Chapter 90 - 086 Accepting your auspicious words
The man who entered was around thirty years old, standing at about 1.72 meters tall, rather thin, wearing a suit that was neither new nor old, but ill-fitting, giving him a somewhat destitute appearance.
With a back-swept hairstyle, he could be said to be somewhat ugly, but his eyes were exceptionally clear, instinctively commanding belief.
They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but who would have thought that this man, who even looked unkempt and down-and-out, would become one of the biggest legends domestically and even internationally in just over a decade.
The business empire he built made countless people flock to it. Stories of his legend were retold, and even casual remarks he made became popular aphorisms embraced by the public.
Compared to this man, Uncle Qin and Yun Shen seemed overshadowed. Uncle Qin was mainly involved in the pharmaceutical industry, with most of his business overseas, while Yun Shen was in real estate, which, although famed in later generations, was built with the foundation of the Ji’s. When compared to Shen Liang, who started from scratch and built an entire impeccable business system, they were always a step behind.
Shen Liang, this was the man Yun Ya once heard giving a speech at the World Grand Theater, at a time when Miaomiao had just died, and she was imprisoned at home, accompanied only by a television. She saw that man standing on the world’s stage, calm and collected, every gesture exuding the ease and composure of a successful person.
Under the camera’s gaze, his eyes were bright and compelling, as if no great storm could ever halt his progress.
Back then, she was shocked by such eyes. She envied such a person, but she could only sit in her pitch-dark room, waiting for an unknown fate.
Because she lacked it, she longed for it.
She wanted to get close to him, to draw strength from him, to know what kind of person could possess such a powerful heart.
Life rewound and started over. Her original intention never changed.
As the legal representative of the company, Shen Liang naturally had to come and take a look. To tell the truth, given the renown of their toothpaste brand at the time, the thought of securing a popular child star like Ji Yunya was beyond imagination. Many people in the company didn’t hold out hope, but he said, "How will we know the result if we don’t try?"
The outcome proved that even the slightest sliver of hope should not be given up, because life itself is filled with miracles.
He saw the little girl, about the same age as his son, very pretty, her eyes full of spirit. He instinctively liked them.
The little girl approached him and said with a sweet smile, "Hello, Uncle, I’m Ji Yunya. Your company’s toothpaste is really good, I believe it will sell well."
Shen Liang squatted down with a smile, looking into the little girl’s eyes, "My dear, I hope your words come true."
Yun Ya looked into his eyes and suddenly asked, "Uncle, has anyone ever told you that your eyes are very pretty?"
Shen Liang was startled; many had called him ugly, but it was the first time someone had complimented his eyes. The little girl’s innocent look didn’t seem fake; the world of children was indeed very pure.
He smiled and tousled Yun Ya’s hair, "Your eyes are very pretty too."
The little girl grinned sweetly, melting Shen Liang’s heart with her cuteness and sweet talk. If only she were his daughter... but then he chuckled to himself, with his family’s genes, how could they produce such a beautiful girl...
——
When Yun Ya got home, it was already three in the afternoon. Hesitatingly, as they parted ways, she finally said, "Teacher, maybe after tonight, you won’t see me anymore."
Jiang Li was taken aback, then quickly grasped the meaning and looked at Yun Ya with heartache, "Isn’t there any other way? Do you really have to take this path? Teacher can try to find a solution...."
"Teacher," Yun Ya said firmly, her dark eyes resolute and persistent.
"This is my choice. I’m very clear about what I’m doing. Even though we will be far apart in the future, you will always be my most respected teacher. If it’s meant to be, we will see each other again."
With those words, she stepped out of the car and, with Yun Miao in tow, disappeared step by step behind the iron gates of the Ji Family Manor.
It was the last time Jiang Li saw Ji Yunya after many years. The sky was very blue that day, and he would never forget the five-year-old girl’s straight back; she did not look back even once, just like that, step by step, she walked out of his world...
——
When Yun Ya got home, Yun Shu and Kang Jinxian were not there. As the central figures of the evening’s banquet, they were certainly shining brightly. The mother and daughter pair were probably at some beauty salon having a spa at that moment.
Yun Ya curled her lips mockingly. Seeing Yun Miao beginning to doze off, she decided to coax him to sleep first.
After Yun Miao fell asleep, Yun Ya tucked him in and sat beside the bed watching his sleeping features for a while when Bai Ran’s voice came from outside.
"Yun Ya, you’re back?"
Yun Ya went to open the door and there stood Bai Ran, dressed in home clothes, presumably having not gone out today. Her face was bare, her hair somewhat disheveled. She might have lacked her usual charm and allure, but she had a demure beauty of her own.
"Aunt Bai, is there something you need?"
Bai Ran saw that Yun Miao seemed to have fallen asleep and said, "Let’s not disturb Yun Miao’s sleep, come to my room."
As the words fell, she saw Yun Ya’s smile seemingly fade a bit, only then did she remember that Yun Miao was deaf and couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly.
Yun Ya gently closed the door and walked towards Bai Ran’s room.
This had once been Ji Lanyi and Yun Shen’s bedroom, but since Ji Lanyi’s disappearance, two women had moved in—would there be a third?
Looking at the ridiculously large bed, Yun Ya sneered.
Bai Ran pulled a beautifully packaged box from the bedside drawer: "This is a gift from a friend abroad, I don’t need it, so I thought of giving it to you."
Bai Ran opened the box to reveal a butterfly hairpin, resting on black velvet fabric. The butterfly was so lifelike, its wings made of tiny, colorful beads, the edges inlaid with purple diamonds. A touch made the wings tremble slightly, as if it was about to fly away at any moment. In the light, the colors shimmered, splendid and beautiful.
It was a charming little accessory that one would like at first sight. Yun Ya took only a casual glance. Bai Ran couldn’t read any other emotion in her eyes, which was a completely different reaction from her little niece.
Yun Ya reached out to take it: "Thank you, Aunt Bai, I really like it."
Bai Ran said, "Put it on, let me see how it looks." She took the butterfly hairpin and clipped it next to Yun Ya’s left ear.
A colorful butterfly perched on chestnut-colored hair, setting off her face even more, her complexion rosy and teeth shining; a real complement.
Bai Ran nodded with admiration: "It looks beautiful, wear it to the banquet tonight."
Yun Ya touched the butterfly hairpin with her hand, its coolness to the touch—her smile deepened.
——
At six in the evening, Yun Ya, accompanied by Yun Miao and Bai Ran, took the car to Huadu Hotel.
The driver was Chang Hong; along the way, the ride was very smooth.
Chang Hong seemed to casually glance at Yun Ya from the rearview mirror, their gazes briefly meeting before quickly moving away.
Yun Ya watched the quickly receding scenery outside the car window. The city was about to plunge into darkness, neon lights gradually flickering to life all around, their dazzling illumination casting an intermittent glow across Yun Ya’s face through the window, the meaning kept hidden and deep.
Bai Ran caught sight of this inadvertently and frowned subconsciously.
Yun Shen’s daughter truly was not to be underestimated.
The car arrived at the underground parking garage of the Huadu Hotel, and Yun Miao had somehow fallen asleep against her.
"Is he asleep? Let me carry him back to the hotel room," Bai Ran said, reaching out to lift Yun Miao.
Yun Ya took a blanket and covered Yun Miao, brushing away Bai Ran’s extended hand: "Let Uncle Chang watch him here, nothing will happen, the banquet is about to start, we shouldn’t delay any longer."
Bai Ran glanced at the driver who looked somewhat fierce, pursed her lips, "Alright."
After Bai Ran and Yun Ya left, Yun Miao suddenly opened his eyes, and Chang Hong turned his head from the driver’s seat.
A gray van drove past, and as it passed the black Audi, it seemed to pause a moment—this spot was a blind spot, with the blackened windows perfectly obstructing the oblique angle of the security camera.
Soon, the gray van started up and disappeared into the parking garage.
The black Audi remained quietly parked in the corner, the silence of the garage unsettling.
——
The banquet was held in the hotel’s first-floor hall; by the time Yun Ya and Bai Ran arrived, many guests were already present. Under the giant crystal chandelier, there was a sea of fragrances and a flurry of interactions. Everyone wore their perfect yet false smiles, engaging in idle banter and polite conversation, fully embodying the extravagance of worldly pleasures.
Bai Ran’s appearance immediately attracted many eyes, especially the unhidden covetous looks from the men.
Today, Bai Ran wore a white one-shoulder body-con long dress, with her long hair loosely tied at the back of her head, exuding a sexy and sultry allure without losing the gentle and knowledgeable charm of a woman. Now married, she had become more subdued, yet even more captivating...
Bai Ran, not looking sideways, held Yun Ya’s hand and wove through the crowd to find the host of the banquet. In some respect, she was also a host of this event; after all, everyone now respectfully called her Lady Yun, didn’t they?