Gao Xian Yue's eyelids drooped as she stared intently at the words on the greeting card.

No one understood the strange atmosphere; it was as if a thick fog was rising, and the lively laughter from just moments before instantly fell silent. The birthday girl's lips curled into a slight smile, her lowered gaze seemingly appreciating the blessings bestowed upon her.

But the laughter of the people sitting opposite her grew increasingly subdued.

The maid brought in the cake, and Gao Xian Yue smiled and said, "Guess which gift I like the most, and you'll win a prize if you guess right."

Which one?

Gao Xianyue picked up the silk scarf in front of her.

"How thoughtful! I'm planning a vacation in Norway next month, and this striped scarf would be perfect. Who sent it to me?"

Everyone else wanted to stare at the scarf until they saw through it, and wished they could turn it into the color they had given it.

The color of this one isn't particularly striking either, so how did it happen to catch Vivian's eye? But in the end, no one dared to claim this gift.

Gao Xian Yue called over a servant, who came down from upstairs carrying a gift box.

“This was specially reserved for me by the salesperson a few days ago. I liked it quite a bit when I received it, but after a few days I felt it was just so-so. I believe in reciprocity, so since someone gave me such a nice gift, I'll give this back to them.”

When the gift box was opened, everyone's eyes lit up immediately.

It's a Birkin bag made of alligator skin.

The guests invited today were all people I contacted after returning to China; most of them were former classmates. Those with some financial means naturally wouldn't hesitate to buy luxury goods, but they casually gave away top-tier luxury bags that might cost tens of millions to acquire.

Other girls really don't have her kind of boldness.

Not only those on the sofa, but even those in the courtyard who were marveling at the surrounding scenery couldn't help but come over.

Was it a gift that Meng Jiuyi asked her to bring back?

Wang Ru stared repeatedly at the opened pink gift box on the table, wanting to slap herself for not looking more closely.

The rare Birkin bag on the table almost made her drool; goodness, it would be worth at least several million on the secondhand market.

This can help her pay off part of her current debts, as she is currently under spending restrictions due to her huge debts.

However, Wang Ru didn't dare to claim it for herself. What if the other party asked about the contents of the card and she couldn't answer? Wouldn't she end up losing more than she gained, and she wouldn't even be able to drink meat soup with Gao Xian Yue anymore?

So when she met Gao Xian Yue's questioning gaze, she avoided his eyes and didn't nod.

A smile gradually filled Gao Xian Yue's eyes.

"It seems she's planning to play the role of the fairy godmother. In that case, I'll just have to find her slowly."

*

As evening fell, orange flames lit up the study on the second floor. The people from Cambodia who were assisting Jiang Zhou returned to report to Xu Yanzhi.

Xu Yanzhi asked, "Who is the other party?"

"The maid hired by the Shen family for the cruise ship banquet was recommended by a service company because they were short-staffed for the banquet. She comes from an ordinary family and has simple relationships. It is said that she came to Southeast Asia to relax."

Xu Yanzhi nodded, sensing something was amiss.

"Are you sure she lives in Capella?"

The hotel in Cambodia in which Mr. Xu has invested is a super six-star hotel, costing at least tens of thousands of yuan per night during the off-season.

"It's confirmed. The hotel has her check-in information, but according to Jiang Zhou, someone probably gave her a large sum of money, otherwise where would she get the money to cover this expense?"

It's Jiang Zhou again.

Everything has been explained clearly.

Jiang Zhou also said...

Xu Yanzhi raised his eyelids.

Those below were somewhat confused by this statement.

"When he asked you for help at the stone villa that day, the Third Young Master was actually there too, but it was inconvenient for him to come out and meet you."

In an instant, the temperature around us seemed to plummet, making us shiver with cold.

Xu Yanzhi didn't say anything, but took a cigarette from the cigarette box, and in an instant, smoke filled the air.

The person on the other side was also a shrewd individual, knowing when to back off, but he could clearly sense the prince's gloomy demeanor.

Was it really true that they were completely unaware?

That day at the Stone House villa, Tan Yuchen's words were laced with barbs and twists.

A wisp of smoke rose between Xu Yanzhi's fingers. He carefully recalled her reaction at that time: fear, avoidance, and changing the subject.

Is it really true that you have absolutely no doubts?

Didn't he see it clearly sooner?

And what was she doing upstairs for half an hour? I actually believed her excuse for making the phone call.

The smoke he inhaled sank into his lungs, and Xu Yanzhi almost self-tortured by keeping it in his chest cavity until the pain became obvious, at which point it dissipated with his breath.

When Uncle Zhuang came in, he saw Xu Yanzhi standing by the window, looking all alone in the sky where the moonlight had just begun to rise.

He doesn't usually smoke, but there was more than one cigarette butt in the ashtray next to him.

"Is the young master in a bad mood?" he asked.

Xu Yanzhi lowered his head, shook his head, and smiled.

"I'm wondering if I've missed something forever."

He would never be so pessimistic. Uncle Zhuang said, "The fact that you realize this means you haven't missed out."

Xu Yanzhi said, "What if it already belongs to someone else?"

Uncle Zhuang didn't know whether he was referring to a person or an object, but this was clearly inconsistent with his usual gentlemanly demeanor.

He was born with everything he could want, and due to his upbringing, he never competed with others. Even when entering or leaving a door, he would raise his hand to indicate that the other person should go first.

"There are so many beautiful landscapes in the world, perhaps other places offer a more refreshing experience."

Xu Yanzhi did not answer, but simply extinguished his cigarette and half-raised his hand to signal him to go out first.

After the door closed, his phone vibrated; it was his junior apprentice, Gao Jingchen.

Xu Yanzhi slowly and deliberately answered in his ear, "What?"

**

While Meng Jiuyi was taking care of Zhou Ting at the hospital, Cen Dong called her more than once, specifically inviting her to attend the wedding banquet on the weekend.

The media has been reporting on it extensively. Given the previous scandal of the bride running away from the wedding, the media has practically bribed several domestic media outlets this time. Every day, the headlines are filled with speculation about the grand scale of the wedding. The wedding is even being held at the Cen family residence on Victoria Peak, a place that rarely hosts guests, which seems to be an attempt to wipe away the shame of the past.

A few days ago, Meng Jiuyi was reading the newspaper and wondering why rich people liked to live in the mountains.

Standing tall and seeing far, or becoming a mountain king?

Meng Jiuyi declined the call again.

"Afraid of running into the Meng family?"

Cen Dong laughed, "Shouldn't they be the ones ashamed, the father who gave birth to her but didn't raise her? Miss Meng is independent and strong; her appearance at the banquet only makes them lose face."

A warm current flowed into Meng Jiuyi's heart, and it seemed that his opinion of this second-generation rich kid had changed a little. He was also puzzled as to how Tan Yuchen got along so well with such a righteous person.

But she and Cen Dong aren't that close, so why is she so persistent in inviting her?

Meng Jiuyi naturally did not nod, firmly stating that she already had other plans.

This time, it was Cen Dong's turn to worry.

That's it, we couldn't pry it open.

How am I supposed to explain this?

--

There will be another chapter later.