Du Yuan's aggressive manner created a tense atmosphere. Those around them were watching with amusement, after all, this was an internal conflict within the Du family.
Xu Keke wasn't in a hurry. Experience told her that the calmer she was in this kind of situation, the more likely she was to win in the end.
Du Juexian couldn't hold back any longer and quickly stepped in to smooth things over, saying with a smile, "We've only known each other for a short time. It was just last time when my older sister and I went to the shooting range and met Brother Dakang once. We're not exactly familiar with each other."
Du Jue didn't want Du Yuan to say anything more, so he gave her a wink.
It's fashionable for women to actively pursue love these days. He himself didn't disapprove of it. However, after his second sister met Li Dakang by chance, she started imitating those avant-garde women, perhaps influenced by someone. She openly pursued Li Dakang, giving him gifts and always insisting that he take her to meet him. This made him somewhat uncomfortable.
He knew his eldest sister actually disliked Li Dakang, so he didn't want his second sister to misunderstand. However, he couldn't explain in front of so many people.
Li Dakang was clearly not satisfied with Du Jue's words, and laughed as he exposed his words, "Du Jin, last time at the coffee shop, you left in such a hurry that I forgot to ask you if you liked the beaded flower I bought for you."
Li Dakang's eyes were like those of a child begging for candy, "I've been looking for that one for a long time."
Judging from Du Yuan's and the girl's expressions, Xu Keke immediately guessed what he wanted. It seemed she had an unusually large number of unwanted suitors today. Fortunately, they were all useful.
Xu Keke smiled generously at him, "I don't like that beaded flower, but thank you for your trouble."
As if expecting her to say that, Li Dakang shook his head and looked at her with affection, "I don't believe you, you're lying to me. Few people can resist the beauty of Lisa's jewelry."
Xu Keke frowned slightly as she could hear gasps coming from around her.
Lisa Jewelry Store—this was indeed in the original owner's memories. The owner was a very shrewd British jeweler. For a long time, those two words were synonymous with luxury goods. Xu Keke hadn't expected it to be so expensive; she handed the box directly to Xibao without examining it closely.
Xu Keke looked around the banquet hall and spotted the Du Rui and Du Shan sisters, who were eager to come closer.
Xu Keke raised her hand and waved to them, giving them a reason to come over. The two women beamed with joy.
The people around her were puzzled as to what she was going to do and looked at her with suspicion.
When the two sisters arrived, Xu Keke smiled and pointed at Du Rui, saying to Li Dakang, "This is my fourth sister. I gave her your beaded hairpin. Fourth sister, please take out the beaded hairpin and show it to Mr. Li."
Du Rui, who was all smiles, froze, looking somewhat silly.
Xu Keke then turned to Li Dakang and said, "My fourth sister really liked the gift you gave me, so I gave it to her. I didn't know that the beaded flower was so valuable."
Xu Keke paused deliberately, and seeing that Li Dakang, like everyone else around him, had the same "I knew it" expression, she slowly said, "Although your cousin was indeed very rude last time, it is still a bit too much to apologize with a beaded flower."
"Du Rui?" Xu Keke smiled warmly at Du Rui, seemingly oblivious to her startled expression.
"Hurry up and show it to Mr. Li. I know you like it so much, so I put it in your bag."
The two Du sisters' expressions changed, because they both remembered that Xu Keke had a beaded flower pinned to her chest before getting into the car.
So when did she give the pearl flower to Du Rui, and why did she give it to Du Rui?
Du Rui bit her lip, hurriedly opened her bag, and took out the beautiful beaded brooch. She opened her hand and presented it to Xu Keke.
Jewelry under the lights is dazzling and can easily mislead people, making them believe that even an ordinary piece of jewelry is priceless.
Xu Keke took it from Du Rui's hand. Du Rui had stolen it from her pocket in the car earlier. Xu Keke had originally planned to talk about it later, but she hadn't expected Li Dakang to come along. It saved her the trouble.
Xu Keke pinned the beaded flower to Du Rui's chest, saying, "This beaded flower was a gift from Mr. Li's cousin as an apology. I didn't expect it to be Lisa's. It proves you have good taste. It matches your dress very well today. You should just wear it."
"Mr. Li, what do you think?" Xu Keke's disdain was no longer concealed.
Her face suddenly darkened, and her expression was even more intimidating than Du Yuan's, who always had a cold demeanor. Du Rui, standing next to her, took a half-step back in fright.
"Sister, what are you doing? Mr. Li didn't say anything else, he just asked if you liked it. You really don't need to..."
Xu Keke glanced at Du Yuan with a hint of helplessness, not expecting her to be so love-struck. Was the Du family here today just to entertain the public? If they had told her earlier, she really wouldn't have come.
"Miss Du, thank you, but please don't blame your elder sister. I'll talk to her at your residence when I have time."
Li Dakang's words were like adding fuel to the fire. Du Yuan agreed verbally, but her eyes were practically spitting fire as she looked at Xu Keke.
Seemingly afraid of embarrassing Xu Keke, Li Dakang considerately smiled and said to the bespectacled man behind them, who had stopped talking loudly,
"It was my fault. I got a little excited while reading my friend's post and may have interrupted Brother Jinyan's insightful remarks. I've heard that Brother Jinyan has some unique perspectives on the situation in the North. I wonder if I might have the honor of hearing them?"
The man called Jin Yan was somewhat flattered. He adjusted his glasses and said, "Brother Dakang, you're too kind. I only have some humble opinions about the situation in the North..."
Everyone around her followed Li Dakang back into the circle they had been in. Even Du Rui and Du Shan went with him, leaving her alone outside the circle.
Xu Keke chuckled, gave Du Jue a wink, and turned to leave.
The drinks at the banquet were a mix of Chinese and Western. Since the original owner had never drunk alcohol before, Xu Keke didn't know the original owner's alcohol tolerance and honestly took a glass of orange juice.
The banquet was held at the Champs-Élysées Hotel. Looking out the window, one could see the distant inland waterway, with signal lights flashing on and off on the high observation deck, and thick smoke rising from the moored boats.
The original owner did remember that water transport had been completely taken over by the troops stationed in Yanshen Mountain. No ship was allowed to dock without permission from the garrison.
Xu Keke saw a balcony extending out in the distance. She guessed that the view from there should be clearer, or that she could sit on one of the lounge chairs and wait for the banquet to end.
Xu Keke strolled over, but unfortunately she was too late. Through the glass door of the balcony, she could see a man and a woman entwined in the shadows of the balcony, and from the side, they looked like they were kissing.
Women of this era are truly both conservative and open-minded. This left Xu Keke somewhat astonished.
Xu Keke had no choice but to retreat back to the window she had just been standing by. But she still curiously watched the movements on the balcony.
When Du Jue came to call her home, the couple also came out. The dazzling crystal chandelier in the banquet hall shone on them. The man was the one from the shooting range that day, and the woman was Li Dakang's cousin, Su Wan.
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