October 7th, Xu Youyou’s 18th birthday.

Somewhere in the suburbs of the capital, a privately owned estate covering approximately four thousand square meters was bustling with people and adorned with colorful decorations, completely different from its usual quiet and desolate atmosphere.

This estate was among the eighteen properties listed in those property deeds, and it was also one of the birthday gifts Xu Wenyin gave to Xu Youyou.

Compared to those truly vast estates that occupy tens of thousands of square meters and are directly measured in acres, this one might not be as large. However, for Xu Youyou, the size was never her criterion for measuring gifts. As long as it was from her mother, she liked it!

Yesterday, when Qin Yiren brought Xu Youyou to visit this estate, she was truly amazed.

It was purchased last year and featured a traditional garden design. Its exterior was simple yet elegant, achieving the essence of ‘a scene at every ten steps, a painting at every hundred steps’. With features like small bridges, ponds, pavilions, and more, stepping into it felt like a momentary journey through time and space.

Because Xu Wenyin had already discussed with Qin Yiren early on, it was decided that Xu Youyou’s coming-of-age ceremony would be held there. Therefore, preparations for the estate had been underway since last year, gradually taking shape, and finally, everything was officially completed a month ago.

For the past month, Qin Yiren had spent most of her time at the estate, meticulously inspecting for any shortcomings or oversights.

Even though the assistants could handle these tasks, she still couldn’t shake off her concerns. She felt it was necessary to personally inspect everything to ensure it was done right.

Now, it seemed that everything had gone smoothly.

Seeing Xu Youyou happily bouncing around and even hugging her and spinning around, Qin Yiren’s smile grew even brighter.

However, deep down in her heart, there was still a trace of regret.

If only Xu Wenyin was there, it would be perfect.

The thought flashed through her mind, but Qin Yiren forcefully suppressed it.

Today was such a joyful day so she shouldn’t dwell on sad thoughts.

Xu Youyou definitely wished for her mother to come back more than anyone else, but…… where exactly did Xu Wenyin go?

She seemed to have vanished into thin air. The search efforts of both the Qin and Qing families had expanded beyond the borders of Hua Country, yet there was still not a single trace of Xu Wenyin.

Now, they could only console themselves with the notion that no news was good news.

Qin Yiren lifted the corners of her lips into a smile and prepared to greet the guests who were arriving one after another.

For this birthday celebration, not only Qin Yiren and the others who were in the capital attended, but also Liu Miaomiao and Qian Xin, who were studying abroad, as well as their parents.

Xu Youyou even invited some classmates. She was very grateful for their care and support. Since it was a rare and meaningful birthday, she wanted it to be as lively as possible.

Moreover, Xu Youyou emphasized that there was no need to prepare gifts, just their presence was enough. She wasn’t afraid of others thinking she was showing off her wealth. If anyone had such thoughts, then this would be an opportunity to see their true character.

“Rich girl! Please take me with you!”

As soon as the car dropped everyone off, Wei Xinmiao was the first to speak up, “Do you think I can become a boy toy? I’m attending university, I can run in the rain, and I can feed myself!”

Xu Youyou chuckled at the joke. “Alright, why not sign up first? I’ll see when I can pick one.”

“Hahaha.” Other classmates laughed when they heard it too. Li Xiaodie even eagerly raised her hand and said, “Then count me in too!”

After spending over a month together, the ones who hit it off were already as close as can be. For those who didn’t, spending more time together wouldn’t make much of a difference. Those who came this time were among the good friends Xu Youyou made. Occasionally cracking jokes like this was just part of the fun and banter, nothing to be taken seriously.

Fortunately, Xu Youyou had a good eye for friends. Even though her classmates saw such a place, they were only amazed and didn’t display any inappropriate expressions.

In Qin Yiren’s eyes, this reassured her even more.

However, this also reflected Qin Yiren’s overconcern and her tendency to view Xu Youyou as a child. In reality, Xu Youyou wasn’t as fragile as she thought.

Even if she occasionally misjudged the situation, so what? At most, it would just be a momentary regret that would soon pass.

After all, her mother had taught her not to be sad or upset over unworthy people. She still had so many people who loved her.

Following Xu Youyou’s lead, the group headed towards the main house. The birthday banquet was scheduled to begin at six o’clock in the evening, and there were still over three hours left. Everyone could take this time to explore around the area.

Since today was Saturday, the guest rooms and everything else had been prepared in advance. It wouldn’t be a problem for everyone to stay overnight. Of course, for those who wanted to leave, there were cars available, so there was no need to worry.

Later, Xu Youyou handed her classmates over to the dedicated staff to show them around. Despite the estate’s beautiful and antique scenery, it also had modern amenities like a game room and a movie theater for leisure and entertainment.

For those feeling tired, they could head directly to the relaxation lounge, where services like massages and foot baths were available, guaranteed to satisfy their needs.

In short, with all these amenities, not to mention just three hours, one could easily enjoy a whole day there without getting bored.

Meanwhile, Xu Youyou needed to prepare for her ‘grand entrance’ later. Her outfit for this occasion was specially designed by Qin Yiren to match the ambiance of the estate.

Blending modern elements into the traditional style, the outfit wouldn’t appear out of place and would highlight Xu Youyou’s pure and lively temperament.

Xu Youyou fell in love with it at first sight.

However, it wasn’t just about the clothes; she also needed to coordinate with appropriate accessories, hairstyle, makeup, and so on. As the most important character of the day, Xu Youyou couldn’t afford to neglect any details.

Qin Yiren even felt that three hours was too short. Some ladies would start preparing early in the morning if they were to attend an important banquet.

Ensuring that every detail, from head to toe, shines brightly.

“Juanjuan!”

At half past five in the afternoon, Xu Youyou was putting on the final touches of her makeup when she happened to see Lu Chenjun enter through the door.

“Wow~” She exclaimed in admiration.

If it weren’t inconvenient to turn her head right now, Xu Youyou would have already stepped forward to admire Lu Chenjun’s change of style.

Perhaps due to his obsession with cleanliness, Lu Chenjun used to prefer light or even plain white clothes. He also didn’t like intricate patterns, preferring a casual and simple style.

But today, seeing the rare sight of her friend wearing a suit and tie in the mirror, Xu Youyou suddenly felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

She even strangely felt a sense of satisfaction as if her family’s child had grown up.

The outfit Lu Chenjun wore was also designed by Qin Yiren. Compared to a traditional suit, it incorporated many elements from Hua Country, such as the crane and auspicious cloud embroidery on the side of the clothes and jade cufflinks, which complemented Lu Chenjun’s inherent cold temperament even more.

Yet, it didn’t make him appear aloof, instead, it added a touch of jade-like warmth.

In fact, Lu Chenjun didn’t even dress as formally and nicely for his own eighteenth birthday a few months ago!

“You can take a good look later.” Seeing Xu Youyou’s curious glances, Lu Chenjun couldn’t help but feel a hint of amusement. “Wait until your makeup is done. You’ll have to start over if it smudges.”

That one remark certainly silenced Xu Youyou.

She was almost dozing off just now.

Originally, Qin Yiren and Liu Miaomiao were chatting with her nearby. However, as the time was approaching, both of them went to get ready.

It was fortunate that Lu Chenjun came over and stimulated her mind a bit, otherwise, it would have been really embarrassing to fall asleep in front of the makeup artist.

“Juanjuan, how is it outside?”

Since she couldn’t look around freely, chatting was the only option.

Xu Youyou was curious about the current situation outside, but Qin Yiren was mysteriously tight-lipped and wouldn’t say much.

Even when she tried to enter the main hall earlier, she was pulled back and told it had to be kept secret from her.

“Secret.”

Lu Chenjun’s one word successfully earned Xu Youyou’s resentful look.

But making her give up so easily was clearly impossible. Right after that, Xu Youyou spoke in a sweet, almost cloying voice, “Eh~ really, really can’t? But I’m so curious~ Juanjuan!”

Lu Chenjun: “……”

Over the years, he felt he had developed some resistance to Xu Youyou’s coquetry.

Hmm, that’s right.

The next second.

Lu Chenjun turned his head away and stopped looking at Xu Youyou. “It’s a surprise. I can’t say it now.”

Xu Youyou persisted, “I won’t tell Aunt Qin you told me. Just give me a tiny hint, please~”

Lu Chenjun stood up abruptly.

Sensing her smiling gaze, he chose…… to make a run for it!!

Even though his steps were steady and his pace wasn’t fast, Lu Chenjun’s back revealed a feeling of fleeing in panic.

It wasn’t until the door was closed that the makeup artist who was working on Xu Youyou couldn’t help but laugh.

“Miss Xu, was that your boyfriend just now?”

The makeup artist was specially hired by Qin Yiren but hadn’t served the Qin family before, so she didn’t know Lu Chenjun and didn’t know about his relationship with Xu Youyou.

Seeing the interaction between the two young people, the makeup artist’s first thought was that they were a young couple.

“Why do you say that?”

Xu Youyou neither denied nor confirmed it. Instead, she asked the makeup artist in confusion.

Before Lu Chenjun arrived, both Qian Xin and Liu Yanzhi had come to see her for a while. They were also of similar age and equally good-looking, but the makeup artist had not asked a similar question.

The reason Xu Youyou chose to respond with a question was because this wasn’t the first time she and Lu Chenjun had been teased like this.

Was there really something she hadn’t noticed, needing an outsider’s perspective?

The makeup artist was momentarily stunned. “Isn’t he? I’m sorry, I misspoke.”

Normally, Xu Youyou would have skipped this topic and casually moved on to something else. But this time, she rarely didn’t showcase her usual high emotional intelligence and instead continued to inquire.

It seemed that the answer was important to her.

“Sister, tell me, is it because of the atmosphere of our conversation just now? We’ve known each other for fifteen years, and we’re indeed very close.”

The makeup artist had seen all sorts of people, so upon hearing Xu Youyou’s words, she understood what the young girl was struggling with.

So they were childhood friends, no wonder……

She truly felt that Lu Chenjun and Xu Youyou were well-matched. The atmosphere they created during their conversation was so uplifting that anyone who experienced it would believe it wasn’t just because they had known each other for a long time.

And that young man, who seemed reserved and aloof, had eyes so gentle whenever he looked at Xu Youyou.

“Miss Xu.” The makeup artist looked at the beautiful young girl in front of her as if she had returned to her own youthful days and that innocent and beautiful love. Even though she was now in her thirties, she couldn’t help but…… ship them!

“In matters of the heart, I believe the person themself is the one with the most say.” The makeup artist gently applied blush to Xu Youyou’s cheeks. “I believe you already have the answer in your heart.”

Otherwise, why would she insist on asking a stranger for her opinion?

Xu Youyou fell into silence for a moment. Did she already have an answer?

For Xu Youyou, Lu Chenjun wasn’t just her first friend but also her childhood friend and her role model.

Because she truly believed that Lu Chenjun was very capable as if he could accomplish anything he set his mind to, no matter what it was.

Xu Youyou didn’t want to be left behind by her friend, nor did she want to comfort herself with the thought that Lu Chenjun was naturally smarter than her, making her efforts futile.

Just as Xu Youyou never believed that since Lu Chenjun was smarter than them, they should just leave everything to him to handle.

So why then?

Why was she so fixated on Lu Chenjun?

Xu Youyou recalled the Juanjuan dolls No. 1 and No. 2 by her bedside, as well as No. 3, No. 4, and so on, in the glass cabinet.

She also remembered the sudden acceleration of her heartbeat when Lu Chenjun entered just now.

And she recalled how she would playfully tease him, enjoying his helpless yet compromising demeanor each time, which truly brought her joy.

Would Xu Youyou do the same to others?

No, she wouldn’t.

Yes, she already had an answer, hadn’t she?

Juanjuan was different from her other friends.

Then, for Juanjuan, was she also different?

“Miss Xu, we’re done.”

As she heard the makeup artist’s gentle voice, Xu Youyou slowly opened her eyes and looked at the girl in the mirror, who was herself yet seemed not quite herself.

“So beautiful!” She murmured.

This was the first time Xu Youyou had spent so much time on makeup and styling, but the result was unprecedentedly good.

Xu Youyou’s beauty was widely recognized. Even without makeup, her natural beauty could dazzle anyone. However, makeup further enhanced her advantages, adding the finishing touch to an already beautiful canvas.

“Wow, who’s this little fairy?”

Just then, Qin Yiren appeared in the dressing room as if she had timed her entrance perfectly.

She was now dressed in a formal evening gown, her curly hair gently pinned up, and joy evident in her eyes and brows. It seemed as if time had been especially kind to this beauty.

“It’s the beautiful Youyou~” Xu Youyou stood up and smiled, slowly turning around in front of Qin Yiren. The hem of her skirt blossomed like petals, exuding elegance and beauty.

Xu Youyou thought to herself that on this special day, her mother must be watching her from above. So she wanted to be happy and look beautiful to show her mother.

Mom, look, Youyou have grown up. From now on, I’ll be a reliable adult!

“Then may I ask this beautiful Miss Youyou, would you like to accompany me?”

With Xu Wenyin absent, Qin Yiren naturally assumed the role of a mother figure.

As she led Xu Youyou step by step in front of everyone, the applause and smiles at that moment were enough to enliven the atmosphere of the entire estate.

Finally, Xu Youyou also saw the arrangement that Qin Yiren and the others had kept secret from her.

It was a path paved with flowers, photographs, and dolls.

From the age of three onwards, there were photos taken with Xu Youyou and everyone together, as well as those taken individually. There were also the so-called artistic photos that were popular at that time.

Walking along this path, one could witness with one’s own eyes how a little bundle gradually grew into the beautiful young woman she is today.

All the way along, it was filled with memories.

And at the end of the road was another gift that Xu Wenyin had prepared for Xu Youyou early on but couldn’t personally deliver.

A sword.

A real sharp sword.

Compared to the props in TV dramas, this sword exuded a coldness in both craftsmanship and appearance, a dominance unique to weapons!

“Wenyin once told me,” Qin Yiren held the sword in both hands and approached Xu Youyou, “she initially hoped that you would be like a sword, enduring countless trials without ever bending, but……”

Qin Yiren paused for a moment. “Wenyin quickly laughed and denied what she had just said.”

“On second thought,” Xu Wenyin, who had just received the sword at that time, showed a gentle smile on her face, “forget it, my Youyou shouldn’t have to endure such hard trials.”

“I just hope that no matter what difficulties she faces, she won’t give up and that she’ll have the courage to break through them like a sword.”

No matter whether she was by Xu Youyou’s side or not, and no matter how bad the environment around Xu Youyou was, Xu Wenyin just hoped that even if Xu Youyou was alone, she would have the courage to break through the obstacles and never give up on the life she wanted.

That’s the significance of this mother giving her daughter a sword on her eighteenth birthday.

It’s just a pity that it’s only retold by Qin Yiren now.

Mother Liu and the others who knew Xu Wenyin, couldn’t help but feel a pang in their hearts upon witnessing this scene.

What a perfect mother-daughter pair they were supposed to be. Xu Wenyin had surely prepared the gift with great care, intending to personally give it to Xu Youyou. But alas!

Sometimes, the heavens can truly be cruel!

Watching as Qin Yiren held out the sword, Xu Youyou carefully took it from her hands.

The sword wasn’t light, yet Xu Youyou didn’t falter in the slightest. The smile on her face remained undiminished. However, upon closer inspection, one could discern a faint reddening around Xu Youyou’s eyes, but she quickly held it back.

Today was a joyous day; she couldn’t cry. Her mother in heaven was still watching over her!

“I will.” Xu Youyou nodded. “I will remember Mom’s words.”

Be a brave, confident adult, unafraid of any challenge!

Afterward, the joyful birthday banquet officially commenced. There was a six-tiered cake, a lively birthday song, gifts from the elders, and well wishes from friends and family.

It was lively and joyful.

There were no formalities or pretenses, and everyone’s faces were genuinely adorned with smiles at this moment.

Mom, can you see this? I’m so happy today. You must take good care of yourself and come to see me soon!

———pr

After her birthday, Xu Youyou immediately found time to go and take her driving test.

After all, the car given by Uncle Qing couldn’t be left to gather dust in the basement. It had to be taken out for a spin, right?

As she cruised along, she decided to drop by the Qin residence and have dinner there.

Father and Mother Qin had seen Xu Youyou many times before, and they were already very familiar with her. They liked this clever, beautiful, and cheerful girl very much.

They thought about how Qin Xiao was still unmarried to this day, and their only grandson was quite reserved.

It’s fortunate that Xu Youyou didn’t mind their age and occasionally kept them company, chatting with them to relieve their boredom. Otherwise, the two elders would really be bored to death.

Since Xu Youyou was visiting the Qin family today, not only was Qin Yiren there, but Qin Xiao also temporarily set aside his work to come home for dinner.

At the Qin family dinner table, there weren’t many formalities. Father and Mother Qin especially loved listening to the younger generation chatting about recent events.

As they chatted, the two of them remembered Xu Youyou and Lu Haoyu’s previous situation. It had been almost a month since Lu Haoyu was released, but they had no idea about his current situation.

Xu Youyou swallowed the food in her mouth. “As for him, I haven’t seen him since. He probably knows better than to mess with me now, right?”

If Lu Haoyu dared to show up, she would report him to the police again! If pushed to the limit, as her mother said, she would give him a good beating! If one beating wasn’t enough, she would give him two!

Moreover, A University had already blacklisted him, so the security guards wouldn’t let Lu Haoyu in.

“Ah Xiao, what about you?”

Father Qin looked at Qin Xiao. He was aware of the Qin and the Qing family’s actions against the Lu family, and he had also learned about Lu Haoyu’s ‘luck’ from Qin Xiao.

During this period, the Qin family’s assets have increased significantly thanks to those projects.

“That Lu Haoyu.” Qin Xiao set down his chopsticks. He hadn’t initially wanted to discuss this in front of Xu Youyou, but considering she was already an adult and certain matters needed addressing, especially regarding Lu Haoyu, he decided it was necessary to speak up.

“It’s true, he’ll stop at nothing to achieve his goals.”

After losing multiple projects in a row, Lu Haoyu also realized that if it came down to relying solely on connections or assets, the Lu family would not be able to compete with the Qing and Qin families.

Therefore, Lu Haoyu, who had deeply absorbed the teachings of his grandfather, chose some less orthodox methods, such as sabotage or orchestrating some ‘accidents’.

Because there was no concrete evidence linking these ‘accidents’ to Lu Haoyu, the three families found themselves in a stalemate on some projects.

It’s not that Qin Xiao and Qing Yixing were ineffective, it’s just that investigating certain matters takes time.

Moreover, they still had some principles; they were not willing to stoop to using such borderline legal methods to snatch projects.

Even if they thought they were flawless, who could guarantee that they would never encounter a mishap over time? Once they did, all their previous efforts would be in vain.

And although business had always been about winners and losers, with Lu Haoyu’s character, who would dare to be his true friend? Sacrificing the future for short-term gains, Lu Haoyu had essentially ruined himself.

“Isn’t there a bidding for a big project tomorrow?” Qin Yiren spoke up. “If it falls into the hands of the Lu family, it could be troublesome.”

Qin Xiao nodded. “Don’t worry, even if he manages to grab it, your brother hasn’t been idle these past few years.”

It’s just that this Lu Haoyu seems a bit weird as if even heaven was helping the Lu family rise.

“Uncle Qin.” Xu Youyou suddenly looked at Qin Xiao. “I have an idea, although it’s a bit unethical.”

“Hmm? Tell me.”

Qin Xiao was still unaware of Xu Youyou’s idea of ‘unethical’, which in the cutthroat world of business might not even be considered a scheme.

“It’s just…… I think, Uncle Qin, you can use money to bribe Yao Yunyou. Whether she fakes an illness tomorrow or finds another excuse, make it so that Lu Haoyu can’t come back from abroad for these two days.”

The presence of the big boss was crucial for such a major project.

Moreover, based on Xu Youyou’s understanding of Lu Haoyu, would such an arrogant person bother to cultivate a capable subordinate? He might think that having himself in the Lu family was sufficient.

As for Yao Yunyou, from the information gathered and from what happened with Gu Weiyi, Xu Youyou could sense that the other party didn’t have much emotional attachment to Lu Haoyu. It was more about using him for her own benefit.

Her ambition makes her want to reach the top by herself. Men in Yao Yunyou’s eyes were probably just pawns, and she might be willing to do anything to achieve her goals.

Xu Youyou didn’t judge whether this mindset and behavior were right or wrong, but she felt that, compared to desperately holding onto Lu Haoyu to obtain resources and money, Yao Yunyou would certainly prefer to have money and resources in her own hands.

Moreover, if handled properly, this kind of action wouldn’t affect her relationship with Lu Haoyu at all.

Mother Qin smiled at the remark. “This project is important, but it’s not a matter of life and death. And even if Lu Haoyu is fond of that girl, he wouldn’t prioritize her over everything else, right?”

However, as soon as she finished speaking, she noticed that both Qin Xiao and Qin Yiren had a pensive expression on their faces.

A few seconds later, Qin Xiao spoke up first, “That method may really work.”

Qin Yiren agreed, “Exactly, it’s worth a try. After all, that Lu Haoyu is just like his father, both of them are lovesick fools!”

Father and Mother Qing both looked puzzled.

Was it because they’re getting old and don’t understand the world of young people anymore?

Was this so-called ‘lovesick fool’ phenomenon really that powerful?