The atmosphere immediately returned to normal. Anna raised an eyebrow at her husband and then glanced at Gu Lan'an with an expression that seemed to say, "Come on, praise me already."

"Lao Ma is really amazing, with both wisdom and beauty, truly deserving the title of goddess," Gu Lan praised her as she wished. Turning her head, she absentmindedly greeted her eldest uncle and second uncle, who were walking towards her holding drinks, while searching for the figure of Zhao Ye in all directions.

Gazing at Gu Lan'an for a long time, Zhao Ye finally concealed his surprise in his eyes. He placed the wine glass in his hand down and lowered his head, shifting his gaze to the delicately crafted table edge adorned with Evening Beauty flower patterns, immersing himself in his own emotions. The Gu Lan'an just now made him feel as if he was looking at his past self. Back when he attended birthday parties, he also wore casual attire and, when questioned by his parents, said similar things to what Gu Lan'an just said - that one should dress naturally for a family gathering, to have the feeling of being together as a family. However, the difference was that Gu Lan'an received his mother's approval and the recognition of others, while he was scolded by his mother, who said he was immature and completely lacking the demeanor of a young master, ordering him to change. After the party dispersed, he was even beaten by his father, who claimed it was because he lost face, causing the guests to be displeased. But he never understood what he did wrong. He was just unable to find warmth in normal times and wanted to console his battered heart through this self-deceptive method.

With a mocking smile, Zhaoye poured herself a full glass of wine and drank it all in one go. Gu Lan'an, I suddenly envy you a little.

After searching for a long time without finding Zhao Ye, Gu Lan'an reluctantly shifted his gaze to Lin Xuan, who was laughing and chatting with others. He hoped that by following Lin Xuan's line of sight, he would definitely find Zhao Ye. As expected, he inadvertently caught sight of Zhao Ye sitting in a corner, drinking.

Gosh, my stomach is not feeling well, why am I still drinking alcohol? Muttering to himself, Gu Lan'an pulled his hand away from the grip of his mother and said to his second uncle who was talking with his mother on the side, "Uncle, I have something to attend to, please excuse me. You can continue chatting with my mother." Then, he strode towards Zhao Ye.

Anna stared at Gu Lan'an and her eyes lit up when she saw where he was headed. She handed the drink in her hand to her second brother and said, "Second brother, I have something to take care of. Excuse me for a moment. You can have a drink or chat with someone else first." Then, she followed him.

Seeing Gu Lan'an stop in front of Zhao Ye, Anna also stopped at a distance, casually chatting with the heiress of some group who had attached herself to them, while observing the passion between them.

Before approaching Zhao Ye, Gu Lan'an had planned to snatch the drink from his hand as soon as she arrived. However, when she stood in front of him and saw him drinking expressionlessly, Gu Lan'an's heart softened. He was feeling sad, which was strange, he knew.

Raising his head to take a sip of his drink, Zhaoye noticed Gu Lan'an standing in front of him, her eyes filled with concern. For a moment, Zhaoye involuntarily stared back, then averted his gaze uneasily. He slowly swallowed the liquor and asked coldly, "What's the matter?"

Gu Lanan shook her head, then nodded, carefully scanning every inch of his expression. A wave of longing surged in her heart, tinged with a hint of grievance as she said, "Zhao Ye, you're here."

Did you not see that I was already sitting here?" Having grown accustomed to people's performances, Zhaoye easily caught the emotions in Gu Lan'an's words. He tightened his grip on the tall glass in his hand, his lips pursing in confusion. Why did Gu Lan'an have so many strange emotions towards him? Was it all just a pretense to play with him? Unlikely. Love at first sight? Could that be possible? Even his parents, who had been with him for over 20 years, didn't like him.