At the entrance of the banquet hall, Tang Xiaomin, clad in a white gown, arrived with dazzling radiance.
She was already beautiful, and her figure was exceptional.
Enhanced by the opulent attire, she was a sight to behold.
Her appearance stunned the entire banquet.
Men gazed at her, and women, involuntarily, found their eyes drawn to her.
Tang Xiaomin walked directly to Lu Sisi.
"Happy birthday, this is a small gift from me."
Upon Tang Xiaomin's arrival, her beauty instantly overshadowed Lu Sisi's presence.
"I thought Lu Sisi was stunning enough, but I didn't expect she still couldn't compare to Tang Xiaomin."
"Indeed, Tang Xiaomin is the true young lady of the Tang family. Although she didn't grow up in the Tang household, the Tang family's blood flows through her. Everyone in the Tang family is beautiful."
"Lu Sisi is also very pretty, but to be honest, there's a significant difference in their气质 (qìzhì - temperament/demeanor)."
"That's right,气质 (qìzhì) is innate, influenced by genes and one's upbringing. It cannot be learned."
Listening to the surrounding whispers, the stark contrast was laid bare.
Lu Sisi slowly accepted the gift from Tang Xiaomin, feeling an unspeakable sense of oppression.
Suddenly, she found the gift Tang Xiaomin had given her very familiar.
This was...
"Xiaomin, I remember the birthday gift I gave you last time had the same packaging."
"Oh? Did it?"
Tang Xiaomin put on an innocent expression.
"I'm sorry, the birthday gift from last time was arranged by Tang Xu, and I never opened it. I was in a hurry today, and I thought the packaging looked nice, so I just grabbed it to give to you. I didn't expect such a coincidence."
The gift she had given Tang Xiaomin had never even been opened.
How much did she look down on her to do this?
Lu Sisi forced herself to smile, hiding her inner anger.
"I'm already very happy that you could come to celebrate my birthday with me. The gift itself, I don't really care about."
"I need to attend to other guests. I'll come back to find you both later."
After Lu Sisi walked away, Shu Ya pulled Tang Xiaomin aside for a private chat.
"Xiaomin, what's wrong with you today? How could you make such a rookie mistake?"
"I did it on purpose," Tang Xiaomin said calmly.
"What? Xiaomin, aren't you going a bit too far?"
Too far?
This was exactly the effect Tang Xiaomin wanted.
Regardless, Tang Xu had died saving her.
Even though Tang Xu owed her a life, she wouldn't let him die in vain.
"I have more things that are even more excessive."
"Xiaomin, what are you going to do?"
Tang Xiaomin didn't answer Shu Ya but asked another question.
"I heard Ke Ke say that Lu Sisi seems to be very fond of Ye Lingyun."
Speaking of this, Shu Ya rolled her eyes.
"Xiaomin, you can't be serious. You can't even see something so obvious and have to have Ke Ke tell you?"
"Lu Sisi might as well have 'Ye Lingyun, I love you' written on her forehead."
"I really suspect that time she damaged Ye Lingyun's clothes, was it intentional?"
Everyone knew Ye Lingyun was not to be trifled with; they kept a three-meter distance when they saw him, fearing being given a red card.
Yet, Lu Sisi provoked him, and in such a clumsy way.
"Then, what does Ye Lingyun think?" Tang Xiaomin asked again.
This question left Shu Ya speechless.
What Ye Lingyun thought was just as obvious as Lu Sisi's feelings; he might as well have it written on his own forehead.
"Ye Lingyun doesn't like girls of Lu Sisi's type."
"Shu Ya, are you sure?"
"Sure, absolutely, definitely."
Tang Xiaomin was deep in thought. After a couple of drinks, she searched for Lu Sisi at the banquet.
"Sisi, I want to go out onto the balcony to get some fresh air, but I don't know the way. Could you take me?"
Lu Sisi nodded. "Okay, follow me."
As they walked down the corridor, Tang Xiaomin called Yan Jue.
On the phone, she spoke in a sweet, coaxing tone.
"Yan Jue, I've been drinking. Could you come pick me up and take me home?"
Yan Jue, on the other end of the line, was currently handling an important matter that was at a crucial stage.
"Minmin, I'm busy right now and might not be able to make it."
Being rejected, Tang Xiaomin was stunned for a moment.
Lu Sisi was right beside her now. If Yan Jue didn't come, how could her plan unfold?
"Yan Jue, I don't care what you're doing, I want you to come and pick me up."
"If I don't see you, I'll be very sad," she said in a娇嗔 (jiāochēn - playfully petulant) tone.
"Alright, I'll come to pick you up right away. Wait for me."
After hanging up, a sweet smile graced Tang Xiaomin's lips.
This scene made Lu Sisi, who loved in vain, so jealous she was about to go mad.
"Xiaomin, your boyfriend is so good to you. I'm really envious."
"If the person I like were even half as good as your boyfriend, I'd be content."
A clear sadness appeared on Lu Sisi's face, a genuine, heartfelt sigh that couldn't be faked.
Tang Xiaomin smiled, acting like a simpleton.
"Sisi, guess how I got together with Yan Jue in the first place."
"That... I can't guess."
Tang Xiaomin said smugly, "You would never guess how we got together. Let me tell you slowly."
They reached the balcony. Tang Xiaomin leaned against the railing, the evening breeze playing with her long hair, giving her an ethereal, otherworldly aura.
She spoke to herself, recounting a brave love story.
"The moment I saw Yan Jue, I fell in love with him. I'm not the type to suppress my feelings, so at a grand occasion, I confessed to him, just like... this."
Tang Xiaomin suddenly stood on the balcony railing. A gust of wind blew, lifting her skirt and hair, making her seem precarious, as if she might fall at any moment.
Lu Sisi gasped, covering her mouth.
"Xiaomin... what... what are you doing? This is very dangerous."
Tang Xiaomin didn't care about this level of danger at all.
"Sisi, watch closely. This is how I confessed to Yan Jue back then."
Tang Xiaomin spread her arms, confessing with passionate emotion, like a poet reciting verses.
"Mr. Yan, please listen carefully."
"My name is Tang Xiaomin. The first time I saw you, I found you somewhat attractive, and I happened to be smitten. Therefore, please find a way to fall in love with me yourself. Out of billions of people, I've given you this chance. I hope you don't misjudge the situation and narrow your own path."
...
Perhaps it was due to Tang Xiaomin's overly passionate and courageous portrayal,
Lu Sisi not only found the confession outlandish but was also infected by it, her heart filled with courage.
"Xiaomin, did your confession succeed?"
Tang Xiaomin's lips curved into a triumphant smile.
"Of course. Look over there."
The roar of a car engine grew louder, approaching from a distance.
A sharp braking sound echoed in the night, and a black car stopped at the hotel entrance.
Soon, Tang Xiaomin's phone rang.
"Minmin, I'm here to pick you up. Where are you?"