Beijing-Hong Kong Rosemary

From Chapter 146 onwards, you're family too.
The waiter brought over two decks of cards.

A group of people sat casually around the coffee table.

Liang Jingsong briefly explained the rules.

Shen Guining had never played before and was a complete novice. When she encountered something she didn't know how to do, she could only ask Qu Yanci for help.

The young couple were whispering to each other when someone caught them and teased them, "Why did you bring in outside help?"

Shen Guining smiled awkwardly, "Can't I invite you?"

Liang Jingsong nodded, "Yes, yes, yes, it's a privilege for beginners."

The door to the private room was half open, and Cui Manying stood at the door for a few minutes, her chest filled with unspeakable bitterness.

She had always thought that Qu Yanci was naturally aloof and treated everyone the same.

It turns out that isn't the case.

He is caring, he smiles gently, and his eyes are full of affection.

But all of these things were destined not to belong to her.

After persisting for so long, I suddenly realized that all my years of persistence had been meaningless.

Why waste your time and energy on a man who doesn't like you?

She's the object of many men's affections, so why force a relationship that doesn't belong to her?
Perhaps it was that lingering resentment in his heart that was causing the problem; he felt he was in no way inferior to Shen Guining, and couldn't understand why he had lost.

Now I'm starting to understand that feelings are irrational; if you like someone, you like them, regardless of who came first or what their family background is.

My thoughts were interrupted by the laughter coming from inside the private room.

"Wow, there really is a newbie protection period? How come they got such good cards?"

"You guys can't even beat Brother Ci, and you can't even beat Sister-in-law."

"They both had a buff; one had good luck with his cards, and the other was a skilled player. It's not surprising that they couldn't beat them."

Cui Manying clenched her fists, looked away, and turned to leave.

Inside, everyone was engrossed in playing cards and no one noticed the doorway.

In another unnoticed corner, Ye Zeming wasn't playing cards; he was drinking alone, downing glass after glass, automatically blocking out the sounds of the outside world.

Midway through, Shen Guining wanted to use the restroom, so Qu Yanci carried her to the restroom door, and Jin Yuhan helped her into the stall.

"When will you be able to put weight on your right foot?" Jin Yuhan asked, standing by the sink.

Shen Guining: "It should be about a month from now."

"Just consider it a long vacation for yourself." Jin Yuhan crossed her arms and said slowly, "You're already talented, yet you work so hard. You don't want to leave any room for others to survive."

It is truly rare to hear praise from the young lady.

Shen Guining chuckled softly, "Thank you for your comfort, Miss."

Jin Yuhan shrugged. "I wasn't trying to comfort you."
-
Lunar New Year's Eve is almost here.

This year, Ms. Tan specially instructed her servants to put extra effort into decorating the house, and ordered a batch of intangible cultural heritage handmade lanterns in advance, as well as hundreds of bouquets of different varieties of roses.

A few days before Lunar New Year's Eve, the servants began to do a thorough cleaning, hanging lanterns and ribbons in every nook and cranny, attaching greeting cards and small ornaments to bonsai and trees, and couplets and paper-cut window decorations were also essential.

The couplets and the character "福" (fortune) were written by the old man himself.

The old lady repeatedly reminded her, "When the girl arrives, don't be so serious and scare her."

"After all these years, you finally brought a girl home. If you scare her away again, your grandson will be alone for the rest of his life!"

The old man found her nagging, "Alright, alright, I know."

He couldn't be bothered with Qu Yanci's affairs anymore; let him do whatever he wanted.

The old lady went for a walk in the yard, with the servants helping her along.

The housekeeper inspected the entire house and came to report, "Madam, the house has been cleaned and decorated inside and out. Please take a look and see if you are satisfied."

The old lady nodded. "It looks much more comfortable. Young people should prefer more colorful decorations. Those old antiques look lifeless. It would be best to put some 'Fu' characters on them as well."

The butler did as instructed, "Okay."

The old lady remembered, "Also, tell the kitchen to make more light soups and dishes tomorrow, and not to put nuts in any of the dishes or desserts."

"You can make some of that rose-flavored semi-baked cheesecake from last time; it's quite delicious, and the little girl should like it."

The butler noted everything down. "Okay."

The old lady said, "What else was there? Look at my memory, it's getting worse and worse as I get older."

Xia Xi jogged over and said with a grin, "Great-Grandma, my aunt likes to eat cherries."

The old lady suddenly realized, "Oh right, right, buy more cherries."

Xia Xi added, "And don't forget the durian!"

The old lady saw through her, "Durian is one of your favorite foods, isn't it?"

Xia Xi smiled and narrowed her eyes, "Auntie will definitely love it too."
-
This was Shen Guining's first time meeting Qu Yanci's parents at their home. She was nervous the whole way, afraid that she would be impolite and that his family would not like her.

Although Qu Yanci said that her grandmother was easy to get along with, she was still unsure in her heart.

Especially after meeting his grandfather, the thought of that stern and oppressive feeling made me feel somewhat apprehensive.

Qu Yanci held her hand. "Don't be nervous. Stay for two days first. If you feel uncomfortable, we'll go back to the apartment early."

Shen Guining frowned. "That's not good. It's the New Year, you should spend more time with your family."

Qu Yanci threaded his fingers through hers, their fingers intertwined, "From now on, you're family too."

Shen Guining's palms were slightly warm and damp.

The Maybach drove along winding mountain roads. We arrived at the old house at four o'clock in the afternoon.

The antique Chinese-style building exudes a refreshing and elegant sandalwood aroma.

The snow hasn't stopped for the past few days. The red walls and white tiles, along with the festive lanterns filling the courtyard, create a beautiful and charming scene.

With its upturned eaves, carved wooden windows, and rustic porch, it exudes elegance everywhere.

The car came to a stop.

Qu Yanci got out of the car first, then bent down and carried Shen Guining out.

Light snow was falling outside, drifting down in a flurry.

The ground had been cleared beforehand, and there was no snow accumulation.

A servant stepped forward to hold an umbrella for the two of them.

Xia Xi leaned over the doorpost and called out, "Auntie's here!"

The old lady heard the sound and came outside. "You're here?"

Xia Qi quickly helped her up, "Grandma, take it easy."

"Oh, finally they've arrived." The old lady's eyes crinkled with a smile.

Qu Yanci carried the person to the eaves and introduced, "This is Grandma, my sister, you've met her before."

Shen Guining greeted her politely, "Grandma."

I felt a little awkward at our first meeting.

The old lady couldn't stop smiling. "Ningning is even prettier than on TV."

The little girl is rather introverted, but her features are strikingly beautiful, making her likable no matter how you look at her.

Xia Qi chimed in, "How could my brother not have good taste?"

Shen Guining felt embarrassed and smiled faintly.

The old lady waved her hand, "Come in quickly, it's cold outside."

The group entered the main hall.

The room is heated, so it's not cold at all.

A faint fragrance wafted from the glass incense burner, and in the corner stood several potted poinsettias and kumquat trees, each adorned with a small red card, creating a vibrant and festive atmosphere.

Grandpa Qu sat in the main seat, taking a sip of tea from his cup. He looked at the younger generation and said in a calm voice, "You're back."

Qu Yanci opened his lips and said, "Grandpa."

Shen Guining subconsciously grabbed his clothes and whispered, "Grandpa."

Qu Yanci lowered his eyes and gave her a reassuring look.

The old man put down his teacup. "Sit down."

Qu Yanci helped Shen Guining sit down on the sofa chair.

The servants brought out the desserts and fruit platters that had been prepared in advance.

The old lady's smile never faded. "Ningning, eat whatever you like."

Shen Guining nodded, "Okay, thank you, Grandma."

How's your foot injury? Does it still hurt?

"It doesn't hurt."

Ms. Tan was not quite what Shen Guining had imagined. There was a kind of stereotype, because Ms. Tan worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when she was young and was a meticulous person, so he subconsciously thought she was dignified and unsmiling.

In fact, she was kind, gentle, and had a refined and elegant air about her. It was clear that she was an outstanding woman with both talent and wisdom in her youth.

Mr. Qu was not as imposing as he was the last time we met. His scrutinizing gaze was very ruthless. I heard that he used to be a fearsome figure in the business world, but his aura was somewhat restrained today.

The tension in Shen Guining's heart gradually dissipated.

The atmosphere was quite relaxed.

"Auntie, try this semi-baked cheesecake. It was just made this morning, and it's delicious!" Xia Xi highly recommended.

Shen Guining smiled and said, "Okay."

"I forgot to take the things out of the trunk; they're gifts Ningning bought for you." Qu Yanci told two servants to fetch them.

"A gift?" Xia Xi's eyes immediately lit up. "Are there any for me?"

Shen Guining nodded, "Yes."

Xia Xi said sweetly, "Thank you, Auntie! You're the best!"

The old lady said, "We're all family, there's no need to buy gifts in the future."

Qu Yanci smiled faintly, "Accept my granddaughter-in-law's gift. I told her not to buy it, but she insisted."

The old lady beamed with joy, "Alright, since it's your granddaughter-in-law's thoughtfulness, we'll naturally accept it."

Shen Guining's ears were steaming.

What granddaughter-in-law? They're not even married yet.

A moment later, the servant returned carrying several gift bags.

Shen Guining specially selected all the gifts. When Qu Yanci mentioned that Ms. Tan had a bad back, she bought her a back brace. Since the old man likes to drink tea, she gave him a set of purple clay teapots and a necklace from Xia Qi and a gold bracelet from Xia Xi.

Everyone was happy.