To Love You Again

On the other side, Eitan returned to his table.

"That is the sixth king and the Xiong heiress. Who is the other woman?" Ifel asked in arabic.

"I heard that she is the eldest Tang. Too bad, she is taken."

Ifel did not comment on that. He turned to look at the third row at the corner.

"When the concert is on its peak, go talk to Mr. Ming's son."

"Lu Jin? They are here?" Eitan looked around.

Ifel secretly gestured at the third row.

"Oh, they are truly here. They are not easy to find when they hide like that. What's this talk going to be all about?"

"I am not sure yet. Mr. Ming just said that this gathering is quite suspicious. Try to inquire more."

Eitan looked around again. The tables were getting filled up. The people in each table were all remarkable, the powerheads of each industry. There might be some small fries like the ones in entertainment, but the majority of the guests here were known people.

What was suspicious about it?

"I don't understand. It's pretty normal to me." 

Ifel shook his head. "Look closely. You'll be able to get something from it."

Eitan followed his father's instruction and observed the people closely. But in the end, he did not quite get what his father and Mr. Ming was talking about.

***

The people continued to flow in.

Xiong Zhi suddenly caught sight of a familiar woman at the entrance. Her eyes instantly turned brighter.

"Hold on," she said to Linfeng and Tang Xinyang before standing up and walking towards the entrance. Linfeng saw where she was going, excused himself from Tang Xinyang, and followed suit.

Because the concert had not yet started, many people were joining other's tables for greetings and business talks. Some were chatting by corners, by the tables, or in their own small groups.

Naturally, Xiong Zhi walking up to the entrance was quite normal.

"Aunt Mai," Xiong Zhi called out to the woman wearing a royal red dress.

Xiong Mai turned her head to Xiong Zhi. Her strict and serious face softened into a smile.

"Zhi'er, you've grown into a lovely young lady," Xiong Mai praised as she reached out and hugged Xiong Zhi. Afterwards, she took a good look at the latter.

Xiong Zhi was becoming more and more beautiful. Her cousin's beautiful appearance was also starting to show in Xiong Zhi's features.

"You look a lot like your mother."

Xiong Zhi smiled. "I should look like you then?"

"Fufu, what a sweet mouth. Where did you learn this skill?"

Xiong Mai's heart was moved by Xiong Zhi's changes. It was clear that time had favored her niece with positive changes. She was more vibrant than before.

Xiong Mai could feel her niece's sincerity and filial piety. 

For Xiong Zhi, she was like a mother.

Xiong Zhi turned to the man who caught up with her. "I learned it from Linfeng." Her smile turned sweeter as she glanced up at him.

Linfeng bowed to Xiong Mai respectfully. "Greetings." He then gave Xiong Zhi a glance. 

'You learned that from me? But I actually learned that from you.'

Who kept praising and giving him commendations, like how good he looked on his clothes and such, since they first met?

Xiong Mai's brows rose and she looked alternately between Xiong Zhi and Linfeng. She smelled something in the air. 

She turned to study Linfeng. The man's face and name were familiar.

She then asked Linfeng. "Linfeng... You mean 'Zhou' Linfeng?" There was emphasis on the word 'Zhou'.

"Yes, my family had served the Xiong family since ancient times." Linfeng confirmed.

"I remember now. I was there when our family exchanged the last bows. Then I learned that it was actually all your doing."

Linfeng straightened his back at this. Xiong Mai's tone was mysterious, making him feel slightly apprehensive.

Was she angry..?

If it was another person, Linfeng would not care. But this was Xiong Mai. Xiong Zhi treated Xiong Mai like her mother. Strictly speaking, Xiong Mai would be similar to Linfeng's mother-in-law, whom he needed to be in good side with and get approved by.

Xiong Mai's brows still had not softened. "I heard a lot about you. SC's owner, the sixth king, and now, by the looks of it..." Xiong Mai glanced at Xiong Zhi. "Are you trying to be part of the Xiong family, the heiress's husband?"

Xiong Zhi was taken aback. Why was her aunt roasting Linfeng all of the sudden?

"Aunt Mai..." 

Xiong Mai raised a hand to stop Xiong Zhi. Her eyes were serious.

Xiong Zhi obediently closed her mouth. She had lived with Xiong Mai in her past life and knew that look. It was the look which meant that she could not butt in and could only let her Aunt Mai handle the rest.

Linfeng looked at Xiong Mai. His face was equally serious.

"Yes, I do have plans in making Xiong Zhi my wife. "

Xiong Mai's face turned solemn, while Xiong Zhi stared at Linfeng in surprise.

Suddenly being so honest in front of others...

Even though she knew his intentions already, her heart still beat loudly.

Xiong Zhi stared at the serious Linfeng then at her Aunt Mai, before glancing down. 

Well, Xiong Zhi was happy that he was boldly admitting it now. She trusted Linfeng and knew that their future was tightly connected like yin-yang fishes. She planned to marry him too, no matter what the cost was, but why talk about this at this moment?

As if hearing her thoughts, Xiong Mai stepped forward without commenting on Linfeng's answer. "Let's go to my table first."

The couple looked at each other and escorted Xiong Mai in, led by an attendant.

Xiong Mai was a strong figurehead and received a lot of greetings as well.

When they finally arrived at Xiong Mai's table on the second row right beside Xiong Zhi's, Xiong Mai directly went to the topic.

"So you plan to marry my niece. What surname do you plan to take then? Or..." Xiong Mai's eyes glinted dangerously. "Will the nuptial family use 'Zhou' instead of 'Xiong'?" 

Her intimidating aura rose, as expected of a leading figure of the organization, EU.

Xiong Zhi was speechless.

They were not even married yet... Why were they talking about which surname to take already?

In the Xiong family, especially the main Xiong branch, the core clan members would always take the Xiong's surname no matter who they marry. Just like Xiong Zhi's father. Her father took the surname Xiong and married into the family, so their descendants would have to take the surname 'Xiong'.

The old man was keen on this.

This was also why Xiong Mai asked about it first.

Linfeng remained unperturbed. He did not try to counter the woman's obvious oppression but just showed his persistent and stubborn side.

He met Xiong Mai's gaze squarely.

"It's up to Xiong Zhi. Xiong Zhi will retain her surname, and I will retain mine. Our children will be the descendants of a Xiong and a Zhou. No matter what surname they take, they will still be my sons and daughters."

Xiong Zhi: "..." 

Where were those sons and daughters coming from? They were still not even germinating, ah.

This was too early, counting the chicks before the hen even laid an egg.

Silence.

The nearby people were throwing their table inquiring looks.

"Pfft." Xiong Mai laughed. She covered her mouth but still laughed. "Interesting, Zhi'er. Your man is very interesting! So funny!"

Linfeng: ....What did I say that made you laugh? I'm being serious here.

Xiong Zhi: ...What was so funny?

The couple looked at Xiong Mai dully but kept their thoughts inside.

Xiong Mai recovered her calm, reverting back to the noble and elderly look. "My apologies for the gaffe, I didn't mean to, but the way you talk is really amusing. It's like you two are already expecting a bunch of twins or triplets on the way." Then she blinked. "You...are not carrying something, are you?"

She meaningfully looked at Xiong Zhi's belly.

Xiong Zhi: "...Of course not. What are you thinking, Aunt Mai?"

Xiong Mai nonchalantly took her eyes back. "Too bad, there is no grandchildren to hug." Her tone revealed a sliver of regret.

Xiong Zhi and Linfeng: "..."

Then Linfeng recovered. Did this mean, she approved of him?

He tried to test the waters. "I will try my best to... give you cute and lovely grandchildren to hug." 

Linfeng ears turned a bit red.

Xiong Mai laughed more openly. "Haha, alright, alright. I'll be waiting." Cute and lovely, she could already imagine miniature buns who looked like tiny Xiong Zhis.

Xiong Zhi: "..."

Her hand went to her slim stomach. 

They had only done it once and with contraception, how could children sprout in her stomach all of the sudden?

Not to mention, Xiong Zhi was not married yet to Linfeng. Their problems were not solved yet. This was not the right time.

The thought was still on her mind, when Xiong Mai's tablemates finally came.

It was Shinichi Tanaka from Tanaka Group.

Shinichi recognized Xiong Zhi and Xiong Mai right away.

"We meet again. It turns out we are arranged on the same table this time," Shinichi greeted Xiong Mai, before greeting Xiong Zhi. "Nice to see you again, Miss Xiong Zhi."

Xiong Zhi and Shinichi had been keeping tabs so they were well acquainted already. The Tanaka Group was supporting Gu Zhen's company which IHZHI had collaborations with.

Xiong Zhi faintly smiled."It's nice to have you here as well."

*******