Zhao Zhao took her daughter by one hand and Shangguan Ning with the other. “I am so happy to see all of you, you must visit me often. Anan is not an obedient girl. If she ever causes you trouble, you must come and tell me and I will teach her a lesson.”
Anan was very displeased. “Mom, am I really your daughter? You leave me alone in the hospital and let me get tormented by this scumbag Mu Qing, and now you are ruining my reputation here. Let’s go to the hospital to get a DNA test. I feel that I must have been picked up from the street.”
Zhao Zhao struck hard on Zhao Anan’s back and glared at her. “Nonsense. Such crazy talk! If you were not my real daughter, I would have left you on the street already thanks to your terrible personality.”
Zhao Anan felt her back which was hurting after her mother’s hit and mumbled. “She can’t be my real mother for striking me so hard. This woman wants to kill me.”
Zhao Zhao ignored her and turned towards Shangguan Ning and Mu Qing. “Ning and Mu Qing, it is your first visit at our home. Please make yourselves comfortable. Yichen and Anan can be your guides and show you around. We have kept several animals at home and I guess you will like them. You can even take some home.”
Shangguan Ning held Zhao Zhao’s arms and smiled sweetly. “Thank you, Aunt. Then I won’t be polite if I see anything I like.”
Mu Qing showed a very bright smile. He was dressed in a formal blue shirt and a pair of coffee color pants, a suit that he almost never wore. His hair was neat and he looked serious and capable, totally different from his usual look as a dandy. He was behaving like a noble man and his smile at this moment could charm any girl in the world.
“Thank you, Aunt Zhao! But I am not interested in any animals. I only want Anan!”
These words were so blunt that Zhao Anan who was standing next to him almost got pissed.
But Zhao Zhao was glad. She enjoyed hearing Mu Qing talk in this way.
Therefore, she moved away from Ning and her daughter and went to hold Mu Qing’s arms, instead. She looked at him like a mother-in-law and said with pleasure on face, “Okay, okay, good boy, I like your honesty.”
Zhao Anan got speechless hearing her mother’s words.
Was that called honesty?
Who taught you Chinese language, mom?
And Mu Qing was being shameless.
But what was wrong with her heart? Why was she feeling so happy?
They were just talking when the Butler of Family Zhao walked out and said, “Lady, the Old Lady is waiting in the living room, asking why are the masters and ladies not here yet.”
Zhao Zhao knew that the Old Lady must have gotten impatient so she sent the Butler to invite the guests in.
She laughed and took them in. “Let’s go inside and talk there. Old Lady was very happy to hear that you all are coming. It is definitely going to be a wonderful day. She has changed into new clothes and you must remember to praise her dress, otherwise she would want to change again! Hahaha…”
Shangguan Ning and Mu Qing nodded smilingly whilst Zhao Anan couldn’t wait but rushed indoors before everyone else did. Jing Yichen walked silently behind Shangguan Ning with a calm expression. But he had a smile on his face and apparently looked to be in a good mood.
Shangguan Ning followed Zhao Zhao in and caught sight of a fit old lady seated on the main seat.
Her hair was grey but she had very few wrinkles on the face. Her face was rosy and smiling. She was dressed in an amber color dress which fitted her well, making her look very fashionable and far from an old lady of 78.
Old Lady shared the same family name as her husband, and her first name was Fu. The master of Family Zhao passed away ages ago. She had brought up her two daughters alone and expanded Family Zhao’s Jewelry to this large a scale. All the top-notch jewelry made by them during the past decades had been extremely popular among several large families.
She was smart and capable, friendly and affable. When she saw her grandchildren coming in with their partners just for her birthday, she was so happy that she kept smiling brightly.
“Come to me, all of you. Let me take a good look at you. You are so pretty and that makes me happy.”
Her eyes brightened when she caught sight of Shangguan Ning. She grabbed onto her and said a firm voice. “This daughter is so lovely, and properly dressed. Come, I will give you the best greeting present. Haha!”
Zhao Fu knew that Jing Yichen got married sometime back, but she had never met her granddaughter-in-law. Whatever she knew about Shangguan Ning came from Zhao Zhao and Zhao Anan, who both spoke highly of her. Meeting her today, she found her excellent as well – she had been in business circles for her entire life and was a good judge of character.
Shangguan Ning didn’t reject her either. She smiled warmly and said sweetly, “Thank you for your kindness, Grandmother. Wish you a happy birthday! You look so young and the dress is really pretty.”
Though Zhao Zhao had told them to compliment the Old Lady, Shangguan Ning felt that the Old Lady was dressed fashionably, totally worth the praise.
“Grandmother, here is our present for your birthday. Wish you live a long and healthy, happy life!” Shangguan Ning said as she passed the gift which Jing Yichen had prepared for her.
Zhao Fu got increasingly happy. She took the gift and gave it to the Butler without seeing what it was and then laughed. “Alright, alright! I will live long enough to hear your sweet words. You are a much better talker than Anan. Seems that I need to give you one more greeting gift today.”
Shangguan Ning felt a bit uneasy. She shouldn’t be getting so many gifts.
But Zhao Fu spared no time for her to turn down anything. She gave two exquisitely packed boxes to her without hesitation. “Just take them. These are very suitable for you young girls. If ever you want any jewelry, come to me. I have plenty here!”
She was speaking the truth. Since Family Zhao was a top notch jeweller family of A City, there were numerous treasures in their storage.
Shangguan Ning suddenly felt that the thing in her hands felt heavy. These better not be the top-notch jewelry of Family Zhao, otherwise these would way too precious as greeting presents.
She had no idea what Jing Yichen had given to the old lady. Hopefully the gift was equally precious.