The mocking words Ruan Chenxuan had prepared were immediately stifled, leaving him speechless for a long moment.
Jing Yicheng was so annoying!
He was the epitome of a petty person who’d gotten his way! Absolutely shameless!!
Ruan Chenxuan was so angry inside he was about to explode. If it weren’t for all the people watching, he would have definitely had all his bodyguards charge forward and beat him to death—he didn’t believe that someone could come into his territory and still get away!
Thinking along these lines, Ruan Chenxuan raised his wine glass and smiled. “Then congratulations to President Jing. I hope you continue to feel confident enough to make such statements in the future.”
Jing Yicheng replied lightly, “Since Haohao likes me, I certainly have confidence… Oh, I forgot, President Ruan has never experienced this kind of feeling. My apologies.”
This point was absolutely fatal. Ruan Chenxuan was provoked to the point that he lost control of his expression, his face darkening as he stared intensely at Jing Yicheng.
He really rarely disliked someone this much, as if the other person was born to be his nemesis. Whatever the other person did or said would get infinitely magnified in his eyes, becoming extremely annoying. Especially since the other person was provoking him! It was like a dung beetle falling into a bowl of rice—you couldn’t help but feel utterly disgusted at the thought of accidentally taking a bite!
Ruan Chenxuan clenched his fists tightly, barely able to hold back.
Yet Jing Yicheng acted as if he didn’t notice, not only maintaining an indifferent expression but also looking at him with utter disdain, fully showing how he didn’t take Ruan Chenxuan seriously.
Just as the situation was about to explode, the sound of a wheelchair suddenly came over.
Xu Chenghao, who had been silently stuck between the two, subtly nudged Jing Yicheng with his elbow to remind him, then took the initiative to speak: “Grandfather Ruan, it’s been a long time. Congratulations on having four generations under one roof.”
Jing Yicheng, with his expression still stiff, nodded slightly to Old Mr. Ruan.
Old Mr. Ruan, who was in high spirits due to the happy occasion, was smiling as he was pushed over in his wheelchair. “Good, good! Tonight, we must all enjoy ourselves to the fullest.”
Xu Chenghao: “That’s only natural.”
The two exchanged pleasantries for a while, caught between two icebergs, until Xu Chenghao finally took the lead in guiding Jing Yicheng away toward the Xu family elders.
Once they left, Old Mr. Ruan’s smile remained, but his tone turned cold. “Look at your face!”
Ruan Chenxuan silently lowered his head.
Old Mr. Ruan: “Today is a day of celebration. What’s with the sour face? Have you forgotten everything I taught you?”
Ruan Chenxuan: “No.”
Old Mr. Ruan: “Then handle this properly, and don’t embarrass me.”
After speaking, Old Mr. Ruan waved his hand dismissively and was wheeled away, his face beaming with a smile as he continued chatting with others, showing no trace of the scolding he had just delivered.
Ruan Chenxuan downed the glass of red wine in his hand in one gulp, then turned to look at Xu Chenghao, only to see that he and Jing Yicheng were in the middle of meeting his parents. A bomb went off in his mind as he recalled Jing Yicheng’s words: “At your full-month banquet, that’ll be the moment I meet the parents officially.”
Jing Yicheng was so nervous he could barely handle it, with no time to pay any attention to Ruan Chenxuan. He respectfully addressed them, “Hello, Uncle and Auntie.”
Since they were in public, Xu Chenghao’s parents couldn’t say much; they simply nodded politely with friendly smiles.
Xu Chenghao lightened the awkward atmosphere by joking, “Mom, why aren’t you wearing the jewelry I bought for you? I guess I didn’t buy enough.”
Mother Xu immediately laughed, “Your father bought this for me. Am I not allowed to wear what he gives me?”
Father Xu looked over immediately, coughing solemnly.
Xu Chenghao quickly exclaimed, “Oh, then I didn’t say anything—consider me dismissed!”
Mother Xu chuckled, and the atmosphere became more relaxed. Meanwhile, the crowd, who had been eagerly waiting for a fight between Jing Yicheng and Xu Chenghao, noticed with surprise that…Jing Yicheng, instead of heading toward Ruan Chenxuan, was now actually mingling with the Xu family?
It was one thing for Xu Chenghao to greet his own family, but for Jing Yicheng to stand there talking with them for so long—wasn’t that a bit much? Shouldn’t he be paying attention to the host of the banquet, the father of the baby?
And why was Jing Yicheng acting so obedient in front of the Xu family? It wasn’t the kind of sweet, cute obedience, it was more like a fierce beast retracting its claws. Even though he still looked cold and expressionless, that usual overbearing arrogance was completely gone.
What in the world was going on?!
The banquet had just begun, yet the tangled relationships left the onlookers utterly bewildered. They were so captivated that they wished they had a few more pairs of eyes to keep a close watch on the three of them from every angle.
Fortunately, the true star of the full-month banquet finally made his appearance. The Ruan family’s tiny young master, who had just reached one month old, was brought out by the nanny to meet everyone. Standing in the back of the crowd, Xu Chenghao took a quick look and noticed that the child was particularly thin, with large, dark eyes that showed no trace of fear. He really didn’t look anything like a future “main character.”
Old Mr. Ruan, who was clearly very fond of the child, named him Ruan Tianci and personally wrote a couplet: “Contentment brings happiness.” The character “contentment” was represented with a pair of the baby’s tiny footprints, preserved as a keepsake.
Everyone, whether genuinely or just out of courtesy, offered praises, saying how handsome the child was and how much he looked like his father. Just as the banquet reached a joyful peak, a sudden sound of retching broke through, disrupting the festive mood.
An Ruotong had just straightened up, and seeing everyone staring at her, her face went pale. She wiped the corner of her mouth and said, “Sorry, I just ate something a bit greasy and it didn’t sit well.”
A servant immediately began cleaning up. Though people weren’t happy, they couldn’t openly criticize her. Just as everyone was about to shift their attention elsewhere, a sudden exclamation pulled everyone’s focus right back to An Ruotong.
Mother An said, “Tongtong, could it be… you’re pregnant?”
An Ruotong herself was stunned, but Han Haofeng reacted the fastest, quickly stepping forward. “What’s going on? Are you feeling unwell?” He took her hand and gave it a slight squeeze.
An Ruotong wasn’t foolish. She caught on immediately. Even though she wasn’t uncomfortable, she feigned another dry heave and tearily leaned against Han Haofeng. “I feel so awful…”
For once, Old Mr. Ruan looked directly at them, taking charge of the situation. “Since you’re feeling unwell, go upstairs and rest. Old Lin, go find a doctor to check on her.”
The man who had been standing behind Old Mr. Ruan took a few steps forward and gestured. “Miss An, please follow me.”
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, An Ruotong, who had just been perfectly fine, suddenly transformed into a delicate figure like Lin Daiyu1 Lin Daiyu is a character from an old Chinese novel called Dream of the Red Chamber. She’s this super beautiful, smart, but really delicate girl who’s often sad and has poor health. People usually mention her to describe someone who’s sensitive or seems fragile, both physically and emotionally.. Supported by Han Haofeng and her own mother, she was helped upstairs, anxiously awaiting the family doctor to examine her.
The banquet downstairs continued. Although An Ruotong and Han Haofeng’s behavior was unpresentable, they still managed to turn the well-organized event into a chaotic mess. Even if people were only half-convinced about the pregnancy and other matters, their attention remained on them. Though they didn’t succeed in shaking Ruan Chenxuan’s status, they did succeed in muddying up the waters of the banquet.
Ruan Chenxuan’s expression was indifferent, showing no emotion. In this kind of setting, it wasn’t his place to take charge, and after a few seconds of silence, it was Old Mr. Ruan who stepped in to break the awkwardness, chatting with a few other elders to restore a lively atmosphere.
Xu Chenghao pulled his gaze back and said to Jing Yicheng, “Ruan Chenxuan is so pitiful.”
Jing Yicheng immediately got defensive. “Don’t you dare feel sorry for him!”
Xu Chenghao: “I’m not. I was just sighing at how he’s stuck in the dark, with no one around him he can really rely on.”
Jing Yicheng said, “If I hadn’t gotten you, his current state would be my future.”
Xu Chenghao looked up at him, and Jing Yicheng looked down at him, his gaze serious, as if he weren’t lying.
Xu Chenghao smiled and, holding back outside, refrained from kissing him. “If you know I’m important, then make sure to keep me safe.”
Jing Yicheng gave a low “mm,” his hand returning to Xu Chenghao’s shoulder and squeezing slightly.
Across from them, the Xu family elders: “…”
Hands! Don’t they know they should behave properly when meeting the parents?! We haven’t even given our approval yet, and they’re already showing affection right in front of us, aren’t they?!
The atmosphere had only just managed to settle again. But just as the nanny was about to take the baby back upstairs, a person dressed in servant’s clothing suddenly rushed out from the corner, reaching out to snatch the baby.
The banquet immediately fell into chaos. Ruan Chenxuan, who was standing behind Old Mr. Ruan and closest to the staircase, swiftly lunged forward, grabbing the servant’s hand and positioning himself in front of the nanny holding the baby. Seeing this, the nanny quickly held the baby close and backed away from the scene, while Ruan Chenxuan got a clear look at who the “servant” really was.
“Oh my god—it’s An Rouyu!”
A scream instantly heightened the chaotic atmosphere of the banquet. The crowd, who had already been hoping for drama, collectively gasped. As they observed An Rouyu’s ex-boyfriend, ex-fiancé, and former admirer, they whispered excitedly, practically ready to scream on the spot.
The showdown they’d been eagerly awaiting had arrived!!!
The moment Ruan Chenxuan recognized An Rouyu, his grip started to loosen. Seizing the chance, An Rouyu forcefully shook off his hand, charged up the stairs again toward the nanny, and screamed, “Give me back my child!”
The terrified nanny turned and ran—there was no way she’d hand the baby over to a woman in such an unstable state.
Ruan Chenxuan also snapped back to his senses. He stepped forward to grab An Rouyu and forcibly drag her down the stairs. Seeing the child so close drove An Rouyu mad, and anyone trying to stop her seemed like an enemy. She turned, full of rage, and clawed at Ruan Chenxuan.
In an instant, pain shot across his entire face as he felt her nails digging into his skin. Losing control, Ruan Chenxuan threw An Rouyu off with force, sending her stumbling backward, and the crowd quickly moved aside to avoid her. She just so happened to fall right in front of Xu Chenghao.
—Ah, this damned fate of the spare tire!
The entire room fell silent. Everyone stared at An Rouyu and Xu Chenghao, waiting to see their reactions. After all, even if he no longer cared for her, seeing An Rouyu, his fiancée of over twenty years, in such a state would surely elicit some reaction.
An Rouyu did not disappoint. Realizing she had landed in front of Xu Chenghao, she barely managed to switch her crazed expression to one of pitiful helplessness, looking at him with teary eyes. “Hao-gege!”
Xu Chenghao looked at her with utter indifference, too tired to even respond.
“Hao-gege, please help me, I’m begging you… please, get my child back for me! This is my child, it’s mine!” An Rouyu, crying and crawling, tried to cling to Xu Chenghao’s leg, desperate for his help.
From within her disheveled hair, she saw him crouch down in front of her, and her heart instantly leapt with joy. The thought “I knew Hao-gege wouldn’t abandon me” hadn’t even fully formed before a sharp silver blade stabbed downward, piercing the ground right between her fingers without mercy.
An Rouyu instantly froze, raising her head in disbelief, only to see that Xu Chenghao had somehow turned into Jing Yicheng. His fingers gripped the dagger, and his dark, terrifying eyes stared at her without blinking as he said coldly, “Try calling out to him one more time!”
