The Ji family was considered a well - known and prestigious clan in the town. On the occasion of the matriarch's seventieth birthday, guests flocked to offer their birthday greetings, making the place extremely lively.
Glasses clinked and people rose and sat, chatting noisily. After all the guests had paid their respects to the matriarch and presented their birthday gifts, they took their seats at the tables.
In the front hall, several popular opera performers were singing "Guo Ziyi Offers Birthday Greetings" on the opera stage.
The birthday star was so delighted that she couldn't close her mouth. She kept thanking the visitors. When a well - known person came to offer birthday greetings, the page boy standing outside the door would shout loudly, "So - and - so has come to offer birthday greetings," to remind the host inside that a distinguished guest had arrived.
"Mother, this is a little token from your son and daughter - in - law."
The lady presented a thousand - year - old ginseng. The matriarch kept saying it was good and told Mumian to take it.
"Grandma, this is the birthday gift that Ning'er and I prepared for you."
Ji Shisu presented the brocade box in his hand. Mianmian took the box and opened it. A delicate, noble and ingenious hairpin made of white jade in the shape of the Chinese character "shou" (longevity) shocked everyone present.
The hairpin was made of pure mutton - fat white jade, and the stem of the hairpin was the last stroke of the character "shou". The matriarch was so fond of the hairpin that she couldn't put it down.
"This must have been chosen by Ning'er. Only Ning'er has such a delicate mind."
Ji Shisu replied with a smile.
"Grandma, you see through everything. Ning'er drew the design of this jade hairpin. But if I hadn't urged the jade craftsman to speed up the work, this hairpin might not be finished yet. So Grandma, you can't be partial."
Ji Shisu's slightly coquettish tone filled the matriarch with love. She kept saying,
"Good, good. You're my good grandson and good granddaughter - in - law."
Zhao Luoning smiled but said nothing. While the matriarch was greeting the guests who came with gifts, she turned her head and asked,
"Hasn't anyone from my family come yet?"
Although she had spread the news that the second young master of the Zhao family was critically ill and couldn't come, the two families were in - laws after all. By this time, if no one from her natal family came, wouldn't it arouse suspicion and make people think they were arrogant and deliberately disrespectful?
Caixue had run outside several times but hadn't seen the Zhao family's carriage. She shook her head and replied,
"Miss, I'll go to the door and check again."
Zhao Luoning nodded. After getting her permission, Caixue left quietly.
"Where did Caixue go?"
Ji Shisu had been talking to his parents and hadn't noticed Zhao Luoning. When he turned his head, he saw that Caixue had already left quietly. He was curious and couldn't help asking.
"I'm a bit cold. I asked Caixue to get me a cloak."
"Cold?"
Ji Shisu held Zhao Luoning's hand. It was indeed cold.
"If you're cold, wear more clothes when you go out. Why don't you take good care of your body?"
Zhao Luoning's cold hands had little to do with the amount of clothing she wore. She was born with a cold constitution.
However, in contrast to her cold hands, her face flushed when her small hand was held by Ji Shisu's big hand.
Her thoughts drifted back to the morning. When she woke up and found herself in Ji Shisu's arms, she blushed with shyness and almost fled the bedroom in a hurry.
How could she be so careless and fall asleep in his arms?
"Look at you. Your face is a bit hot. Do you want me to tell Grandma that you go back to your room to rest first?"
Ji Shisu put his hand on Zhao Luoning's forehead and cheeks and found that they were slightly hot. He thought it was caused by a cold.
Zhao Luoning shook her head and tried to pull her hand back, but Ji Shisu held it tightly. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't pull it out. She had to let her long sleeves fall to cover their clasped hands.
Suddenly, Zhao Luoning felt someone staring at her. She sat up straight and found that Ning Huainan was sitting opposite them.
When did the Ning family come? Why didn't she notice?
Ji Shisu also saw Ning Huainan. His only impression of Ning Huainan was from the time at the Zhao Mansion. The wife he was holding tightly now had once smiled sweetly in front of the man opposite.
There was a slight sour feeling welling up in his heart.
He didn't want to think about what that emotion was. He only knew that he had to hold Zhao Luoning's hand tightly. He wanted to declare to everyone that the woman beside him was his, and no one should covet her.
Looking at their clasped hands, Ning Huainan felt a pang in his heart. He turned his face away and started chatting casually with Ning Huaizhi beside him.
Zhao Luoning didn't know why Ji Shisu was acting so strangely. Since she couldn't break free, she could only let Ji Shisu do as he pleased. However, when her eyes fell on Ning Huaizhi, anger welled up in her.
She had only thought he was sly on weekdays, but she didn't expect him to be so insidious.
"The second young master and the third young master of the Zhao family come to offer birthday greetings to the matriarch."
The second young master of the Zhao family?! Hearing this news, Zhao Luoning, Ning Huainan and Ning Huaizhi were all shocked.
Caixue, who was about to come back and tell Zhao Luoning the news after seeing the Zhao family's carriage, was also stunned when she heard this.
However, before they could digest this astonishing news, the old butler of the Ji Mansion stumbled into the room.
Seeing this, the lady couldn't help scolding,
"What's the matter? Why are you so flustered?"
"Matriarch, master, madam. It's good news, good news."
While everyone was wondering what kind of good news could make the old butler so out of control, three handsome young gentlemen appeared in everyone's sight.
One of them, wearing a dark blue long gown and looking too plain to be a young master from a noble family, stepped forward and knelt in front of the matriarch.
"Your unfilial son has come to plead guilty to father, mother and grandma."
It turned out that this was the good news the old butler had mentioned.
The person who suddenly appeared was none other than the eldest young master of the Ji family, Ji Shijun, who had been missing for many years.
Zhao Luoning didn't recognize Ji Shijun at first, but when Ji Shisu exclaimed, "Brother!", she had an idea about his identity.
So this was the eldest young master of the Ji family who had been missing for many years. There was a kind of fortitude in his eyes that was different from that of Ji Shisu and Ji Shijian. His facial contour was as sharp as if it had been carved by a knife. His skin was dark, and the marks of hardship were very obvious. Presumably, he had suffered a lot during the years he was away.
He knelt on his knees, and there were obvious calluses on his hands that were supporting the ground. If he was put together with Ji Shisu and Ji Shijian, no one would believe they were brothers.
The matriarch attached great importance to this eldest grandson.
Since he was born, she had raised him personally and taught him the rules and etiquette herself.
When he disappeared without a sound, the matriarch was the most heart - broken one. Even until now, she hadn't given up sending people to look for him.
It was no exaggeration to say that Ji Shijun was the apple of the matriarch's eye.
The matriarch stood up excitedly and walked shakily to Ji Shijun. She hugged him into her arms, called his nickname and burst into tears. Everyone present was deeply touched by this scene.
It took a long time for everyone to persuade the matriarch to stop crying. Ji Shijun kowtowed to the master and the lady. Since there were many guests present, the master only told Ji Shijun to go and wash up and then come back to offer birthday greetings to the matriarch.
Zhao Luoning also stood beside the matriarch and comforted her softly. Only then did the old lady calm down.
It took half a day for the matriarch to remember that she was having a birthday celebration. When she saw the other two young gentlemen standing beside her and was wondering who they were, Mianmian stepped forward and said,
"Matriarch, these are the second young master and the third young master of the Zhao family."
The extremely busy Zhao Luoning just noticed this news.
The second young master of the Zhao family, Zhao Luojing?
Where did he come from?