Chapter 379: 147 Ji Heng has status, scholars from Ma Institute come to deliver mechanisms (second watch)_1
Mrs. Song tightened her shawl.

“What call?” she asked in surprise as she came down and poured a glass of water for President Yin, “Big brother, drink some water and take your time.”

President Yin held the cup but didn’t drink, just stared at her, “A call from the Chen Family.”

“You mean… that Chen Family?” Mrs. Song’s heart missed a beat.

Others might not know, but Mrs. Song did.

Xingjiang District was small, and inside, all places were public or leased land. Only a few families could live there, and the Chen Family was one of them.

President Yin nodded. Clenching his teacup, his voice carried a tinge of jealousy, “It’s about the Xu Family’s wedding banquet. It’s all the buzz in our circle. I found out only after asking around that the Chen Family was present today. Didn’t you also receive an invitation?”

He remembered that Mrs. Song came to Jiangjing for the wedding as well.

“There are many who want to contact that person from the Chen Family,” President Yin looked at Mrs. Song full of hope, “What about you?”

“The Chen Family?” Mrs. Song’s mind was as if in a haze, “They truly managed to invite someone from the Chen Family?”

Chen Family…

Does Ji Mulan really have such good fortune?

“Are you…” Seeing her expression, President Yin had a bad feeling in his heart.

Mrs. Song looked up blankly, “Big brother, the wedding clashes with Shaoqi’s performance. I discussed it with Amin the day before yesterday and decided not to attend the Xu Family’s wedding banquet, choosing instead to watch Shaoqi perform.”

“What?! You…” President Yin stood up, looking down at Mrs. Song, wanting to scold yet not knowing where to start, “Are you… Are you out of your mind?! Do you know how rare this opportunity is?!”

How could Mrs. Song not know how precious the opportunity was?

She sat there, regretting so deeply it felt like her insides were knotted. If she hadn’t received the invitation from the Xu Family, it would have been one thing, but to have it and miss the event was where Mrs. Song’s deepest regrets and struggles lay.

Even another ten years might not yield an opportunity like today for the Yin Family.

**

The next day.

Just before five in the morning, Shen Qing got Jiang He out of bed and draped a coat over him.

Jiang He, whose eyes were still not open, simply moved his hands following Shen Qing’s actions.

“You’ll be given airplane meals on the flight later,” Shen Qing told him, her own anticipation for the airplane food evident.

Ji Shaojun was hurrying them from outside.

The Xu Family was already waiting at the hotel entrance. Ji Heng, seeing that Jiang He’s eyes were still closed, said to Ji Shaojun, “You wait for them; I’ll go down first.”

He couldn’t keep the Xu Family waiting.

Ji Heng took the elevator down. The hotel was quiet at this hour, with almost no waiting required for the lifts, and within minutes the elevator arrived.

Ding—

The elevator doors opened.

Inside were two people, an old man with a white beard, and a middle-aged man by his side.

The two were frowning and speaking to each other.

Ji Heng hadn’t made out who they were. When he saw there were people in the elevator, he stepped to the side to let them out first, holding a bag in his right hand and a smoking pipe in his left.

The old man with the white beard stepped out.

Ji Heng, passing by him to enter the elevator, noticed the old man suddenly stop, turning shakily to look back, his lips trembling as he pointed at the person inside the elevator, “You… Mu…”

Ji Heng continued walking without pausing, frowning at the white-bearded old man, and pressed the button for the first floor.

“Wait, wait…” The old man reached out to stop the closing elevator doors, panting heavily.

But the elevator doors still closed.

Beside the white-bearded man, the middle-aged man supported him, “Dad, what’s wrong?”

He helped the old man to sit, and took a bottle of medicine from his pocket, feeding him a pill.

Meanwhile, the display next to the elevator had already changed to “L1.”

Downstairs.

Xu En was waiting just at the staircase entrance when the elevator doors opened, he came to take the parcel from Ji Heng’s hands, “Why didn’t you wait for me to come get you upstairs?”

“It’s not much,” Ji Heng replied, lighting up his big cigarette.

He took a drag, his head bowed in silence.

Xu En looked at Ji Heng in surprise. Although Ji Heng had a taste for tobacco, he never smoked in public places, usually only in his hotel room with the window open.

What was up with him today?

Despite feeling it was strange, Xu En didn’t ask.

All the Xu Family members were waiting in the hotel lobby.

Hearing that the Ji Family would be leaving at five in the morning, the old Madame Xu insisted on sending them off, and had been waiting in the lobby since four o’clock.

“It’s strange indeed,” the Xu Family’s butler supported her, “I checked today’s flight schedule. The plane leaves at 9:30 AM; even eight would have been early enough. This family really knows how to trouble people.”

The butler frowned.

The Xu Family had originally booked a flight for the Ji Family the previous night, but they didn’t leave, only mentioning they would depart early the following day.