Chapter 105: Chapter 102: I Never Should Have Let You Leave My Side
Tang Ruan lightly leaned against Rong Sinan’s arm and murmured, "Do I look like something’s wrong?"
Rong Sinan stared into Tang Ruan’s bright smiling eyes, tapped her nose helplessly, "If you don’t come over soon, I’m going to the bathroom to find someone."
"Then why didn’t you come?" Tang Ruan lowered her head, her voice soft and teasing.
Rong Sinan was momentarily taken aback and reached out to stroke her shoulder, "Is there really something wrong?"
Tang Ruan’s lips curved up, she raised her graceful chin to look at Rong Sinan’s worried, handsome face, "Nothing’s wrong."
Rong Sinan fixed his gaze on her for a moment, then finally relaxed and revealed a trace of a smile, reaching out to hold her slender shoulders tightly.
Tang Ruan leaned against him, but her eyes drifted toward the direction of the bathroom.
"Welcome everyone to Little Yan’s birthday party."
Suddenly, a strong voice echoed from the staircase.
Tang Ruan and Rong Sinan turned to look, and there stood Grandpa Xiao in the center of the grand staircase, smiling warmly at everyone.
Beside him stood Mu Yan and Xiao Nanqing, though their expressions didn’t look very good at the moment.
Jian Liangtong had come from the bathroom and was searching around the hall for a glimpse of Ying Jingyao but searched the entire hall without finding him!
"Are you looking for Young Master Ying?"
The sudden male voice at her ear startled Jian Liangtong. She frowned and turned around to see a man in a burgundy suit standing beside her, holding a glass of red wine and looking at her with a crooked smile.
The man was not particularly outstanding in appearance; he paled in comparison to Rong Mochen and Huo Shaojun and was rather thin. Yet his wolf-like eyes were intensely sharp, making one feel an urge to retreat.
Jian Liangtong didn’t retreat, though, thinking that he seemed to know where Ying Jingyao was. She pursed her lips and nodded, "Do you know where he is?"
The man was silent for a moment, his deep eyes penetrating as he stared at Jian Liangtong, then spoke slowly, "Young Master Ying had an urgent matter to attend to and left earlier. Before he left, he entrusted Miss Jian to me, asking that I ensure she gets home safely after the party."
He left?
Jian Liangtong was surprised, "When did he leave?"
"About half an hour ago." The man swirled the liquid in his glass, answering nonchalantly.
Jian Liangtong knitted her brows, a bit upset but didn’t continue the conversation.
The man glanced sideways at Jian Liangtong, his gaze pausing on her long, straight, and thick eyelashes, "Huo Chengjin."
"Taking advantage of Little Yan’s birthday, I want to announce something to everyone."
Huo Chengjin’s voice was low, just as Grandpa Xiao started to speak again, his loud voice overshadowing Huo Chengjin’s, drawing Jian Liangtong’s attention.
Everyone curiously looked at Grandpa Xiao.
Grandpa Xiao pursed his lips, happiness reaching his eyebrows, cast a loving glance at Mu Yan, then at Xiao Nanqing, and finally at everyone, exclaiming mysteriously, "Besides being Little Yan’s birthday party, this event is also the engagement party for Little Yan and Nan Qing!"
"..." Xiao Nanqing and Mu Yan were stunned, almost simultaneously frowning in disbelief at Grandpa Xiao, who was too focused on his joy to care about their wishes. They both thought they had misheard!
Grandpa Xiao raised his eyebrows, giving each of them a confirming look.
Xiao Nanqing and Mu Yan’s mouths twitched simultaneously, and they spoke in unison, "Great-grandpa, stop fooling around!"
Grandpa Xiao’s face turned stern, though he smiled amiably at the applauding crowd below; his tone was full of menace as he spoke to Mu Yan and Xiao Nanqing, "Everyone’s watching, don’t embarrass me, if there’s anything to say, do it after the party, otherwise..."
Grandpa Xiao gave them a "kind" smile and walked down the stairs.
Mu Yan’s little face was tense, clearly unhappy—she was only fifteen!
Engagement, wasn’t that outrageous?
Xiao Nanqing hadn’t expected Grandpa Xiao to set him up like this at Mu Yan’s birthday party, his handsome face dark and brooding, he narrowed his eyes at Mu Yan, "Did you know about this beforehand?"
"..."
Mu Yan was taken aback and frowned heavily, "Do I look like I knew beforehand?"
After a pause, Mu Yan glanced disdainfully at Xiao Nanqing, "If I had known beforehand that Great-grandpa would pull such a stunt, I wouldn’t have appeared even if I died!"
Muttering, "Who would want to marry an old man nearly a cycle older!"
"What did you say?" Xiao Nanqing’s phoenix eyes reddened with anger, glaring fiercely at Mu Yan, looking as though he wanted to skin her alive!
Mu Yan had been wronged in the bathroom and was irked by Grandpa Xiao’s presumptuous decision. Hearing his roar, her little face fell, and she retorted, "Isn’t it true? I’m only fifteen, and you’re already twenty-five, ten years older than me, three cycles separate us! Marrying a man ten years older with questionable personal life and a bad temper is a huge loss for me!"
Having said it all in one breath, Mu Yan pulled a long face, stomping down the stairs, her little feet angrily coming close to stomping through the wood!
"..."
In his twenty-five years, Xiao Nanqing had never been so despised by a woman before, his handsome face turning shades of green, black, and white as he struggled to swallow his indignation, a truly colorful expression!
"Wow, what’s going on?"
Jian Liangtong exclaimed as she watched Mu Yan walk down the stairs.
Mu Yan is only fifteen, and she and Xiao Nanqing together seem so mismatched, right?
Xiao Nanqing is famously a playboy in Z City, his moods are unpredictable, and his temperamental nature is notorious. Even if Grandpa Xiao is biased, he shouldn’t harm a young girl!
Not only did Mu Yan feel undeserving of Xiao Nanqing, Jian Liangtong felt the same way!
Thinking about it, Jian Liangtong was about to walk towards Mu Yan, but her wrist was grabbed from behind.
Jian Liangtong was slightly startled and looked back, "Is there something else?"
Huo Chengjin squinted and smiled, "My name is Huo Chengjin."
"Oh." Jian Liangtong nodded.
Huo Chengjin’s eyes narrowed, "Miss Jian..."
"Sorry, I have something to do now."
Jian Liangtong interrupted her, withdrawing her gaze from Huo Chengjin and instead focusing on Mu Yan.
Huo Chengjin tightened his grip on her arm slightly, his lowered black lashes hiding the darkness in his eyes. Suddenly, he curved his lips, gently released Jian Liangtong’s arm, and said, "I’ll wait for Miss Jian at the door after the party is over."
"You don’t have to worry about me, I can get back on my own." Jian Liangtong said.
"That won’t do, I promised Young Master Ying, I can’t break my word." Huo Chengjin tilted his lips and said, staring at Jian Liangtong.
Jian Liangtong pressed her lips together, "Alright then."
Huo Chengjin watched Jian Liangtong’s back as she weaved through the crowd, gently swirling the rim of his wine glass with his long fingers, suddenly raising his lips, he gulped down the crimson liquid in one go, while his sharp black gaze remained locked on Jian Liangtong.
The third floor of the villa, far from the noise of the banquet hall, was quiet and relaxing.
Jin Jumo sat on the sofa, her relaxed shoulders showing how at ease she was at the moment.
"Mr. Rong, here’s the medical kit you asked for."
"Hmm."
Rong Mochen took the medical kit from the attendant’s hand, turned around and walked over to Jin Jumo’s side, slightly crouched his tall figure, placed the medical kit on the sofa, and gently took Jin Jumo’s injured arm with one large hand, while the other hand opened the medical kit and took out some medical disinfectant and cotton balls.
Jin Jumo looked at him speechlessly.
Rong Mochen lowered his eyes, with thick eyebrows and long lashes, appearing very handsome.
Jin Jumo watched him skillfully take out a cotton ball, dip it in disinfectant, and use it to clean the dried blood and wounds on her arm.
The disinfectant felt cold on the skin, making the pain that wasn’t very noticeable suddenly apparent. Jin Jumo frowned, held her breath, and bit her lower lip to stifle any sound of discomfort.
Rong Mochen paused his wiping actions, lifted his black eyes slightly, and looked at Jin Jumo.
Seeing her pale lips and her trembling long lashes gently closed, his gaze deepened, he lowered his head and said softly, "Bear with it."
"...Hmm, ah..." Jin Jumo was about to respond, but the moment she loosened her bite, he pressed the cotton ball down again, prompting her to cry out in surprise.
Rong Mochen stopped again, frowning, and quietly looked at Jin Jumo.
Jin Jumo felt embarrassed, somewhat self-conscious, turning her face sideways awkwardly to hide it, "The disinfectant is a bit cold."
Rong Mochen’s mouth twitched slightly, but a flash of light appeared in his black eyes, and he tightened his grip on her arm, "If you can’t handle the pain, why pretend to fight!"
"..." Three black lines appeared on Jin Jumo’s forehead, she didn’t even fight, she was accidentally injured!
"Next time you encounter someone who makes you unhappy, tell me." Rong Mochen said.
"..." Tell him for what?
"I’ll take care of it for you." Rong Mochen’s tone was calm, yet serious.
Jin Jumo’s eyes flickered, looking at Rong Mochen, "How will you take care of it?"
Rong Mochen either didn’t hear or chose not to respond.
Jin Jumo thought of Han Feng, her lashes drooping a little, she whispered, "Mr. Rong, Han Feng is now..."
"Done."
Rong Mochen interrupted suddenly.
Jin Jumo was stunned, staring at him.
Rong Mochen unhurriedly and methodically put the disinfectant, cotton balls, and ointment back in the medical kit.
Jin Jumo stared at his long, fair hands for a while, her eyes narrowing, then looked at her own arm, only to find that the blood had been cleaned off her arm, and the area around the wounds had been smeared with cool, white ointment...
So, he had deliberately been talking to her just to distract her... and indeed, later she hadn’t felt much pain.
Jin Jumo silently felt something slip quietly through her heart, her peach blossom eyes clouded in confusion, she raised her eyes and quietly watched Rong Mochen.
At that moment, Rong Mochen also looked at Jin Jumo, his black eyes darkly contemplative.
Not knowing how it happened, his lips pressed against hers, kissing her intensely.
Rong Mochen held her waist tightly, his large hand gripping the back of Jin Jumo’s head, letting her head rest on his chest. This tender gesture made Jin Jumo’s eyes flicker even more frequently!