"Everyone has things they're not good at," Ye Zhi said with a smile.
"I couldn't agree more," Qi Xuan chuckled.
Suddenly, Ye Zhi seemed to recall something, and she asked with a half-smile, "Then when I cooked for you myself back then, you must have had high hopes?"
Qi Xuan's eyelids twitched slightly. Was Ye Zhi bringing up old grievances? He answered truthfully, "Indeed."
"But I made so much, and you only took one bite. Did you think it was hard to eat? It seems my cooking skills must have greatly disappointed you?" Ye Zhi continued to ask.
Qi Xuan immediately felt an unprecedented sense of crisis. His mind raced. Seeing Ye Zhi's smile grow increasingly peculiar, he said gently, "It wasn't that I was disappointed, but rather sad." xxsYiEr
"Ah?" Ye Zhi asked in confusion, "What are you sad about?"
"I'm sad that there's no one perfect in this world, not even you, who are close to perfection," Qi Xuan said with a faint smile, putting his arm around her waist.
"Smooth talker." Ye Zhi smiled and playfully punched Qi Xuan's chest with her fist.
"Sis, brother-in-law..." Ye Yuzhe excitedly came into the living room. Upon seeing the way they were, he immediately covered his eyes and said with disdain, "Ew~~ There are so many people here, what are you doing?"
"We're not doing anything, it's you who's doing something, saying things that are easily misunderstood!" Ye Zhi laughed and picked up a cushion from the sofa, throwing it at him.
Ye Yuzhe caught the cushion and casually placed it aside. "Sis, come on, let's set off fireworks!"
Ye Zhi and Qi Xuan followed him to the garden, and the three of them set off fireworks together. The fireworks soared like shooting stars, blooming brilliantly in the sky.
Soon after, fireworks from nearby neighbors also lit up the sky.
Before long, Ye Yongxian called them for dinner, and they returned to the living room, gathering around the dining table. The Spring Festival Gala had also begun. They ate, watched the gala, and chatted, making for a lively atmosphere.
Cheng Yi hadn't watched the Spring Festival Gala much before. Liu Lingyu, like a seasoned veteran, began to introduce who was who, what programs they performed last year and the year before, whether they were popular, and if their acts were good.
When Cheng Yi heard that the sponsor for the red envelope giveaway during the Spring Festival Gala was Zhiwei, she graciously took out her phone and participated in the red envelope activity.
Of course, this wasn't about the money; she simply wanted to show support for Ye Zhi's friend.
Ye Yongxian toasted Qi Heng again, chatting about everything under the sun. For the most part, Ye Yongxian was the one talking, but Qi Heng always chimed in with fitting remarks at the most opportune moments, making Ye Yongxian feel as if he had found a kindred spirit.
As the meal neared its end, Ye Yongxian's face was flushed from drinking. His conversation with Qi Heng had also drifted further afield.
"I heard that Cen Xiucheng had a car accident. Both cars went off the cross-river bridge, and they still haven't found him..." Ye Yongxian said with a sigh.
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire dining table fell silent for a second.
"That Cen Xiucheng, isn't he the biological brother of your former adopted daughter?" Qi Heng interjected. "The Cen family seems to be quite active lately..."
"It's that Cen family from Country K, the one with the ducal title," Cheng Yi said calmly. "I've had dealings with them before. That Duke and Cen Xiucheng are quite capable. Ni Na is rather ordinary, but she has a talent for design, and her husband is willing to promote her, which has given her some fame.
The luxury goods circle is essentially a pre-arranged game for people within specific circles, emphasizing how extraordinary their own products are, that royalty and nobles use them, and that they are symbols of identity and status. I suspect Ni Na was over-hyped and lost sight of her own abilities.
However, she's just a bit muddled, not a truly malicious person."
"Regardless, her son experiencing such a thing must be an unbearable blow to her!" Liu Lingyu said with some pity.
"Yes, her personality has always been gentle, and I wonder if she might do something rash," Cheng Yi also showed concern.
"She has already gone to N City to look for Cen Xiucheng," Ye Zhi said calmly.
Everyone was a bit surprised. Liu Lingyu felt even more sympathetic, "If the outcome is the worst possible, won't she have to send her son away before she herself passes? That's truly too cruel for a mother..."
"But it's been three days now, and they still haven't found him. It's likely he's met with misfortune," Ye Yuzhe frowned.
"That's not necessarily true," Qi Xuan said lightly. "Sometimes, no news is good news."
"Yes, as long as he hasn't been found, there's still hope," Qi Heng added.
"Actually, that child Cen Xiucheng is quite good. Although he's a bit muddled like his mother, he's still quite clear about favors and grudges," Ye Yongxian mused.
Liu Lingyu sighed softly, "Yes, that child is also very good to his family. He's so young and has a bright future. It would be truly a shame if something happened to him. I hope he's alright this time..."
"Mom, I actually don't think he has a short-lived fate. He should be fine," Ye Zhi comforted her.
Liu Lingyu blinked in surprise, "Since when did you learn physiognomy?"
"I study it occasionally when I have free time, as a pastime," Ye Zhi said casually.
Cheng Yi, however, looked at the calm Ye Zhi and Qi Xuan, and it seemed she understood something.
"Alright, alright, the Cen family's affairs are ultimately none of our business," Ye Yongxian waved his hand. "Let's not talk about this topic anymore. I hope Cen Xiucheng is blessed with good fortune this time!"
Everyone nodded, and the atmosphere at the table became lively again.
After the New Year's Eve dinner, Ye Zhi and Qi Xuan set off fireworks for another half of the night. However, with their parents present, they didn't dare to be too extravagant. Once the neighbors stopped, they also ceased setting off fireworks.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Taoxun Film's New Year comedy finally premiered.
Having tasted success with their previous film, both Ye Zhi and Su Ming became bolder this time.
For this New Year comedy, they increased their investment, and with the promotional expenses, the total cost was around one hundred million.
With Taoxun's brand name and the fact that it was a family-friendly comedy, the movie's pre-sales had already exceeded one hundred million. Therefore, after the movie began, Taoxun Film's staff released a celebratory poster for the film's box office success.
However, this official Weibo post, besides garnering many congratulations, also attracted some questions.
"Didn't they say Taoxun has good benefits and doesn't overwork? Aren't they working overtime on New Year's to release a poster? It seems Taoxun's benefits aren't as good as rumored! @Taoxun Film, it must have been really tough working during the New Year!"