After returning home with the child, her ex-husband knelt down and gently coaxed her.

The following morning, sunlight streamed into the vast Pangu Mansion, illuminating every corner of the interior.

Fine dust motes danced in the golden light. In the walk-in closet, a woman was leisurely taking clothes off the hangers and neatly folding them before placing them into her suitcase.

"Girl, take these few bottles of side dishes with you."

Li Chunfang brought over several bottles and jars. "You loved these side dishes I made when you were little. You would bring several bottles with you to school when you were living in the dormitory. If the food in Dianhai didn't suit your taste, you could still eat a few bites of rice with these side dishes."

Li Chunfang packed several bottles of spicy pickled vegetables into bottles, wrapped them tightly and cleanly, and then wrapped them with several layers of shockproof foam.

When Anning was a child, conditions were poor and she couldn't afford to eat anything fancy. The dishes that Li Chunfang made were indeed a part of Anning's school years. They were fragrant and spicy, and they are one of the few dishes that left a deep impression on her.

When An Ning saw that Li Chunfang had brought over three or four bottles, she laughed and said, "Mom, I'm just going on a business trip, not staying for long, so I can't bring this many."

"Take them with you, it's better than not having any when you want to eat them." Speaking of this, Li Chunfang started talking again, "I remember Xiao Lu used to really like them. And you know what? People from well-off families like that have definitely never tasted our purely handmade ones..."

As Li Chunfang was speaking, she suddenly realized something, glanced at An Ning, and quickly stopped talking.

An Ning lowered her eyes and paused in her act of putting away the clothes, lost in thought.

She's been acting strangely ever since she got back last night.

Li Chunfang guessed that it might be related to Xiao Lu.

In a few days, it will be Xiao Lu's engagement day, and An Ning must be feeling very sad.

Thinking of this, Li Chunfang felt a deep sense of guilt.

Suddenly, the phone on the table rang, breaking the awkward silence.

An Ning quickly picked up her phone, and after seeing the number, she suddenly felt a little disappointed.

It wasn't that familiar phone number; it was an unfamiliar one.

"Feed?"

She answered the phone and politely asked, "Who is this?"

"Are you Miss An?"

A deep, middle-aged male voice came from across the room.

"Who are you?"

"Hello, Miss An, I am Cheng Shao, Cheng Wanwan's father."

Cheng Shao, Cheng Wanwan's father, is also the chairman of the Cheng Group.

The Cheng Group is also a well-known leading enterprise in the business world, a top 100 global group, whose financial strength and power are second only to the Lu Group in China.

An Ning never imagined that Cheng Shao would call her.

The voice on the other end was gentle and polite. "Would it be convenient for me to talk to you?"

......

Songlin Tea House is a tea house located on a hillside in the suburbs of Jinghai. It has a beautiful environment and a classical Chinese style. It is specially designed to receive important guests and is also a good place for many prominent people in Jinghai to conduct business.

In the quiet tea room, a faint aroma of tea wafts through the air.

"Miss An, please have some tea."

A cup of tea was placed in front of the other person. Cheng Shao looked at the woman sitting opposite him—her eyebrows and eyes were delicate and beautiful, and her clear eyes showed no signs of calculation, but rather a calm and composed demeanor.

He observed her discreetly, initially expecting her to be a very ambitious girl, but to his surprise, she possessed a gentle and serene demeanor.

And it made him feel somewhat close to me.

"Thank you, Mr. Cheng."

An Ning took the teacup and took a small sip.

She was also somewhat surprised. Although the chairman of the Cheng Group was middle-aged, he had handsome features and still showed signs of his youthful charm.

Moreover, from the moment we met, the other party was very mild-mannered and approachable, appearing quite amiable.

"Miss An, there's no need to be so formal, and you don't need to address me as President Cheng," Cheng Shao said with a smile. "I'm just here today as Wanwan's father to meet you."

An Ning found these words very familiar, just like what Lu Lixiao said when they first met—as Lu Xiyan's grandfather, he asked her to leave his grandson.

An Ning tensed instantly, her fingertips gripping the hem of her skirt above her knees. "Mr. Cheng, is it about Miss Cheng?"

The other party nodded and got straight to the point, "My wife almost had a difficult labor and severe bleeding when she gave birth to Wanwan. I felt sorry for her health, so my husband and I only have one daughter, Wanwan."

Cheng Shao’s voice was kind and sincere. “Wanwan was frail and sickly since she was a child, and we doted on her as she grew up. We tried our best to satisfy her every wish, so she has a rather spoiled personality.”

"The only thing she hasn't won over so far is Xi Yan's heart."

When Cheng Shao said this, his gaze toward An Ning was very gentle.

"I know that Miss An once had a relationship with Xi Yan, and west Yan was also in love with you. As a father, I really hope that my daughter can be happy, so when I learned that Xi Yan did not have feelings for Wanwan, I didn't want my daughter to be like a moth drawn to a flame."

Cheng Shao's words surprised An Ning. She listened as he continued, "But I also don't want to break my child's obsession. She is determined to marry west Yan, so I have no choice but to grant her wish."

An Ning looked at the other person, trying to keep her voice calm, "So, Mr. Cheng, you saw me today because you're afraid I'll ruin Miss Cheng and Lu Xiyan's engagement party?"

"Yes and no," Cheng Shao smiled and said self-deprecatingly, "It's a very contradictory feeling for a father."

Cheng Shao didn't know why he would say these things to a stranger, a younger person.

"I hope Wanwan can achieve her wish, but I'm also afraid she'll get hurt."

He took a sip of tea and sighed, "She wants to marry west Yan, and whatever the outcome, it's her choice."

"If this had happened four years ago, when Miss An and west Yan were in love, I would never have let my daughter be so attached to a relationship that she shouldn't be attached to."

Cheng Shao looked into An Ning's clear eyes, "But I heard that four years ago, Miss An was the one who gave up on Xi Yan first. Since Miss An made that decision four years ago, could you give Wanwan a chance now?"

An Ning's heart skipped a beat. The other person's tone was so sincere that it made her feel complicated.

Seeing that she did not answer, Cheng Shao said again, "Of course, Miss An, if you have any other needs, please feel free to ask, as long as I can do it."

He kindly picked up the tea and snacks in front of him and handed them to Anning. Out of politeness, Anning took a persimmon pastry in her hand.

Cheng Shao spoke in a kind tone, "I heard that your mother just had surgery and needs expensive special medicine every month to maintain her condition. Cheng's Group specializes in pharmaceuticals, and I can provide even the most expensive medicines for free if you need them."

An Ning looked at the exquisite tea and snacks in her hand, and after a moment, she looked up and asked, "What if Lu Xiyan doesn't love Miss Cheng?"

Cheng Shao sighed softly, "This was Wanwan's own choice, and she should bear the consequences no matter what. But if Xiyan has no intention of getting engaged, I will never force him."

"Mr. Cheng, I understand your good intentions as a father, but true happiness cannot be obtained by someone giving up their position."

An Ning clenched her fists, her eyes resolute. "I think the same way you do. If Xi Yan decides to get engaged to Miss Cheng, I promise that after the engagement banquet, I will completely disappear from his world and never appear in front of him again to bother him."

"But before the engagement party," she said, a slight smile playing on her lips, her tone firm, "I don't want to let go yet."