Chapter 366: Lantern Festival

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

“Indeed, he’s in racing!” Gu Ziyu replied enthusiastically. “Dad said he still wants to be on the racetrack, not retire.”

Gu Ci felt a mixture of joy and hesitation. She had thought that Lu Zhiyuan wouldn’t return to racing, that he would find an opportunity to retire. After regaining her memories, she found it hard to see traces of the Third Young Master in him.

Growing up together as childhood friends, having clashed for years, and the spirited Third Young Master who seemed like a dream – now that she had awakened, he had disappeared. She distinctly remembered that five years later, when he gave up racing for her, how regretful Lu Zhiyuan had been. He never missed any Fl race, and when the Imperial Dynasty team’s driver won a championship, he was ecstatic. She clearly saw the fervor in his eyes.

But now, Lu Zhiyuan seemed gentle, with a kind of self-restraint and calmness, as if all those unrestrained emotions and passionate love had vanished from him.

Her heart ached heavily, and she felt regretful.

She never expected that Lu Zhiyuan would still insist on racing, even if his identity was exposed, and the racetrack was filled with dangers. This had always been the thing the Third Young Master loved most.

“He really said that?” Gu Ci asked in surprise.

Gu Ziyu nodded. “I even recorded a video. Take a look!”

He sent the video recorded at the Global Circuit to Gu Ci. She watched it with fondness, her heart pounding. Regardless of what he said or did, or whether he was by her side or not, she couldn’t help but feel the same excitement. It was an addiction she could never give up in her lifetime.

“That’s great!” Gu Ci’s eyes were slightly red.

She kept watching the video repeatedly until she went to sleep.

On this day, the Lantern Festival, the entire Jiang family was going to visit the Zhang family to exchange New Year’s greetings. Jiang Junlin invited both Gu Ziyu and Gu Ci to join them, and Gu Ziyu wanted to spend the Lantern Festival with Chen Liangdong.

Chen Liangdong smiled, “1 also want to visit Old Zhang’s family for the Lantern Festival.”

“What a coincidence!”

“I heard that Chairman Lu is also taking Lu Zhiyuan to pay a visit.”

Gu Ziyu pondered, wondering what Chairman Zhang had in mind.

When Gu Ci heard this, she also couldn’t understand why Chairman Zhang had invited the Lu family. The Zhang family’s Lantern Festival celebration was always lively, with many people coming to exchange New Year’s greetings. This year, most of the other guests had declined the invitation, leaving only the Jiang and Lu families.

The Jiang family had already prepared the New Year gifts, so Gu Ci and Gu Ziyu didn’t have to worry about it. They rode in the same car as Jiang Junlin and his mother, while Zhang Qiang and the close security team followed in four cars behind.

Lu Zhiyuan and Chairman Lu also arrived, with four cars following behind them. Gu Ziyu looked at the impressive procession of cars outside the Zhang family’s door and couldn’t help but remark, “Is this a New Year visit or a demonstration?”

When Jiang Junlin got out of the car, he unexpectedly spotted Ji Chi in the crowd.

Ji Chi had come with Rong Li and was just a step away from Lu Zhiyuan. Jiang Junlin’s gaze swept over him, his expression unchanged, and quickly shifted his gaze away. Ji Chi’s eyes, however, seemed to be glued to Jiang Junlin, as if he wanted to peel a layer of skin off him.

Chairman Lu and Chairman Jiang, along with Jiang Ming Hua, exchanged greetings and then entered together.

Both Jiang Junlin and Lu Zhiyuan avoided eye contact and didn’t greet each other. Gu Ci wasn’t surprised at all, but Gu Ziyu waved his hand cheerfully and called out, “Brother!” When Jiang Junlin glanced at him indifferently, Gu Ziyu immediately put on an expression as if he didn’t know him.

Gu Ci couldn’t help but suppress her laughter!

The close security team couldn’t enter, or it would indeed look like a demonstration. Ji Chi and Rong Li stood outside, and Li Jiang remarked, “Look at Mr. Jiang’s boldness; it’s a bit excessive.”

“Trust me, it’s already quite restrained.”

Li Jiang sighed.

The Zhang family was a large clan. The head of the family had three daughters, one son, and four grandchildren, with a pair of twin grandsons in primary school. Their family prospered, and apart from their youngest daughter being involved in business, the rest of the daughters, sons-in-law, son, and daughter-in-law all worked within the system, making them a well-established family.

Chen Liangdong arrived early and had already played a game of chess with the elder Zhang. When both the Lu and Jiang families entered, they greeted each other politely. The Jiangs and the Zhangs had a long-standing friendship, so their relationship was good to begin with. The Lu family’s relationship with the Zhangs wasn’t as deep, as Lu Zhiyuan wasn’t fond of socializing, and he had been rebellious, always focused on racing. Lu Ze and the Zhang family had business dealings, but the Zhangs were more familiar with the Zhang daughters.

The New Year’s greetings were a cheerful affair, and Gu Ci felt at ease. She stayed by her grandmother’s side, exchanging greetings one by one. Jiang Mingyue and the Zhang family’s children were all familiar with her. They gave her red envelopes for the first meeting, even Zhang Jiaqi smiled and handed her a red envelope. After Gu Ci declined a few times, her grandmother signaled her to accept it.

Gu Ziyu also received a red envelope, with the Jiang family introducing him as a relative’s child. Chairman Zhang had mentioned that Gu Ziyu was a child prodigy, and now he was working for National Security, so the Zhang family was quite curious. Gu Ziyu was sweet-tongued and quickly won everyone’s favor.

“Cici is so beautiful; your family really has amazing genes. How can all of you produce such beauties? She’s so fresh and lovely; I’m getting excited just looking at her.” Zhang Jiayao, the youngest daughter of Chairman Zhang, praised.

“You’re too kind,” Gu Ci wasn’t very good at dealing with elders and was smiling to the point where her face was stiff.

“It’s a shame my son just entered high school. Such a beautiful girl, I want to hide her away in my home,” Zhang Jiali, Chairman Zhang’s second daughter, said with a smile.

“Don’t compete with me for people; she’s the daughter-in-law of our old Lu family,” Lu Ze, with sharp ears, declared, taking on the role of announcing their relationship on behalf of Lu Zhiyuan. “She’s in a relationship with Zhiyuan.”

“They both wear couple bracelets; we’re not blind. We figured it out a long time ago,” one of the twins in the Zhang family said.

“What a perfect match!”

“Congratulations, congratulations!”

Gu Ci and Lu Zhiyuan exchanged a glance, but he didn’t explain, and she remained silent. She intentionally pulled her sleeves to hide the couple bracelet, and Zhang Jiaqi said, “Don’t tease Cici; she’s already shy.”

Gu Ci stayed silent.

Lu Zhiyuan glanced at her with a half-smile.

Her inner emotions remained undisturbed; she wasn’t shy. Jiang Junlin’s lips curled slightly, and he smiled but didn’t say anything. The atmosphere was lively and harmonious.

Gu Ziyu found it hard to join the conversation. Chen Liangdong smiled and handed him a piece of chestnut cake, which he happily enjoyed. After the pleasantries, the men entertained themselves, while the women did the same.

The Zhang sisters, along with Gu Ci, Lin Chunli, and Mrs. Jiang, went to the garden to have tea, while Chairman Zhang took Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin to the study for a chat. Chen Liangdong and Gu Ziyu followed suit.

It was clear that the Zhang family had good manners. Even though Gu Ci had threatened Chairman Zhang when she visited earlier, and both Zhang sisters were present during that encounter, they were now exceptionally welcoming and didn’t say anything to make Gu Ci uncomfortable. They never brought up any mistreatment of Gu Ci by her own family. Their hospitality was gracious, as if any unpleasant incidents had never occurred..