After seeing the two off, Shen Qingyun and Feng Shouzhuo had just breathed a sigh of relief when they turned around and saw Zhao Shutong walking over with a beaming smile.
“Uncle, Auntie.” Zhao Shutong greeted them politely.
Shen Qingyun quickly adjusted her expression, resuming her gentle elder demeanor:
“Ah, Shutong. What’s up?”
Ren Queyue had already quickly filled Zhao Shutong in on the bizarre interrogation from Feng Miwan’s parents, plus Feng Shouzhuo’s outburst of a question. Zhao Shutong pieced it together in an instant. Clever as she was, she immediately guessed eight or nine parts of what had happened.
She thought for a moment and decided to step up personally to help lay the groundwork for her best friend to come out later.
She took Ren Queyue’s hand:
“Uncle, Auntie, perfect timing. Let me reintroduce her to you.”
She paused, meeting the puzzled gazes of Feng Miwan’s parents, then said:
“This is Ren Queyue, my childhood sweetheart. We’ve grown up together since we were little.”
Then, she turned her head to look at Ren Queyue, her eyes filled with undisguised affection and love. She emphasized her tone:
“She’s also my girlfriend.”
Shen Qingyun’s expression froze instantly, her eyes widening in shock:
“Girlfriend?!”
Feng Shouzhuo felt his wife’s reaction was a bit over the top and gently tugged at her, whispering:
“Hey, wife, why so loud? Female friend… isn’t that normal?”
Zhao Shutong clarified:
“Uncle Feng, Auntie Shen, what I mean is—not an ordinary female friend. The dating kind. Girl-friend. She, Ren Queyue, is my partner.”
Shen Qingyun still wore a shocked expression, but this time it was Feng Shouzhuo’s turn to be stunned. His voice was even louder than hers had been:
“Girlfriend?!!”
The couple simultaneously gaped in astonishment, their shocked expressions identical.
Ren Queyue understood what Zhao Shutong was doing and nodded in cooperation:
“Yeah. Shutong is my girlfriend.”
The air seemed to fall silent for a few seconds.
Feng Shouzhuo and Shen Qingyun stared at the two girls standing so intimately before them, their minds struggling to process it.
At that moment, Xiong Daichuan and Shen Yong, who had been watching from the side, walked over.
Xiong Daichuan wore a mild smile as he approached the still-dazed Feng parents and spoke in a relaxed tone:
“The young folks these days have much more open minds than we did back then. They live more clearly, know what they want, and dare to pursue it. That’s a good thing.”
Shen Qingyun latched onto Xiong Daichuan’s words:
“Mr. Xiong, you mean… you already knew?”
Xiong Daichuan and Shen Yong exchanged a glance and both smiled.
Shen Yong took over:
“We just found out too.”
She looked at Zhao Shutong and Ren Queyue, her eyes free of judgment, only filled with emotion.
“But like Daichuan said, times have changed. As long as they’re happy and support each other, that’s better than anything.”
Xiong Daichuan nodded too, advising Feng Shouzhuo and Shen Qingyun:
“Sometimes we older folks overthink things. Look at these two kids—don’t they make a perfect pair? You can’t fake that look in their eyes. They had the courage to be honest with us, and that trust alone deserves our respect and support as elders.”
Feng Shouzhuo glanced at Zhao Shutong and Ren Queyue before him. Their eyes were clear, their attitudes frank, and that mutual dependence was something that couldn’t be faked.
The initial shock and discomfort in his heart gradually gave way to a sense of “children will have their own blessings.”
He let out a long “Sigh,” not in exasperation but more like relief after setting down a heavy burden. A relaxed smile appeared on his face:
“You’re right… We’ve just been trapped by old ideas for too long.”
Seeing her husband’s attitude soften, Shen Qingyun breathed a sigh of relief too.
She was an emotional person at heart; her earlier reaction had mostly been due to the sudden information overload.
Now that she’d calmed down, any lingering reservations vanished like smoke.
She stepped forward, took Ren Queyue’s hand, patted Zhao Shutong’s arm, and her tone returned to its usual warmth:
“Shutong, Queyue, Uncle and Auntie were a bit rude just now. Don’t take it to heart.”
She looked at Ren Queyue sincerely:
“Queyue, you’re a good kid—steady and reliable. Shutong can be a bit flighty sometimes, but she’s pure-hearted. You two taking care of each other, tolerating each other… Auntie thinks it’s great. Really great.”
Feng Shouzhuo smiled and chimed in:
“Yeah! Great! Come over for dinner often! Your Auntie Shen might not have many skills, but she’s a whiz in the kitchen!”
Zhao Shutong hadn’t expected Feng Miwan’s parents to accept it so quickly and even offer blessings. She laughed:
“Thanks, Uncle! Thanks, Auntie! We won’t hold back then—we’ll definitely come mooch meals often!”
Ren Queyue smiled faintly and nodded solemnly:
“Thank you, Uncle, Auntie.”
Xiong Daichuan clapped his hands at the right moment and laughed:
“Alright, alright, interlude over! Don’t forget the main event! The award ceremony is about to start—we can’t miss Little Wan’s shining moment!”
Feng Miwan held Xiong Yibai’s hand and trotted along the dedicated passageway toward the award ceremony’s waiting area.
The passageway was relatively quiet, filled only with their hurried footsteps and the muffled cheers from the distant track.
Xiong Yibai turned her head to look at her and said softly:
“Little Honey.”
“Hm?” Feng Miwan turned her head.
Xiong Yibai smiled faintly and reminded her:
“When you see your brother later, don’t forget to thank him properly. Without him, you wouldn’t have this championship today.”
The words were like a gentle breeze, softly clearing away Feng Miwan’s scattered thoughts from her extreme excitement.
She immediately recalled her brother’s all-night vigil in the pit lane, his steady instructions over the radio, and how he’d shielded her from all the headwinds.
“You’re right!”
Feng Miwan nodded vigorously, her expression turning serious.
“Yibai, you’re spot on! I almost got carried away with my own joy!”
She gripped Xiong Yibai’s hand tighter and quickened her pace, already resolved in her heart.
As they rounded a corner, they ran into Feng Yuxiao, who was waiting there and doing a final check of the procedures.
“Bro!” Feng Miwan called out.
Xiong Yibai nodded to Feng Yuxiao: “Manager Feng.”
Feng Yuxiao pushed up his glasses and smiled back at Xiong Yibai:
“Dr. Xiong.”
Feng Miwan let go of Xiong Yibai’s hand and hurried to her brother.
Unlike her earlier pounce on Xiong Yibai, she paused for a moment before reaching out to hug Feng Yuxiao tightly. Her voice was soft:
“Bro, thank you.”
Then, as if a bit embarrassed, she quickly released him and turned to dash toward the prepared podium.
Feng Yuxiao was caught off guard by his sister’s sudden hug and thanks. A moment later, warm amusement welled up in his eyes.
He looked up at Xiong Yibai waiting nearby and gestured “after you”:
“Dr. Xiong, let’s head over too.”
