The landlord has multiple personalities and wants everyone to pay him.

There were no major incidents at the banquet; it was just a lively and bustling affair.

The air conditioning was on full blast, and the house was filled with the aroma of food, but Ye Shu and Xiao Xue didn't have time to eat.

Ye Shu and Xiao Xue held hands, each holding a wine glass, and went from table to table toasting each other.

Ye Shu didn't recognize most of the people in the room, but fortunately, Uncle An, Aunt Shen, and his own father were with him, so he and Xiao Xue only needed to smile.

Ye Shu could manage this: smile, then clear her mind, ignore what the other person said, and simply smile, nod, and occasionally affirm the other person.

Ye Shu learned this skill when he was a child, accompanying his father to a drinking party. At the table, the adults, after drinking too much, liked to put on airs with the kids, slurring their words and pulling Ye Shu's hand, saying:

"Xiao Shu... I'm telling you, you have to work hard... you have to..."

He wasn't swearing, and Ye Shu couldn't hear what he was saying either; he'd had too much to drink.

At first, Ye Shu would tell the other person that she didn't hear clearly, but over time, Ye Shu realized that whether she could hear clearly or not was not important. What those drunk people needed was the sense of accomplishment of those in power, and all she needed to do was affirm them.

So Ye Shu gradually mastered this skill. No matter what the other person said, all he had to do was nod, smile, and occasionally offer some affirmation. He provided plenty of emotional value, and everyone was happy.

In this setting, both sides actually think the same way, because the guests' comments are nothing more than saying how well the two children match, how handsome they are, and how lucky they are—all meaningless remarks.

Xiaoxue doesn't usually wear high heels, and she was pulled to toast people as soon as she came in, so she's a little hesitant to walk now.

Ye Shu noticed and whispered a question in Xiao Xue's ear:

"Shall I get you a pair of flats?"

"No need... just hang in there a little longer..."

Xiaoxue held his hand, and Ye Shu leaned closer so that she could lean against him.

This kind of socializing... no, dealing with it, is extremely boring because you don't know anyone, and you still have to say some polite things, which makes both sides uncomfortable.

However, Ye Shu wasn't completely unfamiliar with the place. For example, when she walked to one of the tables, she saw an old man wearing a traditional Chinese jacket, who was eating ice cream with his head down.

Isn't this Xiaoxue's grandfather?

When Ye Shu went on stage, he glanced around the audience and didn't see the old man who loved drinking cola and playing video games. He thought the old man hadn't come.

But on second thought, I can guess that the old man is probably too old and not in good health, so he couldn't stand the sun and didn't come out.

Just like my own grandmother, before going on stage, my father and aunt both advised me not to stand in the hot sun, but my grandmother just wouldn't listen. She insisted on seeing her grandson get married with her own eyes.

As a result, I spent a bit too long in the sun on the lawn. When I got back, I hadn't even eaten two bites of food before I went back to my room to rest. Fortunately, it was just a mild case of heatstroke, and I was otherwise fine.

When the group arrived at the table, An Hongyi was leisurely sipping his ice cream with a small spoon, while a woman Ye Shu didn't recognize was quietly urging him to stop.

"Dad, eat less of this..."

The woman had clearly been trying to persuade him for a while, because Ye Shu noticed that An Hongyi seemed a bit annoyed. He elbowed the woman's hand away, and then he saw Ye Shu and Xiao Xue. The old man's eyes lit up, and he started scooping at the two of them with his small spoon.

"Hey, granddaughter, grandson-in-law, come here, come here."

Xiaoxue called out softly:

"grandfather."

Ye Shu also called him "Grandpa," it was time to change how he addressed him.

Those two calls of "Grandpa" clearly got to An Hongyi's nerves, which made him very happy.

His dentures were already a bit loose, and when he grinned, they almost fell into the bowl. He quickly closed his mouth and put the dentures back in.

He didn't feel embarrassed at all; instead, he smiled broadly, his face crinkling with wrinkles. He put down the spoon and reached into his jacket to reach inside.

The woman next to me asked:

"Dad, what do you need? I'll get it for you."

"No, no..."

An Hongyi shook his head, and after much effort, he pulled out a small wooden box, then, without even opening it, shoved it into Xiaoxue's hand.

"This is a gift from Grandpa to you."

"Grandpa, what is this?"

Xiaoxue asked, holding the box.

"Just open it and you'll know."

An Hongyi took another spoonful of ice cream, his eyes squinted, and he hummed a little laugh.

Xiaoxue opened the box and found a red velvet cloth lining it, with two jade pendants on top, each already strung with two braided cords.

This jade looks very old, and it's obviously valuable.

Although Ye Shu didn't understand jade, he could still distinguish between good jade and imported Hetian jade polished from snowflake-shaped bottles.

"Grandpa, isn't this the couple you and Grandma lived with..."

Xiaoxue recognized the jade pendants, but before she could speak, An Hongyi waved his hand to interrupt her.

"Now it belongs to both of you. Wear it for protection and to ensure you grow old together."

"Grandpa, this is too precious."

Ye Shu spoke up from the side, and this wasn't just polite talk; it was genuinely too valuable. Even if he really wanted it, he probably wouldn't dare wear it, especially if he accidentally bumped or damaged it.

As a result, An Hongyi didn't give him any face either, and with a wave of his hand, he looked at Ye Shu and said:

"What's so valuable about them? They're just two stones, not worth much. It's the meaning people give them that makes them valuable. You say they're valuable because my sentiment is valuable. If you don't want them, that means you're rejecting my sentiment, that means you're looking down on your grandfather, right, grandson-in-law?"

Goodness, the older generation's fighting style is indeed fierce!

Ye Shu was stunned by this huge accusation. How did he get from jade to this?

This suddenly reminded Ye Shu of the sophistry Xiao Nuan used when she made her birthday wish. So she learned this trick from her grandfather?

No! Absolutely not!

Ye Shu quickly stated that he couldn't possibly use the old man's reputation as a doormat.

Seeing Ye Shu's expression, An Hongyi revealed a triumphant smile:

"Then keep it. Here, put it on and let Grandpa see."

Ye Shu and Xiao Xue obediently took out the jade pendant from the box and put it around their necks. Ye Shu then looked down at it.

The jade pendant I have is carved with what looks like a tree, but it's clearly only half of it.

Ye Shu turned to look at Xiao Xue, who was also looking at him. Then the two put the jade pendants together, and a golden light suddenly appeared, merging Hai Chaoren and Ocean Ranger into one!

Uh, of course not. When the jade pendants were put together, Ye Shu discovered that they seemed to be engraved with a picture. His half was a tree, while Xiao Xue's half was two birds flying towards each other in the sky.

This is exactly what it means to be a pair of lovebirds in heaven and intertwined branches on earth.

Old Yu remained silent, yet he had engraved all his blessings and hopes for the couple within this small space, silently protecting them.