Tonight's bonfire party featured hot pot, Bobo Chicken, and barbecue.
The Crab Roe and Fish Maw Chicken soup base was already simmering, and the Bobo Chicken was ready. On a long table nearby, top-tier fresh ingredients had been meticulously prepared.
The bonfire was lit.
Qi Yuming and the others were already seated around the flames.
After He Changbai and Lin Wu returned, Lin Wu naturally took her seat next to Feng Tingshen.
Qi Yuming couldn't help himself; he was already digging into the flavorful Bobo Chicken. Seeing that everyone had gathered, he was about to officially start the feast when he suddenly remembered Rong Ci. He looked at Feng Jingxin and said, "Xinxin, go upstairs and call your mom again. Tell her we have delicious food down here and ask her to join us."
Although he suspected Rong Ci would stay hidden in her room just as she had at noon, they still had to go through the motions.
Lin Wu understood his intent perfectly. After all, they had done what was expected; whether Rong Ci actually came down was her own business. With that in mind, she also urged Feng Jingxin, "Xinxin, go on."
Feng Jingxin frowned, clearly reluctant to go. Deep down, she truly didn't want her mother to join them. But since so many people were asking her to go, she couldn't refuse.
Just as she was about to set down her drink, Feng Tingshen spoke up. "I'll go."
Silence instantly fell over the surroundings.
After speaking, Feng Tingshen stood up and walked away.
Qi Yuming snapped back to his senses and smiled. "Well... it certainly shows more sincerity if Tingshen goes personally." Sending a child every time was indeed a bit too half-hearted.
Lin Wu had reached the same conclusion. Feng Tingshen was likely just trying to fulfill his duty to Grandma. Him going upstairs to call her didn't mean he actually felt anything for Rong Ci. After all, he had no feelings for her in the past, and it was even less likely that he would have any now.
Hearing this, Feng Jingxin pursed her small lips, looking worried. She feared that if Feng Tingshen was the one to ask, Rong Ci would actually come down. After all, her mother listened to her father more than anyone else. Her mother wouldn't be able to bear rejecting her father.
Meanwhile, Rong Ci had returned to her room. After calling to order a meal, she opened her laptop.
She had only been busy for a short while when the sound of the door opening came from outside. She froze and turned her head to see Feng Tingshen entering with a room card.
She assumed he had returned to pick something up and only glanced at him briefly before turning back to her computer. Then, she heard Feng Tingshen speak. "They've prepared a bonfire feast downstairs. It's quite lively. Why don't you come down and sit for a while?"
Rong Ci paused.
Like Qi Yuming and the others, she felt that Feng Tingshen coming up personally to invite her was just his way of giving Grandma an explanation. It didn't represent anything at all. Moreover, even if it did, she no longer cared.
She said, "I still have work to do, so I won't be going down." She glanced at him and added, "Don't worry. If Grandma asks, I'll play along and coordinate with you."
Feng Tingshen smiled slightly upon hearing this, his eyes as deep as an abyss as they stared at her without blinking. Noticing his gaze, Rong Ci's hand curled slightly over the keyboard.
Even though she had known him for many years and they had been married for a long time, she often felt that she never truly understood him. She frequently had no idea what he was thinking. In the past, she might have wanted to probe the emotions in the depths of his eyes or his heart. But now...
Rong Ci pursed her lips, sticking to her guns. "Thank you for coming up to ask, but I don't want to go down."
Feng Tingshen let out a silent laugh and then said, "Understood." With that, he turned and left.
By the time he reached the ground floor, Qi Yuming and the others were already eating. Seeing him return alone, they were all quite surprised. Like Feng Jingxin, they had assumed that if Feng Tingshen went personally, Rong Ci would find it impossible to refuse.
He Changbai asked, "She's not coming down?"
Feng Tingshen replied with a simple, "No." Then he turned to the staff waiting on them. "Prepare a portion of the barbecue, Bobo Chicken, and hot pot, and send them upstairs to Madam."
Lin Wu pursed her lips at his request. Just because Rong Ci wouldn't come down didn't mean Feng Tingshen sending food up represented anything significant. However... she hated that he referred to Rong Ci as "Madam" in front of others. It was as if he was acknowledging her as his wife.
Then again, she reconsidered. The staff at the villa likely didn't know Rong Ci's name. If he didn't call her Madam, how would they know who to deliver the food to?
Upstairs, Rong Ci was actually hungry. When the doorbell rang, she saw it was a staff member delivering food. She opened the door and let them wheel the dining cart in.
The staff member set the dishes on the table one by one, uncovering the lids and explaining the contents. However, the moment Rong Ci saw the food, she frowned. "Did you deliver this to the wrong place? This isn't what I ordered"
The spicy hot pot base was incredibly fragrant, surrounded by a dazzling array of seafood, beef, tripe, and mutton. It looked mouth-watering. She certainly wanted to eat it, but the problem was that she hadn't ordered any of it.
"There is no mistake. President Feng ordered these for you," the staff member said respectfully. "The meal you ordered yourself is almost ready in the kitchen and will be delivered shortly."
Rong Ci was stunned. There was enough food here for two or three more people, let alone when combined with her original order. Consequently, she spent a long time eating.
By the time their meeting was about to start, Rong Ci was still eating. Yu Moxun had started the video call early to ask for some documents. When Rong Ci joined, he saw her eating. "What are you eating? It looks delicious."
Rong Ci turned the camera.
The others also joined the call and were stunned by the sight of so much expensive food. "That much? Are you just starting?"
Rong Ci replied, "No, I'm almost finished."
"You're eating all that by yourself?"
Rong Ci paused. "I didn't order it."
Yu Moxun realized. "Fengdid your husband order it?"
Rong Ci said, "He had it sent up."
Yu Moxun remarked, "At least he has some bit of a conscience."
Rong Ci didn't want to comment on that, nor did she want to elaborate that he was only doing it to satisfy Grandma. Seeing that the scheduled meeting time was near and she was feeling quite full, she set down her chopsticks. She had someone come up to clear the table and moved her laptop further away before getting down to business.
They worked until past ten at night, but they showed no signs of stopping. Just as Rong Ci and the others were focused on the next part of their project, the door opened.
Feng Tingshen walked in.
Rong Ci's camera was positioned to capture the doorway. The moment she realized what was happening, she immediately turned the camera away.
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