Chapter 136: This Counts as Meeting the Parents, Doesn’t It?

Aren't they essentially exploiting a loophole in the rules?

But after the initial spark of excitement, Song Wanning began to worry. If she returned to the Wen family estate, not a single person there would welcome her. This thought cooled her enthusiasm by half.

She voiced her concerns honestly. "But if we go back to see the old master, won't I run into the rest of your family?"

She didn't explicitly state that his family disliked her. After all, they were Wen Jingxing’s relatives, and speaking ill of them to his face felt impolite.

Wen Jingxing, however, had no such reservations. He was well aware that his family, especially his younger sister, Wen Yi, harbored no affection for Song Wanning. Ever since their encounter on the cruise ship, Wen Yi had been pestering him, demanding to know the identity of the woman in his arms. When he refused to answer, she had harassed Li Weiwei until even she was annoyed. Yet, Wen Yi remained relentless. Recently, having learned he was back in the capital, she had been constantly contacting him, insisting on a meeting. She must have seen the task details Li Weiwei had released, as she had called him early that morning, claiming she had already arranged a shopping trip and lunch for them.

Wen Jingxing knew her interest in spending time with him was secondary; her true motive was to uncover the identity of the woman from that night. He had declined her invitation outright. Although Wen Yi was his sister, he didn't particularly care for her. Before his engagement to Song Wanning, she had constantly tried to set him up on blind dates, none of which he had ever attended. Later, he didn't know how she had met Gu Yan, but once she did, she immediately decided that Gu Yan was her "third sister-in-law."

In the past, when pestered by Wen Yi and nagged by his father, Wen Jingxing would occasionally attend his sister’s social gatherings. But even though he had absolutely no connection to Gu Yan, Wen Yi would insist on calling her "third sister-in-law" in front of everyone, causing no end of misunderstandings. Wen Jingxing would simply leave, causing the rumors and gossip to collapse on their own. Since then, he had refused to go out with her, no matter how much she begged.

Wen Jingxing said directly, "You don't need to worry. The old master has been staying at a sanitarium recently."

Song Wanning frowned. "Is he unwell? Nothing serious, I hope?"

Wen Jingxing nodded. "The doctor says as long as he rests for a while, it shouldn't be a problem."

"So..." He paused, adding, "There is one more thing."

Song Wanning looked up at him. "Is there something else?"

"The doctor advised that the old master should not be agitated or experience significant emotional fluctuations. So, no matter what he says while we are there, I hope you will agree to it."

Song Wanning suspected nothing; looking after a patient's emotional state was perfectly normal. She agreed immediately. Wen Jingxing nodded, his smile growing broader.

Once Song Wanning finished changing, she headed downstairs. Since she was meeting an elder, she chose a pale green, ankle-length dress with a small floral pattern, paired with a cream-colored light cardigan. She wore her hair half-up, secured with a silver hairpin, and opted for no other jewelry.

Jiang Mingzhao, who was playing games in the living room, saw her come down and immediately called out, "Song Wanning, are you off to complete your task? Why don't you take me with you?" He was simply looking for a free ride.

Before Song Wanning could reply, Wen Jingxing refused on her behalf. "We are going to visit family elders; it wouldn't be appropriate for you to come along."

Jiang Mingzhao scratched his head. "I see. If you're meeting the family, then it really wouldn't be right for me to tag along. How about you just drop me off at the foot of the mountain? I can catch a ride to see my friends from there."

Song Wanning blushed, wanting to tell Jiang Mingzhao he was spouting nonsense, but then she realized that in her current role as Wen Jingxing’s fiancée, visiting the old master was indeed equivalent to meeting the elders. For once, she was left speechless. She walked silently to the entryway and slipped into her white soft-soled leather shoes.

Jiang Mingzhao’s remark had left Wen Jingxing in a remarkably good mood. He simply said, "Let's go."

It was the first time Jiang Mingzhao had been driven by Wen Jingxing. He exited his game immediately and, without even changing out of his brown shirt and black jeans, headed out. Although he had asked to be dropped off at the foot of the mountain, Wen Jingxing drove him all the way to the city center before telling him to get out.

Jiang Mingzhao hopped out happily, calling back, "Song Wanning, I hope everything goes smoothly meeting the family today!" He still remembered her teasing him earlier that morning and had been waiting for a chance to get back at her; he hadn't expected the opportunity to come so soon.

He couldn't resist adding, "It would be even better if you could put a wedding date on the agenda, too!"

Before he could finish, Song Wanning pressed the button to roll up the car window. She turned to look at him with a smile, her eyes clearly saying, "Say one more word, and I'll kill you!"

Jiang Mingzhao shivered, straightened up, and waved a submissive goodbye.

After leaving the city center, the car headed toward the mountains in another direction. On the straight road, only the occasional vehicle passed by. Song Wanning stared out the window, lost in thought.

Wen Jingxing asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Song Wanning shook her head. "Nothing."

"You didn't sleep well last night. Get some rest now; I'll wake you when we arrive."

Song Wanning nodded and closed her eyes. How could she possibly tell him what she was really thinking? Jiang Mingzhao's words had served as a reminder. She remembered that when the engagement was announced, the Wen family hadn't mentioned a wedding date. And since Wen Jingxing had asked her to agree to whatever the old master said for the sake of his health, what if the old master brought up the wedding? Was she supposed to refuse, or... just refuse?

With these thoughts swirling in her mind, she eventually succumbed to exhaustion and drifted off to sleep. She was awakened by Wen Jingxing.

"A-Ning, we've arrived."

Song Wanning opened her eyes to find herself on a small path through the woods. The road was flanked by dense trees and flowers. The winding concrete path led to a simple, unadorned wooden gate. The gate looked new, but the vines on the walls were thick and long, evidence of the house's great age. Looking down, she realized she was covered by a thin blanket.