The Sheng Residence.
By the time Sheng Ciyuan and Sheng Qingyan returned to the Sheng family home, it was already ten o'clock at night.
The matriarch of the Sheng family was sitting in the courtyard, playing with a cat. Before her two grandsons even stepped through the gate, the cat leaped down from the flower stand and ran out to greet them.
"Pangpang."
Sheng Ciyuan called out.
But the orange tabby didn't even glance at him, jumping directly onto Sheng Qingyan instead.
Sheng Qingyan carried the cat, stroking it all the way as he walked up to Old Mrs. Sheng. He stretched out his hand, looking like he was asking for something.
Sheng Ciyuan frantically signaled with his eyes.
Old Mrs. Sheng understood immediately. "The photo, right? Because it's so old, it needs restoration. It'll take a few days... Auntie Liu, please take the young master to freshen up and rest."
Auntie Liu had been taking care of Sheng Qingyan in all aspects of life since he was born. She took his hand and led him inside.
Sheng Ciyuan immediately moved closer with his phone. "Grandmother, look quickly! Big brother spoke!"
Old Mrs. Sheng hurriedly took the phone.
"Go home. With you."
Sheng Qingyan's four words were exceptionally clear.
"Heavens be praised! Yan'er really spoke!" Old Mrs. Sheng was overjoyed to the point of tears. "I knew it, I always knew there was nothing wrong with our Yan'er. He's not mute, he can speak. He just never encountered something that would make him want to talk... Wait, Yuan'er, who is this girl in the video? What's her name? You must invite her to our home. She deserves the highest courtesy from the entire Sheng family..."
Sheng Ciyuan replied, "Her name is Rong Yu. She's from Haicheng, currently a senior in high school. She..."
"What did you say?" Old Mrs. Sheng stood up abruptly. "Rong Yu? You said her name is Rong Yu?"
Sheng Ciyuan was taken aback. "What's wrong? Does Grandmother know Rong Yu?"
"Oh my! The photo your older brother cherishes like a treasure has Rong Yu in it," Old Mrs. Sheng said, her words tumbling out. "I specifically asked your father to investigate. That Rong Yu in the photo was a professor from the early days of the nation's founding. She was the one who spearheaded the establishment of the Mathematics Division of the Central Academy of Sciences of China. It's a pity she died in a car accident before the mathematics institute could be fully established... What I don't understand is why your older brother is so particularly obsessed with that period of history, especially with searching everywhere for photos of Professor Rong..."
"And now, a girl with the exact same name appears and actually made your big brother speak?" Old Mrs. Sheng wore a look of deep regret. "If only we had known, the Sheng family should have searched for everyone in the country with that name. Perhaps your big brother would have recovered long ago."
Sheng Ciyuan recounted what happened at the restaurant and added, "There's definitely more than one person named Rong Yu in the country. But not everyone would step forward in such a situation. Rong Yu offended Du Mian. I'm afraid it might affect her career."
Old Mrs. Sheng's heart ached with distress. Sitting back in her chair, she rubbed the head of Pangpang, the orange cat who had wandered over, and said, "Alright then, Yuan'er, you invite this girl named Rong Yu to the Sheng residence as a guest. Just say... just say..."
The old lady racked her brains and finally slapped her thigh. "Just say it's your father's birthday, and we're inviting her for a meal."
Sheng Ciyuan: "..."
His father's birthday was in the height of summer. Spring hadn't even arrived yet.
Oh well. His father had never held a birthday banquet anyway, and no one knew his actual birthday date. This would work just fine.
Old Mrs. Sheng's expression turned serious. "Also, invite that whole bunch of good-for-nothing young masters from the Beijing social circle. How dare they secretly bully my Yan'er? Just see if I don't strip the skin off their backs."
Sheng Ciyuan nodded in agreement.
Rong Yu didn't sleep well that night.
She actually had a dream, and it was about her time studying abroad.
She was an international student upon whom the nation placed great hopes.
He was a soldier tasked with escorting this group of students abroad, hidden among the ordinary people.
Once overseas, she spent her days studying at the university.
While he had to carry out many, many secret missions.
It seemed every time they met, he was injured. For the rise and fall of the nation, he risked his life time and again.
His final mission was to escort these overseas students back to China.
The moment the bullet struck him, Rong Yu woke with a start.
By then, the sky was already bright, and it was actually snowing again outside, the window covered in snowflakes.
Ji Yanting had gone to the film set early in the morning. As the male lead, his scenes were heavy, and he was busy from dawn till dusk, as busy as a dog.
Just as Rong Yu stepped out of the bedroom, she received a call from Sheng Ciyuan: "So, today happens to be my father's birthday. We've arranged a small gathering. Could we invite you to my home for a meal?"
Rong Yu found it amusing. "Classmate Sheng, even if it were your birthday, there wouldn't be a need to invite me."
She wasn't close to Sheng Ciyuan.
As for Sheng Ciyuan's father, she had never even met him.
Showing up uninvited would be rather strange, wouldn't it?
"Please, Rong Yu, just come."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Sheng Ciyuan knew his image was ruined.
In front of Rong Yu, he was no longer the physics gold medalist, no longer the physics genius, but rather, a shameless person.
"My grandmother specifically instructed me that I must invite you. If I fail, she said I'll have to share a bowl with Pangpang from now on," Sheng Ciyuan whined. "Oh, Pangpang is a cat. He loves eating mice and has stinky breath. I don't want to share a bowl with Pangpang! Rong Yu, please come."
Rong Yu: "..."
She planned to return to Haicheng tomorrow and was indeed free today.
After some thought, she agreed.
Although this was Ji Yanting's place, ever since the Old Son came by last time, he had designated a room specifically for her and filled her wardrobe with beautiful dresses.
Ji Yanting, being a celebrity, had contact with many brands. Whenever he saw pretty dresses or clothes, he would have his assistant send them back.
Consequently, she had taken over about one-third of Ji Yanting's walk-in closet.
Rong Yu chose an elegant dress, paired it with a beige overcoat and a light-colored scarf... As she emerged from the closet, she saw Ji Mohan standing there in a suit.
She raised a slight eyebrow. "And you are?"
"Ahem!" Ji Mohan straightened his tie. "The Old Master has ordered me to ensure I serve the Great-Grandmother properly. So, I'm coming along, responsible for driving, carrying bags, and pulling out chairs."
He had heard perfectly clearly—it was the Sheng family inviting the Great-Grandmother over.
That clingy man from yesterday, who kept holding the Great-Grandmother's hand, was really an eyesore. What if, in his absence, that man behaved even more inappropriately?
Rong Yu nodded. "Alright, come along then."
This kid had been suspended from the Materials Research Institute for half a month. Someone used to being busy, suddenly idle—she was afraid he might overthink things and get stuck in a rut.
Might as well take him along for some liveliness.
The two of them drove to the Sheng residence.
The master of the Sheng household, Sheng Ciyuan's father, was named Sheng Dian. A businessman, he carried the aura of a top executive.
He originally had matters to attend to today but was firmly kept at home by his elderly mother, who insisted today was his "birthday small banquet."
For nearly fifty years, his birthday had always been in the summer. With a mere opening and closing of his old mother's mouth, his birth date had changed. Wonderful, just wonderful.
