Mr. Ding beamed at these words.
"Yes, fortunately I found Yue Jun and Yiyi, so our family can finally be reunited." At the end, he busily invited Guo Ming and Kong Mingsheng to have tea.
These two were Yiyi’s masters, so he naturally valued them highly. Moreover, as far as he knew, Guo Ming was the Sect Leader of the Yin sect, and Kong Mingsheng had once saved Yiyi. These two were people to be respected.
Guo Ming and Kong Mingsheng did not stay long. After leaving gifts for Yiyi, they left.
After Mr. Ding and the others left, he called Yue Jun and Yiyi to walk to a secluded courtyard.
"Dad, where are we going?"
Yue Jun asked with some confusion.
"You’ll know when we get there," Mr. Ding replied casually.
But Yiyi seemed to be deep in thought.
When the three of them arrived at the secluded courtyard, two figures approached them.
Yiyi immediately recognized Elder Qi and Lao Liu.
Yue Jun naturally recognized them too, her expression turning unpleasant as she directly asked Mr. Ding, "Why are these two here?"
Before Mr. Ding could say anything, Elder Qi and Lao Liu stepped forward hastily, bowing and pleading, "Young Miss, Little Miss, it was our fault before, please punish us."
Mr. Ding narrated the entire incident and concluded, "Back then, they were unaware, which is why they accepted the task. However, it was only because Elder Qi pointed out the discrepancies that I was able to ascertain the truth. Initially, I had expelled them from the Ding Family, but before they left, they wanted to apologize to you both."
Originally, Mr. Ding would not have let them off so easily. But since Elder Qi was a senior member among the Hidden Guard, and he had specifically come to see him, identifying the discrepancies, it helped him locate Yue Jun quickly. Therefore, he decided to let them off.
Upon hearing this, Yue Jun frowned immediately.
Yiyi glanced at Elder Qi and Lao Liu, then turned to Mr. Ding and said, "Grandfather, those who are unaware are not guilty. Since they were deceived, there’s no need to expel them."
Upon hearing Yiyi’s words, Elder Qi looked at her with joy, "Little Miss..."
And even Lao Liu’s expression was somewhat moved.
Mr. Ding, however, slightly furrowed his brows, "Yiyi, even if they are unaware, a mistake is still a mistake. They cannot be let off lightly, otherwise others will follow their example."
"Grandfather, nothing happened to me, so let’s not expel them from the Ding Family. Elder Qi has lived here for many years; bonds have formed over time. Let’s forgive them this once."
Hearing his granddaughter’s plea, Mr. Ding refrained from being too harsh and said to Elder Qi and Lao Liu, "Since Yiyi has pleaded for you, I won’t pursue it this time. However, there will still be punishment. For the next year, regardless of whether you accept tasks, you won’t receive any compensation."
"Thank you, Master Ding."
Elder Qi and Lao Liu immediately responded with joy.
Having been part of the Hidden Guard in the Ding Family for many years, they felt a sense of belonging. Moreover, without the annual salary, they didn’t have to worry about food and clothing, as Mr. Ding had never treated them poorly. They could still live worry-free in the Ding Family.
Mr. Ding waved his hand, "You should thank Yiyi."
Elder Qi and Lao Liu turned to Yiyi again, bowing solemnly, "Thank you, Little Miss."
Yiyi smiled and said, "No need to thank me."
"Alright, since you’re staying, go back to the mission hall." Mr. Ding waved them off, then led Yue Jun and Yiyi back to their courtyard.
"Yue Jun, Yiyi, you’ve had a long day, rest well now."
After Mr. Ding left, Yue Jun looked at her daughter in confusion, "Yiyi, why did you spare Elder Qi and Lao Liu?"
Talking about these two, Yue Jun still looked angry. It was because of them that her daughter almost lost her life, and she could never forgive them.
Yiyi looked at her mother reassuringly and said, "Mom, it was Chen Meilian who caused trouble behind the scenes, not them."
"But..."
Yue Jun wanted to say more, but Yiyi continued, "Mom, since we just arrived at the Ding Family, we aren’t clear about many things. Isn’t it better to have people we can use?"
That was Yiyi’s first thought when she saw Elder Qi and Lao Liu, which is why she requested Mr. Ding to let them stay.
After this incident, Elder Qi and Lao Liu would likely become closer to them, which was precisely what she intended.
Hearing her daughter, Yue Jun paused, then sighed, "So that’s your intention. It’s good to keep them."
The recognition banquet was lively; Mr. Ding showed genuine closeness to their mother-daughter duo. Yet, she hadn’t missed the expressions of other members of the Ding Family - not just Ding Yating’s family, but even Ding Wenqi’s group looked guarded.
"Mom, I’m glad you understand. In the coming days, I’ll get to know more about the Ding Family through Elder Qi and Lao Liu, so we know where we stand."
Originally, Yiyi hadn’t thought so far ahead. However, after Mr. Ding publicly revealed her last name, others in the Ding Family were bound to have thoughts. In a family with such a long legacy, she didn’t believe everyone was amicable and loving. One must be cautious; she had to prepare ahead.
"Yiyi, I didn’t think it through. I’ll consult you in the future before making any decisions."
Yiyi chuckled, "Mom, I only just thought of it spontaneously. You don’t need to consult me for everything; make your own decisions."
Yue Jun smiled and said, "Alright, but if I’m unsure, I’ll discuss with you."
At this, Yiyi nodded, and mother and daughter exchanged a smile.
After the recognition banquet at the Ding Family, it was time for Yiyi and Gu Tingyu’s engagement banquet.
On the day of the engagement, Yue Jun got up early to prepare breakfast for her daughter.
"Yiyi, come and have breakfast."
Yiyi, already washed up, followed her mother’s call to the dining room, though lacking her usual relaxed demeanor.
Despite the engagement date with Gu Tingyu being set long ago, as the day arrived, she couldn’t help feeling nervous.
Seeing her daughter this way, Yue Jun couldn’t help but laugh, "Yiyi, relax, Tingyu is so good, and Mr. Gu and Old Mrs. Gu are kind to you, so there’s no need to be nervous."