CHAPTER 325: CHAPTER 325: TEARING OFF THE FACADE1_1

Yan Xixi hung up the phone. A moment later, she suddenly recalled that today was Xiaojue’s birthday. I’ve been so out of it all day, I completely forgot! I wanted to get a last-minute present, but it’s too late now.

After work, she hurriedly rushed to the restaurant.

Upon entering, she found the private room already filled with laughter and conversation. Both Huang Xiaojue’s parents were there. Her heart sank, and she stopped in her tracks, feeling as if weighed down by an immense burden.

A beautifully decorated cake was already on the table, obviously prepared by Huang’s mother.

Huang Xiaojue spotted her at once and stood up with a wide smile. "Xixi, come sit down! We were just waiting for you." He had taken off his overcoat, and around his neck was a scarf—the very one Yan Xixi had knitted for him.

Huang’s mother’s gaze fell upon her. Seeing that Yan Xixi had arrived empty-handed, clearly without a gift, a surge of anger rose within her. This woman! She didn’t even prepare a gift for my son. It looks like she completely forgot it was his birthday today.

Yan Xixi felt ashamed under her gaze. It’s true, I completely forgot. I don’t usually make a big deal about birthdays anyway. But in Huang’s mother’s eyes, this was clearly a sign of blatant disregard for her son.

If she truly cherished my son above all else, how could she forget such an important day?

Maintaining her composure, Huang’s mother took out a present. "Son, today is your birthday. Your father and I have prepared a small gift for you. Do you like it?"

It was a Parker gold pen, very high-end and prestigious.

Huang Xiaojue accepted the gift and laughed. "Mom, why are you and Dad getting so formal all of a sudden? What’s with all the gifts? We’re family; we don’t need to exchange presents like this."

"You are our son. We love you, so of course, we’d give you a gift. If even we didn’t give you a gift, wouldn’t that mean we don’t care about you at all?"

Every word felt like a lash of a whip to Yan Xixi, making her squirm. In her haste, she truly hadn’t been able to prepare a gift.

Under the table, a hand quietly reached out and squeezed hers. Huang Xiaojue laughed heartily. "I really love the gift you and Dad gave me, but I also love the gift Xixi gave me."

Everyone looked at him in surprise. Yan Xixi clearly came empty-handed. What gift could there be?

Unhurriedly, he untied the scarf from around his neck. "Look, this is the cashmere scarf Xixi knitted for me herself. It’s warm and beautiful, and I love it very much. This was the birthday gift she prepared for me in advance."

Huang’s mother looked unconvinced and was about to say something, but her husband shot her a look, reminding her that it was their son’s birthday and not to spoil the mood. So, she had no choice but to bite back her words. "Eat, everyone, eat," she urged.

While Huang’s mother enthusiastically urged everyone to eat and drink, she also spoke politely to Yan Xixi, "Xixi, you have some more too."

"Thank you."

Then, as if incidentally, Huang’s mother remarked, "A few days ago, some of us old friends had a gathering, but Mrs. Wang didn’t come. It’s really quite unexpected, you know? Her daughter-in-law is insisting on a divorce. They’re all baffled. Their family is perfectly fine. They have a house and a car. The husband doesn’t hit or curse her, and he doesn’t have a bad temper either. So why on earth would she insist on a divorce? What do you suppose the reason is?"

"What was the reason?"

"That daughter-in-law is just no good. Apparently, even after getting married, she was still entangled with her ex-boyfriend, occasionally having one-night stands. And as it turns out, the son she gave birth to isn’t Mrs. Wang’s son’s child at all. He belongs to that other man from her past..."