Chapter 811: A Dream (5)
Ling Sheng was amused. She had thought that it would be something very shameful or juicy, but it turned out that at most, she had only kissed him once in her dream. Little White Bunny was too innocent. She probably still had her first kiss. She asked, “How’s that man’s figure?”
“I don’t know.” Song Yiyan’s voice rose suddenly, and she covered her face again. She nodded in assent.
His figure was really nice, especially when he was wearing a white shirt and left the top unbuttoned to reveal her collarbones.
Ahhh!
Please, she must not think about it anymore!
She was so perverted. How could she keep thinking of a man?
Ling Sheng laughed out loud. Oh my, Little White Bunny was just so adorable. “Then, the person who appeared in your dream is your dream lover. Try your best and see if you can see his face.”
Song Yiyan was so embarrassed that she did not dare to speak anymore. She was still talking! Flying into a rage from shame, she pummeled Ling Sheng’s arm with her small fists. “I can’t see it. Why should I look at him? I don’t know him. He’s just someone in my dream!”
Ling Sheng held back her laughter. “Then, why did you dream about him? It’s fine even if you dreamed of him, but why did you dream about him not wearing clothes? You even dreamed about getting it on with the person?”
Song Yiyan was on the verge of tears. She looked at her angrily. “Stop talking. Stop talking. If you continue talking, I’ll ignore you.”
Ling Sheng stopped joking around anymore. She then asked seriously, “You only dreamed of him?”
According to Little Bunny, she had started dreaming about the man ever since the variety show ended. That also meant that she had started dreaming after meeting her.
However, could she not dream of something more valuable? What did it mean to dream of a man whose face could not be seen? Give some other hint!
“Mhm.” Song Yiyan’s face flushed red. She had not even told Sister Xin Xin, only her.
“Then, what did he tell you? Do you still remember?” Ling Sheng was very serious. “I don’t want to know your secret. I just want to see if there are any clues. Did he mention mine or Jun Shiyan’s name?”
Song Yiyan shook her head. She did not know why, but although it was just a dream, it felt like it was real. She even remembered what had been said in the dream clearly.
Ling Sheng had not expected Little Bunny to be this innocent. She had told her everything, but she was so sappy that she did not want to listen anymore. She was simply showing off their affection for each other, all right?
That man in her dream must be an expert at words of love. The various romantic words were lingering and sweet. When she heard them, she could not take it anymore. She had thought the Third Master was already an expert, but she had not expected that there would be someone better than him.
The duo was chatting happily when Yan Qiujin knocked on the door and called for Song Yiyan. She said that her father had come out and was waiting for her in the living room!
“You have to remember to listen if he mentioned our names.” Ling Sheng felt that things were too strange. She might be able to dream of something else. She tugged at her arm and reminded her, “Ling Sheng…”
Song Yiyan interrupted her directly. “I understand. Ling Sheng, Jun Shiyan, Gu Zhishi… I’ll call you if I hear any of these names.”
With teary eyes, Ling Sheng held her hand and entrusted her with a heavy responsibility. “Comrade, I’ll leave this mission to you. Please!”
Song Yiyan was influenced by her. She looked as though she was facing death calmly and nodded seriously. “Don’t worry, leave it to me!”
Yan Qiujin looked at Ling Sheng. “Aren’t you going to see Yanyan off?”
Ling Sheng felt a little guilty. She had taught a well-behaved girl to do bad things, so she might act a little awkwardly when she saw her father. “There’s no need. I’ll go find Xiaoqi.”
Chapter 812: Rafflesia
Song Yiyan had already forgotten about Xiaoqi. She still wanted to ask Ling Sheng about Xiaoqi, but she had already run away in the opposite direction.
That adorable baby was Ling Sheng’s son. She had seen him last time when she had gone to the venue to watch the finals. The child had called her Aunt then.
She definitely did not want the baby to be exposed. She would definitely help to keep this a secret and not tell anyone!
The Old Master and Old Madam of the Rong Family doted on Nao Nao a lot. Rong Yin was the only son and Nao Nao was the only grandson of the Rong Family’s direct line of descent.
Rong Yin also had a younger sister, Rong Ying. She was impressive. She had married the prince of Country Y 20 years ago and become a princess consort.
Three years ago, the old king had died and her husband had succeeded the throne. She had also successfully been promoted from being the princess consort to the queen. Every year, the couple would choose a time to go home for a visit or bring her parents over to stay for two days.
However, this was the first time they had come home to celebrate the Lunar New Year. The date was set for the day after tomorrow, which was the fourth day of the new year. It was a private trip.
The old madam of the Rong Family had built a separate greenhouse for Nao Nao. It was a greenhouse with tropical plants throughout, which were very colorful and pretty.
Xiaoqi lost himself inside. He did not even know where to look. Everything looked nice, and he wanted everything.
Nao Nao was holding a mosquito he had just caught. Xiaoqi did not dare touch it even when Nao Nao gave it to him. He took the small bug and fed it to the Venus flytrap himself before explaining it to him. “Xiaoqi, don’t be afraid. This is Venus Flytrap. You can put it in the house in summer. It can eat mosquitoes.”
Xiaoqi squatted by the side. When he saw the Venus flytrap shut its mouth after the bug was placed inside, his eyes widened and he clapped his hands in amazement. “Really, Little Uncle! He really ate it!”
“This isn’t a big deal. I told Grandma that when my aunt comes back in two days, she’ll bring me the King of Flowers, Rafflesia.” Nao Nao put on the appearance of a full-fledged little adult. When he spoke, it was as though he was standing in front of an audience and giving a speech. He was very proud. “Do you know about Rafflesia? It’s a flower that’s even bigger than the two of us combined.”
When Ling Sheng heard this, she was amused and let out a low cough. “Oh, it’s Rafflesia. Nao Nao, aren’t you afraid that it will suffocate the plants in your garden with its stench?”
Nao Nao turned around and saw Ling Sheng. He greeted her politely before gesturing excitedly. “No, that won’t happen. Plants don’t have a sense of smell. At most, it’ll suffocate me.”
Ling Sheng thought, so you know it’s stinky. “Is your aunt really bringing you a Rafflesia?”
Nao Nao nodded seriously and invited her with solemnity. “Really. Sister Sheng Sheng, can you bring Xiaoqi over to see my Rafflesia?”
Xiaoqi’s huge eyes sparkled too as he looked at her in anticipation.
“Let me ask your Sixth Uncle.” Ling Sheng hesitated for a while. To be honest, she really wanted to see if a king and queen were different from other people when they returned to the wife’s parental house. However, she could not come just like that. She had to listen to her father.
Nao Nao was very happy. “Sixth Uncle comes to see Aunt every year. He wouldn’t dare not come. Sister Sheng Sheng, why don’t you stay at my house tonight?”
Ling Sheng smiled. He did not treat her and Xiaoqi as outsiders at all. Her biggest impression right now was that the Yan Family, the Jiang Family, and the Rong Family felt more comfortable than the Huo Family. To be honest, if it was possible, she would really stay the night.
Xiaoqi tugged at her hand. “Mommy, can I play with Little Uncle?”
Chapter 813: Bully the Weak and Fear the Strong
Ling Sheng said, “We have little brothers at home too. You’ll see them when you get back.”
The Huo Family did have plenty of children. There were three of them who were of the same generation as Xiaoqi; they were the great-grandsons of the family. They were the sons of her male cousins. The eldest was 13 years old, and the youngest was already 6 years old.
However, she had a feeling that the children would not be able to get along with Xiaoqi. If she met one of the elders of the Huo Family, it would mean that she had met all of them. They did not like her father, her, or Xiaoqi.
Nao Nao frowned and got angry when he mentioned it. “Huo Lin and the others are bullies who rely on others’ power. They bully the weak and fear the strong. In school, they join forces to bully whoever refuses to be with them.”
Upon seeing Nao Nao’s bitter and indignant look, Ling Sheng smiled and asked, “Why? Did they bully you?”
Nao Nao raised his head arrogantly. “How could that be? They don’t dare to bully me. Even Huo Lin can’t beat me, so Huo Xu and the others are even more afraid. If they lose, they cry and complain to the teachers and their parents. What kind of men are they?”
“Nao Nao sure is awesome.” Ling Sheng gave him a big thumbs-up.
She knew that Huo Lin was the son of her eldest male cousin, Huo Xuanze. He was already thirteen years old, and Huo Xu was the son of her second male cousin. He was ten years old. There was one other boy named Huo Xuan who was eight years old.
Nao Nao told Xiaoqi not to be afraid of them. If they dared to gang up and bully him, he should come and tell him. The former would lead people to punish them.
Ling Sheng was tickled pink. She had not expected the child to be so impressive. Xiaoqi should play with him more often. He was sensible and not afraid of trouble. As the saying goes, one could tell what kind of person the child would grow up to be from his behavior at three years old. In the future, he would definitely become a big shot well-versed in both literature and military affairs, bringing peace and stability to a country.
Before leaving, Nao Nao gave Xiaoqi a Venus Flytrap. Xiaoqi hugged it like a treasure and took it wherever he went.
Nao Nao and Xiaoqi’s common wish did not come true in the end. Upon seeing Ling Sheng and the others leave in their car, they waved their tiny hands reluctantly.
“Why? Can’t bear to part with him?” Yan Qiujin smiled. She had not expected Nao Nao to play so well with Xiaoqi.
Her son had always disliked children younger than him and thought them childish. He was the most mature so did not like to play with others.
“No.” Nao Nao was very calm. He put his hands behind his back and walked in the direction of his house. After taking two steps, he let out a low cough and turned around to ask, “When Aunt comes in two days, Sixth Uncle will come too, right?”
Before Yan Qiujin could say no to tease him, she saw that her son’s little face was all nervous. He still refused to admit it! He just wanted to play with Xiaoqi. She smiled and said, “He’ll come.”
His tense body suddenly relaxed as he nodded calmly and grunted. He looked calm on the surface, but he was overjoyed internally.
Xiaoqi was different from other children. He was not childish at all. He understood everything he said. He was smart and sensible, and he gave him a sense of accomplishment as an elder.
The moment the car entered the Huo residence, Ling Sheng felt a shock to her consciousness. She was about to get tense, and her nerves tightened. She was mentally prepared for battle.
Huo Ci took a look through the rearview mirror. The brat was so nervous that she looked like she was going to war. Valiantly and full of energy, it was as though she had done mental preparation.
When they got home, the whole family was basically present. They were all sitting in the living room and chatting!
The Huo Family was different from the other families. The Huo Family occupied a big area, and they usually lived alone. The Old Master and Old Madam lived in the main house, but during the Lunar New Year or other festivities, everyone went home and lived together.
Chapter 814: Each Bearing Ulterior Motives (1)
In a three-storey mansion, there were about 50 to 60 rooms, but they were all concentrated on the second and third floors. Besides the master bedroom where Huo Xiao and his wife were staying, there were only the guest room and the servant room on the first floor, as well as the kitchen, washroom, and dining room.
Huo Ci and the others of his generation all lived on the second floor. The younger generation lived on the third floor, but a room had always been reserved in the middle. The Old Master had said that the room was reserved for his eldest granddaughter, which was that bedroom Ling Sheng was staying in.
When Ling Sheng and the other two entered, there were already many people in the living room. One could see people upstairs and downstairs.
The juniors of the Huo Family who had gone out to celebrate the New Year had all returned.
“Sheng Sheng, come over quickly.” Huo Xiao was sitting on the sofa in the living room. He gestured at Ling Sheng and smiled very lovingly. He even kicked the man beside him. “Eldest Son, get everyone down.”
“Yes, Father.” Huo Ting had finally seen Sixth Brother’s legendary illegitimate daughter. His eyes seemed to sweep over Ling Sheng and Xiaoqi gently.
Fourth Brother’s wife was a bigmouth who could not hide anything. She had already told them that his illegitimate daughter was that young celebrity called Ling Sheng, who was always involved in scandals with Sixth Brother.
It was fine if she was an illegitimate daughter, but the key was that that illegitimate daughter had returned with a son whose father was unknown. She had said that the child’s father was dead, but the facts weren’t certain!
Ling Sheng smiled at the people present and scanned them. She had done her homework in advance, so she knew everyone. However, her grandpa had yet to speak, so she did not intend to take the initiative to play up to them. She hugged Xiaoqi and sat beside Huo Xiao, looking very gentle and polite.
Huo Ci followed her and looked down at Huo Xuancheng, who was beside Ling Sheng, arrogantly. “Go to the side.”
“Sixth Uncle, who angered you, an old man, outside again?” Huo Xuancheng joked and moved aside obediently.
Huo Ci slapped the back of his head and let out a cold laugh. “Who the f*ck is an old man? Am I that old? Huo Xuancheng, I haven’t seen you in a few days. Your IQ has deteriorated drastically!”
Huo Xuancheng was angry inwardly, but he still kept a smile on his face. “Sixth Uncle is right.”
“Stop arguing as soon as you get back. All of you, shut up.” Huo Xiao kicked Huo Ci’s leg and pointed at his nose as he lectured him. “How old are you? Why are you still arguing with a junior like Ah Cheng? What’s wrong with calling you old? You already have a grandson. Aren’t you old? Are you 18 years old every year?”
Ling Sheng held in her laughter unkindly. She had thought that her grandpa would save some face for her father in the Huo Family. She had not expected him to not give him any face at all. He scolded him however she wanted.
The eldest son, Huo Ting, called everyone at home to come down. There was an impressive group of people. The elders sat on the sofa and chairs. The younger generation had no place to sit, so they just stood on the spot.
There were more than 30 people, both young and old. Thankfully, Ling Sheng had also seen the prosperity of a big family in the Su Family. Otherwise, she would have been really shocked.
Before Huo Xiao said anything, everyone introduced themselves one by one. They spoke to Ling Sheng and gave her a welcome gift as a token.
After all, she was the Old Master’s precious darling. Even if they would not please her, they could not offend her openly. Everyone just had to maintain their facade and act like a harmonious family.
Ling Sheng did not know what they had given her either. As she accepted the gifts, she addressed them however she should address them as and answered whatever she should. There was a constant sweet smile on her face, and her replies were also very appropriate.
Chapter 815: Each Bearing Ulterior Motives (2)
Actually, there were not many gifts. Unlike the Su Family, where everyone had prepared welcome gifts for her. Even her cousins had also prepared gifts for her and Xiaoqi.
From the Huo Family, the eldest son’s family had given them some gifts symbolically, but she did not open them to see what they were. One could tell from the packaging that they should be jewelry.
When it came to gifts, especially gifts given to juniors by this type of rich families, the best gifts were only jewelry. Giving money would appear too insincere and lacked goodwill.
By the time they were done greeting all the people in the family, two hours had passed. With Huo Xiao guarding Ling Sheng, even if the other families were dissatisfied or unhappy inwardly, they would not say anything sarcastic.
Firstly, Ling Sheng had just come over, so they had to curry favor with the Old Master and give her face. Secondly, they were all smart people. They wanted to figure out the other party’s background and personality before they could formulate their next plan.
Besides, Huo Ci was sitting beside her, as though he cared a lot about his illegitimate daughter. If anyone asked her a sharp question, he would retort unceremoniously.
The daughters-in-law of the Huo Family each had their own thoughts. Normally, no one was unwilling to submit to anyone and they schemed against one another all day long.
However, now that Ling Sheng had come, they had already reached a consensus. They would put aside all their grudges and see what kind of background this illegitimate daughter had and what she was up to before making the next move.
Ling Sheng was very obedient and had been smiling politely the whole time. She answered whatever the elders asked. She looked like someone with a very soft personality.
There were many people at home, so time flew past after she accepted the gifts and chatted for a bit. When they returned to their rooms, it was already two hours later.
Ling Sheng threw all the gifts on the bed and took a look at them one by one. As expected, they were all jewelry. There were necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings. They were all new accessories of luxury brands, and their prices were around 100,000 yuan too.
However, compared to the gifts she had received at the few uncles’ houses in the afternoon, they appeared a little shabby. Everyone wanted to give her the best things, which was enough to show the difference.
These blood-related people at home did not even come close to her father’s non-blood related brothers. It seemed like those on the other side were his real brothers while the people here were fake brothers.
Not only had they prepared gifts for her, but they had also prepared Xiaoqi’s gifts—children bracelets, a longevity lock, jade pendants, clothes, shoes, hats, and toys. Setting aside the value, they were at least of goodwill.
Su Xiyin was packing up the gifts and categorizing them. She was making notes about which gift was given by who. Chinese people valued reciprocity the most, so they would have to reciprocate in the future.
“How could Rongrong give Xiaoqi such a precious gift?” Su Xiyin held the longevity lock. It was made of jade, and was very pretty and exquisite. She smiled and said, “When I went to her house the last time, she even took it out to show it off to me. She said that it was a gift for her future eldest grandchild.”
Ling Sheng leaned over to take a look. It was really pretty. The jade was of very good quality, and it felt warm too. The carving was extremely exquisite. “Grandma, is this an antique?”
“It’s not an antique but she had deliberately searched for this jade. As a warm jade, it’s good for a child’s health. She found a master jade craftsman, Gu Liangwei, to carve it and she designed the pattern herself.” Su Xiyin was very touched. She called Xiaoqi over and put it on him. “A child should wear a longevity lock for auspiciousness.”
Upon hearing her grandma’s words, Ling Sheng realized that the eldest daughter of the Jiang Family, Jiang Rong, was a world-renowned jewelry designer. She had a jewelry brand under her and also monopolized the agents of various luxury jewelry brands in China. She was rich, very rich!