CHAPTER 1080: CHAPTER 221: ENEMIES MEET, FORCED MARRIAGE IN COURT (PART 4)

The old man grasped her hand, his murky eyes squinting as he looked at her face. Yun Ya smiled gently, her gaze warm and bright, brimming with a sense of spring.

Something quickly flickered in the old man’s eyes, too fast to discern clearly. In that brief moment of Yun Ya’s distraction, she realized the hand holding hers tightened slightly, gripping firmly.

"Good child, how old are you this year?" The old man’s voice was very kind.

Yun Ya smiled and replied, "To answer you, Old Master, I am eighteen this year."

"Good." The old man laughed, "Such a tidy child. I like what I see."

Just as Yun Ya steadied herself, Yan Xing suddenly rushed out, squeezing Yun Ya aside, and leaned against the old man’s leg, "Great-grandfather, you can only like Xingxing, or Xingxing will be upset."

Yun Ya lowered her eyes and stepped back, earning a fierce glare from Yan Xing. Yun Ya responded with a gentle and serene smile, showing no trace of temper.

Yan Xing gave a cold grunt, thinking she was hypocritical.

The old man’s other hand was still holding Yun Ya’s, and he laughed as he heard this, patting Yan Xing’s head.

Meng Shujing glared at Yan Xing, "Xing’er, stop your nonsense."

Yan Xing pouted, "This is the Yan Family after all. Some people should recognize their status and return to where they came from. Great-grandfather can only be my great-grandfather, better not covet what doesn’t belong to them."

The voice wasn’t loud, but it was enough for everyone present to hear clearly, and for a moment, the expressions of the crowd turned subtle, all glancing at the demure girl standing beside the old man.

Calm and composed, neither haughty nor humble, even as she listened to the insulting words, not a trace of her gentle and soft smile faltered, as beautiful as a painting.

This girl has some fire.

Meng Shujing narrowed her eyes slightly and smiled, "This girl is really pretty. No wonder Grandpa likes her, even I can’t help but like her a lot. Yueyue, where did you discover such a gem?"

Zhuang Xiyue looked at Yun Ya with a gentle gaze. Meng Junci’s heart suddenly sank. She suddenly didn’t dare to listen anymore, feeling a strong urge to flee, fearing the next words would be more than she could bear.

Meng Shujing gave her a surreptitious glare.

"I stayed in Jiangzhou for over ten years, you could say, I watched Yun Ya grow step by step. Big sister-in-law, you also know that I don’t have a daughter. When I first met Yun Ya, I felt a special connection and wanted to recognize her as my goddaughter. But due to certain reasons, it didn’t happen. Later on, countless times, I was glad not to have her as a goddaughter. After all, a daughter eventually marries out..."

"A married daughter is like spilled water, only a daughter-in-law can stay with you for a lifetime." A gentle voice suddenly spoke, Yun Ya looked over without expression. The speaker sat next to Meng Shujing, wearing a white cheongsam with blue flowers, around forty years old, with brows slightly showing age, gray hair at the temples, eyes calm and peaceful, exuding a composure from years of experience.

"Second sister-in-law, I can’t agree with what you said. Who says a married daughter is like spilled water? Is Second sister-in-law already disdaining me before I’m even married?" The young woman speaking was about twenty-three or four, with thick brows and big eyes, an air of spiritedness between her brows.

"Lan’er, that’s not what Second sister-in-law meant, just words leading to words. Our Lan’er is so smart and lovely, how could we disdain you." Su Yu smiled, smoothing things over.

Yan Lan raised an eyebrow and suddenly looked at Zhuang Xiyue, then glanced at Yun Ya, "Oh, I understand Second sister-in-law’s meaning now. Turns out Third sister-in-law wants this pretty girl to be her daughter-in-law. But you have two sons, who would she marry?"

Yan Lan’s words were too direct. Meng Junci’s heart suddenly tightened, the answer seemed obvious.

Meng Shujing laughed, "I’ve long heard that Yan Ke has a fiancée. Didn’t expect to see her today. Growing up together, indeed they match well. Yueyue always has good taste, I never doubted it."

Zhuang Xiyue smiled gently, not refuting.

The hope in Meng Junci’s heart crumbled bit by bit, her face as pale as sheet, almost unable to stand. Yan Hua suddenly supported her, "Ah Ci..." with a complex glance at that girl, truly a rare beauty, especially her aura. Even with Dongfang Yi by her side, she couldn’t overshadow her shine.

Third Aunt’s silence was tacit approval, it seems she really is Yan Ke’s fiancée...

Mother, why are you so cruel, tearing open the truth so bloodily, leaving Ah Ci helpless? A long-term pain is better than a short-term one. Perhaps it’s better this way, allowing Ah Ci to give up her hope.

Yun Ya lowered her eyes, her hand under the sleeve slightly clenched.