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Most of the guests had arrived. A-Zhi gave a brief speech at the main stage and hurried off; he had more important matters to attend to.
Next to the banquet hall was an independent lounge where Yan Cailing, the four elders from both families, Cheng Qiuyi, and Liu Shuhan were all present. When A-Zhi entered, he looked excited and asked, "Has it started?"
"No, how could we start without you, the father?" Yan Cailing said as she wiped the sweat from A-Zhi's forehead with a small cloth used for wiping the baby's mouth. "Look at you, so anxious. Is it really that exciting?"
A-Zhi remained silent, grinning foolishly at his wife.
In the center of the lounge was a square low table about two meters wide, surrounded by a railing and cushioned underneath. The baby was sitting at the table, happily playing with her grandmother.
According to the tradition in C City, a baby must undergo a "Zhua Zhou" ceremony when they turn one month old. Various auspicious items like books, brushes, longevity locks, and jade Buddhas were scattered around the low table for the baby to grab freely. What she picked up would hold significant meaning.
"Miss, since you are my precious daughter's godmother, I asked you last time to give her a nice name. Have you thought of one?" A-Zhi teased his daughter for a moment before turning to Cheng Qiuyi.
Although there were four elders present, Uncle Song and Aunt Song were originally servants from Cheng Qiuyi's grandfather's side, so it was appropriate for Cheng Qiuyi to name A-Zhi's daughter.
"The ancestors say 'Bao Lu Qiong Yao.' How about we name her Luyao?" Cheng Qiuyi bent down to hold the baby's chubby little hand and smiled. "Yao Yao, do you like the name your godmother chose?"
The one-month-old baby didn't understand what liking or disliking meant; she was just happy to be played with. She grinned widely at Cheng Qiuyi, showing her toothless gums as drool trickled down her chubby neck, making her look adorable.
"Luyao, Song Luyao... Hmm, good name!" Uncle Song chimed in from the side. "Miss is indeed a member of our Zhou family; she is truly knowledgeable!" Uncle Song had been the steward of the Zhou family for most of his life and still referred to them as "our family" even after leaving; it was a habit he couldn't shake off despite others correcting him several times.
A-Zhi had no strong opinion on the name and asked his wife, "Yan Cailing, what do you think?"
Yan Cailing also thought it was a nice name—meaningful and easy to remember—and nodded in agreement. "Not bad; Qiu Yi has finally lived up to her role as godmother."
While everyone happily discussed names together, several attendants had already set up the items for the Zhua Zhou ceremony on the table. A-Zhi lifted the baby onto the low table, and everyone in the room gathered around to cheer her on in hopes that she would pick something auspicious. The baby looked around curiously before finally crawling toward something that caught her eye.
Everyone held their breath in anticipation as she crawled closer and closer until she reached Liu Shuhan and grabbed onto her skirt without letting go.
"Hey hey, hee hee." The baby grabbed the fabric in his hands and turned around to grin at his mother.
Everyone in the room focused their attention on Liu Shuhan. Liu Shuhan took a step back, wide-eyed and nervously asked, "What... what is going on here?"
Cheng Qiuyi was the first to react, pretending to swat the baby's hand and scolded, "You little rascal, at such a young age you already know to look for pretty sisters. What kind of godmother am I if I don't teach you a lesson!"
A-Zhi chimed in, "Miss Shu Han is beautiful; it's no wonder the baby likes her. Speaking of which, Miss Shu Han looks quite a bit like my wife did when she was younger!"
Yan Cailing immediately grabbed A-Zhi's ear and shouted, "Oh really? I just gave you a daughter and now you think I'm old?"
"No, no, dear, I was wrong!" A-Zhi pleaded in a comical manner. Everyone in the room laughed, easing the awkward atmosphere.
Guests were still waiting in the hall, so A-Zhi and Yan Cailing, as hosts, couldn't be away for too long. They went down to greet the guests while Cheng Qiuyi and Liu Shuhan followed them. The four elderly people preferred fewer people around and stayed in the lounge to look after the baby.
Liu Shuhan was still struggling to let go of her feelings after coming out for a while. She poked Cheng Qiuyi in the waist and asked, "Hey, what do you think that was all about?" With so many things around, this little one just had to grab her hem. Liu Shuhan worried that the Song family might feel uncomfortable.
Cheng Qiuyi didn't seem to mind much. "It means Yao Yao likes you; you should be happy." After thinking for a moment, Cheng Qiuyi smirked and said, "This little one has good taste; out of all the treasures in this room, he grabbed the most valuable one." He feared that in the future, this child would be someone who liked to attract girls indiscriminately.
"Hmph, how can I compare to the stunning Miss Yuan? Look, she's right there." Liu Shuhan pointedly gestured toward Yuan Ying with an exaggerated tone. "You should go find her instead of sticking with me."
Cheng Qiuyi stifled a laugh and leaned closer to Liu Shuhan. "So should I go then?"
Liu Shuhan turned her face away and ignored him.
"I'm really going?"
Cheng Qiuyi pretended to walk far away. Liu Shuhan panicked and called out, "Come back! Look at that lecherous expression on your face!"
Cheng Qiuyi leaned down and stole a kiss from the corner of Liu Shuhan's mouth. "The sun must be rising from the west; even you have learned to get jealous."
Liu Shuhan touched the corner of her mouth and pushed Cheng Qiuyi, "Are you trying to get us killed? Someone will see us later!"
Liu Shuhan's anger dissipated quickly. After some playful banter, she had completely forgotten her irritation towards Cheng Qiuyi. She pondered for a moment about the scene in the lounge and suddenly realized something was off. "You, Cheng Qiuyi, are Yao Yao's godmother. Why am I the pretty sister? That's quite a difference in status!"
Cheng Qiuyi slapped her on the back of the head. "Is your reflex arc long enough to jump rope with? It's taking you forever to catch on!"
Liu Shuhan wanted to retort, but two people approached from behind Cheng Qiuyi, so she fell silent and shot Cheng Qiuyi a glance.
The newcomers were Shen Wenqin and Cheng Boming.
Despite being in decline, the Cheng Family still held some influence in C City. Even though Cheng Tianhong had not appeared in public for a long time, it was unclear whether he was alive or dead. Shen Wenqin brought Cheng Boming over as representatives of the Cheng Family.
"Qiu Yi, your father has been wanting to see you for a long time but hasn't been able to reach you," Shen Wenqin said. She looked more haggard than last time; no amount of makeup could hide her wrinkles, and her hands were rough from hardship. It seemed that the Cheng Family was indeed going through tough times.
Cheng Boming had only heard about his sister Cheng Qiuyi from adults before. He was used to being spoiled and thought she would treat him like the elders at home did. However, after being put in his place during their first meeting, he finally understood and hid behind Shen Wenqin, not daring to make a sound.
Cheng Qiuyi sneered, "Didn't Cheng Tianhong say he wouldn't last much longer? Why is he still alive?"
No matter what, that man was still Cheng Qiuyi's father. Even Liu Shuhan felt that her words were too harsh and subtly nudged her to remind her to be more careful with her words.
Shen Wenqin bit her lip. "Qiu Yi, you've harbored resentment all these years, but I am the one at fault. It was I who seduced your father and used Boming as leverage to marry him. Now that the Cheng Family is in this state, please help him out; I'm begging you." It wasn't surprising that Cheng Tianhong would be attracted to Shen Wenqin; despite her aging appearance, there was still something pitiable about her furrowed brow. Any man might find it hard to resist.
Cheng Boming peeked out from behind his mother and quietly added, "Sister, Dad really misses you..." He was Cheng Tianhong's youngest child and had been spoiled by him since childhood. Now that his father was gravely ill and the family atmosphere was gloomy, he could sense something was wrong even without anyone saying it.
"Shen Wenqin, the current state of the Cheng Family is all due to your actions; you should give up on this hope." If Cheng Tianhong knew that those relatives he once trusted were now standing with Ye Jing, plotting how to divide the Cheng Family among themselves, who knows how furious he would be?
"Qiu Yi, your father raised you for over ten years; can you really be so heartless?"
Cheng Qiuyi felt as if she had just heard a great joke. "Shen Wenqin, go ask Cheng Tianhong if he ever cared about my studies or life when I was young! The reason I've grown up is thanks to my mother and my master's teachings; it has nothing to do with him!"
Many guests present at the Cheng Family event were aware of the unfolding drama. When Shen Wenqin approached Cheng Qiuyi, several onlookers began to take notice, and within ten minutes, a crowd had gathered in groups, eager to witness the Cheng Family's embarrassment.
In front of everyone, Shen Wenqin suddenly knelt down before Cheng Qiuyi. Not only did she kneel herself, but she also pulled the young Cheng Boming down with her.
"Qiu Yi, your father doesn't have much time left. Will you fulfill his last wish?" Shen Wenqin struggled to hold back her tears, while Cheng Boming began to cry softly, the mother and son embracing each other in a pitiful scene.
Liu Shuhan was taken aback by Shen Wenqin's display and looked helplessly at Cheng Qiuyi. No wonder Cheng Qiuyi had previously warned that Shen Wenqin was not to be trifled with. This act of kneeling not only embarrassed the entire Cheng Family but also put Cheng Qiuyi in a difficult position in front of everyone. Having her stepmother kneel before her would surely lead to all sorts of rumors about her tomorrow.
Liu Shuhan was filled with anger and heartache, but there was nothing she could do. At that moment, no matter what she said or did, everyone in the room would only see it as a joke.
The Cheng Family had truly brought this upon themselves.
"Shen Wenqin," Cheng Qiuyi glanced at the guests who had gathered around them, and surprisingly smiled. "Today, in front of all the elders present, I, Cheng Qiuyi, will make it clear: the Cheng Family is now just a piece of meat on the chopping block. If any uncles are interested in the Cheng Family, feel free to take a bite; we are no longer what we used to be and cannot resist."
She looked down disdainfully at Shen Wenqin. "What are you to threaten me?"
After speaking, Cheng Qiuyi apologized to Yan Cailing and prepared to leave with Liu Shuhan.
Shen Wenqin wiped her tears away and suddenly pulled out a glinting knife from her handbag, thrusting it toward Cheng Qiuyi.
"Qiu Yi!" Liu Shuhan exclaimed in shock. Without thinking further, she grabbed the blade that was aimed at her and pushed Shen Wenqin to the ground. The knife was sharp; at the moment it cut into her skin, she didn't even feel pain until blood dripped from the blade onto the floor. Only then did Liu Shuhan realize that she might have been injured again.
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