At the same time, a somewhat familiar voice rang out, “Sister-in-law! Over here!”
Wen Yuan was startled and turned to see Qiu Ye, whom Huo Shengye had mentioned in the car earlier as her designated driver.
He was the black-clad bodyguard who had helped her carry things when she arrived at Yalin Villa yesterday afternoon.
After weighing the pros and cons, Wen Yuan got into the car.
Qiu Ye was extremely respectful and polite. He waited until Wen Yuan was seated and had fastened her seatbelt before driving off.
It was almost noon now. Before the group interview, there had been a written test, and no one’s time was spared just because it was a collective interview.
When the car arrived at the villa, Wen Yuan glanced at the time—it was nearly twelve o’clock.
“Thank you for your hard work. Wait a moment, please.”
Wen Yuan’s voice was sweet, and Qiu Ye naturally responded with an “Ah.” Usually a rough-and-tumble guy, he unconsciously softened his tone when speaking to Wen Yuan.
Wen Yuan got out of the car and hurried into the kitchen. She took a bottle of iced drink, a bottle of milk, and two homemade baked buns from the refrigerator.
It was already twelve o’clock, and there weren’t many restaurants near the villa area. She had been in the interview for so long and didn’t know how long Qiu Ye had been waiting for her. Huo Shengye had said that Qiu Ye would be her designated driver from now on.
Wen Yuan had always been good to those she considered her own. But if she invited him into the house, Qiu Ye definitely wouldn’t come in, so she decided to bring him some food directly.
“Homemade baked buns, milk, and water—these are for you. Thank you for driving me home.”
Wen Yuan came out carrying two paper bags. Qiu Ye initially thought she had something to entrust him with for Huo Shengye, but when he heard Wen Yuan say they were for him, he was stunned, shocked, and then deeply moved.
In all his years as a bodyguard, when had he ever received such treatment?
Although their Huo Ye was generous with money, such thoughtful gestures were probably only found in dreams!
“Thank you, Sister-in-law. These look delicious!”
Qiu Ye accepted the items with both hands. Wen Yuan smiled sweetly and said, “You’re welcome. Well, I’ll head back now.”
“Alright, Sister-in-law, take care.” Qiu Ye watched Wen Yuan enter the house.
Once Wen Yuan was completely out of sight, he took out his phone, snapped a photo of the Wen family’s entrance, and sent a message to Huo Shengye to report:
[Huo Ye, Sister-in-law has arrived home safely [Picture]]
He thought to himself: Sister-in-law even gave me food and drinks. You didn’t get any. Sister-in-law is really, really good.
Remembering what Huo Shengye had mentioned in the car, Wen Yuan went into the walk-in closet after lunch to pick out an outfit for the evening banquet.
Halfway through her selection, Qiu Lening called via voice chat. Wen Yuan answered, chatting with Qiu Lening while continuing to choose clothes.
Then, she heard Qiu Lening say, “Yuan Yuan, my dear Yuan, there’s something I don’t know if I should mention!”
Wen Yuan found it amusing. “Since you’ve already brought it up, not saying it would just be teasing me. Just say it directly.”
Qiu Lening giggled for a moment on the other end before saying, “Well! It’s nothing much! It’s just! Hahaha… it’s just!”
Wen Yuan: “? Just what?”
Qiu Lening: “It’s just, Yuan’er, I suddenly realized something today. Isn’t your husband the head of the Huo family? Then Huo Lei seems to be his niece! His cousin’s daughter!”
Wen Yuan was a bit confused. Qiu Lening continued to explain: “It’s like this. Their chaebol families are large, with main and branch families. Your husband’s bloodline belongs to the main family, while his cousin’s branch, according to their terminology, is a branch family.”
“The branch of the family that split off generally married early, so they started having children early. That Huo Lei is the daughter of your husband’s second uncle’s son, which means… well, Huo Lei’s father is of the same generation as your husband.”
“So,” Qiu Lening hesitated, then burst into laughter, giggling uncontrollably.
Only then did she continue, “So! Baby, my darling Yuan Yuan, by marrying your husband, you’ve moved up a generation—
That woman Huo Lei will have to call you Auntie from now on!!”
“Oh my, I’m laughing so hard, I can’t stop, hahaha…”
On the other end of the phone, Qiu Lening was laughing so hard she could barely straighten up.
Meanwhile, Wen Yuan finally understood. “I see,” she nodded. “Alright.”
Wen Yuan didn’t show much emotional reaction, which didn’t surprise Qiu Lening—that was just how Wen Yuan was.
She could pick things up and let them go easily. When she was in love, she gave it her all, but once she fell out of love, it was a firm goodbye, with no turning back.
It could only be said that a blessed person doesn’t end up in an unlucky place. That scumbag Shao Feng didn’t deserve her precious girl.
Anyway, Qiu Lening was thrilled. “And, and!” she continued.
“And Yuan Yuan, once you have your wedding, you’ll be the matriarch of the Huo family. Hehe, so young and already the matriarch—how awesome is that!?”
Qiu Lening was already envisioning the future for Wen Yuan: “Yuan Yuan, if that idiot Huo Lei dares to cause trouble again, just have your husband freeze her cards. Cut off her money, and let’s see how she acts up then!”
Qiu Lening held grudges and didn’t care about the consequences. Her life was all about enjoying herself.
As long as she was happy, others could say whatever they wanted.
Wen Yuan knew Qiu Lening was feeling sorry for her. Arranged marriages usually lacked genuine affection and might end in divorce within a few years.
Such things were common among the wealthy families in the capital—nothing unusual. So, while she had the status, she might as well enjoy it.
However, Wen Yuan didn’t want to think too far ahead for now. She had set two goals for herself:
First, to make Huo Shengye develop more affection for her.
Second, to find a proper full-time job.
As for everything else, she didn’t want to burden herself with it just yet. Too much pressure would make her miserable.
And when she was miserable, she’d start looking worse—she didn’t want that.
The voice call turned into a video call. Qiu Lening, having nothing better to do, decided to attend the evening business banquet and had her older siblings get her an invitation.
The two of them exchanged suggestions and finally settled on their outfits for the evening banquet.
16:55
Outside the gates of the Wen family villa, an all-black luxury car pulled to a stop. Huo Shengye stepped out and walked toward the entrance.
Two minutes later, Wen Yuan emerged from the main building, carrying a handbag—indescribably beautiful.
The young woman wore a light-colored chiffon gown adorned with shimmering sequins. The chiffon resembled rippling water or a starry sky, with a unique texture that made the dress’s color not immediately apparent.
Only when sunlight fell upon Wen Yuan could one see the faint, misty lavender hue emanating from her gown, dreamlike and ethereal.
Moreover, the front of the dress featured a three-dimensional design, embellished with several elegant butterflies poised as if ready to take flight.
The neckline was a tasteful square shape, also made of chiffon, revealing much of her collarbone but in a subtle, veiled manner. Everything that needed to be covered was covered, without any vulgarity. Around her jade-white neck, she wore a butterfly pearl choker, elegant and delicate like a little princess.
The pale-colored dress accentuated the young woman’s fair and delicate skin, making her appear even more radiant. Her long, dark hair cascaded naturally down her back, with a simple hair chain adorning one side. Her lips were as pink as peach blossoms, and her entire demeanor exuded an air of purity, elegance, and ethereal grace, like a goddess who had descended to the mortal realm.
Huo Shengye’s pupils dilated slightly, his gaze firmly fixed on Wen Yuan. It wasn’t until she approached that he snapped out of his trance.
Wen Yuan blushed under Huo Shengye’s intense stare. Her dress wasn’t overly long, but to avoid tripping, she still needed to lift it slightly to get into the car.
On her feet, she wore a pair of high heels chosen to match the dress—beautiful and adorned with numerous sparkling diamonds, shimmering like a sea of stars.
The dress she wore was the same one she had donned for her eighteenth birthday celebration, holding special significance for her.
Wen Yuan hoped this dress would bring her good luck.
As she drew closer to Huo Shengye, she extended her hand to him and spoke, like a proud, blooming rose in a vibrant garden:
“Mr. Huo, take my hand.”