At half-past five the next morning, Wan Yunting woke up on time and went to the rooftop to meditate and practice. However, Zhang Xian'er was even earlier, already meditating at a corner of the rooftop facing east at five o'clock. Naturally, Wan Yunting didn't disturb her and went to his usual spot to practice his internal energy.
At eight o'clock, the faint morning sun slowly rose, illuminating the faces of Wan Yunting, Zhang Xian'er, who were facing east, and Duan Yingying, who had joined them later. The three slowly opened their eyes, finished their respective exercises, and exhaled a breath of turbid air. Wan Yunting then stood up with a smile and chuckled, "Xian'er, aren't you returning to Longhu Mountain for the New Year?"
"No, I'm not."
Zhang Xian'er stood up, dusted the snow off her clothes, picked up her treasured sword made from a meteorite, unsheathed it, and prepared to practice a sword form before going downstairs for breakfast. She said, "Uncle Ouyang asked me to protect you, so how could I leave?"
Hearing this, Wan Yunting smiled and turned to ask Duan Yingying, "What about you? Are you really not going back to Wuliang Mountain to spend the New Year with your mother and the others?"
"I'm not going back either."
Duan Yingying also held her Tai Chi iron sword, which she used for practice, and pouted. "It's not fun in the mountains anyway, and those senior brothers and junior brothers don't like playing with me. It's boring."
Wan Yunting couldn't help but tease, "That's because your personality is bad, so no one wants to play with you."
"Hmph, as if your personality is good..."
Duan Yingying, angered, spat several times towards Wan Yunting's retreating back as he went downstairs. Then, she seemed to remember something and shouted, "Hey, are you free today?"
"No, I'm not. What's up?"
Wan Yunting was on his way downstairs for breakfast. He planned to go out with Gu Luotang and Qi Miaomiao to shop for New Year's goods near the capital, have lunch out, and then visit Elder Fan in the afternoon.
"Look at me..."
Duan Yingying puffed out her chest, gesturing to her outfit and pouting. "Aren't you going to take me out to buy some new clothes for the New Year?"
Wan Yunting's expression froze, and he gave her a speechless roll of his eyes. "Just say you need money. Stop making excuses."
"Hey, who's making excuses? Are you going to give it to me or not?"
"Yes, I'll transfer it to your WeChat later."
Wan Yunting replied as he went downstairs. Duan Yingying became happy and practiced her sword with more vigor. Zhang Xian'er, who was nearby, stopped and asked, "Yingying, what exactly is your relationship with him?"
Duan Yingying triumphantly turned her head, glancing at Zhang Xian'er with a proud expression. Unable to suppress her joy, she smiled and said, "I'm not telling you."
"Tsk, do you still want me to guide you in your martial arts?"
The two girls were playfully bickering on the rooftop. After all, Zhang Xian'er had spent most of her life in the mountains and had little contact with the outside world. She didn't understand romantic relationships between men and women and couldn't see that Duan Yingying actually liked Wan Yunting.
"Xiao Wan is coming down. Hurry and come eat breakfast!"
Ouyang Zhixin, seeing Wan Yunting come downstairs, cheerfully called him over to the dining room for breakfast. After all, his son had finally called him "Dad" last night.
"Mm, good morning, Dad. Where's Mom?"
Wan Yunting transferred money to Duan Yingying and put away his phone before entering the dining room. He didn't see his mother, Xia Xiangyun.
"She's with your sister. No need to wait for her, let's eat first," Ouyang Zhixin said with a smile as he ate, feeling exceptionally happy.
Wan Yunting nodded with a smile. While eating, he mentioned that he would be going out later to visit Elder Fan in the afternoon. Ouyang Zhixin nodded and said, "Tomorrow is the eve of the New Year, and we'll have New Year's Eve dinner at your grandfather's house. All members of the Ouyang family will be there. This year will be a grand reunion."
Wan Yunting nodded, but Ouyang Zhixin raised an eyebrow and asked, "Xiao Wan, how do you plan to deal with Li Qun's matter?"
Wan Yunting turned to look at him, smiled, and shook his head slightly. "If he weren't part of the Ouyang family, he would be dead by now!"
Ouyang Zhixin's expression stiffened, and he immediately understood his son's meaning.
Indeed, Ouyang Liqun had repeatedly sent people to try and kill him, and Wan Yunting wished he could kill him with his own hands.
However, since he was now a member of the Ouyang family, Wan Yunting had to be cautious and hadn't killed Ouyang Liqun directly. Therefore, he had been contemplating how to handle Ouyang Liqun's situation during this time!
After all, the police had no evidence whatsoever to directly prove that Ouyang Liqun was the mastermind behind the Dragon Gang's drug trafficking ring, and they couldn't do anything to him.
Furthermore, this matter could not be publicized, nor could Old Master Ouyang Shenhe be informed. Even if the entire Ouyang family knew, as long as Ouyang Liqun insisted he hadn't done anything, and Wan Yunting couldn't produce any evidence, making a fuss would cause the entire Ouyang family to suspect Wan Yunting's intentions!
After all, Grandpa Ouyang Shenhe would step down after this New Year, and the announcement of who would succeed him as the head of the Ouyang family was imminent, possibly at the New Year's Eve dinner tomorrow or after the New Year.
"Without evidence, Ouyang Liqun cannot be identified!"
Wan Yunting sighed inwardly and said, "Let's put this matter aside for now. I'm in the capital now, and Ouyang Liqun shouldn't be foolish enough to dare to do anything unfavorable to me here. So, let's get through the New Year first."
"Mm, in any case, you still need to be very careful," Ouyang Zhixin nodded, his only concern being his son's safety.
"Miss is out...!"
The excited voice of the nanny interrupted Ouyang Zhixin and Wan Yunting. They immediately turned to see their mother, Xia Xiangyun, personally leading their sister, Ouyang Fanmeng, who was wearing a long dress and a thick coat. Her delicate and pretty face was adorned with an excited and happy smile. Facing the nanny and the others, she appeared shy and timid, but her mother held her small hand, giving her encouraging looks.
"Fanmeng, you're out..."
Wan Yunting and Ouyang Zhixin saw her emerge from the entrance of their living quarters.
This was the first time in several years that Ouyang Fanmeng had come to the main villa's dining room for breakfast. She happily called out, "Dad, Brother..."
"Come, sit here..."
Wan Yunting, with a gentle smile, went up to hold her arm and seated her in a chair. He chuckled, "You smell so good, what perfume are you wearing?"
Ouyang Fanmeng still had a faint fishy odor on her, but she had used a strong perfume, which completely masked the slight fishy smell. Unless one was very close, at a normal distance, her foul odor was undetectable.
"It's a violet perfume that Mom bought for me."
Hearing her brother mention the fragrance on her, Ouyang Fanmeng was very happy and excited.
"It smells lovely, come and eat."
Wan Yunting sat back in his chair and got his sister some soy milk and breakfast soup dumplings.
Ouyang Zhixin and Xia Xiangyun were overjoyed to see their son and daughter finally seated together. Wan Yunting also handed his mother a soup dumpling: "Mom, here you go."
"Good, good..."
Xia Xiangyun reached out and took it. She hadn't stopped smiling since last night. Ouyang Fanmeng, sitting next to Wan Yunting, looked surprised and said, "Brother, you called Mom?"
Wan Yunting turned to look at her, smiled, and continued eating.
"Great, our family is finally all together for a meal."
Ouyang Zhixin exclaimed with a smile, marking this as the happiest morning for him in over twenty years.
"Xiao Wan, after breakfast, let's take Fanmeng out to go shopping and buy some new clothes and New Year's goods," Xia Xiangyun said, looking at her daughter with a smile. "Mainly, we're taking Fanmeng out. She hasn't left the courtyard for over ten years."
"Alright."
Wan Yunting happily agreed but added, "However, I have to take Luotang and the others to visit Elder Fan this afternoon. Let's go out shopping together in the morning and at noon."
"Luotang, is she the granddaughter you mentioned of Old Gu?" Ouyang Zhixin asked.
Xia Xiangyun looked directly at Wan Yunting and smiled, "Xiao Wan, are you and Luotang together?"
Wan Yunting smiled, didn't conceal it, and nodded affirmatively. Ouyang Fanmeng, however, looked surprised and said, "Brother, but I heard your girlfriend's name is Fang Yanxi?"
"Tsk, little girl, don't concern yourself with your brother's personal relationships."
Ouyang Zhixin glared at his daughter. Ouyang Fanmeng stuck out her tongue and could only focus on her breakfast.
"How about this, Xiao Wan, why don't you bring her home for us to see?"
Xia Xiangyun didn't care how many girlfriends her son had; she wanted to meet the first one.
Wan Yunting was stunned. He looked up at his mother and father and said awkwardly, "Isn't this inappropriate? After all, we..."
"Oh, there's nothing inappropriate about it. How about this," Ouyang Zhixin said, "you're visiting Elder Fan this afternoon. Bring her home tonight for your mother and me to see. Just treat it as a friend coming over for a visit."
"Exactly."
Xia Xiangyun also smiled, "We'll go shopping after breakfast. You bring her over, and we'll go shopping together, which will be more lively."
"Yeah, Brother, please bring her!" Ouyang Fanmeng chimed in from the side. Wan Yunting was left with no choice. He nodded with a smile and said, "Okay, then Mom and you go out first. I'll pick them up and then meet up with you."
"Good, it's decided. Eat breakfast quickly, and then let's go out..."
Xia Xiangyun and Ouyang Fanmeng were happy. Ouyang Zhixin was also smiling, but he still had to go to the company to handle some matters to have a good New Year tomorrow.
At ten o'clock in the morning, Xia Xiangyun, wearing a red coat, held Ouyang Fanmeng, who was dressed in a pink long dress and a thick coat. Under the watchful eyes of her family, Ouyang Fanmeng, filled with emotion, stepped out of the courtyard gate.
For over ten years, except for when Ouyang Zhixin and Xia Xiangyun took her out to seek medical treatment, Ouyang Fanmeng had never walked out of the courtyard gate on her own. Now that her fishy odor was gradually improving, she finally had the courage to step out, unable to control her emotions and bursting into tears.
"Don't cry, don't cry..."
Wan Yunting hugged the tearful girl and gently comforted her with a smile. "In two more days, your fishy odor will be completely eradicated."
"Mm, mm, thank you, Brother..."
Ouyang Fanmeng sobbed in his arms, filled with gratitude. Her parents, standing nearby, also teared up. This scene was incredibly moving. One could imagine how excited and happy Ouyang Fanmeng felt at that moment.