Pampered by Short-Lived Bigshot

Jiang Yanting and Shen Zhixian, aside from bringing the children for a trip down memory lane, also had the task of taking wedding photos. However, they weren't set on wearing long, trailing dresses and taking studio-like promotional shots; they primarily wanted to take portrait-style photos, with many family photos of the four of them.

People who have taken portraits know that photography is not an easy task; changing outfits, changing locations, posing, and finding the right angles. A set of photographs can take quite a lot of time.

"This classroom is where I first saw your mom," Jiang Yanting pointed to a large classroom.

Jiangjiang turned his head to look, but did not say anything.

"This is where we had our first conversation."

"Here, I held her hand for the first time."

...

Jiangjiang frowned, "It seems like you haven't confessed your feelings yet, so why were you able to hold her hand?"

Shen Zhixian coughed lightly. Love doesn't follow any set patterns or steps. Some people get to know each other, confess their feelings, and then hold hands, while others may jump into bed first and fall in love after marriage. There's no rule that says what step has to come first.

After pondering for a moment, Jiang Yanting said something that almost made her choke: "I think she liked me back then too, so I held her hand, and she didn't reject me."

Shen Zhixian was astonished. At the time, it was clearly you being assertive and not letting me reject you. Plus, the circumstances at that time were...

"So that's how it was," Jiangjiang mused thoughtfully.

Thinking that the girl must like him too so, without even confessing, he could hold hands?

Jiangjiang was curious about everything and would ask about anything, whereas Taotao was constantly playing with his new outfit for the photoshoot. As a result, Jiangjiang unintentionally soaked up a bunch of knowledge about relationships.

Shen Zhixian stood to the side, lips pursed slightly:

Their love story wasn't at all like what he was telling the kids. What a bunch of nonsense.

Jiang Yanting later responded to her questioning:

"The actual situation is indeed different from what I've said. I just added a little artistic touch."

Jiang Yanting had no idea that some of his words would stay with Jiangjiang for so long. But that's a story for later.

**

The photos of their family of four soon started trickling into Beijing. The old lady was delighted with the pictures and even had two of them developed beforehand, framed them, and hung them on the walls of the old house.

While they were out playing, the Jiang Family and the Xie Family were also busy with the wedding preparations.

After Du Jinglan was arrested, with Xie Tongtong abroad and Xie Yongqi busy with company matters, everything fell onto Xie Duo's shoulders.

This left him utterly exasperated!

Did he mess with Jiang Yanting's cornfield in his past life? After more than two decades, not only had he become an uncle, but he also had to help organize a wedding.

All he wanted to say was:

Your wedding, what the hell does it have to do with me?

"Xie Duo, are you unwilling?" Old Xie looked at him, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"Grandpa, I just feel..."

I don't even have a partner, and I'm supposed to manage somebody else's wedding? And it's Jiang Yanting's of all people. Is this appropriate?

"Why don't we have a family vote? Whoever gets the most votes will be in charge. Just so you aren't reluctant. We've always been very democratic in our family."

And so, under the "democratic" leadership of Old Xie, with Xie Tongtong joining via video, they held an open "democratic" vote, unanimously deciding that Xie Duo would be responsible for the wedding affairs.

Old Xie spread his hands, "Xie Duo, did you see that? This shows that everyone trusts you enough to leave such an important event as your little aunt's wedding in your hands. Don't let us down."

Xie Tongtong, on the camera, kept giving him a fist salute, cheering him on.

When Shen Zhixian heard about this, she made a special call to him, "Sorry to trouble you again."

"It's no trouble at all, little aunt. You go on and enjoy your trip, don't worry about things here." What else could Xie Duo say?

On the Jiang side, Fan Mingyu was naturally in charge. She specifically went up the mountain to find a master for an auspicious date and then began to settle on venues. Although the tasks were numerous and nitty-gritty, such as choosing wedding invitation styles, these were just preliminaries; the final decisions would have to wait for Shen Zhixian's return.

...

The day the family of four returned to Beijing, they had lunch at the Jiang's and dinner at the Xie's. The next day, they hosted guests at home, inviting friends like Jiang Jinsang and Qi Zeyan over for a meal.

When Jiang Yanting proposed, everyone turned up to support them. Strictly speaking, they hadn't formally invited them over for a meal on behalf of both of them yet. They set the dinner for the evening since Shen Shuci lived close by, and she was also invited.

This was Shen Shuci's first visit to Qihu Mountain Villa. Since the villas all looked quite similar, she circled the neighborhood twice before arriving at Jiang Yanting's home.

By that time, almost all the invited guests had arrived.

"Auntie, I'm so glad you could make it." Tang Wan smiled as she took the briefcase from her hand and handed her a pair of slippers.

"I'm sorry, I'm late."

"Not late at all, you're not the last one to arrive, there's someone even later," Shen Zhixian greeted her into the house. "You must be tired driving here right after work, sit down and take a break."

Everyone said their hellos, and Shen Shuci looked around the room, Jiang Chengsi was playing with two kids, Jiang Jinsang and Jiang Shiyi were engaged in a game of Gobang, both deeply engrossed, and Jiang Yanting was watching the game by the side. The Go board was nearly full of black and white pieces, yet no one had won.

"Wanwan, who else hasn't arrived?" Shen Shuci leaned closer to Tang Wan. "Is Mr. Huo coming tonight?"

"Ah?"

Tang Wan was taken aback. Whenever someone went on a mission and left, few people mentioned it, "Why would you think of Brother Huo?"

He wasn't as popular as Jiang Jinsang, mysterious with secret missions, they wouldn't ask, and naturally nobody inquired about his whereabouts.

If he showed up, there was always a spot for him, if not, no one would ask.

"The person not here, isn't him?"

Shen Shuci had barely finished speaking.

"I'm so sorry, got stuck in traffic!" Someone pushed the door and entered!

Qi Zeyan with his side-parted slicked hair had arrived.

Tang Wan smiled at Shen Shuci, "Auntie, what's wrong? How come you thought of him?" Even people like Jiang Jinsang seldom brought up the Huo Family.

"I was just asking," Shen Shuci replied with a reluctant smile.

It could only be blamed on that person. He had left, yet insisted on telling her to wait for his return, making her feel weird lately, as if he might return at any moment.

After everyone sat down to eat, aside from expressing their thanks to Jiang Yanting and Shen Zhixian for the invitation, and toasting them, Shen Shuci, who was driving, used tea instead of wine to also toast Qi Zeyan.

"Mr. Qi..."

Seeing Shen Shuci standing up with her cup, Qi Zeyan quickly stood up too, "Miss Shen, you don't have to be so polite, please sit."

"Last time you visited my home, you brought quite a few gifts and didn't even come in for a cup of tea. I also haven't had the chance to thank you."

Shen Shuci had opened the presents after returning home to find they were all things she liked; knowing he must have put thought into it, she naturally wanted to show her gratitude.

"I was the one who owed you an apology. It's only right. Please sit, don't stand, it's making me feel really pressured."

Whenever Qi Zeyan thought of the possibility that a certain lunatic might have taken a liking to Shen Shuci, he felt completely uneasy.

He must be extremely polite to her.

If he annoyed some lunatic, he might genuinely be in danger for his life.

After exchanging pleasantries, just as Qi Zeyan sat down with his cup, he turned his head to see Jiang Jinsang smirking at him.

"Why are you looking at me?" Qi Zeyan picked up the liquor dispenser and poured himself some wine, only to hear Jiang Jinsang say softly.

"I think you're being a bit special toward Auntie today."

Qi Zeyan's hand trembled, "Where... what's special?"

"Especially sycophantic."

"Sycophantic? How could that be!"

Jiang Jinsang leaned in closer, "And you seem particularly nervous. When she got up to give you a cup of tea, you appeared a bit flustered?"

"Zeyan, are you hiding something, something we don't know about?"

"I just feel you're acting a bit strange today."

Qi Zeyan felt a chill at the back of his neck, was that guy incarnated as a devil, with mind reading technique?

Hadn't he hidden it well enough?

Just thinking of the day when Shen Shuci got out of the Huo Family's car, his heart was still racing, the shock was immense.

Although it was not yet certain whether Shen Shuci would marry into the Huo Family, he must be polite, take precautions, and not leave a bad impression on her.

The following words from Jiang Jinsang were truly terrifying.

"You couldn't possibly be thinking of becoming my uncle, right?"

"Pfft—" Qi Zeyan almost spat blood.

Shen Shuci was not at all his type, and he had never entertained any thoughts.

He wasn't stupid, to dig at the Jiang Family's wall, then squat in the corner of the Huo Family's. If he upset Jiang Jinsang, he could end up in pieces; if he angered the lunatic, he likely wouldn't even...

Leave behind a whole corpse.