Seeing that familiar figure, Ji Tingyangâs heart stirred, and he put down the champagne in his hand and walked toward the crowd.
There were too many guests at the banquet hall, and despite looking around for a long time, he couldnât find that familiar figure again.
Could it have been an illusion?
He stood in place, his thin lips pressed tightly together.
Suddenly, that familiar figure once again burst into his line of sight.
Ji Tingyangâs pupils shuddered, and he had just taken a step forward when a piercing, noisy microphone sound echoed through the venue, piercing peopleâs eardrums.
âWelcome everyone to tonightâs charity event. Everyone has waited so long, and you must all be looking forward to tonightâs highlight. So, without further ado, letâs start tonightâs charity auction now.â
âAll the money raised tonight will be donated to the charity foundationâ¦â
Afterward, waiters in the venue came forward to guide everyone to their designated seats.
The crowd surged, and one person after another swept past Ji Tingyang, blocking his view.
In the blink of an eye, that figure had disappeared again.
The repeated missed opportunities caused Ji Tingyangâs brow to furrow slightly, a wave of irritation rising from within, and his frustration expelled with his breath as he turned and followed a waiter to his seat.
Sometimes, when you deliberately search for something, it always seems elusive, but then it often appears unexpectedly when you look back.
Like now.
After Ji Tingyang had taken his seat, he spotted her figure four or five tables directly in front.
The venueâs lights were all focused on the auction stage, making it dim below and blurring the womanâs face so that he couldnât see her features clearly.
But the man beside herâ¦
Ji Tingyangâs eyes suddenly turned sharp.
It was Xie Changyan!
So she was Xie Changyanâs female companion?
Ji Tingyangâs heart tightened, thinking of a possibility, his expression slightly darkened as he took out his phone and sent a message.
JTY: [Mother, where are you now?]
Willow Wadding: [Iâm at home, whatâs up?]
The message also included a photo of legs entering the bedroom, lying on the bed resting.
It was indeed their homeâs bedroom.
JTY: [Are you feeling better? I should come back and be with you.]
Willow Wadding: [Sure, but could you bring me some snacks on your way back? I didnât eat much for dinner and am so hungry.]
Ji Tingyang initially thought she would persuade him not to come back, but seeing her response, his tight brows gradually relaxed.
If the woman next to Xie Changyan truly was his mother, she definitely wouldnât have let him come back.
He then confirmed with the housekeeper again and, after receiving the answer that Lin Xu was indeed at home, his suspended heart was settled.
It seems he was being paranoid, thinking too much.
Ji Tingyang put away his phone and refocused his attention on the auction in front of him.
Meanwhile, Lin Xu, having received Ji Tingyangâs message that he couldnât return home early, felt a sigh of relief.
Luckily, she had prepared well today, having taken a picture of the bedroom in advance and sneaking out behind the housekeeperâs back.
The housekeeper probably still thought she was resting in the bedroom.
With the crisis averted, she patted her chest.
Only when her tense nerves had relaxed did Lin Xu realize that a gaze had been fixed on her side all along.
She looked up and met Xie Changyanâs narrow eyes.
His fingertips casually tapped on the tabletop, looking at her leisurely as he slightly raised his eyebrows, âNot interested in the auction?â
âItâs, itâs okayâ¦â Lin Xu lightly bit her lower lip, her grip on her phone tightening, wanting to say that she wasnât playing with her phone just because she was bored.
She wanted to speak but stopped, feeling embarrassed to explain.
Explaining that she had sneaked over here behind Ji Tingyangâs back would be too embarrassing.
âWant to change the place?â Xie Changyanâs lips carried a relaxed smile.
Lin Xu paused for a moment. âChange to where?â
Could it be that besides this charity auction, there were other events at the venue?
As she puzzled over this, Xie Changyan stood up, casually circling her waist, and brazenly led her away from the venue.
Xie Changyanâs departure again caused quite a stir, with many people whispering to each other.
Only Ji Tingyang sat in his place, unmoved.
He was extremely uninterested in matters concerning Xie Changyan.
Lin Xu followed Xie Changyan out of the venue and noticed a black Bentley parked at the door as if waiting for them.
Not until they had driven a distance did Lin Xu react and asked him, âWhere are we going?â
Xie Changyan leaned back in the seat, his narrow eyes slightly raised, a lazy smile on his lips. âWhy ask now?â
His implication seemed to be that she had willingly followed him without knowing anything, and wasnât afraid of being sold.
Lin Xu hummed and turned her head away. âThen I wonât ask.â
A light laugh spilled from his throat, particularly clear in the confined space of the car, reaching her ears and bringing a tingling sensation.
Lin Xu stared unblinkingly out of the car window, her cheeks already deeply flushed.
After about ten minutes, the car stopped in front of an aquarium.
Xie Changyanâs relaxed voice sounded, âWeâve arrived.â
Lin Xu got out of the car, looked at the aquarium entrance, then turned to Xie Changyan. âIs this what you meant by changing the place?â
Xie Changyan smiled without a word, and led Lin Xu inside.
âItâs so late; shouldnât it be closed? Can we still go in?â Lin Xu muttered as she followed alongside him.@@novelbin@@
However, to her surprise, there was a small passageway left beside the tightly closed door, and Xie Changyan led her through without any obstruction.
Inside, lights were on everywhere, but there were no other visitors in sight.
Could he have rented out the place?
Lin Xu felt a slight stirring in her chest.
Xie Changyan led her into a glass corridor, where various amazing marine creatures swam in the water, creating the impression of a dazzling world.
Twenty years later, the aquarium design had become even more exquisitely breathtaking, with marine creatures swimming so realistically before her eyes that Lin Xu could barely keep up.
Lin Xu, excited, took out her phone and took many photos.
âAh Yan, lookâ¦â
She turned excitedly, but stopped abruptly upon seeing Xie Changyan.
She had always called Ji Yanli âAh Yan,â and now had habitually blurted it out, forgetting that the person before her was Xie Changyan.
Lin Xu quickly corrected herself, pointing at a fish in the distance, she said to him, âXie Changyan, look at that fish striped in red and white, itâs so cute.â
Xie Changyan walked up to her with his hands in his pockets, his tone carrying his usual indifferent laziness, âYou can call me whatever you like, no need to correct yourself.â
Was he saying she could call him Ah Yan?
Lin Xu hesitated for a moment, met his deep eyes, and her lips parted slightly, âAh Yan?â
Her soft voice entered his ears, tapping gently at Xie Changyanâs heart, like a buoy lightly bouncing on the surface of a lake.
He paused, then handed Lin Xu a small gift box.
âWhatâs this?â Lin Xu took it, memories of Ji Yanli always giving her gifts flashing through her mind, her heart seemingly understanding a bit.
Indeed, she heard Xie Changyanâs casual voice.
âItâs for you.â