Before Yu Moxun could even find his voice, Rong Ci heard someone approaching him. She turned slightly, her gaze colliding directly with Lin Wu's.
Lin Wu had been wearing a polite, practiced smile, but the moment she saw Rong Ci, her expression turned icy. She withdrew her gaze after a single second, acting as if Rong Ci didn't exist. Turning back to Yu Moxun with a fresh smile, she opened her mouth to speak, but Yu Moxun beat her to it.
Smiling at Rong Ci, he said, "This is Miss Lin. Ci, would you like to get to know her?"
Yu Moxun's words carried three layers of meaning.
First, he and Rong Ci were close.
Second, he was well aware of the grudge between the two women.
Third, he was declaring his stance: between her and Rong Ci, he stood firmly with Rong Ci.
Lin Wu had no idea that Yu Moxun and Rong Ci even knew each other, let alone that they were on such good terms. She didn't know the exact nature of their relationship, but after hearing his tone, how could she not understand his intent?
"So," she said coldly, "is President Yu saying I don't need to report to Changmo tomorrow?"
Yu Moxun gave an appreciative smile and set down his wine glass, clapping his hands. "Miss Lin truly is as bright as they say."
Yu Moxun could have handled this more tactfully, but he chose not to. He was using his actions to tell Lin Wu that there was no room for negotiation. He was siding with Rong Ci, and it was solely because of Rong Ci that he had made this decision.
Lin Wu understood perfectly. She didn't feel embarrassed or humiliated; in her eyes, while Changmo was a decent company, it couldn't hold a candle to the Feng family. Yu Moxun simply wasn't important enough to humiliate her. Without another word, she turned and walked away with an air of indifference.
Watching her leave, Rong Ci offered a warm smile. Just as she was about to speak to Yu Moxun, she noticed Feng Tingshen, He Zhangbai, and Qi Yuming all looking in their direction. To be more precise, they had been following Lin Wu with their eyes and had only noticed Rong Ci because Lin Wu had approached them.
They clearly hadn't expected her to attend this banquet. Qi Yuming and He Zhangbai both looked surprised. Feng Tingshen's face, however, remained a mask of indifference. He was so calm that it was as if Rong Ci weren't his wife, but rather a total stranger he had never met.
"What is it?" Yu Moxun asked, looking over.
Rong Ci shook her head and smiled. "It's nothing."
By then, Lin Wu had returned to her group, and Feng Tingshen and the others stopped paying attention to Rong Ci's side. Rong Ci resumed her conversation with Professor Liu.
After the professor left, Rong Ci took a sip of her drink. When she looked up, she caught Qi Yuming watching her with a mocking, half-smile. Feng Tingshen, meanwhile, had his back turned to her.
Seeing her look over, Qi Yuming arched an eyebrow and raised his glass in a mock toast. Rong Ci frowned, unsure of his meaning. Qi Yuming let out a faint, scoffing laugh before looking away, no longer acknowledging her.
Suddenly, Rong Ci understood. He likely felt that she and Yu Moxun had bullied Lin Wu. Qi Yuming was warning her: this wasn't over.
A while later, the host of the banquet finally returned after greeting his other guests. After some small talk, he asked Yu Moxun, "Do you know that Miss Lin?"
He was referring to Lin Wu.
Yu Moxun smiled. "You could say that. Why do you ask?"
"I learned a bit about her while chatting earlier. I heard she's not from the Capital, but from City L. Her family business is doing quite well there, and they have some local reputation, but by the Capital's standards, they're just a modest, small-time family especially compared to the heavyweights like the Feng family, the He family, and the Qi family. They aren't even worth mentioning in the same breath."
"And?" Yu Moxun prompted.
"A family like that usually struggles to even show their face in our circles, let alone dream of associating with the great families like the Fengs. Yet, this Miss Lin managed to slip into the inner circle with ease and is on such intimate terms with them. She's quite impressive. I was wondering why Feng Tingshen suddenly decided to attend my banquet, but then I realized he was personally introducing Miss Lin to his connections."
The host continued, "The fact that Feng Tingshen is personally paving the way for her and even brought He Zhangbai and the others along is enough to show he's serious about this Miss Lin. Otherwise, if she were just some plaything he kept around, he never would have gone to such lengths. With Feng Tingshen clearing the path, the Lin family is likely to soar to the heavens."
Neither Yu Moxun nor Rong Ci responded.
Finally, the host sighed in admiration. "With a daughter like that, the Lin family's ancestors must have truly blessed them. It's enough to make anyone envious."
As the host spoke, Rong Ci looked up and realized that Feng Tingshen and his group were gone. They seemed to have left early. Even knowing she was there, Feng Tingshen hadn't spared her a single glance from beginning to end.
Half an hour later, Rong Ci and Yu Moxun also departed.
When she got back to her current residence, her phone rang. It was a call from Feng Tingshen. Rong Ci hesitated. Was he calling to demand an explanation? Did he think she and Yu Moxun had bullied Lin Wu? Qi Yuming's warning at the banquet had likely been a reflection of Feng Tingshen's own thoughts.
After a few seconds, she answered calmly. "Hello?"
Feng Tingshen's voice was frigid. "Come back."
Rong Ci didn't see the point. "If you have something to say, just say it."
"Xinxin has a fever. She wants to see you."
With that, he hung up.
Stunned, Rong Ci grabbed her car keys, threw on her shoes, and hurried out the door.
When she arrived at the villa and entered the house, Feng Tingshen was nowhere to be seen. She didn't care to look for him and went straight to her daughter's bedroom on the second floor.
Feng Jingxin had a high fever and was currently on an IV drip. She looked miserable. Seeing Rong Ci, she called out "Mama" in a soft, weak voice and reached out for a hug.
Careful of the needle in the back of the girl's hand, Rong Ci gently took her into her arms. She turned to Auntie Liu, who was standing nearby. "Has she eaten anything?"
"She ate a little while ago, but she threw it all up shortly after."
Rong Ci frowned. After asking the doctor for details, she looked at Feng Jingxin, who was clinging to her. "Are you hungry? Mommy will cook some of the porridge you like. You can have some once the drip is finished, okay?"
"Mm."
In the past, whenever she was sick, it was always Rong Ci who cared for her. She couldn't stomach the porridge others made; she only wanted her mother's.
The little girl wrinkled her nose and asked, "Where's Papa? Is Papa not back yet?"
Rong Ci paused. When she had received the call, she assumed he was already home. When she didn't see him upon entering, she figured he was in his study. Only now, hearing Xinxin's question, did she realize that Feng Tingshen hadn't actually returned.
The distance from the banquet hotel to the villa was shorter than the distance to Rong Ci's apartment. Given that he had left the banquet at least half an hour before her, he should have been home by now even if he had dropped Lin Wu off first.
Of course, if he hadn't left immediately after dropping Lin Wu off or if he had never intended to come home at all tonight that was a different story.
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