Song Ning got right to it. Before long, she had already taken out a notebook and filled half a page with guest names.
She proceeded to spend the entire evening getting in touch with the guests.
Huo Yao wanted to tell her not to make it a grand affair. However, she decided against it when she saw how excited her parents were.
Fine! Rich people like them could do whatever they wanted.
Her parents remained in the living room discussing the guest list.
After dinner, Huo Yao contemplated before calling Old Madam Yang.
Old Madam Yang was watching television when her granddaughter called to tell her she had ranked first in the college entrance exam. She was so delighted that her eyes turned teary. “My granddaughter is the best.”
Huo Yao saw how energetic Old Madam Yang looked on the screen. She raised her brow before she said, “My parents want to organize a celebration. We want to invite you over to stay with us for a period of time. Would you like to come?”
Old Madam Yang smiled before shaking her head. “No, thanks. I am getting on my age and it is very hard for me to travel. Please help me thank your parents.”
Huo Yao tried to convince her grandmother otherwise. Since her grandmother persisted, she did not insist further. “Fine. I will come and visit you when I am free.”
“Uh huh,” acknowledged Old Madam Yang gently before she continued. “Oh yes. I asked Min Yu to pass the jade pendant to you. Are you wearing it just like I asked?”
“It’s at home.” Huo Yao leaned into the chair lazily. “What’s so special about the jade?”
Old Madam Yang went quiet briefly before she answered. “Nothing. It is just a normal piece of jade which symbolizes good luck.” She paused before she added. “I just want it to protect you and keep you safe.”
“Uh huh. Got it,” answered Huo Yao as she tapped her fingers on the table.
After chatting for slightly over ten minutes, they hung up. Huo Yao placed the phone on the table. She pondered briefly before opening the drawer beside her to retrieve the box containing the jade and opened it.
The jade gave off a cool, soft glow. It looked small and exquisite and there was an engraving of a fish on it. Nothing seemed unusual about it.
Huo Yao put the jade back in its box and stopped looking at it. She thought about her eldest uncle’s condition and took out a pen and piece of paper before she wrote down a list of Chinese medicine.
Heart problems tended to be complicated, so Huo Yao had to be careful about the ingredients. After writing on the paper for some time, she came up with a treatment plan. Huo Yao checked her work before rewriting the Chinese medication on a fresh sheet of paper. She took a picture and sent it to Min Yu.
**
Song Ning and Huo Jinyan were still talking about the party downstairs when Huo Jinyan suddenly recalled the call his wife received a couple of days ago. He raised his head and looked at her. “Is… isn’t someone from the Song family coming? Shall we invite them?”
The joy on Song Ning’s face instantly dissipated. “Did you hear me talking on the phone?”
Huo Jinyan nodded. “I happened to hear it since the door was open when you answered the phone the other day.”
Song Ning went quiet for two minutes and sounded cool when she spoke again. “The Song family has already severed ties with me. Don’t worry about them.”
Huo Jinyan held Song Ning’s hand and sighed. “Don’t worry about me. If you want to see anyone from the Song family, just do it.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Song Ning parted her lips as she turned her head and continued. “Enough. Stop talking about them. It doesn’t matter.”
The moment she finished her sentence, she dialled another friend about the celebration.
Huo Jinyan stopped talking and did not continue with the conversation.
