Chapter 254: Chapter 254: Birthday Banquet Face-Slapping (12) Chapter 254: Chapter 254: Birthday Banquet Face-Slapping (12) The call connected, and Li Yihua picked up quickly.

Ding Yuehua’s voice trembled slightly as she asked about the status of today’s birthday banquet.

Li Yihua chose some important things to say, then softly concluded, “Tonight’s birthday banquet is probably the grandest I have ever seen in my lifetime; I am afraid I will not see the like of it again.”

He didn’t completely recognize the heavyweight guests, and he didn’t take any more short videos either.

But just the mention of Qin Jingchen’s name was enough to leave Ding Yuehua stunned for a long time.

“Mom, what’s going on?” Ding Xuexue saw her with a frozen look and asked.

“Lord Qin also came to the scene.”

Because Li Yihua didn’t say anything more about Qin Jingchen, she didn’t know his relationship with Jiang Zhe.

But his presence alone was significant enough.

Ding Xuexue was taken aback, so she had specifically gone to the Fen Family today, and had not seen the two peers, but had missed the chance to meet Qin Jingchen?

Jiang Cheng, having come around, said evenly, “If it’s been missed, then it’s been missed. We chose to go to the Fen Family today. At this point, there is nothing more to say.”

Besides regret, Ding Yuehua was filled with resentment. Why hadn’t Jiang Yaowang mentioned earlier that he was hosting these guests?

He watched everything with cold eyes, letting her family jump around like fools without any hint, just to see her regret, right?

With his many connections, Ding Yuehua couldn’t believe that Jiang Xiruo and Jiang Zhe were unaware!

They told them everything but kept her in the dark!

Though angry, Ding Yuehua also knew that being upset was not a way to solve the problem.

“Let’s go to their place; we’ll join Jiang Zhe in cutting the cake,” Ding Yuehua made up her mind there and then.

Jiang Cheng held her arm back, “Wife, I think we should let this go…”

“How can we let it go? Isn’t she your niece? Why can’t we go celebrate with her?” Ding Yuehua shook off his hand and got into the car.

Jiang Cheng, having no choice, had to accompany her.

Once they reached Jiang Yaowang’s residence, Ding Yuehua had already adjusted her mood, with a full smile on her face.

The door was opened by Jiang Xiruo, who had just returned not long ago and was planning to take a shower and go to bed.

Seeing Jiang Cheng’s family of three appear, Jiang Xiruo’s expression was quite indifferent, “What brings you here so late, Second Brother and Sister-in-law?”

“Didn’t we say once the work over there was finished, we would come here to join Xiaozhe in cutting the cake? Look at us; we hurried over, and seems like we even made it just before midnight,” Ding Yuehua acted as if nothing had happened.

Since nothing definitive had been said before, their arrival now was a natural continuation.

Seeing that Jiang Xiruo was still holding the door open, not inclined to let them in, Ding Yuehua said with a smile, “Won’t you even let us in to sit down?”

“Come in,” Jiang Xiruo glanced at her Second Brother and welcomed the three of them inside.

As soon as Ding Yuehua entered, she noticed that the atmosphere was off, too quiet for a cake-cutting celebration.

Indeed, only Jiang Yaowang and Jiang Xiruo were at home.

“Where are Xiaozhe and the others?” Ding Yuehua asked.

“They went out to celebrate her birthday with friends. The young people like liveliness; we didn’t join them. Besides, they’ve already cut the cake at the hotel,” explained Jiang Xiruo.

Jiang Yaowang sat on the sofa drinking tea, his expression showed no obvious change from before.

But the added coldness in his eyes was quite apparent.

Ding Yuehua was greatly disappointed, “Since it’s a gathering of young people, why not let Xuexue join them too? The young ones can find common topics to talk about.”

Jiang Xiruo listened calmly before she slowly said, “The thing is, Xiaozhe is out with her own friends. I don’t know them well, and it’s too late now. It wouldn’t be safe for Xuexue to go over. We’ll arrange another time with Xiaozhe.”

People of standing always maintain their dignity when they speak.

No one took the initiative to tear away this veil of shame.

Jiang Cheng immediately said, “Since that’s the case, Dad, Xiruo, you should go to bed early. We’ll take our leave now.”

Without staying any longer, the family of three left. Jiang Cheng was still okay, but Ding Yuehua and Ding Xuexue, clutching their fingers, were full of deep regrets.

Resentment and regret intertwined, and when added to Jiang Zhe’s cold face, it only bred further discontent.

…

By the time Jiang Zhe’s birthday banquet ended, she was already somewhat tired.

Inherently not good at and not very fond of such social events, she endured out of politeness until the cake was cut.

After saying goodbye to the heavyweight guests, she got into the car and closed her eyes to rest.

Qin Jingchen got into the car, and seeing the reflection under her closed eyelids and long lashes, he smiled gently.

Without speaking to disturb her, he sent a message to Qin He, asking him to arrange for the young people still in high spirits to go to a regular bar to have fun.

The birthday celebrant wasn’t there, so these young people, hearing they could go to a bar, were all very excited.

Qin Jingchen made a gesture, and Qin Hai directly drove towards Qin Jingchen’s bachelor apartment.

When the car stopped in front of the apartment building, Jiang Zhe opened her eyes: “Is there another event?”

“My birthday gift, I haven’t given it to you yet.”

“Didn’t you already give it?”

Jiang Zhe was referring to the diamond he had just given.

A whole block of diamond over a hundred carats, extremely rare in the market, could be traded for an amount followed by countless zeros.

Jiang Zhe could tell at a glance that it was of the purest, highest quality.

Stars twinkled in the depths of Qin Jingchen’s eyes: “It’s not just that I’ve prepared.”

Jiang Zhe followed him out of the car, visiting his bachelor apartment in Beijing for the first time.

To call it a bachelor’s apartment, just the size and number of cars in the underground parking lot was telling; it was not just a simple apartment.

Indeed, the elevator went directly to the entrance floor of the apartment.

When they reached the front door, Qin Jingchen stood silently without moving. Jiang Zhe, sensing something, directly stretched out her hand to the doorknob.

Her fingerprint unlocked the door.

Jiang Zhe was accustomed to this setting and naturally stepped inside.

The decor and layout were obviously to his usual taste—minimalistic and without excess.

Probably knowing Jiang Zhe would come, there were some pillows and a blanket added on the sofa, brightening it up with color.

Sitting down on the sofa, Jiang Zhe’s lines and curves could not be obscured by her school uniform. Qin Jingchen only caught a glimpse before she pressed a pillow against herself, blocking his view.

Qin Jingchen cleared his throat, and Jiang Zhe asked, “What gift?”

She had an air of urgency to see it, as if once it was viewed, they could both go to sleep.

Cold and detached, yet with an indescribable allure.

Qin Jingchen felt like she had him completely in her grasp—the coldest words from her mouth were also the sweetest honey.

“This way,” Qin Jingchen said, extending his hand to her.

Jiang Zhe lazily reached out her hand to him and, held by his palm, followed him to the window.

The winter night held a layer of cold, the sky pressed down with a layer of deep black, and only by looking down could you see the streetlights shining.

“It’s midnight,” Qin Jingchen said in a low voice, looking at Jiang Zhe’s face, which, in the darkness, appeared even more dimensional and vivid.