It seemed no one had ever told Xia Honglang about Xiang Xueyuan.
Aunt Liu didn't know how to bring it up.
She herself avoided that name like the plague, let alone mentioning it proactively.
The others found it difficult to speak about.
They weren't involved, and it wouldn't be right for them to say anything.
So, Xia Honglang remained unaware of what was about to unfold.
Just as everyone was silently praying for a smooth day, Xiang Xueyuan, accompanied by Tarik and Xifu, walked directly towards them.
"Nuoran, I'm so glad you could make it today," Xiang Xueyuan said with a gentle smile at Aunt Liu. "This dress suits you beautifully."
"Thank you for the dress," Aunt Liu felt her calves trembling, but she managed to keep a brave face. She shifted her gaze from Xiang Xueyuan to Tarik and said, "Happy birthday."
"Thank you," Tarik nodded with a faint smile. He had already received many blessings today. "Thank you for gracing us with your presence."
"Nuoran, won't you introduce him?" Xiang Xueyuan's gaze fell on Xia Honglang, his expression unchanging, still wearing a smile.
"This is my husband," Aunt Liu's eye twitched slightly as she leaned against Xia Honglang. After a pause, she added, "And this is..."
"Professor Xiang Xueyuan, isn't it?" Xia Honglang chuckled and extended his hand. "I just heard someone mention you. I've also read your works on new energy before, and I find them very insightful."
Seeing Xia Honglang's enthusiastic greeting, everyone's expressions became a little awkward.
Xiang Xueyuan's expression was also subtle. To maintain his composure, he extended his hand and shook Xia Honglang's. "Hello."
"These are my daughters. My eldest, Xia Qingtian, has also recently ventured into the new energy field, and I hope Professor Xiang can offer her guidance," Xia Honglang continued with a smile. "My younger daughter, Xia Qingyu, though young, excels in her studies and is here to participate in a world competition."
After all, they were all in the new energy circle. Xia Honglang hoped his daughters would receive guidance from true experts in the field, as it would greatly benefit them.
Xia Honglang glanced at Xiang Xueyuan's salt-and-pepper hair, then turned to Xia Qingyu and said, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and greet him, Grandpa Xiang."
"Xiang... Grandpa." Xia Qingyu felt as if she could dig out a magical castle with her toes.
Xiang Xueyuan's expression had begun to freeze when Xia Honglang told Xia Qingyu to call him Grandpa Xiang, and it turned completely dark after hearing her actually say it.
Meanwhile, Aunt Liu and Xia Qingtian were utterly stunned by Xia Honglang's sudden, naive, and audacious move.
Xiang Xueyuan gave Xia Honglang a deep look, then turned and walked away.
Tarik and Xifu also wore subtle expressions, and ultimately, they followed Xiang Xueyuan without a word.
"Huh? Did I say something wrong?" Xia Honglang was a bit bewildered by Xiang Xueyuan's sudden change in demeanor.
Perhaps Xiang Xueyuan disliked that way of greeting and thought he was trying to curry favor?
But it shouldn't have led to such a reaction...
Xia Honglang couldn't understand it at all. He turned to Xia Qingyu and asked, "Was your greeting not enthusiastic enough?"
"I..." Xia Qingyu felt she had no words to express her plight.
"I can't watch this anymore," Xia Qingtian said, covering her face with one hand and shaking her head. "Yaoyang, let's go see what drinks they have over there."
"Mhm." Gu Yaoyang's expression was also peculiar.
It seemed the saying "innocence is the natural nemesis of cunning" was more than just a saying.
"We'll go for a stroll too..." Bai Yuqi and the others also wisely dispersed.
"Qingyu, you go play too, but don't wander too far," Aunt Liu knew that simply avoiding things wouldn't work; she still had to clarify things herself.
"Mhm," Xia Qingyu nodded, cast a silent glance at Xia Honglang, and walked away.
Xia Honglang was left standing foolishly, looking at Aunt Liu in confusion. "What's wrong?"
"Honglang," Aunt Liu looked at Xia Honglang seriously and said, "That person just now was Xiang Xueyuan."
"I know," Xia Honglang nodded. Xiang Xueyuan was a top researcher in the new energy field, renowned globally. How could he not know?
Aunt Liu then took a deep breath and continued, "He is my ex-husband, and Qingyu's biological father."
"?!?" Xia Honglang was stunned.
Oh, this...
Xiang Xueyuan's face was ashen, his eyes filled with anger and a sinister gaze that could drown a person.
"Father, he might... not know about your relationship with Qingyu," Tarik said softly.
"I don't think so," Xifu didn't believe Xia Honglang was so genuinely oblivious as to cause such a blunder.
A stepfather daring to have his daughter call her own father "Grandpa"? The seniority was as jumbled as Greek mythology. Who was he trying to insinuate?
And he looked so innocently cheerful about it...
Thinking back to Xia Qingyu's disdainful look when she first met Tarik, and then looking at Xia Honglang, it was true that birds of a feather flock together.
"Father, I think..." Tarik, seeing Xifu relishing the spectacle, shot her a glare. As he was about to speak up for Xia Honglang again, Xiang Xueyuan interrupted him.
"Qingyu is over there by herself," Xiang Xueyuan quickly processed his anger, raised his hand to cut off Tarik's words, and said, "Go chat with her. You young people have more in common."
"Yes," Tarik's eyes lit up when he heard Xiang Xueyuan's request.
This was the most desired request he had ever heard from his father.
Watching the smile on Tarik's lips, Xifu clenched her fists by her side.
"Xifu," after Tarik left, Xiang Xueyuan said, "Young Master Lei San and Miss Lei should have arrived by now. Go entertain our distinguished guests for Tarik."
"Yes..." Xifu dared not object and could only respond reluctantly before heading in another direction.
After his adopted son and daughter had left, Xiang Xueyuan took a glass of iced wine from a passing waiter's tray and took a large gulp.
The stinging alcohol, amplified by the cold, made Xiang Xueyuan feel a bit more comfortable with his inner turmoil.
He turned his head, looking at Aunt Liu, who was affectionately leaning and whispering with Xia Honglang, and his chest felt a surge of discomfort.
Suppressing this feeling, he shifted his gaze and then walked directly to the other side to politely exchange pleasantries with some important guests.
"Thank you for coming," Tarik said, holding two glasses of champagne. He handed one to Xia Qingyu. "This is sparkling champagne, with a very low alcohol content. You can drink it like juice."
"Thank you," Xia Qingyu glanced at Tarik. Thinking it was his birthday, she unusually didn't retort. After taking a sip of champagne, she added, "Happy birthday."