Chapter 55.1

At the entrance of the hotel, a red banner hung, with large characters that read, “Congratulations to Boss Chang’s baby on reaching the full moon.”

Jiang Rou and Li Xiao arrived relatively late. As they were guided upstairs by a waiter, the third floor had already been filled with many guests.

The large restaurant was decorated in a dreamy and festive manner, with balloons and flowers everywhere. At the front, there was a life-sized photo surrounded by colorful flowers and balloons, featuring Chang Yong holding the child while standing next to a young woman.

To those unaware, it might seem like they were a family of three.

There was a dedicated counter at the entrance for collecting money. Li Xiao took out a red envelope and an invitation card and handed them over.

The waiter accepted them, recorded the information on a bill, and made a welcoming gesture towards them.

Li Xiao carried An An through the colorful balloon arch. As they passed through, Li Xiao reached out to take a pink balloon from the arch and placed it into An An’s hand.

An An waved the balloon around, playing with it.

Jiang Rou followed behind. Fortunately, she had planned to visit Li Xin at school today and had made an effort to dress up for herself and An An before leaving. She wore a white fish-tail knitted sweater set with a waist belt that highlighted her slim figure and added a touch of elegance. A new hair salon had opened near the school recently, and Jiang Rou had noticed a discount, so she stopped by for a straightening treatment. Her hair was left down, complemented by beige low-heeled shoes and a white handbag, and she had applied light makeup.

She now liked wearing white as it made her look very gentle.

An An’s outfit was sweeter. In March, the weather in G Province was similar to April or May back home, so the temperature had risen. Jiang Rou dressed her in a white puff-sleeve shirt and blue denim flared overalls. Flared pants were in trend recently, and even children’s fashion featured them.

An An’s hair had grown a bit longer. Jiang Rou had styled it with two small pigtails and added two sparkling hairpins.

With her round little face, she looked utterly adorable.

Li Xiao, on the other hand, did not make as much of an effort in his appearance as Jiang Rou did. He wore only a black shirt and pants. He had a jacket which he had removed earlier and left in the car.

Jiang Rou also wondered how Chang Yong knew so many people. The entire restaurant was filled with hundreds of tables, some already occupied, while others had guests mingling with their drinks.

Not long after Li Xiao and An An entered, Chang Yong spotted them and came over with his mistress to greet them. “Oh, Mr. Li, you finally made it. I was worried you might be too busy to come today. You’re not the same as before—now you’re a big shot.”

Though the words sounded flattering, they carried an undertone of something else.

Li Xiao remained unperturbed, acting as though he hadn’t heard anything, and responded with a smile, “How could I miss this? No matter how busy I am, I can’t skip your event. You’re my great benefactor. Everyone in this circle knows about it. If I didn’t come, not only would I feel guilty, but others would also criticize me endlessly.”

It was a mild, yet pointed, retort.

Chang Yong’s face turned awkward upon hearing this. The real benefactor between them was Li Xiao, who had indeed been injured while saving him. However, Chang Yong had complained to others about Li Xiao’s absence not long ago, and now it seemed Li Xiao knew about it and had brought it up at this time.

Given Li Xiao’s changed status, Chang Yong was cautious. He had heard that Li Xiao knew many people through Mrs. Song and, regardless of his current network, being noticed by the You couple and even appearing at the Spring Festival Gala meant his future career prospects were promising.

Chang Yong patted Li Xiao on the shoulder. “Everyone can see how well we get along. It’s good that you came. Otherwise, I would have been upset.”

Li Xiao smiled and began chatting with a few people nearby.

Chang Yong also noticed Jiang Rou and smiled as he asked the woman next to him to greet her.

Jiang Rou was not very keen on dealing with the woman. Although her relationship with Zhao Yun wasn’t particularly close, she had met her a few times, and Zhao Yun had helped her get Li Xin into the affiliated school. Jiang Rou had always remembered this favor, so she felt some resistance.

The woman smiled as she walked towards Jiang Rou. “You look quite young, sister.”

She immediately took on the role of sister-in-law.

Li Xiao turned to hand the child to Jiang Rou and politely nodded at a few people. “I was in a hurry this morning and haven’t eaten yet. I’ll take the child to get some food. You all chat for now.”

He then put his arm around Jiang Rou’s shoulders and left, not giving much face.

Chang Yong was about to inquire about Mrs. Song when he realized that although Mr. You’s investments were impressive, his wife’s connections were truly extensive. Many of her former classmates were prominent figures, and even his brother-in-law spoke highly of her. Before he could even start asking, Li Xiao had already left.

Watching their departing figures, Chang Yong couldn’t help but frown. “This guy is really becoming more prominent.”

In the past, others might have agreed with Chang Yong’s comment, but now the people around seemed to ignore it, enthusiastically praising the looks of Chang Yong’s child.

Though Chang Yong loved his son, he felt a sudden sense of frustration, acutely aware that Li Xiao was no longer the same as before.

Li Xiao and Jiang Rou wandered around the venue. Chang Yong’s son’s full moon banquet was a blend of Western and Eastern styles, featuring a buffet in Western style and traditional seated dining in Eastern style. It was extravagantly done, though somewhat mismatched.

The buffet tables were set up with dozens of varieties of bread, cakes, fruits, and drinks. Guests could help themselves, and servers continuously brought out fresh items. Jiang Rou saw someone stuffing food into their pockets and couldn’t help but say to Li Xiao, “We should pack some to take back for Li Xin when we leave.”

Li Xiao, who was loading his plate with cake, fruit, and bread, nodded without hesitation. “Sure.”

An An, seeing her father with the treats, had drool dripping from her mouth. She abandoned her balloon and urgently called out, “Cake—”

Jiang Rou hugged her tightly. “Don’t rush, your dad is getting it for you.”

Li Xiao piled his plate high, the food stacked like a small mountain. Jiang Rou quickly interjected, “Take less, we won’t be able to finish it all.”

Li Xiao shrugged nonchalantly. “If we can’t finish it, we can take it home.”

He wasn’t being at all modest, choosing the more expensive items and even swiping two jars of caviar.

The caviar, in small black jars, was mistaken by many as decoration. Most people took assorted breads from the platters. Li Xiao, having recently been around Mr. You, was aware of the high value of caviar. He said to Jiang Rou, “Foreigners like this stuff. I don’t really get why—it’s fishy and salty.”

Jiang Rou had never tried it, she had only seen it on TV.

Li Xiao added, “We’ll cook it when we get home.”

“……”

Li Xiao found an empty table with Jiang Rou and sat down. The three of them started eating. Jiang Rou had a small piece of cake and a few pieces of fruit, while An An, after a couple of bites of cream, held onto a loaf of bread. The baguette was a bit hard, and she had soaked it with saliva, prompting Li Xiao to wipe her with the white tablecloth.

By around eleven, when most guests had arrived, the hotel staff began serving dishes. They started with a few plates of cold appetizers, followed by main courses including abalone, sea cucumber, king crab, and lamb chops. Each portion was generous.

An An, sitting on Jiang Rou’s lap, abandoned her bread and directly pointed at the meat.

The people at their table were dressed quite well, in suits and formal wear. They ate little, focusing more on conversation and drinking. This contrasted with the tables a few away, where every time a dish was served, it was immediately grabbed. Jiang Rou overheard some people mocking those tables, saying they were all relatives of the Chang family and the bride’s family, displaying a nouveau riche attitude, which was incomparable to the Dong family.

She glanced at Chang Yong, who was mingling with others, and realized the scene was somewhat ironic. Chang Yong might have thought he was successful and proud today, but there were still many who looked down on him behind his back.

The so-called status and the so-called son didn’t bring true respect.

In contrast, Li Xiao sat next to her quietly, eating and feeding the child, and serving her dishes, yet many people still came over to greet him, discussing business and exchanging information.

Halfway through the meal, An An suddenly looked towards the entrance and said, “Lele.”

Jiang Rou, who had been focused on her food, and Li Xiao, who had misheard, turned their attention to her. Li Xiao asked, “Tired?”

An An pointed her chubby little finger at the door and said, “Sister.”

Jiang Rou and Li Xiao followed her greasy little hand and saw two men entering with two children. The elderly man, with graying hair, was holding Chang Yong’s eldest daughter, Chang Lei, while the middle-aged man next to him was carrying the youngest daughter, Chang Le.

Both men wore serious expressions.

Jiang Rou instinctively looked at Li Xiao.

Li Xiao lightly nodded and leaned in to explain, “That’s Chang Yong’s father-in-law and elder brother-in-law.”

Noticing that Jiang Rou’s earlobe was slightly red and swollen, Li Xiao reached out and touched it. “Why is your ear red?”

Jiang Rou looked away and touched her ear, feeling a bit uncomfortable. “It might be because of the new piercing.”

The earrings she bought from a boutique were quite cheap, and they might have caused an allergic reaction.

Li Xiao frowned. “Don’t wear them next time.”

“Okay.”

Jiang Rou had just responded when a sharp “PA!” echoed through the air. The sound was unmistakably clear, amplified by the microphone in Chang Yong’s hand, silencing the entire restaurant.

Just moments ago, Chang Yong had been invited by the host to give a speech. He had finished speaking and was stepping down the stage, with the woman holding his child following behind him. He handed the microphone back to the host and reached out to support his mistress.

Suddenly, a hand appeared from the side, delivering a slap that sent Chang Yong sprawling to the floor. The impact caused a nearby Western dining table to screech across the floor, its wine bottles wobbling precariously.

Both the host and the mistress were stunned, and so was Chang Yong. He clutched the side of his face as he struggled to stand, wobbling unsteadily and nearly slipping again. If not for his hand grabbing onto the table for support, he would have fallen straight to the ground.

However, before he could regain his balance, Zhao’s elder brother-in-law kicked the table, and Chang Yong, once again, fell to the ground in disgrace.

The host was the first to react, stepping forward to intervene. “Who are you? Why are you hitting him?”

“I’m here to hit this bastard!” Zhao’s elder brother-in-law shoved the host aside, placed the child he was carrying down, and grabbed whatever was within reach from the Western table. He began throwing things at Chang Yong, bottles smashing against his body, forcing him to cover his head as shards of glass scattered across the floor.

The mistress screamed in terror and quickly ran off, clutching her child, hiding in the corner.

Chang Yong, writhing in pain, touched his face and saw his hand covered in blood. Panic-stricken, he began pleading, “Stop, please stop!”

At first, some people at nearby tables considered intervening, but after witnessing the brutality, they hesitated. Someone muttered, “Let’s talk this out, there’s no need for violence…”

“If this continues, someone’s going to get seriously hurt. Stop!”

Zhao Yun’s eldest brother glanced hesitantly at his father. The old man’s expression was icy. “Keep going! If he dies, I’ll take responsibility. I’ve been a teacher all my life, and today I’m going to teach this scumbag a lesson for my daughter.”

Wine spilled across the floor as Chang Yong slipped, his hands cut by shards of glass. Having lived in luxury for years, he was in no condition to fight back.

Zhao’s father-in-law stared coldly at him, demanding, “You promised me when you married my daughter that you’d take care of her for life. And now? Is this how you show your care? My daughter is sick in the hospital, and you’re here throwing a full moon banquet!”

His eyes then flicked towards the young woman holding the child nearby, before surveying the grand and lavishly decorated restaurant with disdain.

The old man’s voice grew louder, seething with anger, “When you married my daughter, you had nothing! Even the wedding was paid for by our family. When you struggled at work, ostracized by others, it was my son who found you a temporary job. And that ‘temporary’ job paid you more than many full-time positions! You never showed gratitude, and now you bully people like this? Are you even human? You’re worse than an animal!”

“In ancient times, there was Chen Shimei, and today, we have you, Chang Yong! At least Chen Shimei had talent and good looks. What do you have? Why don’t you look at yourself in the mirror? You have no skills to speak of, but you’ve mastered the art of sponging off others! First, you lived off my daughter, and now you live off your sister. How does a worthless person like you still have the nerve to exist in this world?”

The entire restaurant fell into an eerie silence. The old man’s voice echoed through the room, making sure that everyone present heard his tirade.

He wanted to continue, but the hotel manager had already called the security guards, who escorted the father and son out. Chang Yong, beaten and humiliated, could barely stand upright and was carried out on someone’s back.

After a brief pause, the murmurs in the restaurant started up again. Some people quietly began to leave, while others stayed, continuing to eat and drink, though the mood had shifted.

At Jiang Rou’s table, everyone had left. It seemed most of them were small business owners, only attending to curry favor with Chang Yong. Now that he was gone, there was no reason for them to stay.

However, since a few people remained, the hotel continued to serve dishes. After all, Chang Yong had already paid for everything.

Jiang Rou asked a server to bring some take-out containers. The server gave her a long look but then nodded and left. A short while later, they returned with a beautifully crafted takeaway box. Since Chang Yong had chosen a five-star hotel, these boxes were used for takeout orders from wealthy customers.

Seeing that the table next to hers was empty, Jiang Rou picked out a few untouched dishes and packed them into the three-tiered box. Each tier had small wooden compartments designed for the dishes.

Noticing what Jiang Rou was doing, some of the relatives who had been grabbing food earlier also asked the server for takeaway boxes.

Jiang Rou not only packed a full box of food, but she also asked for clean bags to take some of the bread, cakes, candies, and drinks from the Western buffet table. Li Xiao, holding An An, smiled and said, “Take more. That way, we won’t have to cook breakfast tomorrow.”

After eating fried rice every morning, he was starting to grow tired of it.

“Exactly,” Jiang Rou agreed.

She packed two large bags, and by the time they were ready to leave, she could barely carry them. Li Xiao had to help her with one.

As they walked out of the hotel, Jiang Rou couldn’t help but laugh, “We definitely didn’t lose out on this meal.”

Not only did they eat well and take plenty home, but they also witnessed quite the spectacle.

Li Xiao curved his lips into a smile.

Once they exited the hotel, they headed straight to pick up Li Xin. Since they couldn’t drive to the school grounds, Jiang Rou originally thought about buying something from the supermarket. But now, with all the food they had, there was no need.

Jiang Rou held An An’s hand, while Li Xiao carried the takeaway boxes and the bags of bread and cakes. It was around 1:30 in the afternoon, which meant Li Xin should be resting during her break.

When they arrived at the classroom of Class Three of Grade One, Jiang Rou peeked through the window and immediately spotted Li Xin in the second row, resting her head on her desk.

Many students were already back in class, but it was quiet. Some were sleeping, while others read, and there was barely any chatter.

A classmate near the window noticed Jiang Rou and Li Xiao standing outside and whispered, “Who are you looking for?”

Jiang Rou softly replied, “Could you please call Li Xin for me?”

The girl by the window was momentarily surprised—they were here for Li Xin? She turned to call her, but before she could say anything, An An had already wandered to the door and called out in her soft voice, “Auntie—”

Her little voice caught the attention of the entire class, making the students who had been reading look up.

The girl by the window leaned over and gently poked Li Xin’s arm with her pen.

It took two pokes before Li Xin groggily woke up and lifted her head.

Meanwhile, An An, seeing so many people looking at her, shyly ran back to Jiang Rou’s side. A moment later, she peeked out from the door with just her head showing, making the class burst into laughter.

An An laughed along with them.

Li Xin finally noticed Jiang Rou and, excitedly, stood up. “Sister—”

She hurried over to the door, bent down, and scooped An An up. An An happily wrapped her arms around her neck, sweetly calling out, “Auntie—”

Li Xin was also very happy, “Sister, brother-in-law, why did you come over?”

Jiang Rou smiled and said, “We came to see you. We originally planned to come in the morning, but accidentally got confused on the bus. I ended up going with your brother-in-law to a banquet, something happened at the banquet, and the others left before finishing the meal. I noticed that there were a few dishes untouched, so I packed some up to bring to you. There are also some bread, cakes, and candies. If you can’t finish them, you can share them with your roommates.”

Li Xin looked at the things in her brother-in-law’s hands, her smile growing even brighter. “Okay.”

Jiang Rou asked her, “How much time do you have before class starts? Shall we take these things to your dormitory? The weather isn’t cold, so you can just pack some food from the cafeteria later for dinner.”

Li Xin glanced back at the clock in her classroom. “There’s still twenty minutes, it’s enough.”

So Jiang Rou accompanied her to the dormitory.

As they left, the classmates in the classroom curiously craned their necks to look. Jiang Rou waved at them with a smile, making them a little embarrassed.

When they arrived at the girls’ dormitory, Li Xiao was waiting downstairs. He couldn’t go inside.

Jiang Rou and Li Xin brought the items to the dormitory and then came back down. Jiang Rou didn’t stay long since class was about to start, so after saying a few words, she hurriedly told Li Xin to return to her class.

An An was still reluctant to part with her aunt, hugging her tightly and refusing to let go.

Li Xin kissed her on the cheek.

Some students from Class Three upstairs witnessed this scene and found it surprising.

Li Xin was usually quite reserved and didn’t interact much with others, except for her roommates, Chang Lei from Class One, and Ji Yu from Senior Year Three. Ji Yu was the school heartthrob, and many people in the school had a crush on him, including the school belle from Senior Year Three.

The school belle was very stylish, with straightened hair and trendy outfits. However, in the eyes of the students, Li Xin was considered much more beautiful than the Senior Year Three school belle. She had a tall figure and fair skin, and although she always wore her hair in a simple ponytail and only wore her school uniform, she still looked exceptionally beautiful.

Because Li Xin was low-key and the school belle liked Ji Yu, Li Xin didn’t have a good reputation among the Senior Year Three students. They thought she was interfering in the relationship between the school belle and Ji Yu. Although Chang Lei was Ji Yu’s relative, Li Xin was not, and yet Ji Yu still served her soup and helped her carry plates.

When Li Xin returned to her class, her classmates excitedly gathered around her, asking, “Was that your sister and brother-in-law? They’re so good-looking!”

“Your little niece is really adorable.”

“Hey, don’t you guys think her brother-in-law looks familiar?”

“Li Xin, does your whole family look this good? I thought you were already gorgeous, but I didn’t expect your sister to be so beautiful too, and her demeanor is amazing.”

“I think your brother-in-law is even more handsome than Ji Yu. Honestly, after seeing him, I suddenly feel like Ji Yu is just average.”

Before, when listening to the Senior Year Three students, it seemed like Li Xin was out of Ji Yu’s league. Now, they should see Li Xin’s brother-in-law—what was Ji Yu compared to him?

Hearing their compliments, Li Xin felt even happier than when they praised her. “Yes, that’s my sister and brother-in-law. My sister has been beautiful since she was young and is very smart; she’s a university student. My brother-in-law is also very impressive—he owns a large factory.”

—o—o—o—