Leaning against Kong Chengyi, Ding Jia gently untied his tie with one hand, while slightly tilting her chin upward and pouting her bright red lips, speaking with a somewhat aggrieved tone, "I just want to get used to life at your home as soon as possible, so that even if I live with your parents later, there won't be any conflicts. I want to live with them so Grandma won't be lonely, okay?" She had always known that his greatest tenderness was for Fang Xiufang; as long as Grandma agreed or liked something, he would be willing to comply.
His dark eyes fell on her slender fingers untying the tie, but his cold features showed no sign of yielding to her coquettishness and grievances. Unexpectedly, he still did not soften his stance just because of her desire to keep the elderly company.
"Grandma is still in the hospital. We don't know when she can return home. Besides, she's used to the quietness of our home; too many people would disturb her rest! Neither of us is suitable to move into the Kong family mansion."
Holding the just-untied tie in her hand, Ding Jia stared at him in shock, immediately standing up from the sofa. She asked coldly, "Yi, don't you love me? You don't love me at all? Are you just staying with me out of pity? Or are you just playing me because you don't love me? I'm not worthy to meet your family, much less live in the Kong mansion, right?" She thought that if she spoke up—even if acting spoiled—she could persuade him. But to her surprise, he rejected her outright without hesitation, deepening her belief in what her parents had said: the Kong family was simply toying with her.
Kong Chengyi furrowed his brows and reached out to grab her hand, but she dodged away, and his gaze instantly turned icy cold. "Ding Ding, stop making trouble!"
"I'm not making trouble! I just want to know my place in your heart—or if I'm not even in your heart! You don't love me. You've stopped loving me…" Biting her lip as she accused him of not loving her, tears immediately streamed down Ding Jia's face, and a torrent of complaints choked her voice.
Standing up tall, Kong Chengyi finally softened the coldness in his eyes and spoke with a warm voice because of her tears. "You're overthinking. If I didn't care about you, would I still be with you here in the hospital? Still living here with you now? Ding Ding, don't say things lightly, and don't make baseless accusations!" Suddenly, irritation welled up in his chest. The tender tone he'd just used gradually turned cold again, dissatisfied with her unreasonable antics.
Pouting, her slender figure blocked the glaring light as he stood. Ding Jia gradually stopped sobbing. Her long black eyelashes fluttered as she suddenly realized his anger—and the recklessness of her accusations. Deep down, she feared that her rash words had offended him.
"I…" she stammered, about to defend herself, but swallowed the words back down.
Seeing her hesitant expression, Kong Chengyi eventually reached out his right hand and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Ding Ding, find something you like to do when you have time. Don't overthink things!" Left alone on the mountain with so much free time, he understood her loneliness and lack of security, but this was something she had to overcome on her own.
"I…" Biting her lip tightly, Ding Jia finally held his large hand with both of hers, tilting her head back to nestle into his chest again. "I'm sorry. I'm just too lonely here by myself. Is that okay?" Her tearful eyes looked up at him. "Is it okay if I meet your parents? Everyone in the city knows we're together now. If I don't take the initiative to meet your parents, wouldn't that seem rude? I'm just afraid it'll give your parents a worse impression of me!"
They looked quietly into each other's eyes. After a moment, Kong Chengyi's low, sincere voice sounded: "Is meeting them really so important? Isn't the most important thing that we're together?" Thinking of Lin Xiao's cold glare when sending her parents away and her repeated insistence that Ding Jia shouldn't become the Kong family's granddaughter-in-law, Kong Chengyi felt now was not the right time for Ding Jia to meet his parents.
"Yes, it is important. Only if they accept me can I be truly happy and feel the joy of being with you. Love that is blessed is the most beautiful kind of love!" Ding Jia blinked, her sparkling eyes shining with full expectancy as she gazed at Kong Chengyi.
He slightly curved the corner of his lips and leaned forward to kiss her forehead gently. "Since you want to meet them that much, I'll bring you to the Kong family mansion tomorrow night!" Unable to refuse her again, Kong Chengyi finally agreed to her request. Perhaps he should call Lin Xiao first.
"Mm-hmm!" Having finally gotten Kong Chengyi's promise, Ding Jia immediately broke into a bright smile, tiptoed to kiss his chin, and then cheerfully ran off. "I'm going to choose my outfit for tomorrow!" Meeting his parents was obviously a big deal, and this first impression at the Kong home was a battle she absolutely intended to win—and win beautifully.
The next evening, Kong Chengyi kept his promise and brought Ding Jia back to the Kong mansion. Coincidentally, Kong Huan had just finished work and returned home, so the three met directly in the garden.
"Huan Huan, do you remember me? I'm Sister Ding Jia. Long time no see!" Unexpectedly, the first person Ding Jia saw at the Kong home was Kong Huan. She immediately beamed with enthusiasm and happily reached out to embrace her.
Unconsciously, Kong Huan stepped back two paces, smiling awkwardly as she deliberately ignored Ding Jia's enthusiasm and outstretched hands. She simply waved her hand, saying, "Uh, hello!"
Years ago, Kong Chengyi had brought her to meet Kong Huan a few times, but no matter what, there always seemed to be an invisible wall between them. There was no sense of closeness, and the atmosphere was even more awkward than with strangers. At this moment, Kong Huan found herself missing Hua Lianxi.
With outstretched hands ignored harshly, Ding Jia's radiant smile instantly froze, a slight twitch appearing at the corner of her mouth. She awkwardly withdrew her hands but kept smiling perfectly, continuing to ask with concern, "It's been years; you've become prettier. Do you have a boyfriend now?"
"You wild girl, no one wants me!" Stepping forward and lightly wrapping an arm around Ding Jia's slender waist, Kong Chengyi squinted his eyes slightly, his gaze clearly warning Kong Huan, displeased with her earlier behavior.
Pouting, Kong Huan was the first to head inside, ignoring their conversation altogether. She didn't bother to be polite to Ding Jia nor hide her feelings.
"Yi…" Watching Kong Huan's retreating back, Ding Jia looked at Kong Chengyi gloomily. She sensed that Kong Huan was hostile toward her.
"Let's go; time for dinner!" Kong Chengyi pulled her into the house, the image of Hua Lianxi and Kong Huan joyfully smiling at each other flashing through his mind. He did not comfort Ding Jia's sorrowful mood.
Nodding, Ding Jia forced a smile, masking her earlier displeasure and inner resentment.
"Dad!" Holding Ding Jia, Kong Chengyi entered the living room and greeted Kong Zhendong, who was reading a newspaper. He then glanced at Ding Jia.
Exchanging a smile with Kong Chengyi, Ding Jia turned to Kong Zhendong with a polite smile. "Hello, Uncle. I'm Ding Jia." As she spoke, she placed the gift bags she had brought on the coffee table. "I'm not sure what you like, but these are some snacks we usually eat. They're good for both you and Auntie's health. I hope you don't mind!" They lacked for nothing in the Kong family, everything consumed was top quality. After thinking it over all night, she had insisted that Kong Chengyi help her buy these gifts. At this first formal meeting, she felt it was inappropriate to arrive empty-handed.
With a rustle, Kong Zhendong folded the newspaper, glanced at Kong Chengyi, then looked at Ding Jia. After a few seconds of scrutiny, he nodded slightly and called over Aunt Yang in the kitchen, saying, "Aunt Yang, please call Madam and Kong Huan downstairs. Dinner is ready!"
Standing awkwardly on the side, Ding Jia's previously radiant face faltered slightly. She hadn't expected Kong Zhendong to greet her so coldly, barely bothering with small talk. Lin Xiao was even worse. In an instant, Ding Jia gripped the edges of her bag tightly, struggling to suppress the storm of emotions inside her.
"Let's eat!" Kong Chengyi squeezed Ding Jia's hand but offered no further comfort, leading her directly to the dining table.
Although Kong Zhendong's attitude toward Ding Jia was distant, Kong Chengyi found it normal; at least he wasn't grim-faced. He had already anticipated this attitude beforehand.
Descending from upstairs in a dazzling black qipao adorned with jewels, Lin Xiao squinted as she surveyed the women already seated at the dining table.
Noticing the scrutinizing gaze, Ding Jia suddenly turned her head, locking eyes with Lin Xiao's disdainful look.
The next moment, Ding Jia rose with a radiant smile and spoke softly to Lin Xiao, "Hello, Auntie. I'm Ding Jia, Chengyi's current girlfriend!"
Lowly humming, Lin Xiao's contemptuous eyes burned with even greater dislike when she clearly saw Ding Jia's beaming smile.
Such a radiant smile was clearly a show of defiance, an outright mockery of her incompetence.
Maintaining her smile, Ding Jia stared at Lin Xiao until she sat opposite her.
"Sit!" Kong Chengyi said coldly, giving Lin Xiao a look before pulling Ding Jia down to sit beside him.
Smiling at Kong Chengyi as if to ease his worries, Ding Jia then apologized to Kong Zhendong and Lin Xiao, "Sorry to disturb you tonight. I've always wanted to pay my respects to both of you. It's my fault, Ding Jia's fault, that the Kong family's reputation has been damaged!"
Even though the personal contract between Hua Lianxi and the family business had been severed, Kong Chengyi still appeared in the media as an adulterer, causing the company's stocks to plunge for several days. Because of this, Ding Jia felt the need to apologize to Kong Zhendong and Lin Xiao.
"An unrelated person cannot cause damage!" Lin Xiao's eyes pierced Ding Jia as she finally spoke, dismissing any association. She couldn't tolerate Ding Jia's tearful pretense, nor her hypocrisy.