Chapter 45: She Didn

Rong Ci’s face flushed red with embarrassment as she tugged her collar back into place, clutching the sheet.

He Zhangbai’s gaze darkened; once he realized, he turned away, breaking eye contact.

The nanny beside them was equally awkward.

Fortunately, no one else was here.

Otherwise, it would’ve been even worse.

She hurried to help Rong Ci adjust her clothes.

Rong Ci was usually very reserved and had never before exposed her body like this in front of any man except Feng Tingshen…

Especially not someone who was Feng Tingshen’s close friend.

She felt even more uneasy.

After fixing her clothes, she spoke with an unnatural expression: “I have something to do—I’m leaving now.”

He Zhangbai finally turned back and said, “Sorry.”

Dan Dan knew she had done something wrong and assumed she had upset Rong Ci; seeing Rong Ci’s eyes well up, she softly apologized: “Auntie, I’m sorry…”

Rong Ci knew she hadn’t meant it and couldn’t scold her, saying, “It’s fine—I know you didn’t mean to.”

With that, she gave a faint smile, waved to Dan Dan, and turned to step into the elevator.

He Zhangbai watched the elevator doors close, then said to Dan Dan in his arms: “Dan Dan, you can’t grab someone’s collar like that anymore, understood?”

Dan Dan nodded vigorously: “Mm, I understand…”

…

They were returning to the Feng family’s ancestral home for dinner.

Around four in the afternoon, after the group activity ended, Rong Ci prepared to leave early.

As she was leaving, Yu Moxun accompanied her to the parking lot and warned: “Drive carefully.”

“Got it.”

As Rong Ci spoke, a car slowly approached them.

Rong Ci hadn’t noticed at first, but the rear window rolled down, and Dan Dan poked her head out, waving: “Bye, Auntie.”

Rong Ci gave a faint smile and replied: “Goodbye, Dan Dan.”

As she finished speaking, she noticed He Zhangbai watching her; she paused, then nodded slightly in greeting.

He Zhangbai nodded back, glanced at Yu Moxun beside her, then looked away.

Watching his car drive off, Yu Moxun rubbed his chin: “I feel like He Zhangbai just gave me a really assessing look.”

Rong Ci didn’t care: “Really? Why would he assess you?”

Yu Moxun had no idea.

He just had that feeling.

He hesitated, then said: “Could it be that seeing how close we are, he thinks we’re too intimate—and so he’s keeping an eye on me for his good friend Feng Tingshen?”

Rong Ci’s smile faded slightly as she dismissed it: “Don’t worry—it’s definitely not because of that.”

He Zhangbai and the others are also close to Lin Wu.

Clearly, they’d rather Feng Tingshen be with Lin Wu than with her.

He and Qi Yuming probably hope she gets involved with someone else, so Feng Tingshen can be free—why would they worry she might give him a green hat?

Once in the car, Rong Ci drove off.

By the time she reached the ancestral home, night had fully fallen.

Besides the servants, only Grandma Feng was there.

Upon learning she had returned, the old lady came out herself to greet her.

Seeing only Rong Ci, the grandmother’s smile faltered: “Where’s Jingxin?”

Feng Tingshen not returning with her was common, so she wouldn’t ask.

But wasn’t Feng Jingxin usually with her?

Ever since her foot healed and she visited Feng Jingxin at the villa for one meal, Feng Jingxin had stopped contacting her entirely.

As for where they went this weekend or who they were with, Rong Ci had no idea.

She didn’t care to ask.

Now, hearing the grandmother say this, Rong Ci smiled and replied: “They should be arriving soon.”

Even so, she wasn’t sure they’d come at all tonight.

After all, hadn’t the same thing happened during their trip to the Hot Spring Shanzhuang?

Hearing this, the grandmother assumed Rong Ci knew their plans and didn’t press further.

Rong Ci entered the house and chatted with the old lady for a long time—nearly 7:30 p.m.—yet still no sign of Feng Tingshen or Feng Jingxin.

The grandmother frowned: “What time is it now? Why aren’t they here yet?”

As she spoke, she clearly recalled how Feng Tingshen had missed their last trip to the Hot Spring Shanzhuang.

Her expression darkened as she told Rong Ci: “Xiao Ci, call and urge them.”

Rong Ci reluctantly picked up her phone and dialed Feng Tingshen.

He answered quickly.

He already guessed her purpose and spoke first: “Twenty minutes.”

As Rong Ci opened her mouth to reply, Feng Jingxin’s voice came through the line.

“Bye, Wuwu Auntie.”

Rong Ci lowered her gaze.

They were indeed with Lin Wu.

Just then, Lin Wu’s voice came through: “Mm, goodbye, Jingxin.”

Then she heard Lin Wu softly tell Feng Tingshen: “I’m going up now.”

Feng Tingshen: “Mm.”

At that moment, Feng Tingshen asked her coldly: “Is there anything else?”

Rong Ci snapped back to herself and said: “No.”

As soon as she spoke, she moved to hang up.

But Feng Tingshen ended the call before she could.

Rong Ci: “….”

“What’s wrong? Are they not coming again?” the grandmother grumbled: “Tingshen really—”

“No,” Rong Ci said calmly, “Traffic’s bad—they’ll be here in twenty minutes.”

Hearing this, the grandmother’s expression eased slightly.

Still, she was angry: “Fine, let’s eat without him—he deserves leftovers!”

The butler smiled and reminded her: “Miss Jingxin is still in the car too…”

The grandmother fell silent, then huffed: “Fine, for the sake of my great-granddaughter, I’ll forgive him this once!”

Rong Ci listened, smiled faintly, and said nothing.