In the lounge, Liu Ruhua couldn't stop calling out "my darling" the moment she saw Nuannuan, pushing her father aside.
"Oh my~ Grandma's precious treasure is so beautiful today! Grandma hasn't seen you in ages."
Liu Ruhua showered Nuannuan with kisses and hugs, making Ye Jinghuai too embarrassed to watch.
"Mom, you saw Nuannuan yesterday."
"What? Don't you know that a day apart feels like three years? I haven't settled accounts with you for what happened last time!"
Liu Ruhua shot Ye Jinghuai a fierce glare.
"Mom, what does that have to do with me?" Ye Jinghuai was incredibly exasperated.
"Ahem~ Honey! Let me have a hug too." Ye Jianming had been watching from the side for a long time, his hands itching.
"Alright, alright. You'll have to take Nuannuan on stage later anyway. Let's go out then!" Liu Ruhua thought the time was about right and they shouldn't keep people waiting.
In the banquet hall, everyone was stunned to see Ye Jianming walk onto the stage holding Nuannuan.
"Distinguished guests, today is a joyous occasion for the Ye family. My second son has found his long-lost daughter, who is also my only granddaughter."
Ye Jianming, holding Nuannuan, stood on stage radiating pride as he addressed the crowd. Liu Ruhua stood beside him with a gentle smile, flanked by their five exceptionally handsome sons.
"Today, I announce: Ye Nuanxin is the apple of the Ye family's eye and the sole heir to the Ye Group!"
The words caused a ripple of excitement among the audience, though their faces remained smiling as they applauded with composure.
"Second Brother, what if Nuannuan doesn't want to take over the Ye Group later?" Ye Jingming nudged Ye Jinghuai with his elbow, a subtle gesture.
"If Nuannuan doesn't want to, I won't force her. As long as I'm here, I won't let Nuannuan suffer.
However, we must let everyone know how much we cherish Nuannuan."
Ye Jinghuai gazed straight ahead, his eyes fixed on Nuannuan held in his father's embrace.
"That's right. As long as we're here, no one can make Nuannuan feel wronged," Ye Jingxing chimed in.
"At worst, we'll find Nuannuan a live-in son-in-law. With us..."
Ye Jingzhi was speaking excitedly and carelessly. He suddenly turned and noticed his four other brothers staring at him with displeased expressions.
"Bro? What's wrong?" Ye Jingzhi's heart trembled.
"Little Fifth, you're still too young!" Ye Jingming said meaningfully.
Ye Jinghuai felt a sharp pain in his teeth at the mention of "son-in-law."
"Has Little Brother's face healed?" Ye Jingchen glanced at him.
Ye Jingzhi suddenly felt the spot where he had been beaten last time begin to ache.
After Ye Jianming finished speaking, everyone descended the stage. The men engaged in business pleasantries, while Liu Ruhua took Nuannuan to show off to the ladies' circle.
Nuannuan, dizzy, was cradled in Liu Ruhua's arms, her mind drifting, lost in thought.
[Shen Yunyi, the daughter of a second-rate family. She fell in love with Ye Jinghuai at first sight during a banquet but dared not harbor any desires for him. After an accidental one-night stand, she fled the country overnight. Five years later, Shen Yunyi returns with her genius son.....]
Nuannuan felt even sleepier at the ellipsis at the end. Had they started being this perfunctory?
"Is Nuannuan tired?" Liu Ruhua, noticing Nuannuan's listless state, lowered her head and asked softly.
"Grandma, Nuannuan wants to go out and play~" Nuannuan mustered some energy and looked at her.
"Children all love to play. Nuannuan must be bored," a well-dressed lady nearby said with a smile.
"Madam Ye, why don't you take the little miss out to play?" another lady suggested solicitously.
At this moment, Ye Jingzhi, who had been standing guard, seized the opportunity to approach.
"Mom, give her to me! I'm the most idle here. I'll take Nuannuan out to play. Hehe~" Liu Ruhua was disgusted by her son's silly grin.
"Fine, I can't hold her anymore anyway. You must watch her carefully!" Liu Ruhua put Nuannuan down and handed her to Ye Jingzhi.
"Grandma, I'm sorry, it's just that Nuannuan is too heavy~"
Recently, thanks to Ye Jinghuai's efforts, Nuannuan had filled out considerably. She was indeed heavier than when she was first brought back.
"No, it's just that Grandma is getting old. Nuannuan is not heavy at all. Go play with your uncle!"
Liu Ruhua squatted down and gently patted Nuannuan's little head to comfort her.
"Nuannuan, Uncle is strong, Uncle will carry you." Saying this, Ye Jingzhi opened his arms and was about to squat down to pick her up.
Nuannuan took a step back, hands on her hips.
"Uncle! Nuannuan is a big girl now, I can walk by myself." Without waiting for Ye Jingzhi, she strode out with her bold little steps.
"Nuannuan, your legs are short and you walk slowly. How about Uncle carries you to the little garden behind, okay? There's a swing there." Ye Jingzhi remained undeterred after being refused.
"Uncle!! Nuannuan is angry~" Pouting, she crossed her little hands behind her back and ignored him.
"Nuannuan~ Nuannuan~ Uncle was wrong." Ye Jingzhi followed closely behind Nuannuan, trying to placate her.
A furious female voice suddenly echoed from the back garden.
"I'm telling you, you ungrateful girl! Your father and I put in so much effort to get in, and you dare to hide here?"
"Mom, I'm your daughter, not a tool for your arranged marriage." Shen Yunyi was full of grievances.
"You ungrateful girl, without your father's company, how could you live such a good life?" Wang Qing tapped her daughter's head, clearly frustrated.
"Your father's company is already in trouble. If you don't marry into wealth, do you want to go out and suffer? See the waiter over there? Do you want to live like that in the future?"
Shen Yunyi followed the direction her mother was pointing.
The waiter, in uniform, was moving among the guests with a tray. Accidentally bumping into someone, they bowed apologetically. Seeing this, she subconsciously shook her head.
Noticing a softening in her daughter's demeanor, Wang Qing continued,
"Do your father and I want to harm you? Aren't all the young talents here today? If you want to fall in love freely, can't you find anyone suitable among so many talented young men present? Do you think you're destined for the heavens?"
"Mom, then why do you only let me choose here?" Shen Yunyi retorted indignantly.
"Do you know who can get in here today? If you don't choose here, do you want to go out and marry a commoner?"
"Mom, I didn't mean it like that." Of course, she didn't want to marry an ordinary person. She just disliked her parents' attitude of selling her off.
"Tell me, who exactly do you like?"
"Mom~" Shen Yunyi's face flushed as she recalled the figure she had seen before the banquet began.
"You've taken a liking to someone? Who is it?" Wang Qing seemed to have an idea seeing her daughter's reaction.
"I… Mom~"
"Quickly tell me! You're killing me with anxiety."
"It's… it's the Second Young Master Ye." Shen Yunyi said shyly.
"Oh, my daughter has excellent taste!" Wang Qing clapped her hands in approval.
"Even if it's becoming a stepmother, that's just a daughter who will be married off later. If you have a son, who knows who the heir will be!" Wang Qing became more and more excited.
"Mom! He won't look at me, you're overthinking it." Shen Yunyi quickly covered her mother's mouth, which was talking nonsense.
"Tsk, I know! Alright, let's go back with Mom first. If you just hide here, who will notice you!" Saying this, she pulled her daughter along.
Unnoticed by either of them, two heads, one large and one small, peeked out from the corner by the wall.