Ji Syaoran's hawk-like gaze fixed on Ru's face and didn't move. He was trying to find the familiarity that he felt earlier when she smiled but still, he couldn't do so. It wasn't that Ru's face features changed or something but the light make-up had indeed made her features more prominent. And the hairstyle made a whole lot of difference.
"Hi, I'm Ji Syaoran. Bro's younger brother." Ji Syaoran introduced himself while his eyes didn't even blink for a second afraid that he might miss something.
Ru wasn't an idiot. She naturally could see the curiosity in his eyes and it made her lips curled upward. "Nice to meet you, Ji Syaoran." She replied with an emphasis on his name which didn't go unnoticed.
Biting his nail, Ji Syaoran's eyes narrowed. Both Ru and Ji Syaoran were locked in a battle of staring. The former's eyes had a challenging look, the latter's curiosity was getting the best of him.
"What are you both doing?" Xiao Zhiren's voice brought their battle to an abrupt halt. He looked at Ji Syaoran, "Stop staring at her before I poke your eyes." Ji Syaoran immediately turned his eyes away and Xiao Zhiren looked at Ru saying in a whisper, "Love, stop provoking him."
"I did no such thing. Don't accuse me wrongly." Ru played the innocent card perfectly.
Xiao Zhiren placed his hand on her head and said, "Say something believable. I know my little chili better."
"Come with me, I want to introduce you to everyone." Old Madam Ji dragged Xiao Zhiren and Ru naturally had to follow.
Ji Syaoran leaned close to Ru as he whispered, "Introduce? I'm telling you, Gammy just wants to brag about her favorite grandson and you."
"Me?" Ru raised her brow at him in question as he nodded.
"Yes, you. After all, there is hardly anyone here who could compete with you in beauty." Ji Syaoran sounded sincere since even he couldn't bring himself to deny that Ru was deadly gorgeous.
Ru flipped her hair and patted his shoulder saying, "I suddenly find you very likable."
Ji Syaoran was surprised by this sudden change in her demeanor. "Why?"
"Because you have such good eyesight. How else would you know that nobody can compete with me in beauty?" Her conceited answer made Ji Syaoran almost trip over his own foot. Ru held his arm to save him from falling as she said, "Spoke too soon."
Ji Syaoran: "Narcissistic much?"
Ru: "It's not narcissism."
Ji Syaoran: "Oh, really?"
Ru nodding: "Yup! It's called being honest and genuine."
Ji Syaoran: "..."
Taking time to process her words, he sighed out, "I wonder how you made my brother fall for you."
Ru snorted in reply, "Keep wondering. Even I haven't found the answer to that mystery."
In an inconspicuous corner of the ballroom, another pair was locked in a battle of staring. One looked calm and other were raging like a dragon ready to breathe fire.
"Ji Yifeng!" The raging eyes glared at Xiao Zhiren's father as he gritted out.
"No need to get so hyper, Xiao Jingting. I already told you that I won't let you touch my son!" Ji Yifeng replied calmly.
"Son?" The man named Xiao Jingting snickered. "What? The same one who wouldn't hesitate before putting a dagger at your throat?"
Ji Yifeng closed his eyes briefly to hide the fluctuation in his deep eyes. "Even if he kills me, he'll still be my son."
"I don't understand at all. How can you even say that?" Xiao Jingting was roaring in anger. "Your son ruined everything that was important to my sister. Including you!"
"And that same sister of yours loved that son with all her heart. Even more than her own life." Ji Yifeng stated or more like reminded the person before him.
"Maybe that was her mistake. Loving the wrong people." Xiao Jingting spat out in contempt. "Perhaps if she had made the right choices, we wouldn't be in this predicament."
"Xiao Jingting!" Ji Yifeng's eyes fixed on his face. "Don't you dare say anything about my wife. She was never wrong. And why do I have to remind you that my wife is your sister as well?"
Xiao Jingting's shoulder's slumped down, he looked defeated as he said, "How can I forget that? She had forgotten me but I can't do the same to her." Ji Yifeng was about to pat his shoulder to show his support when Xiao Jingting again started, "But don't expect me to forgive your son. I won't!"
Ji Yifeng rolled his eyes at him. "Would you get over that 'your son' part? At the end of the day, that son of mine is your nephew. No matter how much you dislike him."
Seeing Xiao Jingting huffing like a child, Ji Yifeng couldn't help but smile. This man before him reminded him so much of his wife. He was just as childish as she once was. "Stop brooding."
Xiao Jingting turned his face away and that's when a scene caught his eyes. "What is your son doing here?"
Ji Yifeng turned to follow his gaze and also looked at Xiao Zhiren standing beside his mother with a big smile on his face. For a second, he was stunned to see Xiao Zhiren smiling like that. "He's the eldest son of our family. Why can't he be here?"
"He doesn't even call you his father," Xiao Jingting pointed out matter-of-factly.
"Indeed." Ji Yifeng agreed with a sigh and added, "But he does love his grandmother and also, Ran Zi is here as well."
"Who's the girl beside him?" Xiao Jingting's question made Ji Yifeng also notice the presence of Ru.
"If you're asking me, who should I ask?" They both shared a look and shook their heads.
"That makes you an incapable father." Ji Yifeng didn't mind his words. He knew was indeed an incapable father who couldn't even protect his kids. "Wish I could question you as a husband as well."
"Was that a compliment?" Ji Yifeng asked with an amusing grin. It must be told that this brother-in-law of his was even more difficult to please than his own wife. In the past 3 decades, Xiao Jingting had never complimented Ji Yifeng.
"I didn't like you when you married my sister and I still don't like you." Xiao Jingting retorted.
"I never needed your acceptance. Your sister loved me and that was enough for both of us." Ji Yifeng's reply infuriated Xiao Jingting, it was a reminder of the past that he hated the most.
"Hateful man!"
Ji Yifeng had a look of epiphany as he said, "Now I know why Yuan is so difficult to get along with."
"Why?" Xiao Jingting asked in curiosity.
"Because your nephew is just like you; unbearable!"
Xiao Jingting didn't retort. He thought it was pointless to do so anyway. So, he kept his silence but unknowingly, his eyes were wandering back to Ru again and again for some reason.
"What are you looking at?" Ji Yifeng asked seeing the concentrated look of Xiao Jingting.
"She..." He left his words hanging as he shook his head.
"What about her?" Ji Yifeng curiously.
"She looks familiar." Xiao Jingting said softly with a deep frown etched between his brows.
"You know her? Or have you met her before?"
"Neither." Xiao Jingting shook his head. "I wouldn't have forgotten such a peculiar face."
"Then how is she familiar?"
"I have no idea." Xiao Jingting replied while his mind was still trying to remember. She seemed really familiar to him. But had he really seen her before? If yes, then where? And why was his mind imagining her with forest green eyes? Frustrated by his own mind, Xiao Jingting pushed Ji Yifeng and said, "Go and find out who she is. Meet me on the deck later and tell me in detail."
Ji Yifeng gave him an odd look. "When did our Tingting became such a nosy person? Did Ran Zi influenced you badly?"
"Don't talk nonsense and just go already."
"I'm going but I don't think Zhiren will even let me step close to her. The way his hand is on her waist, it's obvious how possessive he is about her."
"Well, he's your son. Isn't it a given that he'd be possessive like his father?"
Ji Yifeng nodded as he couldn't refute his words. "Fine. Let me try. But you stop talking down to me, I'm still your one and only brother-in-law."
"I know. I know. You don't have to remind me that." Xiao Jingting was being impatient which was really unlike him.