Falling into the rain

The banquet hall was magnificent, yet not ostentatious.

Many relatives and friends arrived one after another, including quite a few elders that Yu Tingyu knew, and she greeted them all.

"Tingyu has grown so much!" a richly dressed lady exclaimed in surprise.

"Indeed, she's grown into a graceful young lady. Mr. Wen has really taken good care of her," someone chimed in.

Yu Tingyu just smiled and let the elders look her over.

"I can hear people praising me."

A woman with a confident and capable demeanor walked down the stairs, dressed in a white suit, exuding an air of ease and confidence that came from years of experience in the business world.

"Auntie," Yu Tingyu called out obediently.

Wen Yun agreed and said gently, "Tingyu's here. Where's your second brother?"

"In the back."

In fact, Yu Tingyu didn't know what he was doing, as he hadn't gotten out of the car for so long.

Wen Yun nodded: "Your older brother and uncle are upstairs. Go and say hello."

"it is good."

Yu Tingyu obediently went upstairs.

Just as I approached the door of the private room, it was suddenly opened. I looked up and saw Liang Jiezong.

"Big brother." Yu Tingyu stopped in her tracks and smiled at him. "Long time no see."

Liang Jiezong looked down, glanced at the person for two seconds, and recognized them: "It's Tingyu."

He has been working at the grassroots level for years and has not returned home for holidays. After three years of not seeing each other, the two have become somewhat estranged.

Yu Tingyu nodded and joked with him, "Big brother, did you almost not recognize me?"

Liang Jiezong looks most like Wen Yun, but he inherited Liang Kaizhou's serious demeanor. Some people have said that the two sons of the Liang family are like the Black and White Duo, making people afraid to get close to them.

Yu Tingyu thought so too. She was indeed afraid of them in her early years, but after spending a long time with Wen Huaixu, that unease had long since disappeared. On the contrary, this older brother, whom she hadn't seen for three years, seemed to have become even more imposing.

"It is indeed a little short, but it's also because Tingyu is getting more and more beautiful, so it's understandable that your older brother doesn't recognize you."

Liang Jiezong smiled gently.

Yu Tingyu was somewhat surprised that her older brother, whom she hadn't seen for many years, had also learned to make jokes. She guessed it was thanks to her sister-in-law, whom she had never met.

The two didn't say much. Liang Jiezong seemed to have something urgent to do, and pointed to the private room, indicating that she should go in first.

The door to the private room was opened by the waiters on both sides. Yu Tingyu walked in and found that there was not only Liang Kaizhou and Grandpa Liang inside, but also an old man she had never seen before.

"Uncle, Grandpa Liang."

Yu Tingyu humbly greeted Liang Kaizhou and Liang Zheng.

"They're here."

Liang Zheng, who was over eighty years old, was dressed in a Tang suit and was in good spirits. One could still vaguely see the integrity he had when he took office.

Yu Tingyu had been living in the Liang family's house for many years. For the first two years, she was taken care of by the old man because Wen Yun and Liang Jiezong were too busy with work. Later, because Liang Zheng was in poor health, she went to live with Wen Huaixu, who had moved out and was living alone.

Back then, Wen Yun gave Yu Tingyu two choices: her two older brothers, and she could choose to live wherever she wanted.

Her eldest brother was mature beyond his years, old-fashioned and serious; her second brother was aloof, taciturn and reserved. Neither seemed like a good choice, but she knew that she was dependent on others and had no other options, so she chose Wen Huaixu, who was seven years older than her.

Now it seems that Yu Tingyu really doesn't know whether her choice was right or wrong.

Liang Zheng introduced the old man sitting next to Yu Tingyu: "This is Xu Ning's grandfather, you should call him Grandpa Chen."

With a buzzing sound in her mind, Yu Tingyu seemed to hear something collapsing.

Unbeknownst to her, Chen Xuning and Wen Huaixu had already reached the point of meeting each other's parents.

Perhaps she was overthinking it. The two elders were just having casual conversations, but she didn't believe that the matter of a marriage alliance had never been mentioned during their chat.

Despite her heart aching slightly, Yu Tingyu's expression remained unchanged as she smiled politely and said, "Hello, Grandpa Chen."

Old Master Chen stared at Yu Tingyu for a moment, "You're Yu Heng and Wanru's daughter?"

"Do you know my parents?" Yu Tingyu asked, puzzled.

"I know him." Old Master Chen couldn't help but sigh. "Back then, I was the one who wrote his letter of recommendation. If it weren't for that accident, your father would have been my subordinate."

"I feel bad for him. If I hadn't written that letter of recommendation, he wouldn't have rushed to catch that flight and suffered this misfortune."

As he spoke, Old Master Chen almost burst into tears.

"Please don't say that." Yu Tingyu quickly shook her head, her eyes also reddening.

She could tell right from wrong. Her father was honest and upright, and even without that letter of recommendation, his career would have continued smoothly. But life is unpredictable, and no one knows whether tomorrow or an accident will come first.

"Life is unpredictable," Liang Zheng comforted them. "If they could know from beyond the grave that Tingyu is already this old, they would be at peace."

Grandpa Chen nodded and wiped his eyes with his clothes.

"grandfather."

The door opened, and Chen Xuning walked in, followed by Wen Huaixu.

"What's wrong with you?" She was startled when she saw the moisture in Old Master Chen's eyes.

The first thing Wen Huaixu noticed when he entered was Yu Tingyu, who was standing to the side with her head down and her eyes were red.

"It's alright." Grandpa Chen patted his granddaughter's hand, feigning displeasure, and said, "You haven't greeted your Uncle Liang and Grandpa Liang yet. How rude of you."

Liang Zheng waved his hand and said with a smile, "It's alright. If Xu Ning has no manners, what would my daughter be like?"

He looked up at Wen Huaixu and ordered, "Come here."

Wen Huaixu's question to Yu Tingyu was cut off. He strode to Yu Tingyu's side and greeted Old Master Chen.

Liang Kaizhou asked with a smile, "Xu Ning got into her doctoral program, right?"

"Yes, I'll stay in Beicheng from now on."

"That's great. Come over to our house more often when you're free. Beicheng has changed a lot in the years you've been studying abroad. I'll have Huaixu take you out for a stroll when you have time," Liang Kaizhou said.

"Okay, Uncle Liang." Chen Xuning smiled, her gaze unconsciously falling on Wen Huaixu.

Ke Wen Huaixu seemed not to hear anything, sitting indifferently to one side. He took the tea handed to him by the waiter, took a sip slowly, put down the cup, and then glanced at Yu Tingyu, looking at something.

Yu Tingyu sat beside him, listening quietly with her eyes downcast, like a small, harmless quail, as if she had already gotten used to it.

As the elders chatted, Grandpa Chen suddenly remembered: "I remember Huaixu is a few years older than Xu Ning, and he was born in the Year of the Horse, right?"

"Yes, next year seems to be Xu Ning's birth year." Liang Kaizhou nodded, as if reminding her.

"It's my birth year..." Old Master Chen repeated thoughtfully.

Yu Tingyu frowned imperceptibly.

Although she had never been married, she knew there was an unwritten rule that it was taboo to hold weddings during one's birth year.

Next year is Chen Xuning's birth year in the Chinese zodiac. If they don't hold the wedding this year, it will have to be postponed for another year. Due to the circumstances, Wen Huaixu's wedding is the most important thing in the eyes of Wen Yun and Liang Kaizhou. The longer it is postponed, the greater the uncertainty will be.

Based on this calculation, the wedding date can only be set for this year.

The moment the thought crossed her mind, she suddenly felt suffocated in the room and her chest tightened.

While the elders were chatting animatedly, Yu Tingyu quietly got up and quietly left the room.