Chapter 50

He Zhangbai looked at Feng Tingshen, paused, then took it: “Thank you.”

They clinked glasses and began drinking and chatting.

After a while, Feng Tingshen glanced at him again.

He Zhangbai lifted his gaze: “What is it?”

Qi Yuming chimed in: “You’re… acting strange today.”

Feng Tingshen smiled slightly.

It was an acknowledgment of Qi Yuming’s remark.

He Zhangbai’s expression remained unchanged, his voice cool: “Am I?”

Qi Yuming raised an eyebrow: “Aren’t you?”

He Zhangbai took a small sip of wine and said nothing.

At that moment, someone approached to greet them.

After the person left, He Zhangbai checked the time, worried Dan Dan was hungry, and was about to go to her—when Dan Dan and Feng Jingxin returned.

Dan Dan asked: “Uncle, can I go eat that little cake over there?”

Dan Dan had an allergy-prone constitution and couldn’t eat many things; He Zhangbai said: “Stay here. I’ll get it for you.”

“Okay.”

Feng Jingxin was different—she was used to freedom and had good health; she went to get whatever she wanted herself and brought it back to ask Feng Tingshen: “Dad, do you want some?”

Feng Tingshen ruffled her hair: “No thanks.”

The two children sat nearby eating; when Lin Wu found something delicious, she shared it with Feng Jingxin.

Feng Jingxin happily accepted: “Thank you, Auntie Wuwu.”

Dan Dan looked up at Lin Wu in confusion and asked Feng Jingxin: “Xinxin, isn’t this auntie your mom?”

At these words, the entire room fell silent.

Feng Jingxin paused, then shook her head: “No.”

Dan Dan asked cautiously: “You don’t have a mom either?”

Feng Jingxin shook her head: “No, I have a mom.”

“Oh…”

The cruise ship distributed souvenirs; Dan Dan loved one particular crystal keychain and picked out two.

Only two of this design existed.

Feng Jingxin also liked it very much; seeing Dan Dan take both, she couldn’t help asking: “Dan Dan, can you give me one? I want to give it to Auntie Wuwu.”

Dan Dan hesitated: “I… I want to give one to my auntie too…”

Thinking of Rong Ci, Dan Dan couldn’t help sharing with Feng Jingxin: “Today, Uncle and Auntie took me to fly a kite, fished, rode a bike, chased butterflies… Auntie is so beautiful—she’ll definitely love this crystal…”

Several adults were nearby.

They hadn’t paid much attention to the children’s chatter.

But hearing this, Lin Wu, Qi Yuming, and Feng Tingshen all turned to look at He Zhangbai.

Qi Yuming immediately said: “Zhangbai, what’s going on? Or… is there already something going on?” Qi Yuming grew more excited, and before He Zhangbai could answer, he asked: “When did this happen? Why didn’t you tell us? Right, Tingshen!”

Feng Tingshen smiled, watching He Zhangbai, waiting to hear his answer.

He Zhangbai’s expression was cool: “It was just an accident.”

“Really?” Qi Yuming didn’t believe him; he seemed to recall something: “So lunch was with her too? No wonder you handled the kid so easily—you had help!”

He Zhangbai fell silent.

Feng Tingshen looked at him and declared: “You’re interested in her.”

He Zhangbai froze, opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing in rebuttal.

Lin Wu froze, her smile fading.

“No way, it’s real?” Qi Yuming had only been teasing, but now he hurried to ask: “Who is she? Do we know her? Why haven’t you brought her to meet us?”

He Zhangbai said nothing; Qi Yuming assumed he thought nothing was certain yet and didn’t want to talk about it.

Qi Yuming knew asking He Zhangbai was useless; he smiled, crouched down, and asked Dan Dan: “Dan Dan, how many times have you seen the auntie who had lunch with you today? Do you know her name?”

He Zhangbai’s grip on his cup tightened sharply: “Yuming!”

Dan Dan didn’t understand adult thoughts; she wasn’t close to Qi Yuming, but hearing him ask about Rong Ci, she thought for a moment and answered without hesitation: “Three times!”

“What’s the auntie’s name…”

When He Zhangbai met Rong Ci today, he hadn’t even called her “Miss Rong”; Dan Dan genuinely couldn’t recall her name.

She looked helplessly at He Zhangbai: “Uncle, what’s Auntie’s name?”

He Zhangbai lowered his gaze: “Next time you see her, you can ask her yourself.”

Dan Dan nodded happily: “Okay.”

Qi Yuming: “…Stingy.”

He Zhangbai ignored him.

Seeing how much Feng Jingxin loved the crystal keychain, Dan Dan, though reluctant, gave her one.

Feng Jingxin was delighted: “Thank you, Dan Dan.”

Lin Wu also thanked her.

Dan Dan: “You’re welcome…”

Seeing how happy Feng Jingxin was, she asked: “Xinxin, why don’t you pick one for your mom too?”

Feng Jingxin paused, her voice softer: “I’ll pick one later…”

“Oh…”

…

After dinner, Rong Ci read a little before going to bathe.

She had just stepped out of the bathroom when she received a call from Rong Changsheng: “Xiao Ci, I just saw Xiang Rufang in the neighborhood.”

Xiang Rufang—Lin Wu’s aunt-in-law?

Rong Ci froze, still processing, when Rong Changsheng added: “At first I didn’t notice, but after I got home, I saw her enter the villa next door—the one under renovation!”

Rong Ci’s face changed instantly; she sat up sharply from the bed.

Rong Changsheng was usually a gentle man.

But now, his voice was gritted with rage: “They… must be doing this on purpose!”

Feng Tingshen’s help in securing the Lin family’s foothold in Ducheng was now common knowledge in the city’s business circles.

Though Rong Corporation was struggling, Rong Changsheng was still part of that circle—he couldn’t possibly not know.

He simply hadn’t mentioned it, fearing it would hurt Rong Ci.

If the Lin family planned to settle in Ducheng and buy property, he could understand.

But Lin Wu and the others knew the Rong family lived here.

Ducheng was huge—yet they chose to buy a house directly across from the Rong residence. If that wasn’t intentional, who would believe it?

Rong Ci understood his meaning.

She clenched her phone and said: “I’ll… call Feng Tingshen.”

“Alright.”

For any other matter, Rong Changsheng would never have asked Rong Ci to beg Feng Tingshen.

But this matter was different.

If Xiang Rufang and the others truly moved in, they’d likely make their presence known daily—Grandma’s health was already fragile; she couldn’t bear the stress…

After hanging up, Rong Ci immediately called Feng Tingshen.

After a moment, someone answered.

“Hello.”

It was Lin Wu’s voice.