Everything finally settled down and everyone returned to their seats. After Housekeeper Hu"s constant reminder, Grandfather Ji decided it was time to make his speech.
Something urgent had come up and cause the delay of his granddaughter"s arrival, but it is something he understands she must take care of.
However, no matter how long it will take, he cannot stall time anymore. It was already getting late.
He sighs inside and stood up from his seat with the help of Ji Jingxu. Lightly tapping his wine gla.s.s, everyone quiets down and turn to look at him.
Seeing that he had caught everyone"s attention, Ji Jingxu sat back down and stares up at his grandfather.
"As you all gather here today, I, Ji Huan have invited you all to celebrate my 75th birthday. I appreciate the time you have taken out of your busy schedules to be here with me. It brings me great joy to know that many of you still consider me despite my old age."
He pause in his words and turn to the servants. Giving them a light nod, the servants makes their way to each table to pour wine into each person"s gla.s.s.
When he saw that everyone"s gla.s.s is filled, he slightly raise his gla.s.s to the guests and continues his speech.
"Many of you know that Ji Jingxu is my adopted grandson. Today, I want you all to remember this."
Saying this, he takes a deep breath and his hand holding the gla.s.s lowers a little as he looks at Ji Jingxu.
"I never once regretted bringing him into my life. Anyone who speaks ill of him will be speaking ill of me."
He wants everyone here to know and never to criticize the boy ever again. His love for the boy is the equal amount of love he has for granddaughter. After today, he does not want anyone to look down on the boy he considers his own flesh and blood.
A sharp pain pierce inside Ji Jingxu"s heart. He stares at his grandfather with slightly moist eyes. Only he and a.s.sistant Zhong know about the old man"s health. However, why is he making it sound like he is going to leave them...
Grandfather Ji could see the boy on the verge of having a break down.
Ji Jingxu knows about his health but the boy does not know that he does not have much longer to live. Any day can be last, so he wants to set a warning to those who cannot seem to grasp how much he loves the boy.
He faintly smiles and looks back to the guests.
"I know someone of you have noticed that I have been stalling my speech, and I thank those of you for being patient with an old man like myself. I will not hide anything. I was purposely stalling time."
His eyes scanned across the room and smiles happily with a glisten in his eyes.
"I want to tell everyone here that not only do I have a grandson, but also a granddaughter. Both of them are the roots that hold my heart intact."
When Ji Chu Hua heard him mention granddaughter, she was grinning inside with happiness. However, she pretended to be emotionally touched on the outside as a faint sniffle sound escapes from her.
Gu Ting Feng and Ji Shao An gently pat her shoulders as if to sooth her.
As everyone saw this, they were touched by the old man"s words and Ji Chu Hua"s emotional breakdown.
Of course, this did not include the Lu family and the Zhuang father and son. They were only touched by Grandfather Ji"s words, not the woman"s fake tears.
Grandfather Ji heaves a heavy sigh before continuing his words.
"Although, I did not watch my granddaughter grow up like how I did with my grandson, she has always been in my heart. Jingxu and her are the joy to my world. As long as I am still breathing, I will make sure that no harm ever comes to them."
Ji Jingxu"s lower lip trembles more and he lower his head to close his eyes. He forces his tears to not fall as it was his grandfather"s birthday. The old man is still here with him, he is not going anywhere.
Grandfather Ji part his lips to speak, but he suddenly froze in place.
His eyes stares unmoving in the direction of the back where the entrance was.
Lu Han being the noisy person he is notices this and turns his head to see what caught the old man"s attention. However, the moment he saw what it was, his jaw dropped into a "O" as a surprise gasps resounds from him.
Hearing his sudden voice, everyone couldn"t help but turn their head in the same direction.
A stunning girl dressed in a silky dark green dress slowly enters the ballroom. Her tall and slender figure fitted perfectly with the shape of her dress.
The top part of her dress was designed off-the-shoulder with long sleeves down to her wrists. The a-line part of her skirt flows down to the floor covering her feet.
Her long black hair was bounded into a loose bun at her nape as loose strands of hair curl to the frame her smooth and heart shape face.
Under the s.h.i.+ny light of the ballroom, her flawless and astounding beauty rouse everyone into gasps of admiration instantly. Especially her face that looked like G.o.d had spent his time to carve.
A faint smile can be seen on her crimson red lips.
It made everyone"s heart palpitate with eagerness. A l.u.s.ter shone in her attractive bluish green eyes like they contained a galaxy of stars.
Although she had the look of a delicate girl, her aura was extremely refined unlike anything from this world.
In a split second, everyone was drawn in a daze to the stunning figure that just appeared. However, everyone recognized her the moment she stepped inside.
"She"s too beautiful."
"This look… this aura… I thought Ji Chu Hua"s looks were outstanding, but I did not expect there to be someone with even better looks. Why is she here?"
Every guest at the scene, no matter male or female was completely speechless.
They know she is remarkably beautiful, but to see her in person, everyone felt the word beautiful could not describe her at all.
Ji Chu Hua looks at the woman with a complicated gaze. She observes her graceful steps and realizes she was walking closer and closer towards them. Her brows slightly furrow, and a bad feeling inexplicably rouse in her heart.
Like everyone else inside the ballroom, Madam Lu and Old Lu were shocked to the core. Neither were in their right mind.
Lu Han remained rooted to his chair with his mouth still widely opened. Without looking away from the beauty, he fumbles with his left hand to tug on his older brother"s sleeve.
"Bro… Bro… Are you seeing this too? Am I dreaming? This is a dream, right?"
He felt everything that is happening at this moment is like a dream. He knows exactly who this stunning woman is, but for some reason he could not say her name at all. It"s like his brain had toss her name away.
Unlike everyone else, Lu Tian did not care who the new guest is or if she is beautiful as the whispers.
To him, his Yue Ling is the most beautiful. Plus, if he looked at another woman, pretty or ugly, he felt he would be betraying his faithfulness to his wife.
He just wishes that Grandfather Ji would hurry up with his speech so that he (Lu Tian) can leave. He really wants to see his wife.
Just when everyone was immerse in a daze, they see her walking directly to Grandfather Ji"s table.
Stopping behind the empty seat, she glance to Ji Jingxu with a light nod, then looks at the old man.
She ignored all the stunned looks from the people around and those at the table. Her red lip arcs up into a captivating smile as her straight white teeth comes to view.
"Happy birthday, yeye. Sorry I came later than promised."
Her natural sweet and soft voice melted everyone"s heart.
Even the cold and aloof Lu Tian who didn"t have a care about this person felt his body stiffened at her voice.
His eyes never moved from the table, but when he felt a slight wind brush his back as she approached, he felt it was oddly familiar. However, he did not think much about it.
Even when she stood right next to him, he could smell her natural and unique fragrance that reminded him of his wife. However, he also didn"t think much about it.
That was until she spoke.
It was the voice that he is most familiar with.
It was the voice that he loves to hear the most.
It was the voice of the person he had been eager to see.
He, who had not once moved, slowly turn his head to the left. Even if it was only the side of her face, he felt like a statue that shattered and was gifted life.
Lu Han noticed his brother"s reaction and he nudge him with his elbow.
"See, I tried to tell you. Sister-in-law is so beautiful that even you are shocked speechless. Huh? Huh?"
Lu Tian heard his younger brother"s teasing words, but he did not care.
His eyes right now are currently too focused on the person he has been wanting to see....
His wife…