Evening descended, and the Emperor's mansion buzzed with an unusual liveliness. Laughter and merriment spilled from the great hall, audible even to those standing outside.
Clutching Jiang Ziyu's hand, Yuze asked with curiosity, "Mommy, are we having guests today?"
Jiang Ziyu was equally unaware. She had accompanied Yuze to kindergarten that day and hadn't even gone to the company, let alone known who might be visiting.
"Don't stay with strangers once we go inside," Jiang Ziyu cautioned.
Aware of his unusual circumstances, Yuze nodded, meticulously checking if his wig had slipped.
As they were about to step inside, a blinding light shone from behind them.
Yuze turned his head and, spotting the car, excitedly tugged at Jiang Ziyu's arm.
The car stopped before them, and Shen Lin quickly alighted, assisting Di Mingjue out of the vehicle.
"Madam," Shen Lin greeted her respectfully.
Hearing this, Di Mingjue beckoned, "Qianqian, come here."
With a nod of approval from Jiang Ziyu, Yuze ran into Di Mingjue's embrace.
"Are you still feeling unwell? Are you any better?" Di Mingjue murmured, stroking Yuze's cheek.
As the large, warm hands moved over him, Yuze, filled with apprehension, pulled away from Di Mingjue's embrace. He was terrified of being discovered as not Qianqian, yet he was reluctant to leave his touch.
Sensing Yuze's concern, Jiang Ziyu quickly stepped forward. "Qianqian's allergic reaction hasn't subsided yet. Your hands aren't clean, and we need to avoid a secondary infection. Please refrain from touching her for now."
Di Mingjue realized the issue and instinctively withdrew his outstretched hand. He asked with concern, "Did Daddy hurt you earlier?"
Yuze desperately wanted to speak, but to avoid revealing his identity, he had to hold Jiang Ziyu's arm, allowing her to answer in his stead.
"I'm fine. Let's go inside quickly," Jiang Ziyu interjected, cutting short the conversation.
The three walked hand in hand towards the front hall, while Shen Lin, following behind, felt a pang of wistful reflection.
If only the Jiang Ziyu by his side were the woman from years ago, they would surely be a very happy family of three.
Thinking thus, his recent searches had still yielded no results.
"Mingjue is back!" Amidst the crowd, an elderly lady called out enthusiastically. "This must be Mingjue's new bride!"
Old Madam Di responded with a contented smile, "Indeed. Ziyu, come and meet her. This is Di Mingjue's grandaunt."
Jiang Ziyu politely greeted, "Greetings, Grand-aunt."
"I wasn't able to attend your wedding as I was abroad recently. This is a small token of my introduction for you. Open it and see if you like it." The grand-aunt produced an exquisite box from her bag.
Another elderly lady chimed in, "Go on, accept it."
Jiang Ziyu received the box with both hands and opened it under the gaze of everyone present. Inside lay a necklace crafted from emeralds, its weight suggesting it was extremely valuable.
"Thank you, Grand-aunt," Jiang Ziyu said, closing the box and expressing her gratitude.
Beside them, Wu Xuerou's heart seethed with jealousy. Having been married into the Di family for years, she had never received a single gift from any member of the family, let alone from this stingy grand-aunt.
During their usual family gatherings, the grand-aunt would economize whenever possible, never spending a penny on any family member, and even evading expenses for family theater events. Her extravagant gesture today was by no means simple!
Wu Xuerou meticulously observed the expressions of everyone present, her gaze settling on Di Minghao.
"Minghao, why are you sitting over there? Didn't you have something specific to tell Mingjue today?"
After some conversation, the grand-aunt beckoned her grandson from the corner.
The banquet that evening had been hastily arranged, partly due to Di Minghao.
Called upon, Di Minghao raised his head. Seeing Di Mingjue feigning ignorance of his intentions, the composure he had maintained all afternoon ignited into rage. He stood up and stormed forward, accusing the old lady, "He completely disregards me, his cousin! He's been lying in bed all these years; they must have rotted his brain."