Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Duan Linbai wanted to settle the score with Xu Jiamu. After eating lunch at the Jing residence, he drove straight to the Medical University. But he heard that she had left with the professor to attend a seminar.
She really ran away.
If not for the fact that Old Master Fuâs birthday banquet was soon, with his petty temper, he would have definitely chased after her.
***
This month, the two most discussed matters in the capital were the Qiao familyâs Jade Hall of Springâs plagiarism incident and Old Master Fuâs 80th birthday.
During this season, the scent of ginkgo and cinnamon was strong.
The birthday banquet was held in an international hotel in the capital. It was said to be a grand affair, but the number of invited guests was still very limited. Those who were invited naturally felt very proud.
The hotel was brightly lit, and there was a beautiful champagne glass tower. Even though it was late autumn, the female guests were all wearing exquisite evening gowns and exquisite makeup. The men were mostly dressed in suits and leather shoes. Everyone was chatting happily.
Those who could attend the Fu familyâs birthday banquet were naturally the more prestigious people in the capital. But there were also many of Old Master Fuâs old acquaintances and subordinates, who were mostly ordinary people.
In addition to inviting a small band to perform, the Fu family had also rented a large hall and specially invited a few famous actors from the Pear Garden to perform Beijing opera. It was very lively.
The Fu family gave all kinds of gifts, but Old Master Fu didnât lack anything. When he heard the blessings of his children and grandchildren and saw that his family was full, he was naturally happy.
Duan Linbai gave him a white jade tea set, which was very precious.
âYouâre giving this, but I wonât be able to bear drinking tea with it,â Old Master Fu said with a smile.
âWhatâs there to be reluctant about? If you like it, the next time I see something similar, Iâll give it to you.â
Duan Linbai and Fu Chen had grown up together, so he was naturally close to the Fu family. Even if he didnât give anything, Old Master Fu was happy that he could come.
âAre your parents here?â
âYes, theyâre talking to people in the front hall.â Duan Linbai found a seat, sat down, and munched on the melon seeds on the tea tray.
âWhy donât you go play?â
âWhy would I go there? People will keep introducing me to their daughters, granddaughters, and nieces. If I go there, theyâll eat me up.â Duan Linbai was speechless.
Old Master Fu smiled and took a sip of tea. âSinian and Little Yu arenât here yet?â
âI just called. He said theyâll be here soon.â Uncle Zhong stayed by Old Master Fuâs side to serve him all the time. Old Madam Fu was an opera fan and was watching the performance in the side hall. Dai Yunqing and Sun Qionghua were both busy greeting guests.
âWhat about Third Son?â
âHe went to pick up the Qiao family. Old Master, you asked Third Master to pick them up personally. Your memoryâ¦â Uncle Zhong smiled.
âIâve been busy and forgot.â
Duan Linbai lowered his head and munched on the melon seeds.?This old man shouldnât know about Third Fu and Little Sister-in-Law, right? He even helped them once.
Fu Chen had just brought the Qiao family and Yan Wangchuan to the hotel.
Old Master Qiaoâs second disciple, Tang Wangjin, and his daughter had already taken a flight back to M Nation the day before yesterday. After all, they had no relationship with the Fu family, so they didnât join in the fun.
Qiao Xiyan was sitting in the front passenger seat and chatting with Fu Chen.
In the back row, Song Fengwan had Yan Wangchuan on her left and Qiao Wangbei on her right, looking like they were guarding her. Fu Chen even had to think twice before speaking to her.
But seeing her like this made him feel much more at ease. At the very least, those people with ideas about her at the birthday banquet wouldnât dare to approach her easily.
Although it was a birthday banquet, most people came to expand their connections. Most of them wanted to establish or consolidate their relationships through marriages. Therefore, unmarried bachelors like Fu Chen and Duan Linbai became the focus of many peopleâs attention.
Few people dared to have ideas about Fu Chen.
This was because everyone said that Third Master Fu looked kind on the outside but was ruthless on the inside. Moreover, he was devoted to Buddhism, so he ate vegetarian food and didnât get close to women at all. All the rumors said that Third Master Fu might become a monk in the future. There were even some who directly saidâ¦
He didnât like women at all!
Moreover, Fu Chen had a strange temper, and Fu Sinian already had someone in his heart.
This made Duan Linbai even more popular. The moment the Duan parents appeared, they were surrounded by many people. After exchanging pleasantries, they all asked about Duan Linbaiâs recent situation.
âOur Linbaiâs personality is rambunctious, and he canât calm down for a while. He might not have any plans to get married yet.â Mrs. Duan smiled bitterly.
âItâs alright. My niece just came back from overseas. She also studies music, and sheâs twenty-four years old this year, so she must have a lot of common topics with him. The two of them can become friends.â
âYes, they can interact with each other first. Young people nowadays have a lot of thoughts, and many people donât want to get married. This is very normal.â
âI have a niece who works at a bank. Sheâs very beautifulâ¦â
How was this a birthday banquet? This was simply a large-scale blind date scene.
Duan Linbai really couldnât stand this, so he went to Old Master Fuâs place to hide and get some peace. His place was full of old colleagues and old comrades. Some old men sat together to reminisce about the past and talk about the war-torn times. Duan Linbai listened with relish.
And the most anticipated person was Song Fengwan.
â⦠Old Master Qiao only has one daughter. Who wouldnât want to marry such a granddaughter?â
âThe two elders of the Fu family are quite good at judging people. They had already decided on an engagement between this girl and Second Masterâs Fu Yuxiu early on. But this brat didnât live up to their expectations and actually dumped her. I think the Qiao family wonât be nice to him when they come later.â
âHer stepfather is Yan Wangchuan, and her current status is really precious.â
âThe main reason is that Yan Wangchuan treats her well. If someone marries her in the future, the Yan family will be a great help.â
âItâs still unknown if her mother is going to give birth to a boy or a girl. If a girl is born, we canât wait for her to grow up either. Everyone who brings their sons and grandsons here tonight has their eyes on his family.â
â¦
Because Song Fengwan had been in the limelight a while ago, before she even arrived, there were already many discussions about it. In an instant, she had stolen all the limelight from the capitalâs female socialites.
Naturally, she also attracted many jealous gazes.
âCousin, I heard from Auntie that Song Fengwan is very ill-mannered. She actually used a knife to scare people. These people are used to acting pragmatically. When they saw the Qiao family rise, they swarmed over.
âWhen I was watching TV, I didnât think that girl was very good-looking. Sheâs not even one-tenth as good-looking as you, Cousin.
âWho would want a girl that is so domineering?â
â¦
âShe is indeed beautiful and capable. In some aspects, Iâm not as good as her.â The person called cousin was the eldest miss of the He family, He Shiqing.
Although the Fu family and the He family didnât have many interactions and had some old grudges, they didnât show it on the surface. So they still invited her family over.
âHow are you not as good as her? Besides, itâs already embarrassing for her engagement to be broken off. If it were me, I wouldnât even dare to go out.â
âDonât say such things!â He Shiqing scolded in a low voice. âWhat if someone with ulterior motives hears you?â
âIâm telling the truth. Fu Yuxiu is here too. If the two of them meet later, itâll be so awkward. She canât even keep a man. I really canât tell whatâs so good about her.
âThese people are just praising her and making her look better.â
âHe Xi!â He Shiqing frowned, clearly displeased.
He Shiqingâs father originally had two brothers. But one of them had died in the war, and the other had died from cancer. His wife had suffered a massive hemorrhage during childbirth, leaving their only child, He Xi, without parents.
She didnât have her biological parents to discipline her, and Old Madam He doted on her a lot, so it was inconvenient for others to reprimand and restrain her. Thus, her personality was naturally arrogant and willful.
âFine, I wonât talk about her anymore.â He Xi pursed her lips, feeling indignant.
Many young ladies and socialites around them heard what she said and naturally had different thoughts in their hearts.
At this moment, there was a commotion at the door. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound. The first thing they saw was Yan Wangchuan and Qiao Wangbei walking side by side. One of them looked extremely cold, and the other was thin and harsh. It seemed exceptionally difficult to get close to them, so no one dared to go forward to greet them.
âMr. Yan, Mr. Qiao!â Fu Shinan and his wife saw them and greeted them with a smile. âMy father is at the back. Iâll lead you there.â
âThank you,â Qiao Wangbei thanked.
Following closely behind them were Song Fengwan and Qiao Xiyan. Fu Chen had gone to park the car and would enter the venue through the back door, as he had no intention of passing through the hall.
Although it was called a birthday banquet, it was actually not a banquet. Song Fengwan was dressed relatively simply in a simple pink dress with a matching dress jacket. At her age, even without makeup, she still exuded a youthful aura.
His phoenix eyes were glittering. Even though she didnât say anything, it seemed as though she was flirting.
Qiao Xiyan was walking beside her. He had phoenix eyes and thin lips, and he was wearing a black trench coat. He had an outstanding aura and didnât speak or smile. He looked extremely unapproachable.
âThatâs Song Fengwan! Sheâs beautiful!â someone exclaimed.
âCousin, is the one beside her the young master of the Qiao family?â He Xiâs eyes landed on Qiao Xiyan and couldnât move away. She liked any good-looking man. She was very fickle and promiscuous.
Just now, she had been shouting about wanting to see Duan Linbai.
He Shiqing sneered..?You like Qiao Xiyan? You have good taste, but he might not like you.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om