess the purpose of Ning Zhijing's visit this time.
The Ning family couldn't be unaware of the incident involving the Jiang family. With just a little inquiry, they would know who the victims of this accident were.
Now that Ning Anmiao was seriously injured and lying in the hospital, if Ning Zhijing could really sit still, then he really didn't care about his daughter anymore.
Assistant Song saw that his boss still had no intention of changing his mind and felt a bit anxious. "Mr. L..."
"Do you have a cigarette?" Lu Yan said in a deep voice, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.
Assistant Song was stunned for a moment. Fortunately, he had made preparations and quickly took out the cigarettes he had prepared in advance. "Here you are."
Lu Yan took the cigarette and lit it skillfully. The lighter made a clicking sound.
After a moment of silence, Lu Yan exhaled a puff of smoke, his eyes slightly squinted. "You go and pick up the old gentleman and take him to Shuyuan. Be as humble as possible and treat him gently."
"I'll go there later."
After taking the last puff of the cigarette, Lu Yan reached out to extinguish the remaining cigarette butt and then turned around and walked towards the ward where Ning Anmiao was.
Assistant Song was left standing there, stunned.
Clearly, Mr. Lu was very worried about his wife. Why was he still going to meet an unrelated person at this critical moment?
Forget it. He had never been able to figure out what his boss was thinking.
He'd better just do as he was told obediently.
When Assistant Song went to the hotel to pick up Ning Zhijing, Ning Zhijing had a gloomy face and didn't even glance at him. Before getting in the car, he took several looks at the Cullinan and his eyes were full of disdain.
Such a stench of money.
Assistant Song had been good at reading people's expressions for many years and naturally noticed the old gentleman's mood. He was also dissatisfied in his heart, but thinking of Lu Yan's instructions, he still forced a smile. "Mr. Ning, please."
"Humph, this lousy car. If it weren't for the urgency to save my daughter, I'd rather walk there!"
His voice was solemn, with the elegance unique to literati and a hint of barely perceptible anxiety.
Assistant Song didn't have time to think about what the old gentleman had said. He just nodded and bowed. "Yes, yes. I'm sorry to make you take this car. I'll take you to meet Mr. Lu right away."
It wasn't until he got in the car and started the engine that he belatedly realized the problem.
Wait, just now the old gentleman said he was here to save his daughter?
Daughter? Whose daughter?
He was dumbfounded.
Ning Zhijing, Ning Anmiao, they both had the surname Ning.
So, the highly - respected Mr. Ning... was actually Mr. Lu's father - in - law!
Assistant Song didn't dare to say a word anymore.
His body was stiff, and he drove even more carefully, afraid that a sudden brake would startle the great figure in the car.
He was not only a great figure in the field of Sinology but also a great figure above Mr. Lu.
...
"Mr. Ning, we're here."
Assistant Song parked the car steadily, hurriedly got out of the car, and quickly opened the door to help the great figure out of the car.
Ning Zhijing kept a gloomy face all the time and never looked at Assistant Song directly even once.
Assistant Song was initially unhappy, but now he could only endure it.
Who asked this person to be Mr. Lu's father - in - law.
Judging from Mr. Lu's attitude towards Mr. Ning, he guessed he would have to endure it later too.
"Where's Lu Yan? Call him out!"
Mr. Ning stood at the restaurant entrance, his voice cold and harsh. "He's not qualified to dine with me. It's enough for me to talk to him outside!"
Assistant Song was embarrassed for a moment and bowed desperately. "Please don't be angry. Mr. Lu will be here soon."
"Not here yet?" Ning Zhijing's face completely darkened. He had condescended to come to see him, but this guy still dared to make him wait?
Sure enough, these businessmen who racked their brains and resorted to any means to make money just didn't know any rules!
In his heart, his impression of Lu Yan took another big hit.
Just then, Lu Yan rushed over in a hurry.
He walked in a hurry, striding quickly towards them. Seeing the two of them standing there idly at the door, his face darkened. He walked over and started scolding Assistant Song.
"I told you to invite the old gentleman into the room to sit down. You..."
"Hypocrite."
Ning Zhijing suddenly interrupted, looking at him coldly. "Are you Lu Yan?"
This wasn't Ning Zhijing's first time seeing Lu Yan. Coupled with Lu Yan's influence and popularity, he was actually quite familiar with this face.
He said this just to assert his authority on purpose.
Hearing this, Lu Yan immediately stopped talking, turned around and stood up straight, his head slightly lowered, and his tone respectful and polite. "Hello, I'm Lu Yan."
Assistant Song lowered his head. His heart was like a stormy sea.
After learning that Mr. Ning Zhijing was Mr. Lu's father - in - law, he had guessed that Mr. Lu would have a special attitude. But he didn't expect that Mr. Lu would be so submissive.
He was simply stunned and had to keep his head down to avoid showing his surprise too obviously.
"You owe me an explanation for my daughter's matter!"
Ning Zhijing said with a gloomy face. His vicissitudinous eyes were full of anger. "As a man, how did you protect your wife!"
Lu Yan remained silent.
He couldn't explain that he had done his best to protect Ning Anmiao at that time.
"I've watched the on - site video."
Ning Zhijing pressed his temple, trying to suppress his emotions that might explode at any moment. "That silly girl rushed over to protect you as if she didn't care about her life. Do you think you're worth it!"
Lu Yan still remained silent.
Seeing the young man in front of him keep his head down and say nothing, Ning Zhijing felt like his fist was hitting cotton, soft and ineffective. It only made him extremely angry.
"You've let Miao Miao down!"