"Oh right, there's also the red envelope." Old Master Wei opened the drawer again, but his expression changed the moment he saw the tablet inside, swiftly pressing the exit button as if trying to cover up his tracks.
Zhong Ziyan, who saw it all clearly: "..." Covering one's ears while stealing a bell—fine, whatever.
Old Master Wei cleared his throat, putting on a show as he pulled the red envelope out from under the tablet and handed it to Uncle Li to pass along. He then spoke with feigned solemnity, "Now that you've become part of our Wei family, as the daughter-in-law, you must..."
He had barely started when Wei Hanyun leaned toward Zhong Ziyan and murmured, "Just take it," before walking out of the study.
Zhong Ziyan, holding the weighty box and red envelope, nodded politely at Old Master Wei and followed Wei Hanyun out.
Even several steps away, they could still hear Old Master Wei’s booming shouts behind them.
"Is it heavy?" Wei Hanyun asked, ignoring the noise. "Should we have someone take it to your room first?"
"Not heavy," Zhong Ziyan—who could lift mountains—shook her head.
Though the chess set was carved from pure jade and undeniably weighty, the red envelope felt suspiciously light.
"Whatever the old man gives won’t be shabby," Wei Hanyun remarked casually. "Once it's in your hands, it's yours."
Zhong Ziyan automatically interpreted this as: I can take it with me if we divorce.
Though she had never learned to play Go, the set looked undeniably impressive—perfect for flexing.
Fang Nan was waiting at the entrance of the main house, surrounded by a small crowd. When Zhong Ziyan and Wei Hanyun descended, he approached them. "The gifts have already been delivered to the old madam."
Zhong Ziyan couldn’t help but notice Fang Nan seemed relieved to escape the throng of people.
Wei Hanyun nodded and gestured to Zhong Ziyan. "Let’s go."
Zhong Ziyan: "..." She had assumed they’d walk to meet Wei Hanyun’s grandmother. Turns out they needed another vehicle—how embarrassing.
Unlike the understated luxury of the business car earlier, the vehicle waiting at the entrance was a petite, open-top ride that looked like a cross between a vintage car and a golf cart. It had no driver and only enough space for two.
The emblem resembled the Golden Snitch from the wizarding world—a small sphere with "MORGAN" inscribed on it, flanked by long wings.
Though she didn’t recognize the brand, Zhong Ziyan couldn’t contain her excitement. "No speed limits here, right?"
"It’s just a family shuttle—no speed limits," Wei Hanyun replied, still the picture of amiability, showing no trace of his earlier defiance toward Old Master Wei.
"Then, can I…?" Zhong Ziyan’s eyes gleamed with implication.
Wei Hanyun smiled. "I trust your driving skills."
Fang Nan, standing nearby, barely suppressed an eye-roll: Of course.
The expensive but strictly-for-family-use sports car roared to life under Zhong Ziyan’s foot, vanishing in a cloud of dust as Fang Nan watched her hair whip in the wind from the rear.
—She was treating the Wei family estate like the Touge pass.
"Is that Uncle’s girlfriend?" someone behind Fang Nan asked, voice dripping with envy.
Fang Nan turned to see a man in a suit with long, rockstar hair. "Young Master Ziqian."
Wei Ziqian scoffed. "Just a pretty face. Never even heard of her—how’d she trick Uncle into this?"
"You’d have to ask the boss," Fang Nan deflected smoothly.
Wei Ziqian shot him a disdainful look, tied his hair into a bun, and hopped onto a similar Morgan car, speeding off after Zhong Ziyan.
—Of course, Zhong Ziyan, thoroughly engrossed in her joyride, was long gone.
With Wei Hanyun navigating, Zhong Ziyan didn’t get lost, executing a sharp drift to park the sleek, futuristic car in front of a small pavilion standing alone on the lake.
The wooden structure had a more classical air than the main house.
Zhong Ziyan nearly vaulted over the door but reconsidered upon remembering her dress, opting to exit properly instead.
From the car, the lake’s beauty had been a mere glimpse, but standing now, the full panorama unfolded—the pavilion seemed to float like an island at the lake’s heart.
The water was so blue it mirrored the sky, shifting to a translucent green near the shore where milk-white pebbles and darting fish were visible.
Beyond the lake lay dense emerald forests, fading into mist-wrapped mountains that gave the illusion of stepping into an untouched paradise.
A single wooden walkway led to the pavilion, flanked by a row of small boats.
The scenery was breathtaking, but Zhong Ziyan’s only thought was: This is a tourist attraction, right?
And here she’d thought Wei Hanyun’s Tingshan villa was too big!
To someone raised in the Wei family estate, Tingshan must’ve felt like a cramped little garden house.
Recalling her own past—where a bed and desk were all she needed—Zhong Ziyan wiped away an imaginary tear before asking Wei Hanyun, "We walk from here?"
"Would you prefer a boat?" Wei Hanyun countered.
Zhong Ziyan could row, but she felt it inappropriate to indulge in leisure as a guest.
—She was here as a respectful junior, after all!
"I spent a lot of time here as a child," Wei Hanyun mused, gazing at the golden ripples on the water. "The quiet helps with thinking."
Zhong Ziyan considered this and found a sliver of common ground. "...I liked playing in water as a kid too."
Wei Hanyun seemed amused again. He held out his hand. "Let me show you another way."
Leading her to what she’d assumed was just a shaded spot, Zhong Ziyan realized it was actually an elevator entrance.
Flat ground, no sky above—so it had to go down.
Estimating the descent, Zhong Ziyan relaxed when they stopped about ten meters underwater: Not too dangerous.
Even if the Loch Ness Monster wasn’t lurking here, it never hurt to be cautious.
Exiting the elevator, she could already see the faint blue glow at the end of the passageway, still small in the distance.
Despite her suspicions, the sight still stole her breath: A private underwater viewing tunnel?!
"This was built a few years ago, after breakthroughs in pressure-resistant materials," Wei Hanyun explained as they walked along the illuminated path.
Zhong Ziyan stared, mesmerized, as the sunlit blue expanse grew larger.
"Though it’s meant for children, I’ve always liked it too," Wei Hanyun admitted. "So I wanted to share it with you."
Bathed in the shimmering blue light, Zhong Ziyan glanced at Wei Hanyun and smiled.
He met her gaze.
A school of tiny fish drifted past behind her, their shadows scattering like fragments of a dream—mysterious, elusive, much like Zhong Ziyan herself.
"Then I like it too," Zhong Ziyan said, though her words felt inadequate even to her own ears.
Feeling that her response wasn’t enthusiastic enough to match Wei Hanyun’s sharing spirit, Zhong Ziyan discreetly gestured for the large fish swimming near his head to swim away, allowing sunlight to filter through the lake water and the acrylic glass, casting a faint glow upon him.
Zhong Ziyan’s life motto number one: Reciprocity is key.
She needed to ask Fang Nan immediately if there was anything troublesome Wei Hanyun couldn’t handle. The thought crossed Zhong Ziyan’s mind without hesitation.
…
The lake wasn’t particularly large, and by the time the two leisurely walked through the tunnel and took the elevator up to the small building on the other side, only about half an hour had passed.
Several people were already waiting near the elevator, either standing or sitting, seemingly anticipating their arrival.
When the elevator dinged open, Zhong Ziyan noticed their gazes immediately turning toward her.
Most of the faces were familiar from her prior research.
Wei Hanyun’s grandmother, his mother, his second elder brother and sister-in-law, and the two younger individuals were likely his nephew and niece.
The age gap between Wei Hanyun and his elder brother was significant, making his nephew and niece appear closer in age to him.
Zhong Ziyan cleared her throat. “It’s our first time meeting—”
“Ziyan, you’re finally here!” A noblewoman stepped forward, warmly linking arms with Zhong Ziyan and cutting her off. “We’ve been waiting for you with bated breath, but Hanyun had to take you on a lakeside date and make us wait another half hour—I was so impatient! Oh, you’re already wearing the ring! I knew it—only you could do it justice. It’s absolutely stunning.”
Zhong Ziyan: “…” Confirmed with a single glance—this was a personality type she had no idea how to handle.
Despite having one arm already claimed by Wei Hanyun’s mother, Zhong Ziyan tightened her grip on Wei Hanyun’s hand and turned to shoot him a desperate look.
Boss, save me!!!
Wei Hanyun nearly laughed but restrained himself, stepping in to rescue her. “Has Fang Nan delivered the items?”
Even though he had already spotted the pile of familiar gifts placed on the pool table in the center of the entertainment room.
“They’re here, they’re here,” replied the kind-faced elderly woman sitting on the sofa. “Hanyan was practically burning with impatience, waiting for you two to arrive so she could open them. Who knew it’d take so long? She was about to lose her mind.”
“My fault, I walked too slowly.” Zhong Ziyan dutifully took the blame for her boss.
“Nonsense, it’s his fault for showing off,” Wei Hanyun’s mother chided affectionately. “Like a little boy, eager to show his treasures to the person he likes.”
“Mom,” Wei Hanyun sighed with a helpless expression. “Ziyan is introverted.”
The young man who had been standing at the back with his arms crossed snorted. “With the way she drives? I don’t see any introversion there.”
Among everyone in the room, he was the only one radiating clear hostility. Zhong Ziyan had noticed him immediately.
That had to be Wei Ziqian—the one Wei Hanyun had said, “He shouldn’t be home, no need to prepare anything for him.”
Zhong Ziyan broke into a cold sweat.
After all that preparation, she hadn’t accounted for Wei Ziqian suddenly returning, leaving her one gift short.
Cutting corners always comes back to bite you.
“Let’s just open the gifts already,” Wei Hanyan said softly. “I want to see what Uncle and Auntie prepared for me.”
Her tone was gentle, her enunciation precise—the very picture of refined upbringing.
Perfectly matching Zhong Ziyan’s mental image of a well-bred young lady.
Which raised the question: Why was such a refined young lady such a devoted fan of Li Ye, a musician known for his wildly unconventional style?
“You already guessed it was something from Li Ye, didn’t you?” Wei Ziqian rolled his eyes, tucking a stray lock of hair behind his ear in a gesture that was anything but effeminate. “Li Ye’s washed up. In Luo Yin’s latest album, the title track was completely overshadowed by Zhong Hui’s arrangement. He’s lost his touch!”
Wei Hanyan frowned. “The song wouldn’t have been half as good without Li Ye’s input.”
“Zhong Hui’s composition and arrangement were the finishing touches! Without Zhong Hui, the song wouldn’t even exist!”
The siblings launched into a heated debate.
One declared, “Li Ye is the sky, the earth, the youngest savior of China’s music scene,” while the other countered, “Li Ye was just a flash in the pan—Zhong Hui is the one blending pop and classical to create a new era of music.”
Zhong Ziyan couldn’t get a word in edgewise. After hearing a few rounds of exaggerated praise, she felt her face burning.
Stop, stop, this is too embarrassing.
Wei Ziqian, who clearly disliked her, just so happened to idolize… well, the recently famous Zhong Hui—a.k.a., herself.
“What are you looking at?” Wei Ziqian suddenly snapped at Zhong Ziyan. “Just because you’ve got shares in Houtu Entertainment doesn’t mean you know anything about music!”
Zhong Ziyan answered honestly, “I really don’t know much.”
Wei Ziqian: “…” What’s with this person? Too straightforward! Can’t even keep arguing!
Not to mention… Wei Ziqian sneaked a glance at Wei Hanyun standing beside Zhong Ziyan. The moment his eyes met that smile, a shiver ran down his spine, and he hastily averted his gaze.
As much as Wei Ziqian disliked Zhong Ziyan, he feared Wei Hanyun’s reprimands even more.
His uncle always wore a smile, but the man’s heart was darker than ink.
With Wei Ziqian falling silent, Zhong Ziyan scrambled to salvage the situation. “I didn’t know you’d be back, so I didn’t prepare a gift in advance. But I have a few tickets—VIP front-row seats for the premiere of Li Ye, Song Xi, and… ahem, Zhong Hui’s collaborative musical. If you don’t mind…”
“Hand them over!!” Wei Ziqian practically leaped in place, eyes wide. “The premiere sold out in two seconds, and the front row wasn’t even available to the public! How did you get these?!”
Zhong Ziyan hesitated, choosing to omit part of the truth. “…Li Ye gave them to me.”
Because I’m one of the creators, so of course I got my hands on the exclusive tickets—oh, and by the way, I’m the Zhong Hui you were just showering with praise to my face… There’s no way I can say that out loud!!
