Chapter 111: Birthday Banquet

The Jin Mansion was far grander than Jiang Yao had imagined.

It was a mansion in every sense of the word. Not only was the owner surnamed Jin, but walking through the halls gave one the overwhelming impression of a place carved from gold and inlaid with jade.

"Don't let the old-fashioned decor fool you," Cheng Yanchi explained as they walked. "This estate has been passed down for several generations. The original owner wasn't a Jin; it was a He."

Jiang Yao glanced around, struck by the opulence. "Oh?" she asked, her tone piqued with curiosity.

"He was the maiden name of Old Man Jin's wife," Cheng Yanchi continued. "Old Man Jin is the most successful example of a man marrying into wealth. He started as a penniless nobody, but after marrying a rich woman, he inherited the entire estate the moment her family line died out."

"Really?" Jiang Yao was surprised. She had assumed the elder Mr. Jin was a self-made man; she never expected such a backstory.

"I heard it from my parents when they were chatting. Why would I lie?"

Before the words had even faded, someone hurried over to greet Cheng Yanchi. "Ah, Mr. Cheng! I’ve heard so much about you. It’s an honor to finally meet you in person."

Cheng Yanchi chuckled dryly. "And what exactly have you heard about me?"

The man froze.

In the shadows, Jiang Yao gave Cheng Yanchi a nudge. The man, who had been on the verge of a sharp retort, promptly shut his mouth.

"And this is?" the man asked, gesturing toward Jiang Yao.

"Since you've heard so much about me, did you really not hear that I have a new girlfriend?" Cheng Yanchi’s tone carried a hint of pride. "My girlfriend, Jiang Yao."

Jiang Yao thought to herself that he was right—the "King of Retorts" finally had a girlfriend; why shouldn't he be proud?

"Oh, I see," the man recalled. He had seen the news online, but he hadn't expected Cheng Yanchi to be serious enough to actually bring her. "So, this is Miss Jiang."

He was polite enough, but his eyes could not hide his disdain. A man like him would never take Jiang Yao seriously. Jiang Yao and Cheng Yanchi were simply from different worlds. As for girlfriends, these wealthy young heirs could have as many as they wanted, but most were just fleeting playthings; it was impossible that any of them would ever be brought home to marry.

"What is that look supposed to mean?"

That expression was the final straw for Cheng Yanchi. He could no longer hold back and launched into a confrontation.

The man looked flustered. "No, I was just looking at Miss Jiang."

"My girlfriend is someone you can just stare at whenever you please?" Cheng Yanchi shot him a glare.

Jiang Yao quickly pulled Cheng Yanchi to the side. "That’s enough, Cheng Yanchi. I suspect your father and brother won't dare bring you to these events again; you've offended everyone in the room."

Cheng Yanchi shrugged, looking entirely unbothered. "I’d like that."

He had never enjoyed these kinds of functions to begin with.

Soon, the Jin Mansion was filled with socialites. The birthday banquet for the only daughter of the Jin family was a lavish affair. Almost every prominent figure in the city had gathered at the Jin residence to show their respect.

Jin Nana, wearing a dazzling gold-flecked dress, made her entrance to the gaze of the crowd. She accepted their well-wishes and navigated the room with grace and composure.

This was something Jiang Yao particularly admired about her. Even though she had been spoiled as the apple of her father’s eye since childhood, which inevitably led to some headstrong tendencies, she always rose to the occasion at major events. She was clearly well-bred.

Standing beside Jin Nana was someone Jiang Yao wanted to see, yet could not.

He Yunqing was dressed in a crisp, clean white shirt, his hair combed back with meticulous precision. He held a champagne flute with long, slender fingers, looking like a prince from a fairy tale—so high above the rest, untainted by the mundane.

Jiang Yao should have expected it. Given the friendship between the Jin and He families, and the relationship between Jin Nana and He Yunqing, his presence was inevitable.

He Yunqing did not seem to notice Jiang Yao. Tonight, his eyes were fixed entirely on Jin Nana. It was no surprise; she looked truly radiant. She laughed with the guests, then leaned in to whisper something to He Yunqing, and the two shared a knowing smile.

A second before He Yunqing looked in her direction, Jiang Yao quickly turned her head away.

"Ah Yao, I think you look better than her," Cheng Yanchi whispered into her ear.

Jiang Yao knew he was trying to comfort her. "Oh, give it a rest. She’s gorgeous. Even your lies should have a limit."

"I’m not lying," Cheng Yanchi raised an eyebrow. "How could my girlfriend be worse than anyone else? Besides, I think she even looks a bit like you..."

"Me?" Jiang Yao smiled. She was self-aware enough to know she was pretty, but certainly not a breathtaking beauty. She hadn't inherited half of her mother's charm, and as for her father, she had never even met him.

Her eyes drifted upward, and she caught sight of Ye Yiyi not far away. Ye Yiyi clearly saw her too, but as their eyes met, she looked away as if Jiang Yao didn't exist. Standing next to Ye Yiyi was Luo Yixian.

"So many familiar faces tonight," Jiang Yao remarked with a self-deprecating laugh. "But... why is Luo Yixian here?"

She felt nothing but complete aversion toward Luo Yixian. Moreover, while he appeared to get along with everyone on the surface, he had long been at odds with He Yunqing behind the scenes. Just a while ago, they had been embroiled in a dispute over billing order. Logically, he shouldn't have been invited to Jin Nana's birthday party.

"Some people just like to leech off others," Cheng Yanchi said with disdain. "Haven't you heard? Ye Yiyi had a bit of a breakthrough with that recent short drama. The Jin family is investing in a new series, and since the male lead is obviously the guy surnamed He, they seem to be setting Ye Yiyi as the lead, so they invited her."

"As for Luo Yixian, he’s just tagging along with her to get his face seen and wait for an opportunity. How is that any different from being a kept man?"

Cheng Yanchi despised such people; he hated them even more than he hated He Yunqing.

Jiang Yao had known about Ye Yiyi’s recent success. She had wanted to congratulate her, but later discovered that Ye Yiyi had blocked her.

"Hey, Ye Yiyi," Cheng Yanchi said, indifferent to her attitude—back when they were still friends, they had bickered constantly anyway. "Bringing your pretty-boy boyfriend out to leech off the traffic again?"

"Who are you calling a pretty boy?" Luo Yixian bristled with indignation.

Ye Yiyi pulled on Luo Yixian’s arm, then looked from Cheng Yanchi to Jiang Yao, her tone biting. "I haven't had a chance to offer my congratulations yet."

No one had ever expected that the former trio would end up in such a state.