546 The Secret About the Past 164 (1/2)

”After much pondering, I still think I ought to give you a call to express my sincerity. Xiaoning, you're our family's lucky star. Thank you so much.”

An Xiaoning guffawed and said, ”You called just to tell me this? There's no need to thank me. Like I said before, we'll forever be family. And since we're family, why is there a need to thank each other?”

Gu Beicheng decided to speak his mind, ”Xiaoning, could I ask you to read Father, Mother, and Mingxi's fortunes regularly from now on? I know it's detrimental to your health so I found it a little hard to break it to you, but I…”

He did not know how to put it across to her appropriately.

”Sure, I'll include yours too. It was negligence on my part. I'll bear this in mind.”

Gu Beicheng was relieved to hear her words.

After ending the call, An Xiaoning chucked her mobile phone into her pocket, after which Tuoba Danxue, who was beside her, asked, ”Who called you?”

”My brother.”

”Your brother must still be a bachelor, isn't he?” Zhi Yin asked.

”He's married,” An Xiaoning answered, knowing clearly what she was implying.

”Does your brother look like you?” Zhi Yin asked.

An Xiaoning smiled sarcastically and hissed, ”It's none of your business.”

Zhi Yin stuck her tongue out with a grimace and said, ”I was just asking.”

”Forget it, you think I don't know what you're thinking of saying? If I were to have told you that he wasn't married yet, you were going to say that my brother must still be a bachelor because he's as ugly as I am. You asked me if I resemble my brother, but it seems you'll get to insult me no matter what my answer is.”

Tuoba Danxue chuckled and remarked, ”Mu Ning has really gotten smarter.”

”I had no choice but to do so.”

”Is he your biological brother?” Tuoba Shuo asked.

An Xiaoning shook her head and answered, ”We're not related by blood, but he's even closer to me than my biological kin.”

Tuoba Shuo gazed at her with a look of gentleness and a warm smile on his face. ”I could tell from the way you spoke to him over the phone that you two get along very well with each other.”

”That's right. Which beach are we going to?” An Xiaoning asked.

”The Southern Beach,” Tuoba Danxue answered.

An Xiaoning raised her brows upon hearing her answer. The Southern Beach was near Nanshan Mountain and was the closest to B City.

She accompanied them to the beach resort near the Southern ocean, remaining quiet throughout the entire journey.

It was a secret outing. Initially, they wanted to request the authorities of the beach to close it from the public, so as to prevent their identities from being recognized. However, they decided not to in the end after realizing that doing so might just garner unnecessary attention instead.

It was already four o'clock in the afternoon when they arrived at the hotel.

Their rooms were adjacent to each other.

Zhi Yin and Mu Ning shared a room.

The bodyguards, too, shared rooms in pairs while the remaining people had a room to themselves each.

After placing their luggage in their respective rooms, An Xiaoning immediately called Jin Qingyan to inform him of her current location.

She also instructed him not to come forth, lest they risk having her identity exposed.

Although Jin Qingyan agreed verbally, he immediately instructed Fan Shixin to check the guest records of the hotel and booked a room beside An Xiaoning's.

It was rather rare for them to meet each other.

They only got to meet each other at most once a month. Why would he let such a good opportunity to meet her slip so easily?

One month was perhaps nothing to others. However, it was way too long for him.

After an arduous journey by car that took more than an hour, he finally arrived at the Southern Beach at past five o'clock in the evening.

The sun sets at a later time during summer.

Donning a surgical mask and a pair of shades, he made his way to the hotel room immediately and called for room service. He patiently waited for the sky to turn pitch dark while enjoying his food and sipping on some liquor.

He came alone without any bodyguards.

After having eaten and drunk his fill, he stood on the balcony and stared at the beach through a pair of binoculars.

He caught sight of An Xiaoning in no time while casually glancing around.