Xue Jiao is going too?!
Yi Tianyu froze, basketball still in his hands, standing rigidly in place.
After a moment, he stiffly lifted his chin and said—
"Then I'll go with you guys. It must've been awkward attending the annual gala without kids these past few years."
Yi's Mother: "..."
She swallowed before replying coldly, "How thoughtful of you."
"No need to thank me, Mom. It's your good son's duty to be filial." Yi Tianyu dribbled the basketball a few times, grinning cheerfully.
Without realizing it himself, his mood had soared the moment he heard Xue Jiao was attending.
Unable to resist, Yi's Mother threw an apple at him—
"Get lost!"
As he dribbled upstairs, he paused at the landing.
"Oh right, Mom, how did you know she was going?"
Yi's Mother leisurely picked up another apple. "Your father and I went to pick up clothes today and happened to run into her. We even helped her choose a dress—a stunning red halter neck that looks absolutely gorgeous on her! With Xue Jiao being so slender, her shoulders peek through..."
"Ugh—" Yi Tianyu abruptly bolted upstairs.
The commotion startled Yi Dafa, who rushed out asking, "What happened?!"
Yi's Mother blinked before replying after a long pause—
"Youthful exuberance. We're serving bitter melon starting tomorrow—"
Yi Dafa: "..."
Damn it, I hate bitter melon too!
On the 29th day of the lunar month.
"Son! Are you ready yet?" Yi Dafa called from downstairs.
"Almost there!" Yi's Mother descended, dressed in an elegant gown with flawless makeup as Yi Dafa helped her with her coat.
"Why's the kid taking so long?"
Yi's Mother shook her head helplessly. "Just like you back in the day—so nervous about seeing his crush that he's been trying on outfits nonstop."
Yi Dafa chuckled. "Gotta put in effort to win over a good wife!"
After waiting longer, Yi Dafa asked—
"Is he done now?"
"He's wearing a blue suit, probably fussing with his hair now." Even Yi's Mother was exasperated—her son took longer to get ready than most girls!
Yi Dafa looked surprised. "Didn't he already style his hair? And I thought he hated blue suits?"
"Who knows with him!"
Upstairs.
Yi Tianyu adjusted his brand-new blue suit. The mirror reflected a dashing, vibrant young man.
He flashed a grin at his reflection—
Red and blue have always made the perfect pair.
Perfect. Handsome.
——
At the Cheng residence.
"Jiao Jiao?"
"Coming!" Xue Jiao emerged holding up her dress. "Mom, won't my hair get in the way loose? Can I tie it up?"
Silence. When she looked up, all three were staring at her in astonishment.
"What's wrong?" she asked self-consciously.
"Beautiful! My daughter is stunning!" Li Sitong rushed forward.
They'd seen the dress during the fitting, but that day they'd been out shopping, her hair had been tied up, and she'd looked tired from walking.
Today was different. The red feathered dress fell to her calves, cinched at the waist to accentuate her slender figure. Her dark hair cascaded nearly to her waist, framing bare shoulders that peeked through the strands.
Her shy smile was like a painting come to life.
After a long pause, Cheng Mingze finally asked, "Are you wearing makeup?"Before Xue Jiao could speak, Li Sitong smiled and said, "No, I just tidied up her eyebrows a bit. Our Jiao Jiao has naturally dark brows—just a little shaping makes them look like they've been drawn on. And with her thick lashes, a quick curl with the lash curler makes them lift beautifully."
As she spoke, as if remembering something, she took out a lipstick and lightly dabbed it on Xue Jiao's lips.
"Here, press your lips together. You're still young, so just a little color is enough," Li Sitong advised.
This was Xue Jiao's first time wearing lipstick, and she pressed her lips together somewhat shyly. Her already delicate features instantly took on a radiant glow.
Li Sitong sometimes mused that her daughter was even more beautiful than she had been in her youth, and that was partly thanks to Gu Jingxu's genes.
That man might not have had much character, but his looks were undeniable.
In her younger days, she, a wealthy heiress, had fallen for him because of that face.
The years that followed hadn't brought much happiness.
But she was grateful that in the second half of her life, she had met someone truly right for her, and Jiao Jiao was still by her side...
"Put on your coat," Cheng Mingze said.
"Yes, yes, it's still cold outside. Wear your coat now, and you can take it off when we get there."
Once Xue Jiao had put on her down jacket, Cheng Mingze immediately turned away.
"Let's go." He felt he had stared a little too intently just now, and that wasn't appropriate.
Snapping out of it, he could only turn away quickly.
The Cheng family got into the car and headed to the venue for the annual gathering. The drive was long, so it took a while to arrive.
As soon as they stepped out of the car, several people came forward to greet them. Cheng Shuo handed the keys to the valet, while Li Sitong presented the invitation card to the elderly man in the middle.
The man didn’t even glance at it, simply smiling and saying, "Mr. Cheng, Mrs. Li, young Mr. Cheng, and Miss Gu, please come in."
Li Sitong nodded with a smile, while Cheng Shuo shook his hand. "Uncle Jin, you must be busy. We’ll head in first."
"Please!"
The group entered cheerfully. Cheng Shuo leaned in to explain quietly to Cheng Mingze, while Li Sitong whispered to Xue Jiao:
"This gentleman is the secretary of the W City Chamber of Commerce. Almost everyone in the business circle has to show him some respect. His surname is Jin, same as the host of the Chamber of Commerce. He was originally a family servant, but after some changes, he was adopted and has been working for Mr. Jin ever since—very loyal. Mr. Jin is the head of the Chamber of Commerce. His father was among the earliest in China to venture into private business, leaving behind a vast fortune. Mr. Jin is also a skilled businessman. Just call him Uncle Jin later."
Li Sitong hadn’t originally planned to explain these business circle dynamics to Xue Jiao, but Cheng Shuo had insisted before they left.
He felt their child was old enough to know these things. Their family moved in these circles, and whether Xue Jiao cared or not, she should at least be informed.
Xue Jiao nodded. She hadn’t encountered such things in her past life, nor did she plan to go into business in this one, but listening to a bit of gossip was still interesting.
They were led inside by a server as the temperature grew warmer. A man and a woman stepped forward to take their coats before they finally reached the main hall.
"Ah! Old Cheng! You’re here!" A middle-aged man with a thick beard came forward.
"Hahaha!" Cheng Shuo quickened his pace to meet him. "Mr. Jin! It’s been too long!"
"You’re the one who’s been too busy for me!"
"Nonsense! It’s your schedule that’s packed—I couldn’t squeeze in!" Cheng Shuo teased, his playful "complaint" not the least bit offensive.
The two shook hands warmly, as if they were the best of friends.Xue Jiao finally realized that this was how Uncle Cheng usually behaved.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Madam Jin came up to shake hands with Li Sitong, and then everyone's attention turned to Cheng Mingze and Xue Jiao.
"Your son and daughter are truly outstanding! Old Cheng, you're truly blessed!"
"Not at all, not at all! Mr. Jin, your daughter is the real legend here!"
"Uncle Cheng, you flatter me too much." A woman in a mermaid dress walked over with a smile, holding a wine glass, clearly having just finished socializing with others.
"This is your sister Jin Sui. Jin Sui, take care of these two youngsters, especially Xue Jiao—she's still young." Mr. Jin patted Jin Sui's shoulder.
Jin Sui smiled and said, "Hello, Xue Jiao."
"Hello, Sister Jin Sui." Xue Jiao smiled softly, appearing shy yet poised and graceful.
The Jin family members nodded subtly to themselves.
This stepdaughter of Cheng Shuo, making her first appearance at the banquet, seemed quite impressive—pretty and well-mannered.
They clinked glasses and took a sip. It had to be said that Jin Sui was truly considerate, having already arranged for juice to be served to Xue Jiao.
After finishing his drink, Mr. Jin excused himself to greet other friends.
Li Sitong leaned slightly toward Xue Jiao and whispered an explanation—
"Jin Sui graduated from Peking University, completed a '2+3' program, studied at Oxford for three years, and then joined her father's company upon returning. She's set to take over his position. Despite her young age, she's incredibly capable."
Xue Jiao was slightly surprised. So impressive?!
She didn’t look that old, yet she was already so accomplished?
Just then, another group of people arrived, all with their families in tow. Xue Jiao couldn’t leave and had to continue socializing.
In the distance.
"Hey, hey, Old Man Yi." Yi Tianyu called out softly, then nudged his father from behind.
Yi's Mother turned and glared at him. "Stop fooling around. Your father is busy socializing."
Yi Tianyu didn’t respond, just jerked his chin toward the distance.
Yi's Mother looked over in confusion, then froze before turning back to glare at him again.
She then turned around with a smile and said, "Of course, of course. Let’s chat more later."
The other party understood and promptly excused themselves.
"What’s going on?" Yi Dafa asked.
"Your son’s little desk mate is here, and he’s completely distracted."
Yi Dafa: "..."
"I’ve only heard of girls being lovestruck, but you’re a boy—"
"Shut up!" Yi Tianyu snapped, flushing with embarrassment.
"Fine, I won’t say anything. Go over by yourself. If I’m too enthusiastic in this setting, people might think our families are arranging a marriage, which wouldn’t be good for anyone." With that, Yi Dafa let Yi Tianyu go on his own.
Yi Tianyu hesitated for a moment before shuffling awkwardly closer.
After three more rounds of guests, Cheng Shuo said to Cheng Mingze and Xue Jiao, "If you’re too tired, go rest over there for a while. There are sofas in the corner. Or, Mingze, you could introduce Xue Jiao to some friends—you’ve been here a few times before. Oh, and don’t forget to take Xue Jiao to get something to eat."
"Alright."
Cheng Shuo then led Li Sitong into the crowd.
"Let’s get some cake first," Cheng Mingze said to Xue Jiao.
Though phrased like a question, it was more of a directive.
"...Okay."
But just as they reached the cake table, someone intercepted Cheng Mingze.
"Mingze! You finally showed up. Do you geniuses never hang out this year?" It was a boy around Cheng Mingze’s age, followed by several other young men and women.
Gu Shiyun was among them.She was dressed in a white gown, looking like a little fairy.
"Been busy, you know," Cheng Mingze smiled. "Haven't seen you in a long time."
Seeing them exchange pleasantries, Xue Jiao walked ahead a little and stopped in front of the food.
She shouldn’t make a mess while eating at such an occasion, so she took a very small piece of cake—really tiny—and popped it straight into her mouth.
Not bad.
She picked up a second piece.
"Hey—" A sudden shout by her ear nearly scared Xue Jiao out of her wits.
"Yi Tianyu!!!"
"Yeah? What do you want, calling me like that?" Yi Tianyu grinned, tossing a piece of the same cake Xue Jiao had just eaten into his mouth.
"So sweet? You like this kind of stuff?"
Xue Jiao, still fuming, glared at him. "None of your damn business!"
Yi Tianyu kept laughing and leaned closer—
"Dressed... decently, but still so rude. Bookworm, what brings you here today? Not studying anymore?"
He chuckled, his gaze landing on Xue Jiao’s lips—then froze.
Her lips were beautifully shaped, small and delicate, slightly flushed now. They looked...
Really pretty.
Yi Tianyu grabbed a glass of red wine nearby and gulped down two mouthfuls.
Xue Jiao puffed up her cheeks angrily—
"I came because I wanted to."
After saying that, she took another bite of cake. Yi Tianyu was the kind of person commonly known as—
A pain in the neck.
"Hey, hey, hey, don’t dress up so nicely and come here anymore. It’s boring."
"Huh?" Xue Jiao raised an eyebrow.
"I used to hate coming here the most!"
"Then why are you here today?"
Yi Tianyu: "...My mom begged me."
"Jiao Jiao!" Cheng Mingze’s voice carried a hint of urgency. Xue Jiao turned and saw him hurrying over.
"You scared me to death!" His voice even sounded a little nervous.
Xue Jiao smiled sheepishly. "Uh... sorry about that. I saw you were busy, so I came over first."
Cheng Mingze sighed helplessly. "Don’t do that again."
"Okay."
"And this is...?" Cheng Mingze’s eyes shifted to Yi Tianyu.
Xue Jiao quickly introduced them. "This is my deskmate, Yi Tianyu. This is my brother, Cheng Mingze."
Cheng Mingze frowned slightly, while Yi Tianyu grinned—
"Hey, bro. I’m Yi Tianyu."
Bro?
Cheng Mingze’s expression darkened a little, but he kept his composure, nodding with a faint smile without saying anything.
"Mingze, why’d you run off so fast?" The man who had stopped Cheng Mingze earlier walked over, glancing at Xue Jiao out of the corner of his eye. "Your sister isn’t going to disappear. No need to be so nervous."
For some reason, Xue Jiao felt this man wasn’t very friendly toward her.
Cheng Mingze smiled and explained, "This is my friend, Zheng Lijin. This is my sister, Gu Xue Jiao, and her classmate, Yi... Yi..."
"Yi Tianyu." Yi Tianyu flashed a bright smile. He was good-looking, and his grin was sunny and charming. Plus, with the surname Yi...
"Nice to meet you, Tianyu. You can call me Lijin-ge. We’ve met before." He smiled warmly, appearing easygoing, yet he never greeted his friend’s sister.
None of them were fools.
Cheng Mingze frowned slightly.
Yi Tianyu raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Why not just have me call you Jing-ge instead?"
What thick skin.
Zheng Lijin paused, unsure what he meant, and simply said, "Tianyu sure knows how to joke."
Yi Tianyu didn’t respond, hands in his pockets, rocking on his heels."Minmin, come over here." Zheng Lijin gave a slight wave towards the group, and Gu Shiyun along with the two guys and three girls walked over.
"This is my sister Zheng Limin, her friends Qiu Yijia and Gu Shiyun. These are my and Mingze's friends Jiang Yijin and Yu Weiping."
After introducing the group, Zheng Lijin turned to them to introduce Xue Jiao and Yi Tianyu.
Jiang Yijin smiled and said, "Xue Jiao is really pretty! Tianyu, long time no see."
"Long time no see!" Yi Tianyu responded with a polite smile.
Xue Jiao simply smiled faintly without joining the conversation.
"By the way, Mingze, do you know where Mu Xuan went?"
"I don't know, didn't he come?"
"I think I heard something about it," Gu Shiyun chimed in.
"What happened?"
"He..."
...
The group started chatting about people Xue Jiao didn't know, making her feel impatient. The exclusion from Zheng Lijin and Zheng Limin was particularly obvious, with Zheng Limin and Qiu Yijia clinging affectionately to Gu Shiyun.
Xue Jiao wasn't particularly affected, just bored.
Cheng Mingze also noticed they were deliberately leaving Xue Jiao out and frowned, about to speak up.
But Yi Tianyu beat him to it—
"Hey, bookworm."
"What? Depresso." Oh, so you can dish out nicknames too?
"Should we go chat somewhere else? Your brother's friends seem a bit... off."
Xue Jiao: "..."
His voice wasn't low, and those who were paying attention to them heard it clearly.
A bit off...
Immediately, Zheng Lijin's expression darkened.
Gu Shiyun's face also soured. After Xue Jiao had publicly humiliated her several times before, she no longer bothered maintaining even superficial harmony with her.
This Gu Xue Jiao was no longer the fool she used to be!
"What did you just say?" Zheng Limin had a short temper and couldn't hold back her anger upon hearing Yi Tianyu's words.
Yi Tianyu raised an eyebrow. "What did I say? Weren't you all happily chatting? How come you heard me so clearly? Paying that much attention to me?"
His tone was deliberately provoking, but his handsome face made it hard for anyone to truly dislike him.
"You—"
"Limin!" Zheng Lijin pulled her back. "Don't cause trouble."
The Yi family held a high position in the business world, and Yi Dafa was notoriously protective of his children. Their families had warned them not to provoke Yi Tianyu too much.
They fell silent. Jiang Yijin smiled at Cheng Mingze. "Mingze, it's been a while. Let's catch up."
Cheng Mingze instinctively shook his head. "Next time. I should stay with—"
Before he could finish, Xue Jiao interrupted. "Go ahead, brother. I'll chat with my classmate."
She smiled sweetly, her eyes curving into crescents.
But Cheng Mingze knew—she was angry. She wanted them to leave her alone.
"Alright... come find me if you need anything..." That was all he could say.
"Okay."
Cheng Mingze left with them. Gu Shiyun glanced back triumphantly, as if she had won something.
Xue Jiao just found it amusing.
"Hey, bookworm..." Yi Tianyu nudged her with his shoulder.
"Hmm?"
"They don’t wanna include you? Fine, I’ll hang out with you!"
"Eh?" Xue Jiao was taken aback.
Yi Tianyu grabbed her wrist and started pulling her in a direction.
"Stop!" Xue Jiao gritted her teeth. She didn’t want to go anywhere with him!Yi Tianyu pulled her along, quickly maneuvering to a sofa area where they could sit. The place was already occupied by quite a few people—some older than them, some younger.
Jin Sui was clearly among them.
"Tianyu, who’s this beauty you’re dragging around?" A man sitting next to Jin Sui raised an eyebrow. He looked to be in his early twenties.
"This is Xue Jiao, Uncle Cheng Shuo’s daughter," Jin Sui explained for them.
She had changed into another outfit at some point, still elegant and exuding noble grace.
"Oh! So it’s Xue Jiao, little sister!" The man feigned sudden realization.
Xue Jiao: "..." She’d bet a hundred bucks this guy had no clue who she was.
After all, Gu Xue Jiao had never appeared here before.
"She’s also my deskmate," Yi Tianyu added, nudging Xue Jiao toward the sofa. "Move over, make some space."
Someone shifted aside, and Xue Jiao and Yi Tianyu finally sat down.
She smiled at the woman who had given up her seat and said gratefully, "Thank you."
The woman was momentarily taken aback before hurriedly replying, "No problem!"
"Deskmate? And you’re this protective?" The guy continued teasing.
"Xiao Chi, shut your mouth already! Stop spouting nonsense!"
Yi Tianyu rolled his eyes, then, as if realizing his words lacked conviction, added, "This bookworm’s a bit slow—someone’s gotta look out for her."
Xue Jiao reached out and pinched Yi Tianyu hard in a spot no one could see.
"Ah—" He barely managed to stifle his yelp, remembering where they were.
Being pinched in public was embarrassing, so Yi Tianyu stubbornly endured the pain without making a sound.
Xue Jiao smiled sweetly at the group. "Don’t listen to his nonsense."
Still in pain but refusing to back down, Yi Tianyu asked, "Then why were you being bullied by those people? They’re disgusting."
Only Yi Tianyu would dare say that outright—after all, those people still had some standing.
"I wasn’t bullied—"
"They were excluding you so blatantly!"
Xue Jiao smiled. "If a dog bites me, should I bite it back?"
Yi Tianyu: "..."
"Hahaha!! Little sister’s got spunk!" Xiao Chi laughed.
"Who’s your little sister?!" Yi Tianyu raised a hand, pretending to hit him.
"Alright, alright, I won’t call her that," Xiao Chi surrendered playfully.
He then turned to Xue Jiao. "Xue Jiao—such a pretty name, and you’re even prettier."
Thwack— This time, Yi Tianyu actually hit him, though it was more of a light tap given the distance.
"Ow! Everyone, be my witness—this guy hit me!" Xiao Chi jumped up, raising his voice so the others could hear.
Jin Sui chuckled. Her laughter was lovely, carrying a refined charm.
"You deserved it. She’s still young—don’t think we didn’t see what you were doing!"
"Sui-jie!" Xiao Chi put on an exaggerated look of shock. "Even you’re siding with the pretty girl now? You’re ditching me?!"
"Yep. Always have, always will," Jin Sui took a sip of wine, nodding in agreement.
"Hahaha!" The group burst into laughter.
Xue Jiao smiled along. The easygoing atmosphere among these people relaxed her—her earlier impression of the others hadn’t been great.
They chatted and joked effortlessly, none of them lacking in conversation skills, ensuring no awkward silences. Everyone was included.
When someone addressed Xue Jiao, she answered briefly, but most of the time, she just held her glass and listened.
"Come on, let’s toast—first time meeting Jiao Jiao, after all," Jin Sui raised her glass."Right, right, Jiao Jiao should join us more often in the future! We can make plans together too!" Xiao Chi said with a playful wink.
Yi Tianyu rolled his eyes but remained silent this time.
"Thank you, Sister Jinsui, and everyone." Xue Jiao smiled gently. Generally, quiet girls like her weren't too disliked by others.
They clinked glasses, with Xue Jiao still drinking juice.
After welcoming Xue Jiao, Jinsui and some of the older members began discussing work matters.
Xue Jiao couldn't help but sigh—
"Sister Jinsui is truly impressive!"
Her voice was soft, only audible to Yi Tianyu beside her.
Yi Tianyu frowned slightly, tilting his head closer until his lips nearly brushed her ear as he whispered—
"Don't underestimate this woman. Don't get too familiar with her. Bookworm, you'd be counting money for her after she sells off your intelligence!"
"Huh?" Xue Jiao was taken aback.
Yi Tianyu's voice dropped even lower—
"She has one legitimate elder brother, one illegitimate elder brother, and a younger sister—they're like fire and water. Her legitimate brother's reputation was ruined, the illegitimate one went to prison, yet this middle-ranking second daughter became the company's successor. What does that tell you about her methods?"
Xue Jiao froze.
"My dad says she's utterly profit-driven. For benefits, she'd sell out relatives and friends—even herself if necessary."
Xue Jiao's eyes widened slightly—to think such people existed!
She didn't expect to develop any close friendship with Jinsui, nor did she know the truth about this person. But compared to Jinsui, she naturally trusted Yi Tianyu more.
Since she wasn't particularly shrewd herself, it'd be better to focus on studying and keep her distance from these circles.
Jinsui and the others continued their conversation at normal volume, so Xue Jiao could hear them clearly.
"By the way, Xiao Chi, what happened to your family's collaboration with the Xie family?" Jinsui asked casually.
Xiao Chi's expression turned irritated—though not directed at Jinsui—
"Ah, that fell through long ago. The Xie family collapsed—now acquired by the Lin family."
Lin?
Xue Jiao started.
Was this the same "Lin" character she was thinking of?
Perhaps because she knew someone with this surname, she'd become sensitive to it.
"The Lin family didn't take over the project?" someone asked curiously.
"Lin Zhihua never touches projects with legacy issues—he's ruthless that way. My dad tried several times but couldn't even get an audience!"
"True, that's Lin Zhihua for you. He's become quite the figure in Beijing now—no one in our city dares cross him."
Lin Zhihua!
Xue Jiao was stunned!
She couldn't help exclaiming: "Lin Zhihua?"
The group turned to her curiously: "What's wrong, Xue Jiao?"
She quickly forced a smile and shook her head: "Nothing, the name just sounded familiar."
"Hahaha, are you a fan too? People like us grew up hearing legends about him!" Xiao Chi laughed, unsurprised.
But Jinsui gave Xue Jiao a thoughtful look. For some reason, this "good girl's" reaction to the name didn't seem like admiration...
Xue Jiao smiled with squinted eyes: "Yes, he's incredible. I've heard so many stories about him."
After that, she just smiled without further comment.
Lin Zhihua!
It really was Lin Zhihua!
The business prodigy they spoke of in awe was the same Lin Zhihua she knew!
Xue Jiao's emotions were complicated.
Mostly regret—if he really was such a big shot, all those questions she'd asked him must have taken up valuable time?
There was another indescribable feeling too, but he hadn't actually lied—just omitted details.
But... where did this legendary tycoon find time to chat with her every night?
"What's wrong?" Yi Tianyu nudged her.
Xue Jiao shook her head.
After a moment, she asked him: "If someone you thought was ordinary turned out to be extraordinary, how would you interact with them?"
Yi Tianyu also paused, then smacked his forehead!“Isn’t this just like you and me?!”
“Huh?” Xue Jiao was stunned.
Yi Tianyu turned his head with an indignant expression. “Back then, I thought you were just as much of a slacker as me!! I finally thought someone would be worse than me! But then you shot straight to the top!!! Do you have any idea how I felt?!”
His voice was full of anger, frustration, and gloom!
Xue Jiao: “…”
She reached out and pinched him, then gritted her teeth. “If I hadn’t been good at academics, how could I have helped you? Would your grades have improved? Would you be enjoying such a comfortable life with your parents now?!”
Yi Tianyu’s expression instantly shifted.
“Oh, right!”
Xue Jiao: “…”
Well, whatever complicated emotions or worries she had before were completely gone after Yi Tianyu’s outburst.
“Honored guests, good evening, and welcome everyone…”
Mr. Jin had stepped up to give his speech, and Xue Jiao and the others stood up, moving toward the center.
The annual gathering was simple—Mr. Jin wasn’t one for unnecessary formalities. After briefly reflecting on the past of W City’s business circle and looking ahead to the future, he encouraged everyone to mingle and dance freely.
Xue Jiao spotted Li Sitong and Cheng Shuo dancing almost immediately in the crowd.
Xue Jiao: “…”
She didn’t go to greet them, instead stepping aside and returning to sit on the sofa.
Yi Tianyu exchanged a few words with his parents before following her.
On stage, Jin Sui was playing the violin.
Xue Jiao watched absentmindedly, and Yi Tianyu didn’t disturb her, instead mimicking her casual observation of the room.
She wanted peace and quiet, but others had other plans.
Before long, more people arrived—Cheng Mingze came over, followed by Zheng Lijin, Gu Shiyun, and others.
Xiao Chi and the others returned, and even Jin Sui, who had just left the stage, joined them.
Great. The whole gang was here.
“Let’s play a game!”
“What should we play?” Xiao Chi perked up at the mention of games.
“You decide—I can’t think of anything right now.”
“Truth or Dare?” Zheng Lijin suddenly suggested.
“Sounds good! I’m in. What about the rest of you?”
“I’m down too—it’s been a while!”
“Agreed!”
“Should we use dice?”
“Sure!”
…
“Please bring us some dice.”
“Right away.”
Soon, the waiter brought over the dice—one cup for each person.
Though Xue Jiao didn’t know how to play, she didn’t want to spoil the fun.
“The rules are simple. Each of us has three dice—thirteen people means thirty-nine dice in total. The first person calls out how many of a certain number there are, and the next person can either raise the count or the number. If the next player thinks the previous call is believable, they continue; if not, they challenge it. Got it?”
Most of them had played before, so Xiao Chi’s explanation was enough.
Xue Jiao, however, was still confused, so Yi Tianyu explained it to her again.
And so, the first round began.
The first to lose was the person sitting next to Xiao Chi, who immediately teased, “Quick! Truth or Dare?”
“Truth, I guess.” Most people thought Truth was the easier option.
“Heh, you think choosing Truth means we’ll go easy on you?” Xiao Chi grinned. “Alright, spill—do you have a crush on Jin Sui?”
The guy’s face turned red as the others egged him on. “No lying! Hurry up!”
His entire face flushed, and after a long pause, he finally spoke.
“Yeah…” His voice was barely louder than a mosquito’s.
“Hahaha, we knew it!!!” Xiao Chi burst into laughter.Jin Sui maintained a composed yet helpless smile throughout, making it impossible for anyone to find fault—only praise for her steadiness.
The second round began, and this time, Gu Shiyun lost.
"Perform something!!" Zheng Lijin shouted, and the others joined in the clamor.
Gu Shiyun blushed slightly in embarrassment and said softly, "Then I'll play the piano."
Coincidentally, the piano was on the stage near them.
Gu Shiyun was at a professional level—she had taken piano exams and played smoothly and beautifully.
The adults continued dancing or chatting, glancing over occasionally with indulgent smiles, letting the youngsters have their fun.
"Shiyun!! Amazing!!!" Zheng Limin clapped excitedly, and the others chimed in with praise.
"Alright, stop praising me," Gu Shiyun said with a shy smile. "Let's keep playing."
And so, the third round began.
Xue Jiao truly didn’t know how to play the game. She had luckily avoided losing in the first two rounds, but this time, she wasn’t so fortunate.
"Xue Jiao, truth or dare?" Xiao Chi asked with a playful wink, clearly eager.
"How about we all do dares? Since some of us aren’t that familiar yet, truth might be awkward—who knows what to ask anyway!" Qiu Yijia, a friend of Gu Shiyun, suddenly suggested.
"I agree. Let’s stick to dares, as long as they’re not too extreme," Zheng Lijin added with a smile.
"I’m fine with that. What about you, Jiao Jiao?" Xiao Chi turned to Xue Jiao.
Xue Jiao swallowed the words "truth" immediately—it was clear they wanted dares again.
"Either is fine."
The moment her three words landed, someone across from her spoke up—
"We don’t know Xue Jiao well yet. How about she plays the piano too!"
Xue Jiao narrowed her eyes slightly. If she couldn’t tell by now that Gu Shiyun and her group were targeting her, she’d be a fool.
"Jiao Jiao doesn’t like the piano," Cheng Mingze interjected with a frown, shooting a sharp glance at Zheng Lijin and the others.
"No worries! Just play randomly—it’s a dare, after all!" Zheng Limin said with a laugh, as if it were just a casual suggestion.
"If she can’t, then—" Yi Tianyu began angrily, but Xue Jiao stopped him.
"Fine." She stood up and walked toward the stage, her expression calm and unreadable.
The others were momentarily stunned.
She was going up even though she couldn’t play? Was she really going to mess around?
Cheng Mingze’s gaze turned icy as he looked at Zheng Lijin, while Yi Tianyu didn’t bother hiding his disdain, letting out a cold laugh.
Were they really trying to humiliate the bookworm?
Fine. Yi Tianyu would remember this.
Gu Shiyun turned her head, watching Xue Jiao with a faint smirk.
She was going up after her, only to play randomly—she was setting herself up for embarrassment.
"Old Cheng, what is Xue Jiao doing?!" Li Sitong gasped in shock.
Cheng Shuo was also taken aback. "Xue Jiao can’t play the piano, can she?"
"No!" Li Sitong gritted her teeth. "She can’t, yet she’s going up there—what is she thinking?!"
"Relax, everyone knows it’s just kids playing a game. No one will mind."
But Li Sitong’s eyes grew slightly wet. She had been humiliated by Xue Jiao so many times before—was it happening again now that she’d brought her out?
Xue Jiao, unaware of the commotion below, had already taken her seat at the piano.
With a stretch of her fingers, a melodious tune flowed out.
Cheng Mingze and the others froze. Li Sitong was dumbfounded.
Xue Jiao could play the piano?
After just a brief passage, she withdrew her hands and stood to leave.
As she passed Gu Shiyun, the latter couldn’t help but ask, "You said you couldn’t play—how is this possible?!"The voice sounded urgent and carried a hint of hostility, making the others present exchange strange glances.
Hostility?
Xue Jiao slightly curved her lips. "I really don’t know how. This is my first time playing the piano."
"Nonsense! There’s no way this is your first time!!" Zheng Limin snapped, clearly agitated.
Even the others began to doubt her. How could this be her first time playing the piano? This girl… must be lying?
Xue Jiao calmly sat down and looked at Gu Shiyun. "I truly don’t know how. What I played wasn’t the piano—it was mathematics."
Everyone was stunned.
Xue Jiao briefly explained, "The piano follows geometric progressions. Two geometric progressions can derive a formula, the result of which is music that aligns with most people’s aesthetic preferences. The numerical range that appeals to the average person is between 2 and 3. Pressing the keys according to the geometric progression is what I just played."
She playfully blinked. "Not unpleasant to the ears, right?"
"......"
After a long pause, Xiao Chi swallowed hard and gave her a thumbs-up—
"You’re amazing."
That round passed, and most people regarded Xue Jiao with newfound respect. As for Gu Shiyun, who had "questioned" her, their attitudes became rather meaningful.
Under the weight of everyone’s gaze, Gu Shiyun couldn’t help but call out, "Sis..."
Her voice was pitiful and hesitant, making Zheng Li Jin’s heart ache for her.
The others’ expressions shifted even more, especially Jin Sui, whose eyes flashed with disdain.
They were all old foxes—why put on such an act?
Who didn’t have an illegitimate child in their family?
With businesses at home, who had ever gotten along well with an illegitimate sibling?
Calling her "sis"...
More like a sworn enemy!
Feeling the change in everyone’s attitude, Gu Shiyun immediately toned down her demeanor.
Perhaps Xue Jiao’s luck really was bad—in the next round, she lost again.
Xue Jiao: "......"
"Hahaha!! Jiao Jiao! This time, we won’t go easy on you!"
Xue Jiao sighed. "Guess I’m unlucky. Go ahead, name your dare."
Xiao Chi stroked his chin. "Come on, pick a guy here and take a photo with him to post on your social media!"
He continued shamelessly hinting, "You can choose me, you know!!"
Xue Jiao: "......"
A bet was a bet. Xue Jiao took out her phone, planning to take a photo with Cheng Mingze since they were, after all, "siblings."
Posting a photo wasn’t a big deal, and besides, she didn’t have many friends on social media anyway.
Just as she pulled out her phone, Yi Tianyu’s head leaned in—
"I’ll help! Proximity rules!"
Xue Jiao: "......"
Resigned, she opened the camera and snapped a quick shot.
"Wait, wait, you made me look ugly in that one!" He grabbed her phone and raised it. "Smile!"
Then he took a perfectly posed photo.
Xue Jiao: "......"
He handed the phone back to her, and she clicked "post" on her social media.
Yi Tianyu then flashed his QR code. "Come on, add me as a friend too."
Xue Jiao: "......"
After they added each other, Yi Tianyu quickly opened her social media feed while she was putting her phone away.
Open—save—done.
Heh heh heh.
After that, Xue Jiao’s luck improved. They played many more rounds, and she didn’t lose again.
They kept playing until nine, but Xue Jiao was growing impatient.
"How much longer until we can leave?"
Yi Tianyu turned to her. "Leave? Probably around ten when the party ends."
He paused. "Not having fun? Want to go somewhere else? Or are you hungry?"
Xue Jiao shook her head. "It’s fine. I’ll wait a little longer."
Just as she said that, something seemed to happen in the main hall—even the dancing stopped.The group of young people playing immediately stopped and stood up. Jin Sui headed straight towards Mr. Jin.
Before she could get close, Mr. Jin was already hastily making his way to the entrance.
Not just him—many people in the center were also moving in that direction, murmuring something under their breaths.
"Did I hear someone arrived?"
"Who could be coming at this hour?"
"Mr. Jin is going over there!"
The young people on their side also stood up, discussing in astonishment—
"Who's here?"
"Mr. Jin seems a bit flustered."
"Is it some important figure?"
"Must be something urgent?"
"Who would come at this time?"
"Right, who'd be so rude as to arrive this late?"
"Let's see, let's see."
...
Mr. Jin had already reached the main entrance, where the tightly shut doors were now opened.
Before the person even stepped inside, Mr. Jin greeted them with a beaming smile, his attitude full of reverence.
OpenNovel