The Birthday Bash and a Calculated Exchange

The National Day holiday arrived swiftly.

Si Xi had originally planned a delightful two-day getaway with Jing Chen at a hot spring resort for the National Day. Unfortunately, those plans were dead in the water.

During the week-long National Day break, traffic jams were ubiquitous, especially in a first-tier city like Yanjing, which was overflowing with tourists. Every street and alley was impassably congested.

Si Xi simply spent two days sleeping at home, only emerging from his cozy bed for Xi Yue’s birthday party on the third.

As the Xi family’s sole daughter and the apple of her uncle and aunt’s eye, Xi Yue’s upbringing could easily be described as one of extravagant indulgence.

For her birthday, the Xi family had even booked the renowned Fila Estate, celebrated for its resemblance to a princess’s castle, to host her lavish celebration.

To uphold the Xi family’s prestige, Si Xi drove the sports car his brother had gifted him. This proved to be a torment, as the roads were as congested as a constipated bowel. A journey that typically took forty minutes stretched into nearly two hours.

He had initially intended to arrive early, but now, with other guests already trickling in, he, as the older brother, was conspicuously late.

As the star of the day, Xi Yue had enlisted a professional team to handle her styling and makeup.

She wore a blue-gray haute couture short dress, her hair styled into a princess coiffure, adorned with a dazzling diamond crown. Her exquisite makeup enhanced her inherent six-tenths beauty to a striking ten, making her exceptionally prominent and beautiful.

Upon seeing Si Xi arrive alone, Xi Yue paused, then, unwilling to give up hope, peered behind him. Still, she didn’t spot the person she wished to see.

“Second Brother,” Xi Yue said, walking over to link her arm through his, her face a picture of charming eagerness. “Didn’t you say you were bringing a friend?”

Si Xi flinched, but couldn’t pull his arm free. Suppressing a full-body shudder, he replied, “They might be stuck in traffic. They’ll arrive soon, don’t worry.”

“Really?” Xi Yue’s eyes sparkled. “Don’t lie to me.”

Si Xi chuckled softly. “How could I dare to deceive you?”

‘She’d devour me on the spot.’

Only then was Xi Yue satisfied. She then instructed him to inform her immediately upon his friend’s arrival, finally releasing him after Si Xi nodded.

Si Xi casually handed the gift he’d brought to a waiting attendant at the entrance, then stepped into the verdant, grassy birthday party venue.

The venue was decorated with dreamlike splendor. Colorful light strips layered overhead, resembling a brilliant nebula, while the arrangements on the lawn were exquisite, weaving together a dreamlike wonderland under the cloak of night.

Many people were in attendance today; it felt even livelier than Xi Yue’s eighteenth birthday coming-of-age ceremony.

The moment Si Xi appeared, he drew numerous gazes.

This marked his first public appearance since the Shao family had broken off their engagement.

Everyone had assumed that Si Xi wouldn’t be faring well after the broken engagement, perhaps appearing haggard and forcing a smile.

As it turned out, they were profoundly mistaken.

Si Xi remained the same strikingly handsome Si Xi. Far from looking haggard, his condition could only be described in one phrase: full of youthful vigor.

It was evident that he had been living quite comfortably in the month since his engagement was called off.

Conversely, Shao Xun was rumored to have offended someone, resulting in his father confining him to home.

The onlookers’ hopes for a spectacle were dashed, and they silently grumbled, ‘He’s really putting on an act.’

Si Xi walked through the crowd with an unwavering expression. He had never had many friends in this circle, and Qin Mingtian was currently traveling abroad and absent. While many wished to observe him, no one approached him for conversation or to strike up a chat.

Moreover, as a member of the host family, he should have been helping to greet guests. Yet, no one had assigned him this task before today.

Si Xi was content with the easygoing atmosphere. He found a random seat, pulled out his phone, captured photos of the entire venue’s decor, and promptly sent them all to Jing Chen.

After all, given Jing Chen’s status, he wouldn’t have the opportunity to attend such a high-end event. Viewing it virtually would at least broaden his horizons.

Jing Chen was still locked in negotiations during the National Day holiday. At this moment, the other party had resorted to outright hooliganism. Hearing his phone vibrate, Jing Chen simply pulled it out.

Upon seeing Si Xi’s message, his displeased expression, caused by the negotiating party’s unreasonable antics, softened considerably.

[Jing Chen: Attending a wedding?]

[Si Xi: Birthday party. I heard just renting the venue and decorations cost over a million.]

[Si Xi: Such extravagance shouldn’t go to waste. My darling lover should also feast his eyes.]

Jing Chen’s expression grew even softer.

He recalled reading somewhere that when you see a beautiful wildflower by the roadside and feel compelled to share it with someone, that is love.

‘Si Xi sees a beautiful scene and wants to share it with me. That must be what it means.’

Jing Chen felt increasingly confident about revealing his identity to Si Xi, confessing his feelings, and transforming their contractual arrangement into a genuine romance upon his return.

[Jing Chen: Very beautiful.]

[Jing Chen: Also, no drinking.]

Si Xi pouted. ‘His little lover is getting bold, even trying to control him now.’

[You’re so bold: Alright, not a single drop.]

[You’re so bold: If you don’t believe me, Officer Jing can personally video call tonight for an alcohol test 😉.]

Jing Chen: “…”

‘There he goes again.’

‘Where does he learn all these seductive tricks?’

‘If he were an officer, he’d have cuffed this flirtatious little minion long ago.’

****

“Si Xi.”

Just as Si Xi and Jing Chen’s conversation was veering into inappropriate territory, he heard someone call his name.

Si Xi looked up to see a young man approaching, smiling at him. “Hey, long time no see.”

Si Xi pondered for a moment before recalling that the man’s name seemed to be Xu Zhou.

‘Not close.’

Si Xi nodded politely.

Xu Zhou, however, familiarly sidled closer. “Do you know Huo Qin? He’s from a branch family very close to the wealthiest Huo family. He’s moving into a new home in a couple of days and invited me to his housewarming. I have no idea what gift to give, sigh, it’s quite a dilemma.”

Si Xi: “?”

Si Xi, bewildered, asked, “So?”

“So,” Xu Zhou said, pulling out his phone, “you can help me with some ideas.”

As he spoke, he opened his photo album, which was paused on a housewarming invitation. Instead of swiping away, Xu Zhou zoomed in and showed it to Si Xi. “Look at the invitation Young Master Huo sent me. Wealthy people are truly different; even their invitations are more exquisite than others’.”

Si Xi: “…”

Xu Zhou then swiped down to another photo, which was a wedding invitation. The names of the bride and groom were boldly written: Shao Xun, Si Xi.

It was his and Shao Xun’s wedding invitation. Although the marriage hadn’t materialized, the invitations had indeed been sent out back then.

“Ah! My apologies, my apologies, I forgot to delete it. But comparing them, Young Master Huo’s invitation is indeed more exquisite and luxurious. The Shao family is a top-tier influential family in Yanjing, but compared to the Huo family, there’s truly a fundamental difference.”

Si Xi: “…”

Si Xi finally understood Xu Zhou’s true intention: to flaunt his acquaintance with Huo Qin, a member of the Huo family’s collateral branch, and to subtly disparage him in the process.

‘It was so infuriating it almost made him laugh.’

Si Xi rummaged through the dusty corners of his memory, finally unearthing a sliver of history regarding Xu Zhou and their connection.

Apparently, Xu Zhou had once pursued Shao Xun, only to be mercilessly rejected. Later, when Si Xi and Shao Xun became engaged, Xu Zhou likely developed a one-sided grudge against Si Xi, which was why he had eagerly come to mock him today.

Naturally, the main point was to boast that he had latched onto Huo Qin, a more powerful connection than Shao Xun.

‘No, if Shao Xun rejected him, he should go find Shao Xun. Why seek attention in front of me?’

Si Xi genuinely wished to give him a hefty slap to knock some sense into him.

“You’re absolutely right,” Si Xi said, his expression betraying nothing, even offering a polite smile. “For a prominent family like the Huo’s, an ordinary gift truly wouldn’t be presentable. I actually know of a very appropriate gift, but it depends on whether you’re willing to go all out.”

Xu Zhou’s true purpose was to boast and disgust Si Xi; there was no way he would let Si Xi pick a gift.

However, with the conversation having progressed this far, Xu Zhou could only ask, “What kind of gift?”

Si Xi crooked a finger at him, gesturing for him to hand over his phone.

Xu Zhou was somewhat wary, but he still passed his phone to Si Xi.

Si Xi easily spotted a shopping app on Xu Zhou’s phone’s home screen and tapped into it.

Ten seconds later, he extinguished the screen, tossed the phone back to Xu Zhou, and stood up. He patted Xu Zhou’s shoulder meaningfully, saying, “I’ve chosen it. It definitely suits your temperament.”

With that, he strode away.

‘Too slow, and he might get beaten.’

Xu Zhou was piqued with curiosity. He opened his phone, and the screen displayed the main image of a product on Taobao. What greeted his eyes was a highly realistic, thick, and grotesque… picture.

It was as if Si Xi was brazenly mocking him: ‘Give him a d*ck.’

The unexpected visual shock nearly made Xu Zhou drop his phone. His face contorted in disgust.

‘How could Si Xi be so shameless! Looking at something like this in public.’

‘It’s utterly, utterly uncouth!’

The ‘uncouth’ Si Xi, in an excellent mood, went to get a glass of juice. After only two sips, his WeChat chimed. He pulled out his phone, glanced at the message, then immediately set the juice aside and headed towards the entrance.

Xi Yue had been constantly monitoring Si Xi’s movements. Seeing him head to the entrance, she knew the person she was anticipating had arrived. Though annoyed that Si Xi hadn’t informed her, she swiftly adjusted her emotions.

She smoothed her hair, took a deep breath, ensuring she presented herself in the most presentable and beautiful state, and also walked towards the entrance.

However, when she reached the arched entrance adorned with flowers and saw the people Si Xi brought in, her smile froze on her face.

Si Xi walked in, chatting and laughing with a young man. The man exuded natural nobility, clearly of considerable status.

But it wasn’t the Huo Siyi she had been expecting.

Moreover, the man was accompanied by a beautiful female companion. Dressed in a blue-and-white porcelain qipao, with bright, captivating eyes, she was stunningly beautiful—none other than the popular A-list actress, Tian Ran.

“Se… Second Brother, who are they?” Xi Yue asked cautiously.

These two clearly held significant status as well, and she dared not offend them rashly.

Si Xi smiled faintly. “I’m not very familiar with Huo Siyi, so I couldn’t invite him. However, his cousin, Huo Siyuan, is a friend of mine, so I invited him and his fiancée, Miss Tian, instead. Young Master Huo the Third, Miss Tian, this is my cousin, Xi Yue, the birthday girl today.”

Tian Ran handed the gift she held to Xi Yue, smiling sweetly. “Happy birthday.”

Xi Yue couldn’t force a smile.

She had orchestrated such a grand and lively event today solely to showcase the esteemed son of the wealthiest man attending her birthday party. What immense prestige and glory that would bring—a privilege even Yanjing’s top socialite had never enjoyed.

Furthermore, she had dressed so beautifully today; she didn’t believe Huo Siyi wouldn’t be moved.

If she could secure Huo Siyi, she would achieve unparalleled glory, envied by all.

Even if she couldn’t win him over, it wouldn’t matter. As long as Huo Siyi appeared tonight, it would create ample opportunity for gossip.

Even a rumored scandal with Huo Siyi would be an honor that other socialites and noble ladies could only envy, greatly satisfying her vanity.

However, despite all her careful planning, she hadn’t anticipated Si Xi pulling such a trick.

The difference between the richest man’s son and the richest man’s nephew was a single character, yet it was a world apart.

Moreover, he had brought his fiancée, making any rumors of a scandal utterly impossible.

Her immense expectations shattered, Xi Yue’s eyes immediately reddened. She glared at Si Xi with venomous fury, nearly losing all reason and on the verge of smashing the gift Tian Ran had given her into Si Xi’s face. Just then, her parents, having heard that such an esteemed guest as Young Master Huo the Third had arrived, rushed over and averted a potential disaster.

Though not the richest man’s son, Huo Siyuan’s status was still considerable. Xi Jin Nian forcibly restrained his nearly frantic daughter, then respectfully smiled at Huo Siyuan. “Young Master Huo the Third, Miss Tian, welcome to my daughter’s birthday banquet. Please, come in, come in.”

Huo Siyuan, with his exceptional status, was practically escorted inside by a throng of people, while the birthday girl herself was momentarily forgotten.

Si Xi lingered slightly behind, glancing at Xi Yue, who was being comforted by her aunt. When his aunt wasn’t looking, he shot Xi Yue a defiant gaze.

‘Who said he absolutely had to bring Huo Siyi to compensate Xi Yue, to give her face, and make outsiders believe their family had climbed into the Huo family’s good graces, thereby offsetting the losses his broken engagement with the Shao family had brought upon their household?’

‘Huo Siyuan could do the same.’

‘Not only could he, but he could also ensure all of Xi Yue’s dark little schemes came to naught.’

Si Xi felt the suffocating frustration he had harbored for days vanish instantly. He wasn’t a block of wood; he knew how to resist manipulation.

Xi Yue, receiving his provocation, knew he had done it on purpose. Her face turned green with rage, and she was on the verge of another outburst. Madam Xi struggled to soothe her, preventing her from screaming aloud, as tears streamed down her face.