In the morning, the sun had fully illuminated the valley, casting a golden glow on the villa's front, creating a warm atmosphere.
The livestream rooms gradually filled with netizens, with both families' streams maintaining their usual high popularity.
[I heard they watched the sunrise this morning?! Did I miss out on something amazing?]
[Yes, you did. I can only say it could be ranked as one of the most heartwarming scenes of the year!]
[I heard Wen the movie star and Jing Zejun made breakfast together? Did I miss that too?!]
[Well, I can't wake up for a 6 AM livestream. I'll just watch the highlights later!]
[There's been so much happening this morning!]
While the comments were still buzzing about the sunrise viewing, Jing Yi and Jing Zejun had already set off for a stroll in the woods.
The trees in the valley were tall and straight, with lush foliage forming natural screens. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, falling on the tree bark and making it appear particularly vibrant.
Jing Yi and Jing Zejun walked along the forest road, venturing deep into the woods.
Not far away, a clear spring emerged from the rocks, forming small streams that meandered through the forest, carrying crystal-clear water. A few fallen leaves floated on the surface, drifting along with the current.
Jing Yi pointed at the road with interest, "This road would be perfect for mountain racing!"
Jing Zejun smiled at her. With fewer people around, Jing Yi tended to speak her mind more freely.
She didn't need Jing Yi to be a well-behaved, sensible sister; she preferred Jing Yi to be a girl who could grow up freely.
Just as Jing Yi protected her, Jing Zejun also wanted to protect that other side of Jing Yi.
Whether she liked car racing or kickboxing, it didn't matter.
Meanwhile, Jing Zeyou and Wen Qingyan were preparing lunch, while Jing Zeqian was helping Wen Yin prepare some simple ingredients nearby.
Jing Zeyou was flipping steaks, the meat sizzling in the pan. This was one of the few main dishes he knew how to cook.
Wen Qingyan was also preparing his specialty dishes nearby. Jing Zeyou casually asked, "Did you and Zejun meet while filming?"
Wen Qingyan looked up and smiled, "Sort of." Jing Zeyou raised an eyebrow slightly. 'Sort of'? That meant not exactly. It seemed they had known each other even earlier than he had imagined.
"Mr. Jing, please just call me Qingyan."
He hadn't found the title 'Wen the movie star' strange before, but after hearing it so often these past two days, it did feel a bit odd. Maybe it was because of Jing Zejun's family, or perhaps due to Jing Zeyou's own aura, but Wen Qingyan felt somewhat uncomfortable with the formal address.
Jing Zeyou accepted his suggestion.
From then on, the two men engaged in more casual conversation.
[Hahaha, if this isn't a brother-in-law interrogation, what is?]
[Even the movie star seems a bit nervous!]
[The contrast between the two sides is so clear - Zejun's side is so heartwarming, while the movie star's side is like walking on thin ice!]
By the time Jing Zeyou's steaks were almost done, he had stopped his questioning and started plating the food.
Wen Qingyan turned his head and sighed in relief. If the 'interrogation' had continued, he might not have been able to hold out much longer. He looked towards the end of the road and asked casually, "Zejun and Miss Jing Yi haven't returned yet?"
Jing Zeyou also looked up, "The scenery around here is nice. Yi Yi loves this kind of landscape, so Zejun is probably accompanying her while she enjoys it."
Wen Qingyan remarked, "They have such a good relationship." This wasn't flattery, but a genuine observation from what he had seen over the past day.
Jing Zeyou's lips curved into a smile, "Yes, they came to the Jing Family around the same time. People outside might wonder how the family would treat two heiresses when they suddenly appeared."
Wen Qingyan listened quietly. This was the first time Jing Zeyou had publicly explained this situation, and even the livestream comments fell silent.
"But more than the attitudes of others in the Jing Family, they were probably more concerned about each other's attitudes."
"When Zejun first arrived, she was very quiet, unsure how to interact with family members. Then Yi Yi came, and suddenly she had something to do - she started taking care of her sister who was one month younger than her."
Wen Qingyan lowered his eyes and smiled softly, recalling the scene when he first met Jing Zejun.
Speaking of the two girls, Jing Zeyou's expression softened, "At first, Yi Yi actually didn't want to come back."
Wen Qingyan was surprised; he hadn't expected there to be such a backstory.
Jing Zeyou chuckled unconsciously, "People say that with the Jing Family's status, how could she bear to pass it up? But comparatively, she might have preferred to stay abroad and live freely."
[Come to think of it, Jing Yi was raised by Grandma Jing, so how could she be short of money?]
[Don't be naive, how can that money compare to the Jing Family's wealth?]
[But if I had to choose, I'd choose not to come back too. The Jing Family may be rich, but there are also a lot of people. Just imagining it seems like a hassle to get along with everyone!]
"It was Grandma's last wish that made her come back. Compared to me and Jing Zeqian, her brothers, Yi Yi is the one who understands Zejun the best. She knows Zejun's passion for acting and what truly matters to her deep down."
She could even be the first to sense when Jing Zejun was in danger.
Jing Zeqian, standing nearby, also fell silent, listening quietly. Wen Yin watched as he washed the tomatoes over and over, unsure whether to interrupt - the tomato skins were almost rubbed off.
But in the end, he didn't say anything. After all, this was his brother's big boss. If the tomatoes broke, so be it.
During this time, Jing Zeyou had finished all his cooking, and Wen Qingyan had also completed his tasks. He looked at the pot and felt like something was missing.
Jing Zeyou also felt like something was missing from the plates, "Zeqian, does it take that long to wash a tomato? And where are the mushrooms I asked for?"
[Someone please intervene! The tomatoes are about to 'die'!]
[If you need to peel tomatoes, you can use hot water to scald them, no need to rub...]
Wen Yin also heard Wen Qingyan's call and instinctively looked at the tomatoes in Jing Zeqian's hands, their skins already rubbed off.
Jing Zeqian looked at the tomato skins in his hands, realizing he had used too much force. He noticed the young man's gaze beside him, coughed a few times, and pretended as if nothing had happened as he brought over the washed ingredients.
Jing Zeyou looked at the tomatoes in the basin, then raised his head to look at his brother, "Is this how you washed the tomatoes?"
Jing Zeqian kept a straight face, "Yes! This way they're cleaner!"
They were clean indeed, just a bit worse for wear...
Wen Qingyan smiled as he took the tomatoes and put them in the pot, "It's fine, they'll all cook the same anyway." At least they didn't need to be cut now, since they would all be cooked down.
After all, this was his boss, and he needed to save some face for him, especially since he was the second brother-in-law he needed to win over.
Jing Zeyou was still staring at the cherry tomatoes, while Wen Qingyan continued cooking them all the same. After he sautéed them, the tomatoes would probably lose their shape anyway.
Jing Zeqian avoided Jing Zeyou's gaze, feeling relieved that Jing Yi and the others had gone out and hadn't witnessed this scene.
