"It's the Lantern Festival today..."
Wan Yunting stood up, poured himself a glass of wine, and raised it to Ma Jianguo and Huang Xiue, Chang Wude and Mu Hongying, Fang Shoushan and Fang Guowen and Du Xiumei, Kang Hongwen and Zhou Caihong, and Ma Zhendong and his wife and Pang Yuan and his wife, as well as his second brother and his wife and his father-in-law, mother-in-law, and Wang Mengyao, Yan Zhihua and Han Shumei and her daughter who were present...
To his classmates Jin Xiuwen and Dai Qiuyue, Xue Jianchao, and a group of friends, he said with a smile, "I've invited everyone here today mainly to gather. After things are arranged here, I'll be going to the capital. I might not be able to return often, and won't be able to get together with you all anymore. So, I'll toast you three times today to thank you for your help since my release from prison..."
As soon as he finished speaking, Wan Yunting downed the wine without hesitation, then poured himself another... He drank three glasses in a row before putting down his wine cup...
"Alright, Xiao Wan, we know you wanted to invite everyone over."
Ma Jianguo patted Wan Yunting's arm and smiled, "This is a good thing. We also congratulate you on reuniting with your birth parents."
"Yes, congratulations, congratulations..."
Kang Hongwen and his wife, Fang Guowen, and others also raised their wine glasses. Everyone followed suit, raising their glasses to congratulate Wan Yunting. He also poured himself a drink, thanking them all...
"Don't worry, Old Wan. When we have time in the future, you don't have to come back to Huadu City. I'll come to the capital to visit you," Lin Yanan called from another table. Jin Xiuwen, Xue Jianchao, and the others also chimed in.
Wan Yunting sat down and smiled at them, "Okay, when I get to the capital, I'll show you guys a good time."
"It's a deal, haha..."
He Chengping and Huang Yuqing laughed. Fang Yanxi sat beside Jiang Peipei, responsible for taking care of their group of classmates. Wan Yunting, naturally, took care of the influential figures like Ma Jianguo, Chang Wude, Fang Shoushan, Fang Guowen, and Kang Hongwen. His sister-in-law and their children sat at another table. Each table chatted amongst themselves, laughing and talking harmoniously...
Originally, Wan Yunting had wanted to invite Gu Yuanbai and Jiang Yichun, but he remembered his situation with Gu Luotang. If he invited her grandfather, Fang Yanxi might feel uncomfortable seeing him.
Therefore, Wan Yunting planned to arrange matters for the Huadu City Traditional Chinese Medicine Association tomorrow, and then invite his colleagues from the TCM community for a gathering, which would also serve as a farewell.
"Alas, to be honest, I'm quite reluctant to see you go."
Ma Jianguo patted Wan Yunting's arm. Thinking that he was going to develop in the capital, they would meet less often.
"Indeed, Old Ma, no one will be able to beat you at chess anymore," Pang Yuan joked with a smile.
Wan Yunting raised his wine glass and smiled at Ma Jianguo, "Uncle Ma, when I'm settled in the capital, I'll invite you and Aunt Huang to visit."
"That would be great."
Ma Jianguo was delighted and immediately recalled, "Speaking of which, I haven't been to the capital since I retired. I wonder if my old friends are still there."
Ma Zhendong said while eating, "Then let Xiao Wan take you to see them and visit your old revolutionary friends."
Lin Yanan, sitting at another table, turned to look at Fang Yanxi beside her and asked, "Yanxi, are you going to the capital too?"
"Of course, I have to,"
Jin Xiuwen took a sip of wine and put down his glass, "Old Wan is moving the headquarters of Chaoting Group to the capital. Isn't that because he wants Yanxi to go with him?"
"How enviable."
Lin Yanan smiled, "Yanxi, you'll be an Ou Yang family daughter-in-law from now on."
"Don't tease me." Fang Yanxi rolled her eyes, teased by her.
Jiang Peipei, sitting to her left, was eating with her head down. Huang Yuqing, sitting next to her, knew what Jiang Peipei was feeling.
"Yanxi, when you go to the capital, don't forget about us sisters," Lin Yanan teased with a smile.
"Yes."
Huang Yuqing also echoed with a smile, "We don't have the opportunity to develop in the capital."
Fang Yanxi shook her head and smiled, "Whether it's the capital or Huadu City, it's all the same to me. Besides, returning to Huadu City is just a plane ticket away, only a few hours. It won't delay anything."
"That's true."
Xue Jianchao and the others nodded in agreement. However, despite what they said, this group of people still envied Wan Yunting. After all, his birth parents were from the Ou Yang family, one of the five major families in the capital. This wasn't an ordinary wealthy family, but a truly top-tier influential and wealthy family.
In the eyes of ordinary people like He Chengping, if Fang Yanxi truly became Wan Yunting's wife, she would be marrying into a truly top-tier wealthy family.
However, for Fang Yanxi, although the so-called influential and wealthy families of the capital were indeed high above, it wasn't enough to make her shamelessly try to climb them.
When she was with Wan Yunting, she didn't look at these things. Moreover, with Fang Yanxi's current abilities, even if her achievements in the future couldn't compare to those of the influential families' descendants, Fang Yanxi lived a more carefree and natural life.
The Fang family was, after all, a wealthy family in Huadu City. Fang Yanxi also knew that it wasn't easy to be the descendant of those influential families...
"Peipei, what have you been busy with lately?"
Fang Yanxi turned to look at the quiet Jiang Peipei and asked with concern.
"Not busy with anything."
Jiang Peipei looked up and turned to her, smiling, "Unlike you who work in companies, Yuqing jie and I just teach students and play basketball. Our days pass by one by one."
Fang Yanxi smiled gently, "That's good. Being a teacher is free and unfettered, without too much pressure or worries."
"Yanxi, you're wrong."
Huang Yuqing smiled, "Being a teacher also has its troubles. For example, if you encounter unruly students, they can infuriate you to death."
"Haha..."
Lin Yanan and the others laughed. Jin Xiuwen said, "Yuqing, those students only dare to provoke you, right? Try provoking Peipei. She can smash people to death with a basketball."
"Haha..."
Xue Jianchao and He Chengping burst into laughter. The laughter even made Wan Yunting at the next table turn his head to look. He knew they were teasing Jiang Peipei.
"Old Jin, are you asking for trouble? Believe it or not, I'll poke you to death with chopsticks right now." Jiang Peipei's eyes widened, and she pointed at him with her chopsticks, her voice full of anger.
"No, no, no, I was joking. I'll punish myself with a drink."
Jin Xiuwen quickly poured himself a drink. Lin Yanan gave him a look before turning back to Jiang Peipei and Huang Yuqing with a smile, "Peipei, Yuqing, haven't you met any suitable boyfriends at school?"
"Exactly."
He Chengping deliberately smiled, "You two are not young anymore. Look at Yanan and Yanxi, one is married, and the other is about to be. Among our classmates, only Peipei and Yuqing are still single."
Fang Yanxi also nodded in agreement and turned to Jiang Peipei and Huang Yuqing with a smile, "You two need to hurry up."
"Oh, I'm afraid you'll bring up this topic."
Jiang Peipei put down her chopsticks, pouted, and looked unhappy, saying, "My parents nag me at home, and now you're nagging me too. I can't even eat anymore."
"Sweat..."
These words made Jin Xiuwen and the others smile wryly.
Huang Yuqing also smiled helplessly, "Peipei and I also want to find someone, but we haven't met the right one. After all, we can't settle for just anyone for the sake of marriage, right?"
"That's true."
Fang Yanxi and Lin Yanan nodded in agreement. Then Jin Xiuwen said, "Yanxi, when you go to the capital, what about Chaoting Group? Who will take over as the CEO?"
Seeing him ask this, Lin Yanan teased, "Old Jin, why don't you do it?"
"Just saying."
Jin Xiuwen gave her a look and said, "If I had that ability, I would have made my own small company successful long ago. Why would I be working for Old Wan now?"
"Haha, you know yourself well," He Chengping and Xue Jianchao laughed.
Fang Yanxi smiled, "However, Old Jin, when we go to the capital, we'll hand over Yanting Beauty Co., Ltd. to you to manage. You'll be the chairman!"
"Whoa, Old Jin is standing tall now."
Xue Jianchao and the others stared wide-eyed. Jin Xiuwen stared blankly at Fang Yanxi, asking, "Is this Old Wan's idea?"
Fang Yanxi smiled and nodded, "Actually, when he thought of establishing this company, he thought of you. He meant for me to delegate authority to you to manage it. I was worried before that you might be stressed about not being able to manage the company well, but now it seems my worry was unnecessary. Old Jin, your ability is truly outstanding, and you can manage Yanting Beauty perfectly."
"Yes, Old Jin."
Wan Yunting came over with his wine glass, patted Jin Xiuwen on the shoulder from behind, and said with a smile, "In the future, if the company has no issues, don't look for us. If there are issues, don't look for us either. You handle it yourself."
This made Jin Xiuwen's heart pound. "Are you afraid I'll lose all the company's money?"
Wan Yunting chuckled, "If you really lose it all, it means you're capable."
"Get lost."
Jin Xiuwen gave him a look, drawing laughter from everyone...
This evening's banquet was naturally Wan Yunting's farewell to Huadu City. After all, he would be working in the capital from now on and might have few opportunities to return to Huadu City. Therefore, he invited everyone over to thank them for their care and help since his release from prison...
Wan Yunting stayed with everyone, drinking until past nine in the evening. Since Ma Jianguo and Fang Shoushan were older and couldn't stay up late with the younger generation, Ma Zhendong and Fang Guowen and his wife first took the elders home.
Kang Hongwen was reluctant to leave. He stayed and drank with Wan Yunting until past ten o'clock before returning. Chang Wude was also pulled back by Mu Hongying, who stopped him from drinking further.
Finally, Jin Xiuwen and Dai Qiuyue, He Chengping and Xue Jianchao, and their girlfriends remained.
Later, Lin Yanan's husband, Qin Yuan, also arrived. He was supposed to pick her up to go home but was pulled into drinking with everyone.
Huang Yuqing and Jiang Peipei were also present because they hadn't started the school semester yet and could stay up late with everyone.
Seeing her brother's classmates and friends, as well as his official girlfriend Fang Yanxi, Ouyang Fanmeng still felt a bit shy. She had been sitting with her second sister-in-law Wang Chulin and the others during dinner. Now that her second sister-in-law had gone upstairs to rest, Ouyang Fanmeng was left sitting alone. Wan Yunting naturally noticed his sister's discomfort and called her over to sit with them, introducing her to Jin Xiuwen and the others: "This is my sister, Ouyang Fanmeng."
"Hello, sister..."
Jin Xiuwen, Xue Jianchao, He Chengping, and the others greeted her with smiles. Ouyang Fanmeng also politely smiled and nodded. Wan Yunting pointed them out to her, "This is Old Jin, this is Old Xue..."
"They are all your brother's university classmates."
"Hello everyone..."
After the introduction, Ouyang Fanmeng politely nodded and greeted everyone. Lin Yanan stood up and took her hand, pulling her to sit beside Fang Yanxi, and said with a smile, "Sister, do you want to hear about your big brother's embarrassing stories from university?"
Upon hearing this topic, Ouyang Fanmeng's eyes lit up, and she became interested.
Fang Yanxi, sitting beside her, had also drunk a lot of wine. Her cheeks were flushed like peach blossoms, and her eyes looked tenderly at the man's younger sister, feeling an eager desire to get to know her.
So, Lin Yanan, Jin Xiuwen, and the others began telling Ouyang Fanmeng about the embarrassing things Wan Yunting had done in university, which drew bursts of laughter from everyone. Wan Yunting could only give a helpless wry smile, but listening to his old friends recount past events was also a kind of enjoyment...