Chapter 301 - Announcement Of Will

Zhenyi talked and laughed with the other wives and totally mesmerized them with her aura and confidence. They couldn't help but be in awe of her performance. Never had anyone in their circle had such an amazing woman as a wife.

Surely, there were women much better than Zhenyi in terms of beauty. However, none of them could emit the same confidence and aura as her. They were graceful, elegant, and gentle with their demeanor. But when it came to Zhenyi, she was open and easy to speak, she was as eloquent as a scholar and tough as a soldier, her knowledge in subjects ranged from mythology to science and technology, her Confidence could ignite yours too, her aura was that of a lioness, she didn't look meek and gentle from any angle and yet with all these characteristics present, her gracefulness wasn't hidden from anyone.

What surprised them the most was the way she looked at her husband -- as if he had hung the moon for her. 

The tenderness and affection that Long Jie held for his wife in his eyes weren't concealed from anyone present there. Earlier many of them were of the view that even if Long Jie liked his Xin bride, he would try to suppress his affection for her because at the end of the day she was still a Xin-- their enemy. But tonight none of them could say that she wasn't one of them. She and the family had embraced each other wholeheartedly. 

They couldn't ask for any other woman as the wife of the head of the clan. Perhaps, the outsider didn't understand how important it was for the head of the clan/family to have the right woman as his life partner. Even though she wouldn't be involved in the outfit directly, her responsibilities and duties were much more than that of her husband. 

As the lady of the house, Zhenyi hosted the dinner after that. She along with Long Jie raised toasts with guests. They entertained them very effortlessly and even the guests, who were all the clan members, were very pleased and satisfied with the head of the family and the lady of the house. 

Zhenyi compelled them to believe that Xins and Long were friends now not because of the marriage alliance but because they had eradicated all the animosity between them. Long Jie on the other hand was very proud to see his wife as the star of the evening. 

Zhenyi turned to see Long Jie staring at her affectionately. "What?" 

He shook his head with an infectious smile and said," You're magical, my love." 

"If I were you, I would hold me tightly and never let me away from you," Zhenyi cheekily said to him. 

He snaked an arm around her waist, keeping her close to him. "If I were you, I would never come close to an unpleasant thing such as me." 

"Too bad, you are not me. I'm never leaving you, unpleasant or not!" Zhenyi pecked his cheek. 

A clink on glass was heard and both of them looked up to see Long Shaoming rising from his seat. Today, each and every member of their family was present on the arranged long table. And by the expressions on Long Shaoming's face, it was clear that he was going to announce a very serious decision.

What was more shocking was that Song Lily had been unusually quiet sitting next to her husband.

"Thank you, everyone, for coming at such short notice," Long Shaoming said and the guests smiled as if it was no big deal. However, it was truly a big deal because it was not usual for the ex-head of the clan/family to call for a clan meeting at such sudden notice.

Long Shaoming began again, "First of all, let me congratulate my eldest son for taking the role of head of the clan. My dear son, you are impressive with your work and it brings me great pride to see the man you've become. I may not have been a good father but you are always the best son I could ever ask for." Long Shaoming's words cause Long Jie to avoid looking at his father. His father wasn't very vocal with his feeling for his children. Zhenyi positioned her head on his shoulder and he kissed her knuckles in return. 

"Secondly, I would like to tell you all that I had a meeting with the elders of the clan a few days ago," Long Shaoming spoke and the elders nodded their heads with a serious expression on their face. " Since I have passed on the position of the head of the clan to my son, I decided that it was the time I retire completely. But before retiring and giving the complete reign of the empire to Jie and Zhenyi, I have to make some wrongs right." He paused for a brief moment and then took a deep breath to add, "Life is unpredictable. I have always known this fact. But now I realized the uncertainty of life. I always tried to make sure that my family survives every calamity because many years ago, our family was struck with one such calamity and we are still bearing its consequences. I have regretted many things in life but I don't want to regret them anymore. This is why I invited the clan members here. Tonight, I will be announcing my will." 

Everyone fell silent all of a sudden.

Long Yuan looked at the shocked expression on his brother's and cousin's faces. It meant he wasn't the only one who didn't know about the bomb his father had just dropped on them. 

Zhenyi clasped her hand with Long Jie's tightly as she felt his trembling body. 

"What's he saying?" Long Jie whispered to no one in particular.

"Are you alright, Dad?" The question escaped Long Jie's mouth before he could control it. Was his father so ill that he decided to announce his will? Was it the reason he was trying to right all the wrongs?