Chapter 76: The night wind is cold—go inside

Nan Zhizhi said, “Fine.”

Feng Tingshen nodded, then turned to Rong Ci: “Are you going back tonight?”

Rong Ci was still working through the conversation he and Nan Zhizhi had just had; hearing him suddenly speak to her, she paused before answering: “No.”

Feng Tingshen nodded and said, “Understood.” Then he stood up and added, “I’ll come later to pick up Jingxin.”

He meant to leave.

Rong Ci replied coldly, “Understood.”

Feng Tingshen said nothing more to her, walking toward Lady Rong: “Madam, I have matters to attend to—I’ll take my leave.”

Lady Rong did not rise; her tone was equally cold: “Go slowly. No need to see me off.”

Feng Tingshen showed no anger at Lady Rong’s indifference. He nodded slightly to Rong Changsheng as a greeting, then turned and left the banquet hall.

Seeing Feng Tingshen emerge from the hotel entrance, He Zhangbai froze mid-motion as he was about to get out of his car.

Feng Tingshen quickly got into his car and drove off.

He Zhangbai watched, sitting inside without moving.

Nan Zhizhi left only after the banquet ended, together with Yu Moxun.

Feng Jingxin had eaten too many snacks today; after the dinner began, she only picked at a few bites before losing her appetite, then went upstairs to play video games.

As guests began to thin out, Rong Ci finally went upstairs to find her.

Feng Jingxin saw her return and removed her headphones: “Mom finished?”

“Mm.” Remembering what Feng Tingshen had said before leaving, she added, “Your father said he’ll come pick you up tonight. Call him and ask when he’ll arrive.”

Thinking she could play with Lin Wu tomorrow after returning home, Feng Jingxin cheered: “Okay!”

The call was answered almost immediately.

After a moment, Feng Jingxin hung up and told Rong Ci: “Dad says he’ll be here in fifteen minutes.”

“Good, I know.” Rong Ci added, “Pack up your things—I’ll take you downstairs to wait for your father.”

Feng Jingxin wanted to beg Rong Ci to help her pack.

Because often, Rong Ci was the one who packed her things.

But Rong Ci seemed to be in low spirits; the plea died on her lips.

When the time came, Rong Ci took Feng Jingxin downstairs.

In the elevator, watching Rong Ci’s silence, Feng Jingxin squeezed her hand and tugged: “Mom.”

Rong Ci looked down: “Hmm?”

“Mom’s been talking less lately.”

She had noticed before that Mom no longer called her every day or constantly asked where she was.

She truly liked this change in Mom.

But lately, she’d also realized that beyond that, when they met, Mom no longer talked to her as much as before.

Mom had become quiet.

Feng Jingxin had been raised by her hands; Rong Ci knew she wasn’t careless.

The fact that she’d only now noticed Mom’s silence meant she’d simply grown used to ignoring it.

Rong Ci turned her gaze away and said, “I’m tired.”

“Oh…”

Rong Ci did look exhausted; Feng Jingxin didn’t press further.

The night wind was especially biting.

As they stepped out of the hotel lobby, the cold wind stung their cheeks.

Feng Jingxin was clearly chilled; she refused to walk, grabbing Rong Ci’s hand and turning to bury her face in her mother’s stomach: “It’s so cold—Mom, hold me.”

Feng Jingxin was nearly six years old; she was already quite heavy.

Rong Ci found it difficult to carry her, but she still bent down and lifted her up.

Feng Jingxin wrapped her arms around Rong Ci’s neck, pressing her face into it to escape the wind.

Rong Ci’s clothes were soft and warm; she happily rubbed her cheek against her mother’s neck.

Feng Tingshen had a strong sense of time.

By the time Rong Ci reached the parking lot with Feng Jingxin in her arms, Feng Tingshen’s car pulled in.

Seeing them, the car stopped right beside Rong Ci.

Seeing Feng Tingshen arrive, Feng Jingxin didn’t get down from Rong Ci’s arms; she rolled down the window and cooed to him inside: “Dad, carry me in.”

Feng Tingshen said nothing, got out, and came over to take Feng Jingxin from Rong Ci.

Feng Jingxin happily kicked her legs in his arms.

As Feng Tingshen leaned closer, Rong Ci smelled again the perfume on him—Lin Wu’s.

He hadn’t smelled like that when he sat beside her earlier.

That meant, after leaving them, he had gone to the Sun family’s side.

Feng Tingshen looked at her and said, “The night wind is cold—go inside.”

Rong Ci stepped back and replied, “Understood.”

Feng Jingxin cheered: “Bye, Mom!”

Rong Ci: “Mm.”

Feng Tingshen carried Feng Jingxin into the car. Rong Ci didn’t wait for them to drive off—she turned and walked toward where her own car was parked.

Watching her back, Feng Tingshen finally looked away after a moment and told the driver: “Drive.”

The moment he spoke, his car slipped into the traffic.

As Rong Ci neared her parking spot, He Zhangbai stepped out of his car: “Rong Ci.”

Rong Ci hadn’t been paying attention; she thought it was a stranger. Hearing her name called, she turned—and saw He Zhangbai.

She assumed it was coincidence; after all, they hadn’t fully rented out the hotel, so He Zhangbai having business here wasn’t impossible.

She nodded to him in greeting, then unlocked her car and prepared to get in and leave.

Seeing Rong Ci still treat him like a stranger, He Zhangbai stopped where he stood.

Rong Ci turned to open her car door, then noticed he was still watching her.

Seeing he seemed to want to say something, she asked, cool and distant: “What do you want?”

He Zhangbai hesitated.

In the end, he didn’t mention anything about tonight.

He said, “I have a gift for you. Could we meet for dinner in a couple of days?”

Shan Shan had suffered a major accident; her body and spirit had both been deeply wounded.

Shan Shan had once told Rong Ci that she seemed a little like her mother.

But Rong Ci’s mother was dead.

So Rong Ci understood Shan Shan’s faint attachment to her.

To be honest, she liked Shan Shan too.

If they met casually, she would set aside her personal grudge against He Zhangbai and spend more time with Shan Shan.

But to meet Shan Shan alone…

Then He Zhangbai suddenly said: “I can help with a project your uncle has.”

Rong Ci froze.

He Zhangbai said no more: “Think about it. Call me anytime you’ve decided.”

Rong Ci said nothing.

To be honest, she didn’t trust him.

Because he was close to Lin Wu and Feng Tingshen.

Even if his offer to help her now was sincere, even if the project with her uncle succeeded,

what if, in the future, she clashed with Lin Wu—who’s to say he wouldn’t do what Feng Tingshen did, and threaten her uncle’s project to force her for Lin Wu’s sake?