Why is Langyun Terrace thick with the smell of gunpowder? …
“So, every time you come to Harbor City, your mood is complicated.” Yun Fan winked at Cheng Yu.
Cheng Yu had a pair of willow-leaf eyes, which looked somewhat cold when he wasn’t smiling, just like the man himself. Whoever met Cheng Yu could tell that he had been steeped in premium resources since childhood he exuded refinement from head to toe.
“Yes, complicated.” Cheng Yu lowered his voice. “Everyone in our big family must feel the same way. So I want to warn you pleasing my grandfather, my mother, and my uncle is no easy task.”
“No one can be unhappy forever. I have confidence.” Yun Fan turned around and gazed at the distant mountains.
Cheng Yu frowned slightly, looking at the spirited Yun Fan with some surprise, his thoughts drifting away. In his impression, the housekeeper here had always been anxious and deferential, but Yun Fan was not.
Could this be the power of letting go? If you don’t take anything to heart, everything becomes easy to handle?
With a head full of confusion, Cheng Yu returned to the ground floor and met his long-time rival, Wen Zhaofu.
“Staying for dinner?” Wen Zhaofu raised an eyebrow. “Though the kitchen hasn’t prepared in advance not sure if it’ll suit your taste.”
“No need.” Cheng Yu smiled politely, standing very straight. “My mother is cooking tonight. I’m heading back to Hongxuan.”
“Go ahead.” Wen Zhaofu waved him off.
Yun Fan wrinkled his nose and took a breath. Something was off, why did Langyun Terrace reek of gunpowder?
Having sent off another troublesome guest, Wen Zhaofu finally sat back down at the dining table. He ate in silence, not even his usual routine inquiries making an appearance.
The old butler glanced at Yun Fan, and Yun Fan looked back at him. The two shook their heads in unison.
Clearly, their boss was in a foul mood.
After dinner, Wen Zhaofu retreated to his room, saying he had a conference call and shouldn’t be disturbed. When he got serious, Yun Fan instinctively stepped back, not daring to speak to him.
Thinking about it carefully, this was the first time Yun Fan had ever seen Wen Zhaofu like this.
Seeing Yun Fan’s cautious demeanor only made Wen Zhaofu angrier at himself. He didn’t want to push Yun Fan away at all, but the knot in his chest was hard to untangle.
This emotion was too foreign to Wen Zhaofu. He had been too busy with his studies and career, far removed from love and affection. Ever since Yun Fan arrived, he had truly come to experience the myriad emotions of the human world.
“Xiao Yun!”
“Butler Yun!”
Wen Haochen’s voice drowned out Wen Zhaofu’s, loud and spirited. The moment Wen Haochen entered the hall, he saw his brother wheeling away without looking back.
“Did I upset him?” Wen Haochen pointed at himself. “I haven’t seen him in half a week. That can’t be it.”
Yun Fan quickly waved at Wen Haochen, signaling him to stop. Wen Haochen hastily covered his mouth, zipping his lips shut.
“Something up? It’s pretty late.” Yun Fan asked.
Wen Haochen’s eyes went wide. “I just got back from school today. I heard everyone came to tell you stories, I’ve got one too! Let me tell you!”
Yun Fan stiffened his neck. Good grief, the amount of information today was seriously off the charts!
“You don’t need to say it. I already know a lot about you and your big brother.” Yun Fan said. “Young Master Haochen, I even know what day you were weaned.”
“Huh?!” Wen Haochen was stunned.
“And Mr. Wen Zhaofu, I read his graduation thesis. How could it be so well written!” Yun Fan sighed. “He’s not human, he’s a god!”
The old butler said helplessly, “Butler Yun, mind your wording.”
“Oh, right!” Yun Fan responded.
Wen Haochen clicked his tongue. “Why can’t you remember any of my good deeds?”
“Well, that would require there to be some.” Yun Fan laughed heartily.
Wen Zhaofu, who had not yet entered the house, overheard the entire conversation. Yun Fan’s laughter dispelled the displeasure in his heart.
No matter what others said or praised, it was far from matching Yun Fan’s proactive understanding of him.
Wen Zhaofu opened the bedroom door, pulled out his cane from the side of the wheelchair, and pushed himself up to stand. He slowly walked to the window, gazed at the distant mountains, and smiled faintly.
The April afternoon tea ceremony at Wen Yanlan’s residence was scheduled for the day after Qingming. The day before was for ancestor worship, and those who needed to leave the harbor couldn’t get away so quickly, so this was when the family was most complete.
Though he didn’t show it, Wen Zhaofu, standing on the second-floor corridor watching Yun Fan bustle about, was actually somewhat nervous inside.
In this matter, Yun Fan had made no attempt to conceal anything, yet Wen Zhaofu still felt he couldn’t see through him.
Thinking this way, Wen Zhaofu actually felt guilty, because Yun Fan was such a clear and transparent person, unlike anyone he had ever met. And his inability to see through him was because he felt Yun Fan’s capabilities were far beyond what he showed.
This was intriguing, why would someone want to hide their strength and avoid showing their edge?
“Sir, I’m all ready!”
Wen Zhaofu, lost in thought, was snapped back to reality by Yun Fan’s voice. He saw that familiar smile and couldn’t help but smile along.
The event was held as usual at Taiping Qingshui Residence, and Grandmother put on the qipao she wore whenever the whole family gathered.
“This qipao was a gift from Zuhua,” Grandmother said with a steady voice and a gentle smile. “He said I looked beautiful in it.”
“Yes, Mother, you haven’t changed a bit over the years still radiant as ever.” The speaker was Wen Zhaofu’s grand-uncle Wen Tingwang, who was also Liu Erxing’s godfather.
“Mother is reminiscing about Father, and all you see are those superficial things.” Wen Tingqi’s voice boomed as he shot a glance at Wen Tingwang.
Cheng Yu’s mother, Cheng Bixia, quickly tugged at her father, and Cheng Yu also nodded apologetically to Wen Tingwang.
Liu Erxing, standing beside Wen Tingwang, pressed down the corner of her mouth and raised an eyebrow at Cheng Yu. Cheng Yu pretended not to see, shifting his gaze to the second branch of the family.
This event was led by Langyuntai, so the second branch’s families would naturally support Wen Zhaofu’s people. For the first time, everyone was gathered so completely, and Wen Zhaofu was introducing people to Yun Fan.
“My father, also the father of Haochen and Liwen.” Wen Zhaofu raised his hand in a gesture, and Yun Fan quickly nodded and bowed.
“This is Ms. An Qishan, the mother of Haochen and Liwen.” Wen Zhaofu turned in his wheelchair and smiled at Yun Fan. “My stepmother.”
Wen Qichang felt there was something odd about his son’s introductions, but all the necessary relationships had been covered nothing was amiss.
Liu Erxing popped out from behind them and patted Wen Haochen, who was standing obediently with his hands clasped in front of him, saying, “Such a prude.”
“You young folks go ahead and chat.” Wen Qichang took An Qishan’s hand and turned to leave as if fleeing.
Yun Fan looked down at Wen Zhaofu. “Your dad’s afraid of you?”
“Whoa, you noticed that too!” Liu Erxing said in surprise.
Wen Zhaofu glanced helplessly at Liu Erxing, then turned to Yun Fan neither confirming nor denying, only saying with meaningful weight, “In this room, only the one beside him isn’t an original wife.”
Afterward, Wen Zhaofu led Yun Fan around to meet his biological grandparents, his second uncle, and his youngest aunt. This family all looked fairly similar, and Yun Fan was starting to get them mixed up.
The fourth generation of the Wen family had nine children, ranging from around ten years old to thirty. Add Liu Erxing, the adopted younger generation, and ten young people stood before Yun Fan, making him feel truly dazzled.
With all these people, plus the stewards of each branch, standing or sitting in the great hall of Taiping Qingshui Residence, Yun Fan couldn’t help but sigh good thing the wealthy lived in such spacious homes.
So that’s why the place was so big not just for everyday comfort, but waiting for moments like this when everyone gathered.
At three o’clock sharp, the patriarch announced the start of the Wen Family Yanlan Manor April Afternoon Tea Tasting. All the elders and youngsters of the Wen family rose and gathered in the center of the hall.
Just as Yun Fan put on his smile, his left wrist was grasped. Startled, he looked down at Wen Zhaofu.
Wen Zhaofu sat in his wheelchair, wearing a well-fitted suit and a dark red bow tie, looking especially serious about this event.
To avoid accidentally bumping into him, everyone had automatically left him plenty of space.
“Sir?” Yun Fan mouthed silently, not making a sound.
Wen Zhaofu nodded at him, squeezing Yun Fan’s wrist with his hand.
“Go on.” Wen Zhaofu pressed his hand against Yun Fan’s lower back, gently nudging him forward.
The speech had been personally vetted by the head steward, and under his expectant gaze, Yun Fan recited it with full emotion and expression.
Yun Fan raised his arm high and clapped three times, loud and crisp. Uncle Man led his kitchen apprentices out, pushing boxes draped in dark blue silk.
“Hmph.” Wen Tingqi let out a cold snort, using the same tone he’d used to scold the third branch earlier. “What flashy nonsense.”
Wen Zhaofu frowned slightly, his gaze heavy as he looked at his grand-uncle.
But Yun Fan was unafraid. He turned and bowed to Wen Tingqi. “Professor Wen, we all know that scholarship shouldn’t jump to conclusions too early it requires repeated experimentation and verification. Well, food is the same way.”
“If you don’t try more things, you might miss out on delicacies of the world~”
Wen Zhaofu simply watched Yun Fan’s back and laughed out loud. He’d forgotten little Yun had seen grand occasions before.