"I'm only introducing you to someone because we're not familiar with each other yet. We'll get to know each other eventually." He turned to look at me and smiled slightly.

I frowned and complained, "Why didn't you say so sooner? I could have gone back and tidied myself up a bit. Going there looking all messy would be embarrassing for you..."

"How could that be? You're perfectly fine as you are." He turned to look at me, smiling indulgently. "Don't dress up too nicely in the future, or I'll feel insecure."

What?

I looked at him incredulously: "Second Master Su, you seem like such a gentle and humble person, and you usually respect women. Do you really have this kind of male chauvinistic thinking?"

"I don't understand what kind of thinking it is, but I don't like other men staring at my girlfriend and drooling."

"..." I smiled helplessly, turned to look out the car window, and sighed, "You're really changing my perception of you more and more."

"What, regretting it?"

"Yes, I've discovered that you were too good at pretending before."

"It's a pity it's too late to regret it now."

We were joking around, the sun was shining brightly, the streets were bustling, and I unconsciously started humming a song, feeling great.

"What are your plans for the New Year? You don't have any family to spend it with, would you like to come to Su Garden for a family reunion?" Su Shenglin asked casually as he drove.

I turned to look at him and said, "You want me to spend the New Year at your house so soon? I haven't even gotten past your grandfather yet."

"No problem, you'll see when you meet him tomorrow."

I didn't say anything, but that uneasy feeling in my heart resurfaced.

"I probably won't be in China during the Spring Festival. As I told you before, I'll be going to Milan on a business trip, and Fashion Week starts right after the New Year."

Su Shenglin frowned: "Aren't you going home for the New Year?"

"Yes, probably. It's been like this every Spring Festival for the past few years."

My relationship with the Jiang family is too strained. Going back for the New Year to reunite with my family would be pointless, and going to the Gu family would seem improper.

So every year around the Spring Festival, I prepare for fashion weeks abroad, which allows me to avoid the awkward time of family reunions.

Then, after the New Year, around the fifth or sixth day of the lunar new year, I will go back to China to visit my family.

However, this procedure is not required this year, so I can travel less and focus on organizing the fashion week well.

Su Shenglin understood the subtext in my words, glanced back at me, and comforted me, "Starting this year, you don't have to do this anymore. I'll be there for you."

I smiled gratefully and said, "Thank you, but my work for this year is already arranged, so it's not convenient to cancel."

As for next year, maybe we'll break up then, and there'll be no need to dwell on it or make things difficult.

Over the years, I have learned to strive for the life I want, but without indulging in extravagant fantasies.

I'm not qualified to spend the Lunar New Year at the Su family's house.

Unless one day I can gain the approval of the entire Su family and finally get married to Su Shenglin.

Otherwise, the joy and laughter of this reunion will only make me feel more lonely and desolate in the countless New Year's Eves and Spring Festivals to come.

I've never experienced this before, so I won't feel so reluctant when I lose something.

When I arrived at the party venue, I realized that tonight's event was even more lively and had more people than the New Year's Eve party.

When Chen Muxi saw me, she immediately came to greet me.

"Jiang Wan!" She grabbed my arm and boasted to her girlfriends, "That horse-face skirt look that went viral online last time was designed by the great designer Jiang, wasn't it amazing!"

After saying that, she whispered, "This is my brother's girlfriend, his future sister-in-law."

"Xixi!" I quickly tugged at her arm. "Don't joke around like that."

Chen Muxi chuckled, "Anyway, in my heart, that's her! And she's the only one!"

I smiled politely, my feelings a mixture of joy and sorrow.

Ye Yuntang was also there. Just like the last New Year's Eve party, as soon as Su Shenglin appeared, Ye Shao pulled him away to chat with a group of young masters.

Everyone treated him with utmost respect, vying to make their presence known to him.

It seems I won't be able to leave anytime soon.

“Jiang Wan, let’s go, I’ll go with you, don’t be shy. Every year on the eve of the Lunar New Year, we get together to celebrate the New Year in advance, because during the Lunar New Year, everyone is either on vacation all over the world or visiting relatives and friends, so it’s not possible to get together. Therefore, the reunion on the eve of the Lunar New Year has become a tradition.”

Now that Chen Muxi said that, I remembered that Li Yunwei had mentioned it before.

There are many social gatherings among the wealthy, but the Jiang family is not qualified enough, especially since I am an abandoned child of the Jiang family who is not favored, so I have never attended such gatherings.

But Li Yunwei was a true heiress.

I wonder if she came today...

I looked up and around. Chen Muxi had misunderstood and teased, "My brother can't escape. He'll definitely come looking for you in a bit."

"No, I want to see if Weiwei has come."

"Is she coming too?" Chen Muxi also started looking for me.

But after searching around, we couldn't find it.

I sent Li Yunwei a WeChat message and learned that she was attending the company's annual party tonight and wouldn't be able to come over.

Chen Muxi pulled me inside, saying, "Let's play first, and we'll make plans with Weiwei another day."

"good."

Once inside, I realized that this party was no ordinary gathering; they had actually hired a very popular band to perform.

I was enjoying the beautiful singing, completely unaware of the commotion that was brewing on the other side of the banquet hall.

When I realized what was happening and turned around to look with the curious crowd around me, my eyes had already caught sight of the source of the unfriendly commotion.

Gu Yutian.

She actually came too!

If I remember correctly, she should have had an abortion and be recovering right now, so why would she come to a cocktail party?

Our eyes met, and our auras were clearly at odds. I could sense her sharp, hateful gaze from afar, and I knew something was wrong. I slowly turned my head away.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!