If Yun Ya had continued to speak, she truly would have seemed clueless. Yun Shu had dug a hole for her, and naturally, she wasn’t about to jump in willingly. Anyway, the effect had already been achieved, and she wasn’t in a rush at that moment. Yun Ya smiled apologetically, "Of course, we mustn’t keep the guests waiting." She turned toward the guests, a slight smile on her face, looking exceptionally elegant and dignified, "I’ve just returned to the country, young and ignorant. I’ll be relying on all the uncles, aunts, brothers, and sisters here in the future. Today is Aunt Ah Xian’s birthday, so I won’t overshadow the hostess. If there’s any lack in my hospitality, please forgive me." With that, she bowed. "She is truly the granddaughter of Elder Ji, inheriting Elder Ji’s simplicity and sincerity. If Elder Ji were still alive, who knows how many needy people would benefit...." ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ N0v3l.Fiɾe.net "Yes, what’s with that will? Did Elder Ji really leave a will? What does it say in the will?" Someone scoffed, "What else could it be? It must be about who inherits the property." The buzz of conversation rose in muted tones. Yun Ya’s lips curved slightly as she made a graceful exit. Yun Shu almost clenched her teeth in frustration, but at that time, she couldn’t leave. There were still so many guests to attend to, yet a crack appeared on that gentle facade, her complexion becoming unnaturally stiff. Yun Ya slipped out the back door for some air. The cool night breeze brushed her face, soothing her restless heart. She closed her eyes and leaned tiredly against a pillar. The sound of heavy footsteps approached, and Yun Ya, eyes still closed, did not turn around. The person stopped behind her, casting a large shadow over her as the unique scent of grass and wood from his body mingled with the night breeze, intoxicating the night as well as her... After a long silence, she finally sighed, opened her eyes, and turned around. The handsome face of the young man shimmered under the bright spring moon, shining with a frosty glow. His deep, black eyes churned with tides she couldn’t understand, riveted on her face, causing her to reflexively skip a beat. "Hi, Brother Yan, long time no see." She smiled in greeting, reaching up to tidy her hair at the temples, using it to mask the momentary awkwardness she had just felt. The young man’s lips tightened as he stared at her intently. "You lied to me..." After a while, he uttered three cold words. Yun Ya froze for a moment, then remembered he was referring to the incident in the alley, and she couldn’t help but laugh, "Why do you say I lied to you?" The young man furrowed his brows. Indeed, how had she lied to him? Thinking carefully about that day’s events, she hadn’t said from start to finish that she was Ji Yun Ya, but neither had she said she wasn’t Ji Yun Ya. It was he who had failed to recognize her. Looking carefully at her features, he could still discern traces of her from their childhood. If previously she was a budding flower, now she had become a blossoming, radiant bloom. Unwilling to admit his mistake, he turned his head away, "Anyway, you just did lie to me." Yun Ya chuckled, her eyes curving as she looked at him, "Brother Yan, you are so unreasonable." Yan Song glared at her again, "You still have the nerve to laugh. Where have you been all these years? Do you know how worried my mom was about you, do you know..." He suddenly stopped, his brows deeply furrowed. Do you know how worried I’ve been about you, too. "What?" Yun Ya blinked, suddenly leaning closer to him, observing his long, fluttering eyelashes; seeing the flush rising on his handsome face stirred soft ripples in her heart. The girl suddenly drew near. Her starry eyes twinkled, playful and cute. A faint fragrance wafted to his ears, causing his heart to beat fiercely, uncontrollably, out of rhythm. He took an abrupt step back but misstepped and tumbled to the ground. "Brother Yan, be careful..." Instinctively, Yun Ya reached out to catch him, but ended up being pulled down with him. At the last second, Yan Song kicked against a pillar, turned in mid-air, and grabbed Yun Ya’s arm, pulling her into his embrace. His other arm encircled her slender waist. With a "thud," Yan Song hit the ground hard, cushioning Yun Ya’s fall. In the moment of the fall, Yun Ya’s head struck against his chest, feeling his scorching heat and fiercely pounding heart. Her head spun from the impact, and she lay on his chest, quietly closing her eyes. "Hey... Ji Yun Ya, you’re nearly crushing me to death." The voice from underneath her was grimacing in pain, but it carried an unnatural hoarseness.