Chapter 280 How can a father be absent from his daughter's birthday celebration?
Meng Shilan's hand, which was combing her hair, paused slightly.
She hadn't expected that Fu'er would still remember him.
"Fu'er".
Meng Shilan's tone unconsciously became a bit more serious, "Have you forgotten? Last time, it was because of him that the two of you..."
Fu'er immediately turned around on the stool, hugged Meng Shilan's arm, and whispered sweet nothings.
"Mother, I know I was wrong."
"However, the Seventh Prince is the first friend I made after coming to the capital."
“At the Imperial Academy, when people laughed at me for not having a father, he was the one who stood up for me.”
"Although he caused trouble last time and we were all terrified, but... but he's my friend."
"How can I not invite my friends to my birthday celebration?"
The little girl's eyes were clear yet stubborn.
In her world, things are simple.
Friends should be invited.
Looking into her daughter's clear eyes, Meng Shilan's heart softened, and all those considerations about power and profit and loss instantly became unspeakable.
She sighed, but finally nodded.
"Okay, Mother understands."
On the day of the birthday banquet, the entire Zhenguo Duke's mansion was cleaned and tidied, sweeping away the gloom of the past few days.
Miss Zhao and Miss Wang arrived early, bringing Fu'er the most fashionable silk flowers and sachets in the capital at the time.
The three little girls huddled together, chattering and laughing sweetly.
Xiao Lin arrived late, just before the banquet was about to begin.
He seemed to have arrived right on time.
When Meng Shilan saw him, she was slightly surprised.
It's been over a month since I last saw him after the gunpowder incident.
In just over a month, the child seemed to have changed a lot.
He seemed to have grown taller and his figure had become more slender. The childishness and mischievousness in his eyes had faded, replaced by a calmer demeanor.
He was wearing a royal blue brocade robe.
"Aunt Meng."
His voice was clear and resonant, neither arrogant nor humble.
As a prince, he naturally did not need to perform the proper etiquette, but he still greeted Meng Shilan.
Meng Shilan curtsied, "Seventh Prince."
If Meng Shilan hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she would have found it hard to connect the composed young man before her with the "troublemaker" who was always jumping around.
It seems that what happened last time really affected him a lot.
Meng Shilan felt a little relieved, and a gentle smile appeared on her face.
"It's good that you're here. Fu'er has been talking about it for a while now. Come on in."
Xiao Lin nodded and walked into the flower hall. Fu'er immediately flew towards him like a happy little butterfly.
Looking at the children's innocent and cheerful smiles, Meng Shilan's tense nerves finally relaxed after many days.
Just as everyone was preparing to take their seats, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the mansion gate.
The steward rushed in.
"Miss, outside... someone has come to deliver gifts again."
Meng Shilan was somewhat puzzled.
The guests invited for today's banquet have all arrived.
"Who sent it?"
The manager shook his head, his face full of confusion.
"The person who came only said that it was delivered on behalf of a distinguished guest, and did not sign it."
As he spoke, the man presented a heavy sandalwood box.
The moment the box was opened, the room was filled with light.
Inside, there was a whole box full of dazzling pearls from the East China Sea and various jewelry pieces carved from the finest mutton-fat jade.
Each one is priceless.
Everyone present gasped in shock.
What an extravagant gesture!
Meng Shilan's heart sank suddenly.
An inexplicable unease gripped her instantly.
She looked up at the person who had come in, and asked, "Who is your master?"
The shop assistant lowered his head and replied, "Miss, it was a distinguished guest who asked our shop to deliver a birthday gift to your residence."
Meng Shilan frowned. "Did the person who gave the gift say anything else?"
The waiter bent even lower and answered cautiously.
"Replying to Miss, that person didn't say anything."
"I only sent one message to this humble person."
He paused, then repeated the sentence verbatim.
He said…
"How can a father be absent from his daughter's birthday celebration?"
Those words, like an ice needle, pierced through the noise and precisely struck Meng Shilan's eardrum.
Every word carries a chilling possessiveness.
This was definitely not Zhou Congxian's tone.
Inside the flower hall, Fu'er's eyes shone like two cleaned obsidian stones.
She clapped her hands, broke free from Meng Shilan, and was the first to run towards the magnificent sandalwood box.
"Wow! It's Daddy! Daddy's back?"
The little girl's voice was filled with undisguised joy and anticipation.
She tiptoed, gripped the edge of the box, and peeked inside, her big, dark eyes scanning the box full of glittering jewels.
That initial surprise slowly froze after seeing what was inside the box.
Her little mouth unconsciously pouted.
"That's not right..."
The little girl turned around in confusion and looked at Meng Shilan, her clear eyes filled with incomprehension and a little bit of grievance.
"Mother, Father promised me that it would be a wooden ox and flowing horse that could run and move..."
He said it was a birthday gift he made for me himself.
"These beads are pretty, but... but they don't move."
Children's words, though innocent, struck Meng Shilan like a thunderbolt.
She instantly regained consciousness.
Zhou Congxian cherished his daughter dearly and was a man of his word.
He would never forget Fu'er's wish, nor would he use these cold jewels to replace a gift made by his father with his own hands and full of heart and soul.
The person who gave the gift was not Zhou Congxian.
So who is he?
And who is it that dares to call himself Fu'er's "father"?
A bone-chilling coldness crept up her spine, inch by inch.
Meng Shilan suppressed the turmoil in her heart and regained her composure. She walked up to the shop assistant who had brought the gift.
Her gaze was calm and serene, yet it carried an invisible pressure.
“Raise your head.”
The waiter trembled, dared not meet her gaze, and could only bury his head even lower.
"Who exactly is your master?"
Meng Shilan's voice was not loud, but every word was clear: "Such a valuable gift, if we do not know who gave it, our Zhenguo Duke's Mansion will absolutely not accept it."
The man's voice trembled noticeably.
"In reply to Miss, I...I really don't know."
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