The two exchanged a glance, and finally Yu Zexiao stood up: "I’ll go take a look first." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Jian Anning nodded. She wasn’t worried about what he might do to her mother—after all, it was their engagement day, a joyous occasion. If someone came with good intentions, they couldn’t just turn her away.

Soon after getting downstairs, it became evident. Because so many people had come to the Yu Family at this time, the servants recognized Jian Panying. In the past two years, before Jian Panying and Cheng Juye divorced, she often came to the Yu Family to visit Jian Anning. The servants, having seen her often, naturally assumed Jian Panying was here to cause trouble for Jian Anning, or perhaps to take advantage. Overall, they didn’t have a good impression of her.

The servant led Jian Panying into a small room on the side. Jian Panying sat down and looked around at her surroundings. Four years ago, she had the demeanor of a lady, proud and reserved. But now, she appeared notably shabby, her clothes resembling those of a woeful lady, not only faded but with frayed sleeves revealing finely stitched mends, painting a rather pitiful picture.

Her leather shoes were clearly polished clean and shiny. However, there were numerous fine scuff marks that couldn’t be buffed out with shoe polish.

The most dramatic change was her face, which looked aged and fragile. Four years ago, Jian Panying maintained her appearance well; though in her fifties, she looked as if she was in her thirties or forties. Now, her hair was almost half white. Even with careful grooming, her graying hair was still apparent.

Furthermore, her face—Jian Panying had always taken care of her appearance, but now, her face was full of wrinkles, tanned, and appeared tough as bark. Not to mention any sophisticated makeup, it seemed she hadn’t even used basic skincare products, making her look like an ordinary old rural woman, surprisingly so. There were also small scars at the corners of her eyes, a lasting mark from Cheng Juye’s drunken violence.

Now, did she look like someone in her fifties? Frankly, she could pass for someone over seventy! Her transformation was utterly astonishing!

Seeing Jian Panying like this, even Yu Zexiao was a bit stunned. The last time he saw Jian Panying was two years ago, back when Cheng Juye still had some money and hopes of making a comeback. Jian Panying came to them once, for herself, for the Cheng Family, and for Cheng Tingting and Cheng Wanli. Though she appeared weary then, as though she’d aged ten years overnight, her clothes were still well-fitted, and her demeanor retained a hint of unyielding pride.

But today, she looked like a completely different person! So shabby, so pitiful, so—astonishing!

"You, you are?"

If she hadn’t announced herself, the servants probably would have stopped her at the door! Seeing the room full of Yu Family’s finely dressed people, Jian Panying was noticeably uneasy. She stood up, seemingly at a loss with her hands, as if worried she was embarrassing her daughter.