The next morning, news spread across the capital's media that Wan Yunting had resigned as Chairman of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association, with Gu Yuanbai taking over. This immediately caused a stir...
Meanwhile, Wan Yunting was at home. The deaths of Lu Xiaodie and Zheng Rong had taken a heavy toll on him, and filled with guilt, he had been very dejected. Fang Yanxi saw this and knew that any words of comfort were useless; he had to pick himself up.
As a result, often in the dead of night, Fang Yanxi would see Wan Yunting get up alone, sit in a chair in the small garden behind the house, smoking and lost in thought. This made her feel helpless.
At the same time, Ouyang Zhixin, Xia Xiangyun, and his sister Ouyang Fanmeng all tried to comfort him. But although Wan Yunting verbally acknowledged their concern, he couldn't shake off his despondency, appearing very decadent and depressed at times.
Thus, Fang Yanxi took the initiative to contact Su Ke'er, asking her to come and comfort Wan Yunting, to see if she could help him feel any better.
Today, Wan Yunting was once again sitting in the back garden of the courtyard, smoking a cigarette and staring blankly at a flower on the ground...
Suddenly, a pair of delicate hands covered Wan Yunting's eyes from behind, and a pleasant laugh reached his ears: "Guess who I am?"
Wan Yunting's expression froze, and he said, "Fanmeng?"
The person covering his eyes was unhappy, pouting and huffing, "Wrong, guess again."
A smile played on Wan Yunting's lips as he said, "Ke'er."
"Hehe."
Ke'er, taking her hands away, leaned her small head against Wan Yunting's shoulder. She kissed his cheek with her moist red lips and said playfully, "Even though I was wrong the first time, I'll still reward you with a kiss."
Wan Yunting turned his head, looking at her sideways, forcing a smile. "Didn't you just kiss me?"
Su Ke'er was dressed in a vibrant floral sundress, her hair tied up in a ponytail with bangs framing her face. Her round, tender pink cheeks made one want to pinch them. Her large, sparkling eyes, a prominent nose, and moist cherry-red lips were alluring, making one feel an urge to bite.
The girl wasn't very tall. Her youthful sundress, with its fitted design, perfectly showcased her slightly plump figure, evoking a desire to embrace her.
"But I want you to kiss me."
Su Ke'er pouted, turned around, and sat down in Wan Yunting's lap. Seeing the cigarette in his hand, she directly snatched it away and stomped it out on the ground. "Brother Yunting, didn't I tell you to smoke less? It stinks so much."
Wan Yunting, sitting on a stone in the small garden, had no choice but to embrace Su Ke'er's voluptuous waist. The little girl, seeing the forced smile on his face, rolled her eyes and complained, "You're smiling like you're about to cry. Don't you like seeing me?"
"How could that be..."
As Wan Yunting spoke, he adjusted his mindset and then asked, "Why did you come?"
"She asked me to come."
Su Ke'er wrapped her arms around Wan Yunting's neck, fidgeting restlessly in his embrace. Wan Yunting looked stunned and said, "Yanxi?"
"That's right."
Su Ke'er glanced at him with her large eyes, pouting adorably. "She asked me to come and comfort you."
Wan Yunting felt awkward and chuckled. He never would have imagined that Fang Yanxi would actively ask Su Ke'er to come and comfort him.
"Brother Yunting, don't be unhappy."
Su Ke'er cupped Wan Yunting's face with her hands, her large eyes fixed on his, and said earnestly, "You still have us."
Faced with Su Ke'er's comfort, Wan Yunting felt a little better. He smiled and nodded, saying, "I'm fine, you don't need to comfort me."
Su Ke'er gave him a speechless eye-roll, then slid out of his embrace and pulled Wan Yunting up with her. "Since you're fine, then you should accompany me out to have some fun..."
"Where are we going?"
"Anywhere is fine, as long as it makes you happy..."
Although Wan Yunting felt a bit reluctant, he couldn't refuse Ke'er's kindness. He accompanied her around the city, visiting tourist attractions. They played all day and returned in the evening, only for Wan Yunting to go back to the garden in the small courtyard and sit there, smoking and lost in thought.
"Sigh, it seems it didn't work!"
Su Ke'er, Fang Yanxi, and his sister Ouyang Fanmeng stood in the distance, watching the man sitting alone on the stone, smoking and staring into space. They didn't know how to comfort him anymore.
Fang Yanxi's delicate eyebrows furrowed. Without a word, she walked towards Wan Yunting and couldn't help but say, "What exactly do you want?"
Wan Yunting, who had been lost in thought, finally snapped back to attention upon hearing her voice. He turned to look at Fang Yanxi's stern and gloomy face, knowing she was angry because of his decadence and despondency.
Wan Yunting smiled and said, "I'm fine, you really don't need to worry..."
"You're still not okay?"
Fang Yanxi's face was stern. She couldn't help but scold him, "Look at the decadent look on your face, just sitting here smoking every day. Do you think this is doing them justice?"
Her scolding made Wan Yunting lower his head. But Fang Yanxi continued her stern rebuke, "Although I don't know them well, I believe they wouldn't want to see you looking so dejected and dispirited every day. If it were me, I would pull myself together and find a way to avenge them!"
Her words were like a lamp lit within Wan Yunting's heart. The dejected and dispirited expression on his face slowly receded. He looked up at Fang Yanxi and said, "Yanxi, give me a little more time to think."
Seeing him like this, Fang Yanxi felt the most heartache. But she simply couldn't bear to see him looking so lost and decadent. She sighed and said, "Next week, come back to Huadu City with me."
Wan Yunting's expression froze. "Why are we going back to Huadu City?"
Fang Yanxi glared at him. "Old He is getting married. Don't you want to go back and attend?"
Wan Yunting's expression was stunned, and he immediately showed shame. He said awkwardly, "Then I must go back and attend..."
Fang Yanxi sighed with helplessness, her tone softening slightly. "Yunting, no matter what happens now or in the future, you are never alone, understand?"
Wan Yunting looked at Fang Yanxi, pulled her to sit beside him, and said with a gentle smile, "Don't worry, Yanxi, I'm not that fragile. It's just that I can't figure out what I should do in the future right now. I'll be fine once I sort things out."
"Are you sure it's not because of them?"
Fang Yanxi turned her head and glanced at him. Wan Yunting shook his head, guilt flashing in his eyes, and he gave a bitter smile. "Sister Lu and Senior Sister Zheng died because of me, so I can't forgive myself..."
"I understand..."
Fang Yanxi leaned her head on his shoulder, her delicate hand holding his. Wan Yunting also held her hand, their fingers intertwined. He said gently, "Don't worry, I won't remain decadent because of this. What you said just now was right, I need to pull myself together and avenge them!"
"Mmm..."
Fang Yanxi nodded, leaning on his shoulder. As long as the man understood, that was enough...
The next Tuesday arrived. Because He Chengping and his girlfriend Sun Miaomiao were getting married, Wan Yunting and Fang Yanxi returned to Huadu City. As good friends, Wan Yunting, Jin Xiuwen, and Xue Jianchao naturally served as groomsmen for He Chengping. Fang Yanxi, Dai Qiuyue, Zheng Lanmeng, and the others were bridesmaids.
Upon landing, Wan Yunting first took Fang Yanxi home to visit his second brother, his sister-in-law, and his niece Wan'er. Mainly, Wan Yunting wanted to stay in Huadu City for a while.
"Third Uncle, Third Auntie..."
As soon as Wan Yunting and Fang Yanxi entered the house, Wan'er, dressed in a princess dress, ran towards them.
"Wan'er..."
Wan Yunting bent down and scooped up the running Wan'er into his arms, a gentle smile on his face. He looked at his sister-in-law's bulging belly, supported by the nanny Huang Guilan as she descended the steps. He smiled and said, "Third Brother, Yanxi, you're back."
"Second Sister-in-law..."
Wan Yunting, holding Wan'er, was met by Wang Chulin. Fang Yanxi looked at her pregnant belly and smiled, "Are you due soon?"
"Yes, I'll be giving birth next month," Wang Chulin replied with a smile.
"That's soon."
Wan Yunting smiled. Seeing that his second brother, Wan Dongming, was not home, he asked, "Second Brother isn't off work yet?"
"No, but I called him. He'll be back soon..."
As Wang Chulin spoke, she first asked Huang Guilan and the others to prepare dinner. Meanwhile, she, Wan Yunting, and Fang Yanxi sat on the patio chairs, chatting idly. Soon after, his second brother Wan Dongming also returned. Knowing that Wan Yunting and Fang Yanxi were back in Huadu City to attend their classmate He Chengping's wedding...
His second brother and sister-in-law naturally asked about the recent troubles Wan Yunting had faced. However, he didn't say too much, primarily not wanting his second brother and sister-in-law to worry...
The family enjoyed a warm dinner together. At nine o'clock in the evening, as He Chengping and Sun Miaomiao's wedding was the next day, a party was naturally held at a hotel that night. Wan Yunting and Fang Yanxi then drove to the Tianyu Grand Hotel.
"They're here, they're here..."
Jin Xiuwen and Dai Qiuyue, along with Xue Jianchao and Zheng Lanmeng, who were waiting at the entrance of the grand hotel, saw Wan Yunting and Fang Yanxi get out of the car. The group rushed forward and said, "Lao Wan, Yanxi, why are you only arriving now?"
Wan Yunting shot Jin Xiuwen a look and smiled, "We just got back, we had to have dinner with Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law."
"That's true. Let's go in together then."
Jin Xiuwen and Xue Jianchao nodded. Wan Yunting and Fang Yanxi nodded in agreement. The group headed up to the clubhouse on the second floor of the hotel. He Chengping and the others were currently having a lively time in the private room upstairs...
Upon seeing Wan Yunting and Fang Yanxi arrive with Jin Xiuwen and Dai Qiuyue, He Chengping happily greeted them and immediately chided, "Look at you lot, you're really not being considerate, arriving at this hour. You all have to penalize yourselves with three drinks."
"Alright, alright, it's your big wedding, Old He, we'll do as you say. Come on, Lao Wan, Lao Xue, let's toast him..."
Jin Xiuwen brought over three bottles of beer, one for Wan Yunting and Xue Jianchao respectively. The three of them downed a bottle each in front of everyone, drawing cheers from He Chengping's relatives and friends present...
Wan Yunting had also adjusted his mood. Facing his brother's wedding, he was naturally happy for him and began to drink heavily with He Chengping and Jin Xiuwen.
While the men gathered at one table, Fang Yanxi and the other women also gathered at another table, happily drinking and chatting. Everyone was in high spirits...
Jin Xiuwen and Xue Jianchao knew that Wan Yunting had been through a lot recently, but they didn't bring it up. The conversation revolved around the guest of honor, He Chengping, and discussions about the wedding tomorrow...