Chapter 31 Adulthood: "I won't give you a gift you won't remember."...
Qin Man rode home in Jiang Xuchi's car.
She was embarrassed by what happened today, and all the way home she kept thinking about how to make Jiang Xuchi forget about it.
When they arrived home, Jiang Xuchi's car was still there. Qin Man, leaning against the car door, called out to him, "Wait a minute, I'm going upstairs to get something."
Jiang Xuchi waited for her, watching her go upstairs and downstairs, and then she slipped a piece of paper into his arms.
"This is my birthday party invitation." Qin Man gestured forward again. "It's for you."
Actually, half the class had them, so it's impossible that Jiang Xuchi wasn't among them.
For the sake of saving face, Qin Man would never refuse to invite him.
However, in Qin Man's eyes, sending a separate invitation was enough to show her sincerity.
Jiang Xuchi opened the invitation, which was signed by Qin Man. He touched the smooth, pearlescent paper and nodded with an "Mm".
Seeing his indifferent attitude, Qin Man said, "Come if you want, or don't."
I slammed the car door shut for him.
...
Qin Man's coming-of-age ceremony was held at the restaurant on the top floor of Chengxi Garden, which was the same new restaurant that Jiang Xuchi had taken her to before.
Qin Man booked the entire venue, and almost everyone in the class who received an invitation came.
More than twenty seventeen or eighteen-year-old boys and girls gathered together, letting loose and having fun. Qin Man stood in the center of the crowd, enjoying their blessings and envy.
Pei Shiyu brought over a glass of champagne and offered her a toast.
"Happy 18th birthday, Manman!"
Qin Man's coming-of-age ceremony had a theme. She liked white, so she chose pure white roses. Therefore, all the girls who came wore light-colored clothes to highlight their youth and beauty.
Only Pei Shiyu, dressed in a black dress and with heavy makeup that was completely different from her usual style, became the most conspicuous presence at the entire event.
Qin Man didn't mind and clinked glasses with her, saying, "Thank you."
Pei Shiyu smiled and said, "Sometimes I really envy you."
"What do you envy about me?"
Pei Shiyu sighed softly, almost drowned out by the background music, "I envy your ignorance."
Qin Man didn't hear clearly, "What did you say?"
Pei Shiyu changed her words: "I envy you for having such a perfect coming-of-age ceremony."
These words struck a chord with Qin Man, making her incredibly proud, and she couldn't suppress the smile on her face.
This is indeed a perfect coming-of-age ceremony.
Qin Man recalled that after an accident when she was a child, her parents took her to have her fortune told.
The old blind man wearing sunglasses touched her facial features, and after learning about her destiny, his face lit up with a bright smile. He said she had an exceptionally auspicious destiny, destined for a smooth and fulfilling life, great wealth and honor, and free from any hardship.
They said that even if life is full of ups and downs, at most it will only affect their emotions, but it will never change their fate of wealth and honor.
Her family was overjoyed, saying that she was a lucky star, which made the young girl giggle.
So every birthday is the time when her family is most willing to spend money.
As melodious piano music played, a six-tiered tower-shaped cake was pushed in through the doorway, adorned with exquisite roses and layers of white feathers in cream.
The top layer features an elegant white swan made of stacked diamonds.
It is elegant, charming, and expensive, embodying the qualities Qin Man loves most, and therefore it was placed at the highest level and made to the finest quality.
Everyone else exclaimed "Wow!" in admiration.
A cake adorned with diamonds and cream is incredibly luxurious. They all admired Qin Man; as expected of the eldest daughter of the Qin family, she really knows how to spend money.
Qin Man clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and began to make a wish amidst everyone's birthday wishes.
It doesn't matter what you wish for.
As long as the money is there, anything can be done.
She had no worries, only joy, only dreams built on money, and a fearless pursuit of knowledge.
Qin Man had no idea that this magnificent and enchanting dream would become the last dream of her life. In the days to come, during those restless nights, this dream would become a fleeting illusion she would cherish dearly.
It's a pity that she didn't have a doting brother or a indulgent mother back then. Even though she never changed, she could never go back to the past.
We can't go back to this illusion.
...
"Jiang Xuchi, where is my gift?"
Behind Qin Man were piles of gift boxes from everyone. She didn't open them, couldn't tell who gave what, and wouldn't remember in the future.
But she remembered that Jiang Xuchi had never given her a gift.
At this point, the music ended, the crowd dispersed, the lights dimmed, and half a cake sat uneaten on the corner of the table.
Several candles were blown out, but two still flickered. Amidst the flickering light, Qin Man, dressed in a white dress, slumped on the ground, her pale arms crossed over her knees, staring at Jiang Xuchi with slightly drunken eyes.
Jiang Xuchi never left, from the time she was surrounded by fans singing birthday wishes to the present day, until now, when she's gone and left to drink alone in obscurity.
Qin Man was very happy, so she didn't care why Jiang Xuchi hadn't left yet.
Disturbing her final moments on this day when she turns eighteen.
Jiang Xuchi looked back at the mountain of gifts and said, "I don't think you need them."
Not needing it doesn't mean she doesn't want it.
Qin Man is greedy and insatiable. She doesn't know why she wants Jiang Xuchi's gift right now, and even wants to open it in front of him.
"You really didn't prepare?" she asked.
Jiang Xuchi, empty-handed, wasn't ashamed at all: "Hmm."
Qin Man disliked this matter-of-fact attitude, so she grabbed a handful of flowers from the side and threw them at him.
The bouquet landed on Jiang Xuchi's gray suit, with petals and twigs scattered everywhere.
Jiang Xu didn't make a move. "I won't give you a gift that you won't remember."
In the past, he would blend in with her group of friends to deliver gifts, and the gift boxes would be buried among the piles of gifts, never remembered by Qin Man.
This time he won't.
"That's because you're incompetent." Qin Man poured herself another glass of wine and drank it all under Jiang Xuchi's gaze.
Expensive things, beautiful things, things she likes.
They were all obtained today.
Qin Man was quite satisfied, so Jiang Xuchi, who was standing there, was a bit of an eyesore to her.
"We're graduating soon, Jiang Xuchi." Qin Man's voice was languid, her tone slightly hoarse with the tinge of alcohol, yet exceptionally alluring. "Let's end our relationship here."
Their complicated relationship could finally be severed by her.
Qin Man doesn't need Jiang Xuchi.
She doesn't need all those sparkly jewelry he gives her.
She's an adult now, and she should embrace a more luxurious future instead of being imprisoned by Jiang Xuchi.
Jiang Xuchi bent down, half-kneeling in front of Qin Man, and reached out to cup her face.
“Princess,” Jiang Xuchi said, “I haven’t given you my gift yet, so don’t speak so soon.”
Qin Man bit her lip.
"So what gift are you going to give me?"
Slightly tipsy, Qin Man's face was flushed.
Jiang Xuchi smiled and said, "It's too big to bring. I'll take you there when I have time."
Qin Man blinked and shook off his hand that was on her face.
After that day, Qin Man regained her former arrogance and returned to her old attitude towards Jiang Xuchi.
She hated feeling controlled by others, especially when facing Jiang Xuchi.
Qin Man wanted to get away.
She said coldly, "I don't care about your gift. We don't need to contact each other anymore. Jiang Xuchi, I've never cared about your gifts since I was a child!"
Jiang Xuchi's pretense slowly crumbled, and his breathing became heavier.
"Is that so?" Jiang Xuchi rubbed his hand, which had been slapped so hard, and sneered, "You're an adult now, your wings have hardened, and you don't need me to serve you anymore, do you?"
"Who needs you to serve them?" Qin Man said, sounding aggrieved. "Who's playing games with you anyway?"
"A game?" Jiang Xuchi gritted his teeth. "Fine, very well."
"..."
"There always has to be a winner in a game. You either become one of my people, or you go back to being your pampered princess."
Qin Man lowered her head, not daring to look at his angry expression.
Jiang Xuchi spoke expressionlessly, each word deliberate and deliberate.
"Let's see if you can go back."
*
Qin Man thought she would feel more relaxed tonight, but after Jiang Xuchi returned, she found herself feeling even more suffocated.
My good mood for the whole day was ruined.
After she finished packing, she texted Qin Chen, asking her to come pick her up.
Today was a good day, and Qin Man wanted to pretend to be happy for Qin Chen, but she couldn't bring herself to smile, so she got into the car and pretended to be asleep.
She pretended and eventually fell asleep. Qin Man didn't know how she ended up in bed.
All I know is that my brother just left her on the bed and didn't care anymore, and her makeup was all smeared on the bed sheet.
She's only lived a short time; there's so much she doesn't understand, so little she's experienced. Whether she's drunk or sober, it makes little difference to her age.
Even if it's just a fancy shell, it still has the word "glamorous" in it. Compared to the garbage on the street, at least it looks bright and shiny. Even if the inside is a pile of mud, as long as you can't tell from the outside, you can make do with it.
The most devastating thing she could imagine was being penniless, homeless, and ridiculed.
She couldn't even imagine something more cruel.
Unfortunately, reality is not limited by her imagination.
...
Qin Man's coming-of-age ceremony was incredibly extravagant, even making headlines on several marketing accounts.
She also possesses an exceptionally beautiful face, coupled with the popularity of being a youth tennis champion and being a top student at Xilai, making her a topic of much discussion.
“Those poor people just love watching what rich people do, why should you care about them?”
"Don't bother me, this kind of news will pass quickly. You're not a celebrity, I don't care that much about digging into your past."
This is how Qin Chen comforted Qin Man.
Qin Chen's words make sense. If the slightest disturbance makes Qin Man uncomfortable, what will happen in the future?
Qin Man went to school as usual. She would graduate in two months, at which time Xilai would hold a graduation party.
Qin Man was invited to dance, but she declined, citing a trip to Europe as the reason.
From that day on, Jiang Xuchi stopped sending her messages and didn't say a word to her.
During this time, Jiang Xuchi would occasionally come to the class to play ball with Xi Yue and the others, and chat together.
They always stood out, attracting frequent gifts from first and second-year high school girls. The handsome seniors, about to graduate, were the most eye-catching at this time.
At that moment, a girl carrying an exquisite gift box stood not far from Xi Yue and his group, looking around.
"Jiang Xuchi! That girl is looking for you!" someone called out from behind the girl.
Qin Man subconsciously looked over and saw the girl running towards them.
Jiang Xuchi leaned against the railing, a soccer ball under his foot, listening lazily to people talking.
Amidst laughter from the group, Jiang Xuchi accepted the gift from the girl.
Xi Yue whistled, his sharp eyes spotting Qin Man hesitating around the corner.
Qin Man herself didn't know why she was hiding.
She sensed that Jiang Xuchi had also glanced in their direction, but quickly looked away.
After the girl left, Xi Yue teased, "Qin Man saw you accepting her gift."
"You're showing concern for her?"
Xi Yue was stunned for a moment, then realized: "Damn, I wasn't speaking up for her."
The others burst into laughter, saying that Xi Yue's reaction was hilarious.
Although it is Qin Man, it is still just Qin Man.
They don't have that much face in front of Jiang Xuchi.
...
The next day, Qin Man did not come to school.
However, the class was very lively, and Xi Yue's phone was passed around among more than a dozen people before returning to him.
Everyone who looked at his phone wore a gloating expression, yet dared not say anything.
This aroused great curiosity among onlookers.
Someone asked, "What's wrong? What's on Xi Yue's phone that makes you all look like that?"
Xi Yue: "Look at the trending topics."
At Xi Yue's pointed hint, the person opened their phone and clicked on the trending topics.
Jiang Xuchi had just woken up. He propped his chin up and looked up, just in time to see Xi Yue taking his phone back from the person at the table in front of him.
Jiang Xu didn't say anything, but reached out and grabbed his phone.
Then, with a beautiful arc, it was tossed into the trash can.
Xi Yue: "Hey hey!"
Jiang Xuchi said calmly, "Don't look at things you shouldn't be looking at."
After that, no one in the class dared to discuss the matter anymore; at least on the surface, no one would say anything in front of Jiang Xuchi.
Even so, two days passed and Qin Man still didn't come to school.
And all of Xilai's students knew this.
The Qin family went bankrupt, and Qin Weiguo was sentenced to death for embezzling 4 billion yuan.
-----------------------
Author's Note: It's alright, Qin Man is born with a life of wealth and will always enjoy riches and honor.
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