When Ms. Li arrived, Ji Nian was still in the lab.
"Alright, I have things to attend to. You two should go grab some food too."
"Keep an eye on the timing. Even a second over the sedimentation period will affect the final results."
Bruce and John Qiao nodded, their gazes filled with admiration as they watched their teacher leave—another day of hero worship.
Yawning, Ji Nian stretched lazily as she stepped outside.
Today, Wang Xiaofang was assigned to accompany her. Noticing Ji Nian’s casual demeanor, she asked, "Miss, are you really going to meet them like this?"
Ji Nian scratched her head. "Ms. Li isn’t some stranger."
As for her nephew…
Ji Tingzhou wasn’t actually planning to find her a fiancé, so why bother dressing up?
Besides, the other party probably wasn’t too thrilled about this either.
"You’ve seen him already?"
Wang Xiaofang’s tone made it sound like she’d already met the person in question.
"Yeah, sort of. Saw him on the surveillance feed."
Ji Nian let out an indifferent "Oh," clearly uninterested in pressing further.
By the time she reached the main building, Ms. Li had just arrived.
Ji Nian’s eyes first landed on the familiar senior figure, but then she felt an intense, unmistakable gaze burning into her. She shifted her eyes slightly to the left.
And there stood someone she never expected to see.
A head of strikingly bold crimson hair that gleamed under the light, sharp narrow eyes, thin lips, and a mature, broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted physique—nothing like a boy’s. The whole aura screamed "charismatic playboy."
[...So, the so-called arranged marriage candidate is Red Pepper?]
The coincidence was so cliché that if Ji Nian saw it in a drama, she’d scoff. Yet here it was, playing out in real life.
Ms. Li spotted Ji Nian and waved her over.
Ji Nian approached, letting the older woman take her hand and gently pat her arm.
With warm, affectionate eyes, Ms. Li murmured, "You’ve lost weight."
Ji Nian chuckled. "I was training hard recently. Dad already scolded me for it. These past few days, he’s been feeding me like I’m a pig—might as well toss me actual pig feed at this point."
Ms. Li laughed.
She turned to Ji Tingzhou. "I have a nutritional recipe back home. I’ll have someone send it over later. Make sure you nourish this child properly."
Her recipes were always top-tier, so Ji Tingzhou accepted without hesitation.
Once the adults finished talking, it was the younger generation’s turn.
Wei Junze made no effort to hide his gaze—not that anyone could miss it. From the moment Ji Nian appeared, his eyes hadn’t left her.
"Long time no see."
The corners of his lips curled into a meaningful smirk as he studied her.
She looked different from the day of the arts festival—no makeup, but her skin still glowed. Her slightly wavy hair fell loosely over her shoulders, and she wore a soft, pastel-yellow jacket with wide-legged trousers that pooled around her feet. At home, she seemed utterly relaxed.
Like a kitten basking in the sun, radiating warmth.
His gaze lingered on her hair.
Hmm. Probably just as soft to the touch, too.
Ji Nian nodded at him, matching his casual demeanor.
With the adults present, though, she held back from calling him "Red Pepper" out loud.
"Wei Junze."
Hearing his name, Wei Junze’s eyes narrowed slightly, clearly pleased.
"You know each other?"
Ji Tingzhou’s icy voice cut in, his emerald-green eyes frosty as they scrutinized the red-haired young man who so blatantly had designs on his daughter.
Wei Junze tensed slightly under that gaze.
Despite his usual confidence and tendency for clashes, he was still young. Ji Tingzhou, on the other hand, carried the aura of someone who’d been steeped in bloodshed since childhood.
So.
The head of the Ji Family didn’t seem too fond of him.
Not surprising.
If he were Ji Tingzhou, he wouldn’t want some outsider eyeing his precious treasure either.
Composing himself, Wei Junze met Ji Tingzhou’s gaze squarely, his usual lazy expression replaced with respectful seriousness. "Uncle Ji."
"I attended S High in the past. This year, I went back for the arts festival and saw her performance. That’s how we met."
Ji Tingzhou didn’t even acknowledge the explanation.
Ms. Li shook her head. "Still the same temper."
She turned to Wei Junze. "Don’t mind him. When I first met him, it took him a whole month to say a word to me."
Wei Junze raised an eyebrow at that.
Someone actually dared to treat his aunt like that?
Ji Nian, however, perked up. "Really?"
Ms. Li linked arms with her and nodded. "Absolutely."
Zhiliao, who’d also come to greet them, chimed in, "And the reason he finally spoke? To borrow toilet paper."
"For Wei Yang, who’d been squatting in the bushes for an hour, crying because his legs had gone numb."
Wei Yang, who was standing nearby, gaped. "What?! How come I don’t remember this?!"
Ms. Li beckoned him over, ruffling his short, bristly hair as he bent down. "You were too young. Of course you don’t remember."
"Thank goodness for your brother. Any later, and you’d have been sitting in your own mess."
She threw her head back and laughed heartily.
In this moment, Ms. Li shed her usual commanding presence, radiating the warmth of a beloved family elder.
Wei Junze observed the shift, stunned.
So, his aunt had this side to her too.
No wonder she held the Ji Family in such high regard.
Reevaluating the Ji Family’s significance, Wei Junze adjusted his attitude accordingly.
Meanwhile, Ji Nian was thoroughly entertained by the story, giggling uncontrollably. When Wei Yang turned red and stammered out weak protests, her grin only widened.
As the conversation flowed, they settled into seats.
Wei Junze gestured for Ji Nian to sit beside him.
Before she could react, her father shot him a warning glare.
Instinctively, Ji Nian plopped down next to Ji Tingzhou instead.
Wei Junze didn’t seem bothered, flashing her an easy smile.
Ms. Li, as if forgetting the original purpose of bringing her nephew, chatted animatedly with Wei Yang and the others.
During the meal, her appetite was unusually hearty—she ate far more than usual.
"The food here just hits different. Logically, it’s the same as anywhere else, but I always end up overeating when I visit."
"Mm, as you young folks say, this place has…"
She glanced at Ji Nian.
Ji Nian supplied, "Meal-traction."
Ms. Li rewarded her with a plump shrimp.
After dinner, Ms. Li turned a knowing smile toward Ji Tingzhou.
Understanding, he led her to a more private space for conversation.
Once the two were gone, Ji Nian looked at Wei Junze.
"Wei Yang, since you’re also surnamed Wei, are you two related?"
Wei Yang: "……Our family doesn’t have any redheads."
Ji Nian burst out laughing.
Wei Junze overheard and smirked.
What a brat.
Unexpectedly adorable.
Seeing her playful, natural self around family, compared to her frosty demeanor when they first met…
Huh.
He’d thought his interest stemmed from her initial coldness.
But it seemed she reserved that attitude for outsiders.
In other words—no matter how she acted, he found her utterly charming.
The realization startled even him.
"Ji Nian."
He called out "Ji Nian," and in response, she turned to him with a puzzled glance.
Wei Junze seemed to be in a rather good mood.
"At the very least, I am a guest here—how about showing me around?"
