Night Fire Lingering

Chapter 272 Forgiveness? No

"Know!"

Nan Yun spotted Wen Yan in the crowd at a glance. Her eyes were full of anticipation and surprise, without the slightest shock. She clearly knew that Wen Yan was there and had come specifically for her.

Seeing Nan Yun's attitude towards Wen Yan, Nan Zhiyi lowered her eyes to hide the disappointment and jealousy in them. When she looked up again, she was once again the poised and elegant rich girl.

Everyone stared at Wen Yan, eagerly anticipating her reaction as if watching a show.

"This is the guest you invited?" Old Madam Gu looked at her daughter-in-law with an unfriendly expression and asked in a low voice.

Ji Chang said, "Ms. Nan is Xiao Yan's mother. We haven't seen each other for so many years, so we must have a lot to talk about."

"Nonsense!" Old Madam Gu glared at her, but with guests all around, she couldn't lecture her daughter-in-law. She could only settle the score with him later.

“Zhizhi…” Gu Yanci appeared beside Wen Yan immediately and took her hand without making a sound.

"I'm fine." Wen Yan calmly looked up, smiled, and shook her head.

Gu Yanci glanced at his mother, Ji Chang, who was not far away, his eyes unusually cold.

To everyone's surprise, Wen Yan was unusually calm. She looked at Nan Yun as if she were looking at someone she barely knew, someone she had only met a few times. There was no surprise, no hatred, no tears, no questioning, as if Nan Yun was just an unimportant person.

"Hello," Wen Yan said to Nan Yun, "It's been a long time."

The guest couldn't help but glance at Wen Yan a few more times, marveling at how composed this young woman in her early twenties was.

Only Gu Yanci knew that the calm and composed Wen Yan of today was the result of being honed after experiencing countless hopes and disappointments.

He felt sorry for her.

The man's thumb unconsciously traced the back of Wen Yan's hand, a silent comfort and reassurance between intimate individuals.

Nan Zhiyi noticed the two people's little interaction and silently gritted her teeth.

She originally thought that after her mother told Wen Yan those things, the two of them would get a divorce. Why do they seem to have no relationship problems? Is Wen Yan out of her mind?

Nan Zhiyi's gaze was undisguised. Wen Yan noticed this and looked straight back, her gaze carrying a hint of mockery.

Nan Zhiyi's breath hitched.

"Guests are welcome, please have a seat," said Old Madam Gu at the opportune moment, her tone indifferent.

Then she said gently to Wen Yan, "Xiao Yan, come here. I haven't finished telling Grandma about your school yet!"

Everyone immediately realized where Old Madam Gu's heart lay. Those who had previously looked down on Wen Yan and wanted to see her make a fool of herself had to adjust their attitudes.

Nan Zhiyi whispered to Nan Yun, "Mommy, you can do it! I believe Yan will forgive you! Seize the opportunity!"

Nan Yun had been quite dissatisfied with Nan Zhiyi these past few days, but hearing her daughter, with whom she spent every day, encourage her like this, she nodded with relief.

Nan Zhiyi was sweet-talking and pretty. She chatted and flattered the elders of various families, making them very happy. However, she ran into a snag with Old Madam Gu.

No matter what she said or what she praised, Madam Gu's attitude was always polite but indifferent. However, when she turned around, she held Wen Yan's hand and asked her about her well-being.

Nan Zhiyi had never been treated like this before. And all these changes and embarrassments were because of Wen Yan…

"Zhiyi, come here for a moment." Ji Chang was talking to Gu Yanci when she suddenly called Nan Zhiyi over.

Nan Zhiyi was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and quickly walked over.

"She's really out of her mind!" Old Madam Gu commented on Ji Chang.

Soon, other elderly ladies from different families started talking to Madam Gu, leaving Wen Yan temporarily alone.

In those two minutes, Nan Yun seized the opportunity to come over.

"Zhizhi, why are you still with him?" In the Gu family home, Nan Yun could only lower her voice, "Mommy didn't lie to you. Do you really want to stay with a man who schemed against you and made you bear the stigma?"

Wen Yan's eyes suddenly turned cold.

If her relationship with Gu Yanci hadn't become much stronger, she probably would have resolutely divorced Gu Yanci because of Nan Yun's words.

Now, instead of seeing the expected result, Nan Yun is actually trying to sow discord!

"Am I supposed to listen to someone who faked their death and abandoned me when I was young?" Wen Yan retorted.

Nan Yun felt as if she had been stabbed in the heart, the pain making it hard for her to breathe.

Wen Yan was not satisfied with this and continued, "Or do you mean I should listen to someone who has repeatedly sided with me for the sake of another person?"

Nan Yun's tears flowed uncontrollably as she grasped Wen Yan's hand and said urgently, "Zhi Zhi, Mommy knows she was wrong. Mommy knows I was wrong before. Can you forgive Mommy?"

"No."

Wen Yan angrily tried to pull her hand away, but Nan Yun stubbornly pulled again, as if holding Wen Yan's hand would win her back.

Wen Yan kept dodging.

In the struggle, whether Nan Yun lost her balance or something else, she stumbled and fell to the ground!

"Zhizhi!" Gu Yanci's call brought Wen Yan back to her senses.

"Mommy!" Nan Zhiyi ran over and helped Nan Yun up. Her chest heaved with anger as she defended her mother, "Yan, if you have any complaints, just say so. How could you push Mommy like that?"

She pushed...?

Wen Yan then noticed that everyone around her was looking at her with complicated expressions, mostly scrutiny and disapproval.

"Yes, Xiao Wen, let's talk this out."

"Xiao Wen, no matter what happened, she is still your mother who gave you life."

"There's nothing that can't be resolved; we're mother and daughter!"

……

Today's guests are all elderly people with children, so they naturally empathize with Nan Yun, especially now that Nan Yun is crying her eyes out, she is the vulnerable one being pitied.

Wen Yan felt it was a bit absurd, not realizing that she had become the target of everyone's criticism and that she was the one who had made a mistake.

"Is that enough?"

A male voice interrupted the crowd's condemnation.

Gu Yanci stood beside Wen Yan and held her hand.

As a junior, he showed no respect to anyone present, and sarcastically remarked, "You elders are quite concerned about my wife's affairs."