Wan Yunting drove his family's luxury car to the entrance of the Gu residence. Gu Luotang and Qi Miaomiao, who had already received his call, were wearing elegant and dignified traditional Hanfu long dresses, with white capes embroidered with exquisite animal and plant patterns, adding a touch of liveliness.
"Brother Yunting, you're here..."
Seeing Wan Yunting get out of the car, Qi Miaomiao pulled Gu Luotang and walked forward. Looking at the two sisters, Wan Yunting's gaze paused on Gu Luotang, and he smiled teasingly, "Dressed so beautifully, are you planning to meet my parents with me?"
Gu Luotang, with her increasingly charming eyes, rolled them at him. Her soft, pleasant voice pouted, "Who wants to meet your parents..."
Although she said that, her heart was not thinking the same. After all, Gu Luotang knew that Wan Yunting had reunited with his biological parents and had come to the capital. She also wished that he would take her to meet his biological parents first!
"Hey, you'll be meeting my mom today."
Wan Yunting opened the passenger door for her to get in, but Gu Luotang turned around and looked at him in surprise, "You're really taking us to your house?"
"Let's go, Senior Sister, what are you afraid of?"
Qi Miaomiao had to open the rear door herself and teased, laughing, "We're all going to meet the in-laws sooner or later anyway, giggles..."
"You little brat, you're making fun of me now." Gu Luotang playfully hit Qi Miaomiao, but anxiously turned to Wan Yunting and said, "Didn't you say we were going shopping for New Year goods today and visiting Elder Fan in the afternoon?"
"Let's get in the car first..."
Wan Yunting smiled and motioned for Gu Luotang to get into the car. He closed the door, walked around the front of the car, and got in as well. As he started the engine, he chuckled, "It's like this, my mom and my sister are also going out shopping today, so I thought since we're going shopping anyway, why not go together to make it more lively? My sister just recovered from her illness, and today is the first time she's stepped out of the house. As an older brother, I should accompany her."
"So that's how it is..."
Gu Luotang nodded. Wan Yunting had also told her about his sister Ouyang Fanmeng's 'stinky fish disease' on the phone and video calls. After all, it was because of this patient that his grandfather, Gu Yuanbai, had asked Wan Yunting to come to the capital early.
"Hehe, Senior Sister, are you nervous?"
Qi Miaomiao, sitting in the back, leaned forward from the middle of the car and teased Gu Luotang in the passenger seat. Gu Luotang playfully raised her hand as if to hit Qi Miaomiao's head, but Qi Miaomiao quickly retracted it and dodged. Qi Miaomiao laughed, "What's there to be nervous about? We have to meet sooner or later, so let's meet now."
"Miaomiao is right."
Wan Yunting drove towards the New Century Mall, as he had arranged to meet his mother and sister there for shopping...
Wan Yunting glanced at the nervous Gu Luotang and smiled, "Don't be nervous. Just treat it as a casual outing. It's not like I'm formally taking you to meet my parents."
"Okay."
Gu Luotang nodded, but she was already starting to feel nervous. After all, it was meeting parents, and Gu Luotang, who had never had such an experience, couldn't help but be nervous.
Wan Yunting smiled. He hadn't yet told her that after visiting Elder Fan in the afternoon, he would take them directly back to his house. Since Gu Luotang was already quite nervous, he didn't want to put too much pressure on her now.
The New Century Mall was the most bustling and prosperous mall in the capital. It was so vast that you could spend a whole day there and not see everything. It housed all sorts of fashion brands, jewelry, and almost all the world-renowned luxury brands could be found within this mall.
At this moment, the mall was crowded and lively.
Tomorrow was New Year's Eve, so countless people were out shopping today. Thus, Xia Xiangyun brought her daughter Ouyang Fanmeng, and Zhang Xian'er and Duan Yingying also came, along with two young female maids and over a dozen professional bodyguards to ensure everyone's safety and to help carry shopping bags.
Seeing that Xia Xiangyun and Ouyang Fanmeng's attire was not that of ordinary people, they attracted the attention of the passersby. The twelve bodyguards vigilantly watched everyone who passed by their ladies, fearing that a bandit might suddenly appear.
"Why hasn't Brother arrived yet?"
Ouyang Fanmeng looked at the crowded and bustling mall. It was arguably the first time she had encountered so many people, which made her already excited heart feel a lot of nervousness and discomfort.
"Your brother is coming up from the underground parking lot."
Xia Xiangyun held her daughter's hand, smiling gently to soothe her nervousness, "You'll get used to it if Mom takes you out more often in the future."
"Mm-hmm."
Ouyang Fanmeng smiled and nodded, quietly watching the flow of people around them. Zhang Xian'er was eating a candied haw, while Duan Yingying sat on a chair, bored, looking at her phone. It wasn't until Wan Yunting arrived with Gu Luotang and Qi Miaomiao that they spotted his mother's group...
After all, having twelve bodyguards accompanying them made them too conspicuous. Wan Yunting walked over with the visibly nervous Gu Luotang, while Qi Miaomiao looked relaxed and as if she were watching a show.
"Big Brother, Big Brother is coming..."
Ouyang Fanmeng saw Wan Yunting, who was holding Gu Luotang's hand, and happily waved at him. Xia Xiangyun smiled warmly and her gaze immediately locked onto Gu Luotang, who was being held by Wan Yunting. She couldn't help but praise the girl's good temperament and appearance...
Gu Luotang's pretty face flushed slightly, and her expression was nervous. She could tell at a glance that Xia Xiangyun was likely his mother, which made her afraid to meet Xia Xiangyun's scrutinizing gaze. Wan Yunting smiled at his sister, "Have you been waiting long?"
"I've been waiting for over ten minutes."
Ouyang Fanmeng released her mother's arm and went to link arms with Wan Yunting. Then, looking at Gu Luotang, who was lowering her head nervously and shyly beside her brother, the girl teased, "Hello, sister-in-law."
The address "sister-in-law" stunned Gu Luotang. She stiffly raised her head to look at the delicate and beautiful Ouyang Fanmeng, her speech becoming incoherent, "You... hello..."
Wan Yunting patted Gu Luotang's back with his right hand from behind, signaling her not to be too nervous. Then he smiled and introduced them, "This is my mom, and this is my sister Ouyang Fanmeng. Mom, this is Gu Luotang, and this is her junior sister Qi Miaomiao."
"Hello, Auntie..."
Qi Miaomiao immediately called out happily to Xia Xiangyun. Gu Luotang then reacted and nervously nodded, saying, "Hello, Auntie..."
"Good, good, good..."
Immediately, Xia Xiangyun stepped forward and took Gu Luotang's small hand, her warmth making Gu Luotang even more nervous.
"You're so beautiful, and you dress so well. Is that Hanfu?" Xia Xiangyun's eyes were filled with affection as she looked at Gu Luotang and smiled.
"Yes, Auntie, it's Hanfu..."
The nervous Gu Luotang's pretty face turned red, and her words even became stammered.
Xia Xiangyun held her small hand, patted her hand, and said gently, "I've heard Little Wan talk about you a lot. Are you staying in the capital for the New Year this time?"
"Yes." Gu Luotang felt excited. She hadn't expected the man's mother to be so enthusiastic towards her.
Earlier, in the car, she had imagined all sorts of scenarios for meeting parents, fearing that his mother might dislike her or ignore her.
As a result, Xia Xiangyun's warmth now made Gu Luotang so nervous that she didn't know what to do.
"Mom, let's go shopping for things first." Seeing how nervous Gu Luotang was, Wan Yunting had to change the topic.
"Yes, there are so many people today, we need to hurry and buy things. Let's go, Luotang..."
Xia Xiangyun personally held Gu Luotang's small hand, while Ouyang Fanmeng linked arms with Wan Yunting, and Qi Miaomiao walked beside him. Only Zhang Xian'er followed behind everyone else with a relaxed and leisurely air, licking a candied haw. However, Duan Yingying beside her was expressionless, her almond eyes gazing faintly at Gu Luotang, who was being led by Xia Xiangyun, filled with hostility.
"Yingying, do you have a grudge against her?"
Zhang Xian'er could tell that Duan Yingying was full of hostility towards Gu Luotang but didn't know why.
"No grudge." Duan Yingying snorted coldly, making Zhang Xian'er even more confused. "If you have no grudge, why are you so hostile towards her?"
Duan Yingying scoffed disdainfully, "I find her pretentious, so I'm not fond of her."
"Really?"
Zhang Xian'er looked at Gu Luotang walking in front, her innocent and pure peach blossom eyes completely uncomprehending. "I think she's quite nice. I wonder where she bought her clothes, they look really good."
"Hmph, it's just Hanfu. I'll get you a set later."
Duan Yingying had been spending time with Zhang Xian'er at home these past two days, so they were quite familiar with each other.
"Okay, let him pay for it." Zhang Xian'er pointed at Wan Yunting, who was walking in front with Ouyang Fanmeng linking his arm, and said with a smile.
"Hey, what are you two whispering behind our backs, saying bad things?" Wan Yunting glanced back at them and said.
"It's none of your business, we're saying bad things about you." Duan Yingying spoke to him impolitely and snorted provocatively.
Wan Yunting rolled his eyes at her disdainfully and couldn't be bothered to deal with them anymore. However, Qi Miaomiao, who was following, glanced at Zhang Xian'er curiously and asked, "Brother Yunting, who is she?"
Wan Yunting knew she was referring to Zhang Xian'er and said with a smile, "She's my female bodyguard."
Qi Miaomiao's expression was stunned. Gu Luotang, who was being held by Xia Xiangyun, also couldn't help but look back at Zhang Xian'er following behind them, only to be pulled into a jewelry store by Xia Xiangyun...
Accompanying women shopping is the most tiring thing, and accompanying a group of women shopping is even more tiring. Fortunately, they had twelve bodyguards to carry the goods, but Wan Yunting's hands were also carrying some valuable items. He accompanied his mother and sister, and Gu Luotang and the others for over two hours. They seemed to have been injected with chicken blood, showing no signs of fatigue and continuing to shop without stopping.
If Wan Yunting hadn't reminded them about visiting Elder Fan at three o'clock in the afternoon, they would have continued shopping until evening...
Wan Yunting loaded some gifts into the car he was driving. He parted ways with his mother and sister in the underground parking lot and took Gu Luotang and Qi Miaomiao to visit Elder Fan. Seeing Gu Luotang smiling, Wan Yunting teased, "How was it? Is my mom easy to get along with?"
"Mm-hmm, Auntie is really warm and hospitable." Gu Luotang nodded and smiled. She was no longer nervous now.
"That's good." Wan Yunting nodded and said with a smile, "Then after visiting Elder Fan, I'll take you home."
"Ah, home?"
Gu Luotang was instantly surprised by his words.
Qi Miaomiao, sitting in the back, burst into laughter and said, "Brother Yunting, you're really wicked. So you planned to take Senior Sister home to meet your parents today all along. Your schemes are deep."
This time, Gu Luotang understood. Wan Yunting grinned wickedly as he drove, and Gu Luotang laughed in annoyance, reaching out to hit his arm a few times. However, even if she was going to his house to meet his parents, she wasn't as nervous anymore...