Birthday Banquet

After changing, Ruan Yuexi went downstairs. Shang Yao was already waiting there. She still didn’t want to have any contact with him, but these past few days, he had insisted on sleeping with her every night. Luckily, he hadn’t behaved inappropriately again.

As she approached Shang Yao, the hem of her dress swayed. Shang Yao’s cold eyes reflected Ruan Yuexi’s figure.

“Brother Yao, have you prepared the gift?” Ruan Yuexi was thinking about what to give Ning Chen when she found a gift box in a corner of the closet, and inside it was a tie.

It was probably something the original owner intended to give Shang Yao. Seeing that the tie wasn’t particularly special, Ruan Yuexi decided to give it to Ning Chen casually, saving herself the trouble of thinking too much.

“Anything will do,” Shang Yao seemed indifferent about the gift, or perhaps he had already prepared something.

Seeing that he didn’t really care, Ruan Yuexi shrugged and walked towards the door, but her hand was held by someone.

She stopped and looked at Shang Yao. He ignored her coldly, still holding her hand.

Ruan Yuexi: “?” She wondered if Shang Yao was trying to provoke the female lead. 

But this thought was quickly dismissed by Ruan Yuexi. After all, the scene where Shang Yao had strangled the female lead Tang Qingqing that night still made her tremble with fear.

She wondered if Shang Yao would have really killed Tang Qingqing if she hadn’t intervened. Ruan Yuexi shook her head, feeling it was unlikely.

Ruan Yuexi suddenly thought of a question. That day, she had simply avoided someone and hadn’t seen anyone pass by her line of sight. How did Shang Yao suddenly appear behind her?

“How did you suddenly appear behind me that day? Why didn’t I see you go around behind me?” Ruan Yuexi found him eerie and frightening.

Shang Yao’s face remained impassive as he glanced at her. “The place you hid was around a pillar. Was it difficult to go around it?”

Ruan Yuexi recalled and realized it was indeed around a pillar. At the time, she had been focused on Shang Yao and Tang Qingqing, completely unaware of her own hiding place.

“Brother Yao is so awesome. He’s as silent as a ghost, so scary.” Ruan Yuexi innocently praised him.

Shang Yao: “…Can you just be quiet?”

They both got into the car. Ruan Yuexi suddenly leaned towards Shang Yao.”I will keep the fact that Brother Yao is not a human being a secret. I won’t tell anyone.”

Shang Yao: “…”

Her voice was quite loud, and Uncle Chen awkwardly started the car, pretending not to have heard anything. He was sweating. Madam really dared to say anything. Wasn’t she afraid of making the Master angry?

Inside the car, Ruan Yuexi’s voice rang out again, ending with Shang Yao’s angry roar.

Shang Yao got out of the car with a stern face, completely different from how he had been in the car earlier. Ruan Yuexi shrugged indifferently. “So petty,” she muttered.

Uncle Chen was sweating even more. Master wasn’t petty. It was just the things Madam said. Who could bear them? Besides, Madam said she was praising the Master. How could he not be frustrated?

Ruan Yuexi got out of the car leisurely. Shang Yao was already walking ahead, but even so, she wasn’t in a hurry.

As they walked, Ruan Yuexi slowed down so much that someone collided with her. It happened right at the corner, a blind spot.

Ruan Yuexi was caught off guard and thought she was about to fall, but instead, she fell into someone’s arms, surrounded by a familiar fragrance.

“Shang Yao?” Ruan Yuexi instinctively called his name. Why was he here? Didn’t he leave earlier?

The person who bumped into her was Tang Qingqing. She hadn’t expected Shang Yao to be there, and all the words she had thought of before were disrupted.

Lu Yiliang helped Tang Qingqing up, but there was no trace of tenderness on his face when he looked at her. When he looked at Ruan Yuexi, there was an unmistakable pity in his eyes.

Tang Qingqing was so focused on Shang Yao that she habitually ignored Lu Yiliang and didn’t notice his indifference.

Shang Yao pulled her into his arms, his icy eyes staring directly at Tang Qingqing, who was lying nearby.

Just as Ruan Yuexi was about to ask something, she saw that he had finally noticed the female lead. Usually, in such situations, the female lead would appear pitiful, and then the supporting female lead would be accused of malicious intentions, followed by the male lead and the supporting male lead comforting the female lead and reproaching the supporting female lead.

Here it comes, Ruan Yuexi saw him slowly speaking, wondering what line he would say. Are you okay? Or would he say “You dare to touch my woman, you’re looking for death!”

As Ruan Yuexi wondered, Tang Qingqing looked pitifully at Shang Yao, thinking he was concerned about her.

“If you don’t need your eyes. You can donate them.” Shang Yao’s voice was cold.

Ruan Yuexi: “???” What! What? She was completely stunned. Could the male lead really say such things to the female lead?

Clearly, Tang Qingqing hadn’t expected Shang Yao to say that to her. Helplessly, tears welled up in her eyes. “It was my fault…”

Lu Yiliang didn’t comfort her with words. Disappointment flickered in his eyes. He couldn’t bear to see her cry, though.

Ruan Yuexi was holding Shang Yao’s hand. His hand and he were completely from two different seasons, one was like the cold winter and the other was like the warm sun. His hand holding hers felt warm.

“Don’t you suspect that it was me who pushed Tang Qingqing?” Ruan Yuexi asked curiously.

Shang Yao seemed to be getting used to her habit of asking nonsensical questions. “I’m different from you.”

Ruan Yuexi had several question marks in her mind. What did he mean?

“I’m not as foolish as you.”

Ruan Yuexi: “…”

“How am I foolish? I’m very smart, you know?”

“You probably have a misunderstanding about being smart.”

As they walked, they argued. Ruan Yuexi found him annoying and made faces behind his back.

Ning Chen’s villa was large. Ruan Yuexi didn’t like such spacious villas. She always felt they lacked warmth.

Entering the hall, there were many people, both men and women. Almost all the women’s eyes were on Shang Yao when he appeared.

Ruan Yuexi was blocked behind him. Ning Chen drank and looked towards the figure blocked by Shang Yao in the hall, feeling even more depressed after the wine entered his stomach.

He stepped forward with a smile and patted Shang Yao’s shoulder twice. “You’re here.”

“Yeah, happy birthday.” Shang Yao had already had someone send a gift to Ning Chen beforehand.

Ning Chen smiled and thanked him, while Ruan Yuexi, who was behind Shang Yao, pushed him aside.

“Ning Chen, happy birthday.” Ruan Yuexi smiled sweetly and took out a long gift box from her sleeve.

Ning Chen saw the gift box coming out of her sleeve and was stunned for a few seconds before laughing.

“Hiding it in your sleeve, that’s a first.”

Ruan Yuexi found it convenient. “Well, now you’ve seen it.”

Shang Yao’s expression was not good as he stared coldly at the slender gift box in her hand.

Ning Chen also noticed the special nature of the gift box and noticed Shang Yao’s expression. Quickly, he took the gift box from her hand.

“Thank you, I really like it.” Ning Chen looked at Ruan Yuexi with eyes full of tenderness.

Ruan Yuexi felt that something was wrong but couldn’t figure out what.

Meanwhile, Shang Yao tightened his grip on her hand. It hurt Ruan Yuexi, and she couldn’t help but pull away.

At that moment, Feng Yi came over and insisted that Shang Yao go see an antique with him. Shang Yao glanced at Ruan Yuexi, seemingly planning to settle scores with her later.

Ning Chen saw all these little actions and gradually filled his heart and mind with wild joy.

“Yuexi, you enjoy eating, right? These are all prepared for you,” Ning Chen entertained Ruan Yuexi.

Ruan Yuexi looked inexplicably towards the direction where Shang Yao had gone. Suddenly, the way he looked at her made her wonder what crazy idea he was up to now.

But the array of desserts in front of her instantly captured Ruan Yuexi’s heart, making all thoughts of the male lead fade away.

“Ning Chen, you’re really thoughtful,” Ruan Yuexi smiled happily. What could be more joyful than indulging in delicious food?

Seeing her enjoying the food, Ning Chen couldn’t help but smile. He silently watched her, and his troubled heart began to settle down.

Someone appeared who made Ruan Yuexi a little queasy—Liu Yaran approached Ning Chen with graceful steps.

“Chen, long time no see,” her tone carried a hint of intimacy and nostalgia.

As soon as Ruan Yuexi heard the single syllable of Liu Yaran’s address, her head could almost explode from embarrassment. Could she please add a surname before that?

She felt so awkward that even her toes curled up. However, she couldn’t help but recall the original story, which hinted at a past romance between Ning Chen and Liu Yaran.

Hmm, now the former lover was chasing him. Quite courageous, sneaking around trying to eavesdrop on some gossip…