The young girl's family was no longer alone.
Zhong Lan had also urged Jason to arrange a meeting between their parents as soon as possible; it was a necessary courtesy.
Previously, Jason was concerned that Ni PingSen had just returned to the country and wanted to give him some time to settle in. Now that the timing seemed right, he brought it up.
Upon hearing this, Ni PingSen nodded slightly, "I really should meet your parents sooner."
Seeing that he didn't hesitate at all, Jason's face lit up with a smile: "I'll make the arrangements."
After dinner, Emma took the initiative to clear the dishes, and Jason stayed to help. As she put the dishes into the dishwasher and looked back at the living room, she noticed Ni PingSen was not there.
So she took a few steps forward and saw that the front door was open.
When she reached the door, she saw Ni PingSen standing outside smoking, something he rarely did before.
Emma walked over and asked worriedly, "Dad, is something on your mind?"
Ni PingSen turned to see her and quickly stubbed out his cigarette, throwing it into the trash can beside the garden. He shook his head and said, "Nothing."
"You can talk to me if there's anything on your mind," Emma stood her ground, still looking concerned.
Until Ni PingSen let out a bitter chuckle, "I just feel that time has flown by too fast when I heard about meeting your in-laws. Our Xingxing is already betrothed."
Emma breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that was what he was lamenting.
She smiled and stepped forward to link her arm with his, "Even though I'm betrothed, I'm still your daughter, Dad. I'll be by your side forever."
Ni PingSen turned to look at her, "That's not right. I'm still planning to walk you down the aisle at your wedding and give you away."
Men, perhaps, really are incapable of speaking their true feelings.
Emma teased, "Are you really that willing to let go?"
Ni PingSen remained silent.
Emma, not satisfied with the provocation, looked at him with a smirk and said, "Since my wedding hasn't happened yet, how about we practice?"
With that, she turned her head and stood tall with her chest out.
Ni PingSen was taken aback, but soon he too looked up and said, "Alright, let's give it a try."
So under the night sky, Emma held onto Ni PingSen's arm, and they walked forward step by step, extremely slowly.
There was no music around them, nor were there any flowers in sight, yet the two seemed to be truly in a wedding scene, each step taken with such steadiness.
Even Emma, who had only been joking, seemed to be affected and couldn't help but take a deep breath through her nose.
When they slowly reached the doorstep, Jason suddenly appeared at the main entrance. He had just finished cleaning up elsewhere and noticed that both Emma and Ni PingSen were missing.
Upon approaching, he found Emma holding her father-in-law's hand, standing below the steps at the entrance.
Jason was a bit stunned.
Until Ni PingSen said earnestly, "Shenyan, I am now going to entrust Jingxi to you. Are you willing to take care of my daughter for a lifetime?"
Jason looked at him, and without even a second of hesitation, he replied, "I do."
Emma gazed expectantly at Jason as he held her hand, while Ni PingSen chuckled and stepped up the stairs, saying, "Alright, I'm tired, I'll go rest upstairs first."
She and Jason stood in place, watching Ni PingSen's figure gradually move away until he disappeared around the corner of the staircase.
Emma sniffed lightly, feeling a sourness in her heart.
"What's wrong?" Jason turned his head to look at her, his face full of concern.
Emma squinted her eyes and exhaled deeply, "I'm just a bit worried about Dad."
Ni PingSen was not yet at the age where he needed to be taken care of; it wouldn't be strange if he felt bored staying at home all the time. But Emma couldn't bear the thought of him being too exhausted.
Jason held her hand and looked down, "Are you worried that Dad will be bored at home?"
Emma looked up, her face full of surprise; she really didn't expect Jason to guess her thoughts so accurately. She blinked and squeezed his fingers, "Jason, are you a worm in my stomach?"
Jason was amused by her description.
However, Jason paused and then made a suggestion, "Didn't Dad used to run a Chinese restaurant in Vietnam? How about we help him open another restaurant? We can prepare the storefront and staff for him, and all he'll have to do is go and inspect it every day."
This way, he would have something to do and wouldn't have to stay at home idle, competing with the housekeeper to cook, nor would he be too tired from work.
Emma hadn't thought of this before, but when Jason brought it up, she carefully considered it and thought it was actually a good idea. So she excitedly pulled Jason to the door and started daydreaming out loud.
Jason listened to the slight breeze in the air and the somewhat stuffy temperature of the early summer night, then pulled her into the living room.
"Xiao Yichen is very familiar with side businesses; he has invested in many bars and clubs. I'll have him help out," Jason said, seeing her enthusiastic expression and couldn't help but smile.
He just didn't tell Emma that the side businesses Xiao Yichen invested in were all worth millions or even tens of millions, and now to open such a small shop for Ni PingSen, he would have to involve Xiao Yichen.
Jason didn't mind using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
Emma, however, had some reservations. She furrowed her brow, "It shouldn't be that much trouble to open a shop for Dad, right?"
Her idea was really quite simple: a small restaurant with a few waiters and a chef, and the initial investment she had saved over the years would be enough.
Jason looked at her calmly and said, "Xiao Yichen is just sitting idle anyway. This meaningful endeavor is better than him hanging out in bars every day."
Emma nodded; indeed, it was a meaningful thing to do.
At that moment, Xiao Yichen, who was in the bar holding a glass of wine and drinking alone, suddenly sneezed. The bartender across from him, seeing that he had been sitting there for a while, said with a smile, "Boss, are you eating vegetarian today?"
Xiao Yichen glanced at him and humphed, "I'm not eating anything."
Just as he finished speaking, he sneezed again. Xiao Yichen rubbed his nose, wondering if he was going to catch a cold in the middle of summer?
*
After two days of preparation, it was finally time for the meeting. Since there had been a meeting the day before, this meeting was of high standard, and there were formal dress requirements for the participating journalists.
So Emma wore a suit today, a shirt and trousers.
As she stood in front of the dressing mirror tidying up, Jason happened to come over. He took a look and, having already entered the cloakroom, turned back to her and asked, "Do you have something important today?"
Usually, the newspaper office didn't have any special dress requirements for journalists, and Emma dressed casually and comfortably.
This was the first time she was dressed so formally.
Emma then remembered that this gentleman was also attending the economic forum today, but she didn't plan on telling him. If they happened to meet later, she could surprise him.
After all, this was the first time the two of them would meet in a professional setting.
"No, it's just a requirement from the newspaper office," Emma said casually.
Jason thought it was some event at her newspaper office and didn't think much of it. Just before leaving, he told Emma to bring her blazer as well: "The office is already air-conditioned; bring your jacket."
Emma thought she would be outside all day and probably wouldn't need it, but since he mentioned it, she might as well leave the jacket in the car.
So Emma took her jacket and left the house with him.
At the door, Emma pulled out of the garage and Jason's driver was waiting outside. Instead of getting in the car directly, he stood by her side waiting.
Emma rolled down the car window, "What's up?"
Jason leaned in and kissed her lips, "Have a good day at work."
Emma smiled, noticing recently that Jason seemed to be getting more and more clingy. She reached out and touched his dark hair, which had a slightly fluffy texture.
Like some kind of large canine.
Jason looked up at her, his usually proud eyebrows showing a hint of displeasure, as if he also felt that the way Emma was touching him was a bit off.
Emma quickly covered it up, leaned up and kissed him.
"Husband, I hope you have a good day at work."
She rarely called Jason her husband directly, but when she did this time, the man's lips curled up and he softly hummed in response.
After the car left the house, Emma didn't go to the newspaper office but went straight to the venue of today's work meeting. Since the journalists needed to arrive early to prepare, they had to wait in line to enter and check their credentials.
The newspaper office had sent a press vehicle, but Emma didn't ask for a ride and drove there by herself.
When she arrived at the location, Emma finally found a parking spot and then met up with her colleagues. In addition to Song Yu, there was another cameraman and a male journalist.
The four of them made up the interview team for this event.
Song Yu waved at her from a distance, "Sister Jingxi, I was afraid you wouldn't see us."
"Are they starting to check IDs for entry now?" Emma asked.
Song Yu nodded and looked around, "There are so many people, I'm a bit nervous."
There were many media vehicles and peers with press credentials already present. Emma rarely attended such events, but having been to real battlefields, she wasn't intimidated by the large crowd.
As Emma walked forward, she hung her press badge around her neck, "It's okay, maybe they're feeling the same way you are."
Song Yu cautiously observed the media peers chatting and laughing around her. Were they nervous too?
"Sister Jingxi, even though I know you're just trying to comfort me, I do feel a lot more relaxed," Song Yu said with a smile.
The male reporter joked, "Song Yu, you're showing your nervousness too obviously, or you'll lose face for Xinhua News Agency."
In fact, the interview team this time was all young people. Except for the photographer who was a bit older, the others didn't seem to have much experience with such large-scale events.
After they finished registering one by one, they began waiting for the important figures to arrive at the conference.
The sun outside was getting hotter. In the early morning, the sunlight wasn't so intense, and standing outside was fine, but now they were gradually getting dizzy from the heat.
Song Yu was desperately fanning herself with the conference brochure in her hand.
"When are they going to arrive? I'm really going to be sunstroke," she complained.
Emma was discussing shooting materials with the photographer when suddenly the sound of sirens came. Looking up, she didn't see any vehicles at first.
It wasn't until the siren grew louder that blue and white police motorcycles came into view, driving towards them on both sides.
The journalists, who had been standing around casually, became alert like soldiers hearing the call to battle. The cameras were ready, waiting for the attendees to arrive at the entrance of the venue.
The reporters quickly gathered, hoping to capture the moment the attendees got out of their vehicles.
Emma and the photographer reacted the fastest, standing at the forefront, staring straight ahead.
Soon after, order was restored, and Emma took out her phone, as the photographer only had one lens, and she could help capture important moments.
People were pushing from behind, and Emma felt a bit helpless, trying her best to maintain her balance.
Suddenly, there was a noticeable commotion in the crowd, with the sound of shutters clicking incessantly and flashes turning the surroundings almost silver. Clearly, the first attendee had arrived.
When Emma saw the person, she quickly searched her mind until she confirmed that he was a government official.
Beside her, Song Yu and another reporter also took out their phones. In the era of streaming media, short videos have become one of the main methods of news reporting.
Because short videos carry a lot of information and don't take too much time to watch, they are increasingly accepted by netizens.
Emma had previously instructed them to collect as much material as possible, so that they could pool their ideas and perhaps gain a better media perspective.
As more attendees appeared, the reporters' enthusiasm did not wane, because the later ones were more familiar entrepreneurs and official personnel.
Until a cry of surprise, Emma looked over and was stunned.
Jason, dressed in a very well-tailored suit, walked slowly from not far away, accompanied not only by Tang Mian but also by another official who looked to be in his fifties.
As the two walked and talked, the reporters here had already fallen into an uproar.
"It's Jason, hurry up and shoot. His videos always get a lot of clicks," someone nearby said, and at that moment, all the reporters' equipment was ready for them.
Emma didn't move, she just quietly watched the man walking over.
His black short hair, which she had tousled this morning, was now neatly combed back, revealing a full forehead. His face was narrow, with thick eyebrows and starry eyes, so handsome that it was hard to look away.
His back was straight, even with hundreds of cameras aimed at him and countless lenses capturing his every move, his face always maintained a composed expression.
Song Yu muttered quietly beside her, "He's so handsome, how long are his legs?"
Emma smiled, but she really looked over, and the black suit pants wrapped around his two long legs were indeed very eye-catching, especially since he was a head taller than the official next to him.
Too eye-catching.
As Jason approached, all the cameras were focused on him. Emma thought that in such a crowded situation, he probably wouldn't see her. So she unreservedly took out her phone and started filming him as well.
When she looked at him through her phone, she could feel the momentum he exuded.
The reporters behind kept pushing, seemingly trying to get closer for a better shot, until Song Yu complained, and suddenly Emma felt an excruciating pain on the back of her foot.
She was wearing high heels with almost bare feet today, and someone had stepped directly on the back of her foot.
Emma hissed in pain, and as she tried to move aside, a sudden strong force from behind pushed her forward.
Just as she was about to embarrass herself in front of everyone, the man who had already walked past their spot turned around and rushed over to grab her arm.
Emma, trying to steady herself after being pushed, couldn't find anything to hold onto until her arm was grabbed, and she reflexively held onto the person as well.
"Thank you," Emma exhaled in relief.
But when she looked up, she saw a pair of smiling black eyes; Jason was looking down at her.
The shutters around them continued to click away.
Emma's mind went blank for a few seconds, unsure of what to say. Should she pretend not to know him or say thank you?
Jason smiled first and said to her, "Be careful."
Emma snapped back to reality, seeing all the cameras aimed at her and Jason. Although she had already given up inside, she still put on a decent and apologetic smile and said, "Thank you."
"Be careful next time," Jason nodded, and as he released his hand, he looked at her and said with a light laugh, "Comrade journalist."
Comrade... journalist.
Emma looked at his slightly raised eyes, a clear teasing smile, and her mind spiraled into confusion.
He was flirting with her in public.
After Jason left, Emma returned to her original position, but it seemed as if a barrier had formed around her, making it quiet and soundless.
Until Song Yu excitedly whispered in her ear, "Sister Jingxi, Jason just saved you."
Emma turned to look at her, blinking, unsure if the girl was teasing her or really didn't know.
But Song Yu asked again, "What does it feel like to be held by Jason?"
Emma was completely stunned this time.
Looking at her excited and innocent expression, Emma wondered if she would faint if she knew that she and Jason shared the same bed?
But soon everyone had to get down to serious business, with no time for gossip.
However, Emma didn't know that the moment Jason had supported her had already been captured in a short video and uploaded online.
At this moment, she was still in the venue,专心致志地 (wholeheartedly) waiting to ask a question.
The media were all arranged to sit at the back, with guests giving speeches at the front. The first speaker was an entrepreneur from Singapore, who started speaking in English.
The reporter next to her said with a bit of a headache, "Although our basic English communication is fine, listening to such professional speeches is still challenging."
Since it was an economic forum, many speeches involved specialized economic terms.
Fortunately, Emma had prepared intensively beforehand and wasn't completely in the dark. But she was indeed busy, responsible for breaking news, interviews, and scripts. There were many entrepreneurs here, and she had contacted several beforehand, wanting to do a special interview.
After all, her newspaper's reputation was so great that it received a response, but the other party had been fixated on the interview outline.
As soon as the conference ended, Emma rushed out to where Song Yu and the others were; they had already edited the video.
This was for the official Weibo and public account, and the pictures and articles were also being rushed. Emma looked around and found that all the sofas and chairs were occupied.
She sighed, hugged her computer, and sat down directly on the ground.
When she finished typing the last word, quickly checked it over, and sent the article to her colleagues in the back, Song Yu saw her stop typing and quickly handed her the sandwich she was holding.
"Sister Jingxi, have something to pad your stomach."
Emma looked around and whispered, "We're not allowed to eat here, right?"
Song Yu quickly hid the sandwich in her bag, anxiously saying, "I'm sorry, I didn't know."
"It's okay, are you all hungry? Let's go out and eat something first."
Everyone had experience and knew that this kind of occasion wouldn't provide any boxed meals, and besides, there weren't many restaurants around the venue, so everyone simply brought their own food to solve the problem on the spot.
Emma had brought a pack of sliced bread, which she had taken from the fridge at home that morning. However, the bread was in the car at the moment. She had just accepted a sandwich from Song Yu and said thank you when she suddenly heard footsteps behind her. Looking up, she saw Tang Mian rushing over.
He was carrying two heavy-looking bags. Upon seeing Emma, he immediately smiled, "I've finally found you; I was just about to call you."
It was the hottest part of the morning, and since the parking lot was quite a distance away, everyone had planned to quickly eat their sandwiches and return to the venue to rest. They found a shaded spot to sit, as there were no chairs, and sat on the ground after laying down some paper.
Emma was surprised to see him, but Tang Mian had already squatted down and opened the plastic bags he brought. Inside were several hot boxed meals.
"After a morning of hard work, let's eat some boxed meals to replenish our energy; save the sandwiches for afternoon tea," Tang Mian said with a smile as he handed out the meals to everyone.
Despite his smart suit and elite appearance, he had a warm and comforting presence. When everyone opened their boxed meals, Song Yu exclaimed, "It's pork chops."
Under normal circumstances, they wouldn't have been particularly impressed by pork chops, but at this moment, when they were all starving, the sudden appearance of hot meals filled with meat was almost enough to make them want to kneel in gratitude.
Emma didn't expect him to bring boxed meals specifically, and she apologized, "You've gone to so much trouble, Tang Mian."
Tang Mian just smiled and said, "It's nothing."
He then distributed coffee from the other bag to everyone. With the midday slump approaching, having a cup of coffee in hand meant they wouldn't have to worry about lacking energy for the afternoon's work. He was like Doraemon, providing everything they needed.
Fortunately, Tang Mian didn't stay long and left after delivering the items. After he left, Song Yu whispered, "Sister Jingxi, is this your boyfriend? He's so nice."
Emma had just taken a bite of rice when she heard this and almost spat it out. But someone was even more excited than her; another colleague on the side hissed, "Song Yu, shut up."
Song Yu looked at the two of them, not knowing what she had said wrong. It wasn't until Emma finished eating, put away the boxed meal, threw it in the trash, and returned from the restroom that Song Yu, holding her coffee, stood anxiously in the distance waiting.
When Emma approached, Song Yu immediately said, "Sister Jingxi, I'm really sorry."
"What's wrong?" Emma asked.
Song Yu choked up, "I really didn't expect that Jason and you..."
She felt like smashing her own head, which must be filled with water. She had only gotten to know Jason because of the preparations for this forum. At the time, she thought this young entrepreneur was too handsome. Usually, she was a two-dimensional otaku girl who didn't care about online gossip. Even if someone shared gossip with her, she would sternly state that she was a Xinhua News Agency reporter, not spreading or believing in rumors, and not caring about any gossip.
But this time, she was really embarrassed. The reason she was so excited to see Jason today was that she thought he looked so much like her favorite two-dimensional cartoon character, both having a handsome narrow face, broad shoulders, and a superior figure with a narrow waist and long legs, completely a cartoon figure.
She really didn't expect that the other party was actually married to Emma.
"No wonder when I saw Jason today, I felt that he and you had such a couple's vibe, especially when he held your arm," Song Yu nodded earnestly.
Emma was genuinely amused by her.
In fact, it's not surprising that people don't know they are husband and wife, after all, many people who don't like to surf the internet don't pay much attention.
Moreover, their announcement of marriage was two years ago, and it's been so long since they have rarely appeared together in public, so it's normal to forget.
It turns out that she is not the only one who thinks this way.
The scene of Jason turning around to support her this morning had already been spread online, and now the names of the two were hanging on the hot search. If Emma wasn't too busy to browse Weibo, she would have seen it.
However, the comments in the hot search were mixed.
"Wow, so sweet. Grandma, the CP you like has finally appeared together."
"If it weren't for this video, I almost forgot that these two are husband and wife. Honestly, haven't they divorced?"
"Yeah, I feel they are so distant."
"Where is it distant? It's normal in such a public place. Emma just fell out, and Jason turned around to save her, isn't that sweet enough?"
"I also feel distant, and besides, Emma must be so miserable being a rich family's daughter-in-law."
"I also feel miserable, I've never seen her shopping, and now she's still just a little reporter, her in-laws must not like her."
"You guys have a bit of a dark psychology, maybe she just likes working." But two dog heads were added at the end, obviously with a mocking meaning.
As the hot search position rises, Tang Mian still informs Jason of the situation. Jason turns around and asks, "You said that Xinhua News Agency proposed to do an exclusive interview before?"
Tang Mian nodded. Originally, Jason didn't like to accept exclusive interviews, but the secretariat handed this over because it was an interview from Xinhua News Agency.