The family banquet at the Ji Family's old residence soon ended amid a seemingly lively, festive atmosphere.
The servants silently cleared the dining room's cluttered dishes and glasses. The scent of wine and food still lingered in the air, but most of the family members had already taken their leave, and the sprawling residence gradually grew quiet.
The atmosphere in the study, however, was nothing like the bustle from earlier.
The heavy rosewood door shut out the outside world. Only a few warm yellow wall lamps lit the study, their light soft yet tinged with solemnity.
Old Master Ji Wenzhong sat behind the broad desk, rolling two smooth walnuts in his palm with a faint rasp.
Though advanced in years, his gaze remained sharp. At that moment, he calmly regarded Ji Cheng and Fang Youcheng, who stood before his desk.
Ji Cheng wore just the right measure of respect on his face, with a trace of the "gratified" smile from the banquet still lingering. He turned slightly and gently nudged Fang Youcheng forward from where he stood half a step behind him, looking somewhat tense and uneasy.
"Dad, almost everyone's gone. I brought Youcheng over so we could have a few more words in private." Ji Cheng's voice was gentle, carrying the respect of a younger man addressing his elder.
Ji Wenzhong nodded and turned his gaze to Fang Youcheng, his tone fairly kind. "Yes, Youcheng, thank you for your hard work on the trip to Seacity. There were too many people talking at the banquet earlier, so I didn't get a chance to properly praise you. Yun Huai mentioned it to me, too. He said your assistance helped the bidding go so smoothly, that you put in a lot of effort and prepared the materials very thoroughly."
Hearing the