Chapter 350: Everyone Is a Realist

Thankfully, what Wang Chenning had been worried about didn't happen.

Lin Anning stood in the distance, quietly watching. Aside from taking a few pictures with her phone, she didn't do anything else.

After Wang Chenning finished his speech, she quietly left.

Wang Chenning pulled out his phone and checked it, but he didn't see any messages from Lin Anning.

After a moment's thought, he sent her a text: "What are you doing here?"

But Lin Anning didn't reply, so Wang Chenning had to let it go.

Of all the guests who attended the ceremony, everyone except Zhao Jiefang stayed for dinner. Even Li Baoguo remained.

Wang Chenning had someone arrange for the elders to sit at the same table so they could catch up.

This way, Yang Xiaofei and her younger siblings wouldn't have the chance to sit next to Yang Liansheng and Wang Chongjiu.

Wang Chenning arranged for Yang Xiaofei, Yang Xiaofu, and Yang Xiaodong to sit at one table, along with Li Mingchao, Zheng Qiuhang, Wu Jingyi, and others.

Zhao Xiao'an and her colleagues didn't stay for dinner either. Today, they weren't exactly guests but members of the news media covering the master-disciple ceremony. They left early, before the other guests dispersed. The recorded program still needed post-production, and Zhao Xiao'an wanted to get the news out as soon as possible to build more momentum for Wang Chenning.

Luo Yuqing didn't attend the master-disciple ceremony. She said she had something urgent to take care of.

Wang Chenning knew she had deliberately made up an excuse not to come.

'A woman's heart is a needle at the bottom of the sea.' He didn't want to delve into the tangled mess of their feelings. As long as they didn't cause any trouble for him, it was fine.

It was already 8:30 p.m. by the time the guests had dispersed.

As for his two new disciples, Pu Zhiyun and Tian Zhongxin, Wang Chenning had them follow Chang Qingfeng, who would be responsible for their daily lives and studies.

The three Yang siblings accompanied Yang Liansheng home. Before leaving, Yang Liansheng invited Wang Chongjiu to be his guest at his residence the next afternoon for dinner. Wang Chongjiu accepted, saying he would have Wang Chenning accompany him.

After Yang Xiaofei's group left, Wang Chenning accompanied Wang Chongjiu to the house outside the school.

Wang Chongjiu had specially prepared this house for Wang Chenning, but he didn't sleep there often.

On days he needed to teach students, he preferred to sleep at the school. Living on campus was more convenient.

However, Wang Chenning planned to sleep here tonight, as he knew his grandfather had things to discuss with him.

Wang Chenning had Zheng Qiuhang drive them over and then help get Wang Chongjiu's room ready.

Zheng Qiuhang took this arrangement as a sign of Wang Chenning's special favor, so she didn't resist in the slightest.

After tidying up Wang Chongjiu's room, cleaning the entire house, and preparing tea and snacks for the grandfather and grandson, she finally returned to Li Garden Hall.

After Zheng Qiuhang left, Wang Chongjiu got down to business with Wang Chenning.

Wang Chongjiu told Wang Chenning that he had already spoken with Yang Liansheng about their marriage contract.

"I told that old man Yang that the childhood engagement we arranged back then was really just the wishful thinking of our generation. We never considered your feelings.

Now that you two have met and are getting to know each other, how you handle the old engagement is up to you.

If you feel you're a good match and want to become family, we would be delighted. If you both feel you aren't right for each other, then the contract will be canceled.

Hearing this, old man Yang was quite surprised. He didn't give a direct answer, only saying that he would go back and ask Yang Xiaofei for her opinion. He invited us for dinner tomorrow, so he should give us a clear reply then."

After saying this, Wang Chongjiu asked Wang Chenning, "You don't seem to be very fond of Xiaofei. So who has caught your eye? Zhao Xiao'an? Or that Zheng Qiuhang from just now? Or someone else?"

"Grandfather, I've only been in Yandu for a little over a month, and I haven't known them for long. In such a short time, it's basically impossible to see a person's true heart. So, I want to leave the choice to time.

I believe that after getting to know them a bit longer, I'll know who is a better fit for me, and who I am a better fit for. If it were just about dating, I wouldn't need to consider all this. But if we're talking about starting a family, I have to be extremely careful.

I won't hide it from you, Grandfather. After coming to Yandu, I've developed other ambitions. Great and powerful families aren't born that way. The prominent families in Yandu today were just commoners a few generations back. If they could rise from nothing to become great families, why can't I? I want to build my own great house. I want to leave my mark on this era. So, I have to think more practically, and the matter of marriage requires an even more cautious decision."

Wang Chenning's words took Wang Chongjiu by surprise.

He thought about it seriously for a moment before finally giving a slight nod. "Then you can decide for yourself."

Wang Chongjiu then brought up his conversation with Li Baoguo.

Li Baoguo had told him about the conflict between Wang Chenning and Li Mingchao, as well as their recent cooperation and improving relationship.

"Li Baoguo is worried that his descendants lack the ability to make the Li family even stronger. He's even afraid they'll squander the family's fortune. He wants to live longer, so he doesn't want to see you and his grandson as rivals." Wang Chongjiu narrowed his eyes, a faint, unreadable smile on his face. "That Elder Li thinks about a lot of things, and he wants to get even more benefits from you. The events surrounding your trip to East Asia gave him a lot of ideas!"

Wang Chenning nodded. "Li Baoguo, his son, and his grandson are no ordinary people. Becoming their friend will certainly be more beneficial than being their enemy."

Wang Chongjiu burst out laughing. "To think that at such a young age, you already know how to play all sides."

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While Wang Chenning and Wang Chongjiu were talking, Yang Xiaofei was also chatting with Yang Liansheng.

Yang Liansheng didn't tell Yang Xiaofei what Wang Chongjiu had said. Instead, he asked her directly, "What do you think about the marriage contract with Wang Chenning? And what do you think of him as a person?"

"Among our peers, no one can compare to him. In terms of ability or charisma, not even Bai Qianxun is his equal!" Yang Xiaofei first gave her assessment of Wang Chenning before stating her position on the engagement. "Before I met him, I was very much against this marriage contract. But after spending some time with him, I found that he's even more outstanding than I imagined. I am willing to fulfill the contract and become his wife. But I also know he isn't the ideal choice for a husband, because I can't control him. Moreover, the gap between us will only grow wider in the future. From the perspective of happiness, marrying him might not be the best choice."

"It's good that you can think that way!" Yang Liansheng sighed in relief. He then told Yang Xiaofei about Wang Chongjiu's attitude. "Wang Chongjiu seems to like you a lot and hopes you'll become the Wang family's daughter-in-law. The change in his stance is likely due to Wang Chenning's persuasion."

"I know," Yang Xiaofei nodded. "He's said similar things to me before."

Yang Liansheng asked again, "So you're feeling resentful?"

"I am resentful. After all, it's the first time I've ever been rejected by someone!" Yang Xiaofei didn't deny it. She sighed softly and added, "But don't you worry, Grandfather. I will handle these matters properly."

Yang Liansheng was silent for a moment before asking, "Does Xiaofu like him too?"

His words startled Yang Xiaofei, but she quickly nodded. "I think so. Her deliberate actions today were also purposeful."

"No matter what, the three of you siblings must not turn against each other because of him." Yang Liansheng also sighed lightly. "If you want to leave your mark in the history books, then find a way to hold on to him tightly and secure your official status. He is certain to usher in a new era, and he might even become a legendary figure in his own right. You are all people capable of great things. Don't sweat the small stuff."

Yang Liansheng's words left Yang Xiaofei utterly stunned...