Chapter 344 The Grand Feast

Zhang Yueran waited for her sister to nod before accepting the red envelope with both hands, beaming, "Then I won't be polite! Thank you, Brother Liu! It was really worth coming back this weekend!"

The three of them sat on the sofa and chatted.

Upon learning that Nan Zhiyi and Gu Xiao were going to attend Qin Fen's mother's birthday banquet that evening and had left Xiaoman in Gu Yan's care, Zhang Yueran became interested and suggested, "Sixth Brother, after dinner, how about I take you and Xiaoman out for a walk?"

Gu Yan leaned back lazily on the sofa, his long legs crossed. "Sure. Fifth Brother and Zhiyi will go to a banquet and have a good meal. Tonight, I'll take you guys out to eat. Order whatever you want. Afterwards, we'll go for a walk to digest."

Zhang Yueran clapped her hands happily: "Little Sixth Brother, you're the best!"

Xiaoman understood, and excitedly jumped up and down on the sofa, shouting, "Let's go out to eat! Let's go shopping!"

After the meal, Nan Zhiyi escorted Gu Yan, Zhang Yueran, and Xiaoman to the gate of the courtyard.

Seeing the three of them in high spirits, she instructed Gu Yan: "Take good care of Yueyue and Xiaoman, be careful, and don't spend money recklessly."

Gu Yan hoisted Xiaoman onto his shoulders, waved casually, and readily agreed, "I know! Don't worry..."

He carried Xiaoman on his back, called out to Zhang Yueran, and strode out. The three figures gradually disappeared in the bright autumn sun, and the crisp laughter of Xiaoman and Zhang Yueran could still be heard on the wind.

Nan Zhiyi returned to her room and told Sister Zhang to go home and rest first. She went upstairs to her study and began writing her manuscript. When the sunlight outside the window dimmed and she estimated that it was about time, she closed her manuscript and got up to walk to the wardrobe in her bedroom.

Opening the cabinet door, she thought for a moment that wearing military uniform would be too formal for this unofficial yet relatively formal private birthday banquet; casual clothes would be more appropriate.

She first took out a dark gray woolen Zhongshan suit for Gu Xiao, and then took out a soft satin cheongsam for herself.

Nan Zhiyi changed into a cheongsam, walked to the dressing mirror, tied her long hair into a low bun at the back of her head, secured it with a pearl hair clip, applied a light layer of powder, and dotted her lips with rouge.

The woman in the mirror has gentle eyes and a graceful figure.

As she was tidying her sideburns in front of the mirror, she caught a glimpse of Gu Xiao, who had returned sometime earlier, leaning against the door frame with deep, unfathomable eyes that seemed to hold many unspoken words.

Nan Zhiyi met his gaze in the mirror, turned around, and smiled sweetly at him, "Fifth Brother, do I look... good like this?"

Gu Xiao strode over, put one arm around her waist, and ran his other finger along the edge of her hair bun.

"She looks good. My wife looks good in anything."

He simply looked at her up close, his gaze tracing her features. The more he looked at her, the less he wanted to take his wife out to meet others.

Nan Zhiyi pinched his forearm and smiled slyly: "Staring blankly?"

Gu Xiao nodded honestly, his gaze fixed on her face: "Yes, I was mesmerized."

He lowered his voice, his tone husky and magnetic, "He's captivated by my wife."

Nan Zhiyi was overjoyed. She tiptoed and quickly pressed a red lipstick mark onto his lips. "This is a reward for you."

Gu Xiao shook his head helplessly, "You're just taking advantage of the fact that I don't dare to mess up your makeup right now, deliberately trying to provoke me."

Nan Zhiyi snorted through her nose, raised her chin slightly, and said smugly, "Yeah, what can you do to me?"

Taking advantage of her unpreparedness, Gu Xiao lowered his head, took her earlobe into his mouth, and rubbed it with the tip of his teeth. His hot breath filled her earlobe, bringing a shiver.

"You little rascal!"

Caught off guard, Nan Zhiyi's ears instantly turned bright red.

She angrily raised her hand and pushed his chest: "You, you big bad guy! Go change your clothes!"

Seeing that she was truly embarrassed, Gu Xiao chuckled and released her, then slowly began to unbutton the brass buttons on his military jacket.

He had just unbuttoned the first button of his collar when he stopped, demanding his wife's help as if it were his own business.

Nan Zhiyi glared at him reproachfully, but still reached out and carefully unbuttoned the remaining buttons for him, one by one.

Her movements were gentle, her fingertips tracing lightly across his chest.

Gu Xiao lowered his eyes, watching his wife's slender, fair fingers trace the lines of her dark military uniform. Her focused profile and slightly trembling eyelashes rekindled the flame in his heart, and his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

...

After the two of them finally changed their clothes, Nan Zhiyi's neatly tied hair became loose, her makeup smudged, and the neckline of her cheongsam was open.

She frowned and slapped his hand away: "It's all your fault! Look, we have to redo it again, and if we're late..."

Before she could finish her threat, Gu Xiao said, "I won't be late, I promise."

When she sat back down at the dressing table, touched up her makeup, and prepared to restyle her hair.

Gu Xiao said, "I'll give it a try."

He stood behind her, facing the mirror, his fingers running through her hair, gathering, coiling, and securing it. Although it wasn't as elaborate as her own effort, it still looked quite stylish.

Finally, he pinned the pearl hair clip to his neatly styled hair bun.

Nan Zhiyi looked around, then turned to praise, "Your skills are quite good, Minister Gu. I don't want to comb my own hair anymore; I'll be counting on you."

A satisfied smile spread across Gu Xiao's eyes: "Alright, from now on I'll serve Mrs. Gu exclusively."

After the two finished getting ready and made sure that their clothes and hair accessories were all in order, they went downstairs together.

Gu Xiao personally drove Nan Zhiyi to Hongbinlou, where the birthday banquet was being held.

When we arrived, the entrance to Hongbinlou was already packed with cars and people, even more lively than we had imagined.

Red banners with gold lettering hung high, and waiters in neat uniforms led the way.

Stepping into the banquet hall, one finds it bustling with people, filled with laughter and chatter.

The scale of this birthday banquet and the number of guests were even more extravagant than when Qin Fen and Li Xiaoxuan got married.

It's no wonder, given that the Qin family patriarch still wields considerable influence, has numerous protégés and old friends, and Qin Fen himself holds a key position in a crucial department. The Qin family's connections and influence in Beijing are naturally not to be underestimated.

Besides Qin's relatives and friends, there were also many cadres dressed in Zhongshan suits, exuding an air of extraordinary demeanor, chatting in twos and threes, creating a more formal yet reserved atmosphere of warmth.

Gu Xiao gently supported Nan Zhiyi's lower back with one hand and exchanged pleasantries with the familiar cadres.

Although he dislikes social engagements, he can always handle necessary situations flawlessly.

Nan Zhiyi maintained a polite smile, leaning against Gu Xiao's side, neither overly lively nor reserved.

Gu Xiao was afraid she wouldn't feel comfortable, so he gently pulled her closer to him and whispered, "Just stay with me."