After a seemingly harmonious yet secretly tense family dinner, Zhang Anfeng finally left the old house with his wife and eldest daughter’s family.
"Call Xiaozhou when we get back and tell him to come back before tomorrow night."
Lin Yi frowned upon hearing this, "Xiaozhou might be busy with work over there, just to come back and meet your niece? What if it delays his work? Besides, Dad didn’t say Xiaozhou had to be back!"
"My dad is testing me," knowing his father best, Zhang Anfeng glanced back at the old house, "He didn’t say it out loud, but he wants to see if I thought of it. As you mentioned, it’s the niece left by my sister who disappeared almost twenty years ago that we’re meeting tomorrow. It’s important, and the whole family should be together."
She was at a loss with the two of them, "Alright, I’ll tell Xiaozhou when we get in the car later."
Zhang Lingxuan handed her daughter to her husband and walked over to her mother, "Mom, you should also prepare a gift for your niece, my cousin."
Lin Yi hadn’t thought of this, mainly because she had a deep-seated resistance to this niece who suddenly appeared at such an inconvenient time. However, she knew her daughter’s reminder was spot on.
After all, the recognition banquet was being held at her own restaurant, so giving another gift doesn’t matter.
Consider it bargaining for Dad’s approval.
"I’m planning to go shopping at the mall tomorrow; we can go together. But with the kind of family that adopted her, they probably haven’t seen anything good. Just buy something that looks decent."
Zhang Lingxuan nodded in agreement and hesitantly asked, "What about my cousin’s sister, the one Grandpa said is an actress and advised us to get along with, that Jiang Lingxi, isn’t she coming too? Should we prepare a gift for her as well?"
"Her?" Lin Yi scoffed, sounding disdainful. Grandpa might love her dearly, but she wouldn’t, "If it were the child’s grandmother attending the recognition banquet, that would be one thing, but a self-proclaimed older sister tagging along shamelessly. Forget it, just pick a gift for her when we’re choosing tomorrow."
It’s merely to show Grandpa.
"Got it. Mom, I’ll head back with Yisheng now and come pick you up by car tomorrow."
Qian Yisheng had already put their daughter in the car and opened the passenger door for his wife, "Get in."
Once in the car, Zhang Lingxuan couldn’t hide her expression any longer.
Her grandfather always favored females over males. When she was little, her aunt hadn’t cut off ties with the family yet, and she saw firsthand how her grandfather favored her aunt over her dad.
After her aunt disappeared, that love was transferred to her.
Though her brother was the youngest member of the Zhang Family’s grandchildren, she had always been undoubtedly the most spoiled one, even after getting married.
Later, her daughter Nannan, not only a girl but the only great-grandchild of the Zhang Family, was born.
But what kept replaying in her mind was the gentle tone her grandfather used when answering a call from her suddenly appeared cousin, which sent chills down her spine.
Even with her, the eldest granddaughter, he had never spoken like that.
How could she not feel anxious and jealous?
Like her parents, she couldn’t look forward to this cousin who had appeared out of nowhere.
While driving, Qian Yisheng silently sensed the low pressure radiating from the passenger seat and hesitated for a moment before softly advising, "What’s done is done. Grandpa has seen through everything. Calling your parents here this time is also a way to give them a heads-up. As her older cousin, you should act more approachable when the time comes."
Zhang Lingxuan exhaled heavily, "I know what you’re saying, but how could she appear so coincidentally? And that Jiang Lingxi, if it weren’t for her, Grandpa wouldn’t have met my cousin. Wait, could she have known beforehand and deliberately set this up?"
Listening to his wife’s conspiracy theory, Qian Yisheng helplessly chuckled, "That’s unlikely, just a coincidence. I think I might know who Grandpa’s talking about when mentioning Jiang Lingxi."
Zhang Lingxuan immediately turned to look at her husband driving, staring at his focused side profile for several seconds before speaking with a hint of danger in her tone, "You’re always so busy with work, how come I didn’t know you’re also following pretty actresses from the entertainment industry?"