Princess Feia raised an eyebrow slightly.
During the last video call, it was clear that Lu Jinghuai had only returned to normal after seeing Ji Nian's photo. She had noticed it all.
Ji Tingzhou's daughter was quite extraordinary.
Previously, she had cut her own arm to save someone, and later, she had delivered an antidote, all while Lu Jinghuai was unconscious and unaware.
Yet, Lu Jinghuai's current behavior suggested he knew exactly who she was.
"Have you seen her? How are her injuries? Did they leave any scars?"
Such a beautiful girl—if she were left with a horrifying scar on her arm, it would truly be heartbreaking.
Lu Zhi replied, "I've seen it."
At the time, Ji Nian had openly shown him her arm.
"The wound has healed perfectly, with no trace left."
When he found out that Ji Nian had cut her own arm for Lu Jinghuai, he had been shocked.
Where did such a young child get the courage that even most adults wouldn't dare to muster?
"This child will grow up to be an extraordinary person."
Princess Feia looked up again, her gaze meeting the spirited photo of Ji Nian, and spoke with certainty.
Lu Zhi nodded in agreement. "Madam has always been a good judge of character."
"Let's go see Ah Huai."
"Once he's in better condition, he can personally go to the Ji family to express his gratitude."
"I've asked him, but he refuses."
"Oh?" Princess Feia's tone lifted. She knew her own child well. When Lu Jinghuai was young, he would cry and apologize even after stepping on an insect, burying it with his own hands.
Even after the accident that changed his personality, his kind nature remained.
This overly kind personality had always troubled Princess Feia. In an ordinary family, such a child would naturally be a joy, but the Lu family was different. Lu Jinghuai was born as the heir, destined to bear the weight of both the Lu and the Woles families.
So she often corrected him: it was fine to be kind, but not excessively so.
However, after this accident, Princess Feia had come to terms with it. Let the child be as he wished.
Worst case, she would just not retire at eighty.
Though Lu Jinghuai hadn't given a reason, Lu Zhi actually knew why.
It was because—
"He thinks he looks too ugly now."
He didn’t want Ji Nian to see him in this state, which was why he was working so hard to recover, even frequently consulting the medical team about how to make his hair grow back faster.
Princess Feia thought of his current pitiful state, wrapped in bandages and completely hairless, but instead of finding it amusing, a hint of anger flickered in her smoky eyes.
"Speaking of which, I brought a gift for Ah Huai."
...
Weekend.
Upon hearing that Zhi Le would be returning that evening, Ji Nian declared she didn’t want to go to the winery anymore and preferred to stay home to welcome Zhi Le.
It was only after Ji Tingzhou repeatedly assured her that Zhi Le would head straight to the winery and not home that she finally agreed to go.
Seeing the child all dressed up and carrying a gift to welcome the other’s return,
Ji Tingzhou, Wei Yang, Shen Qingtang, and even Da Dan—each and every one of them felt a twinge of jealousy.
It was no secret in the family that Ji Nian’s favorite was Zhi Le.
The winery Ji Tingzhou had chosen was undeniably striking in appearance, to say the least.
When Ji Nian first stepped off the plane, she thought she had arrived at Hogwarts…
"So beautiful!"
Shen Qingtang, holding Ji Nian’s hand, exclaimed in awe.
Ji Nian nodded in agreement, adding a bit of flattery: "As expected of something Dad chose."
Ji Tingzhou, who happened to be walking down at that moment, seemed pleased, a slight smile tugging at his lips.
The winery manager had been waiting for his new owner.
He was a humorous middle-aged man who spoke impeccable Chinese, with no trace of a foreign accent. Even when narrating the dry history of the winery, he managed to make it engaging.
The two children listened with great interest.
Only Wei Yang and Da Dan yawned.
Ji Tingzhou had come for the wine and had no interest in a tour, so he had someone take him straight to the tasting room.
Before leaving, he glanced at Ji Nian.
Ji Nian said warily, "I’m not drinking any 82-year-old cola."
Ji Tingzhou replied that no such thing existed.
"Fine, I’ll try the toilet, but only if you promise not to drink too much. I’ll be checking."
Ji Tingzhou waved his hand to indicate he understood, told Wei Yang to keep an eye on her, and headed off to drink.
Ji Nian and Shen Qingtang, led by the manager, toured the massive winery that resembled a mysterious magical school.
Halfway through, Shen Qingtang’s feet started to hurt.
Her shoes didn’t fit well, and after walking for a while, the back of her heel had been rubbed raw.
It was Ji Nian who noticed her slowing pace and awkward gait, realizing the shoes were causing her pain.
"I’ll have someone bring a first aid kit and suitable shoes right away,"
the manager said.
They stopped, and Ji Nian helped Shen Qingtang to a chair, letting her lean on her hand.
"Sorry, I thought these shoes matched the outfit, but I didn’t expect them to hurt."
The two children, influenced by Ji Tingzhou’s taste from a young age, were always meticulous about their outfits.
"It’s okay. I’m a little tired anyway, and I need to use the restroom. Dad said the toilets here are really comfortable. Once the shoes arrive, let’s go try them."
Shen Qingtang nodded, also eager to see.
When the shoes arrived, Shen Qingtang changed into them, and the two children, hand in hand, headed toward the restroom.
When it came to the toilets here, if the manager had spoken of the winery as if describing his revered grandfather, then the toilets were his beloved.
His words were filled with affection.
He even said, "Mr. Ji initially didn’t want to take over this winery, but I mentioned its unique features, and that’s when he relented."
The manager’s eyes held just the right amount of teasing as he looked at Ji Nian. "He said his daughter would love it and could come here to play."
Ji Nian: "……"
It felt like stepping on something soft and fluffy, only to look down and realize it was… well, not what she expected.
As it turned out, Ji Tingzhou’s choice was justified.
Ji Nian had never sat on such a comfortable toilet before. It felt less like a restroom and more like lying on a soft bed, listening to the soothing sound of rain outside.
When she floated out in bliss, Shen Qingtang was still immersed in the toilet experience.
Ji Nian walked out to the sink to wash her hands, and as she did, she caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye.
She turned her gaze to the side, where an arched window in the wall offered a view of a path lined with Tess roses.
She vaguely remembered the manager mentioning some story about these flowers.
Just as she was about to look away, her eyes suddenly froze.
At first, she thought it was her imagination, but after blinking and looking again, she was certain it wasn’t a trick of the light.
Amidst the sea of flowers, a figure had appeared, their gaze meeting Ji Nian’s across the distance.
