"Ladies and gentlemen, today marks the 25th birthday of the world-famous model Miss Gong Fengjiao, as well as the birthday party specially hosted by Mr. Qi Longbing for Miss Gong. Let us all raise a glass for this golden couple and wish Miss Gong a very happy birthday!" a male emcee said enthusiastically on stage.
Hua Xiaomo listened and couldn't help but snort disdainfully again. A fighter jet among trash. These rich kids really do whatever they want, don't they? Even though this guy's got a string of girlfriends, he still gets into a political marriage with the Hua Clan? Ironic!
Suddenly, a hand holding an empty glass stretched over. Hua Xiaomo, without looking, picked up the tall wine pitcher and began to pour, not stopping until the wine overflowed from the glass. "Miss... it's full," a pleasant male voice said in surprise.
"Uh..." Hua Xiaomo stopped pouring. Realizing that the man's hand was now covered in wine, she quickly pulled out the white silk handkerchief tucked into her breast pocket and started wiping his hand. "Sir, I'm so sorry, so sorry..."
"It's okay. Are you working here?" the pleasant voice continued from above her.
Hua Xiaomo paused, then looked up at him. His shoulder-length hair, shimmering as if touched by starlight, partially concealed his bright and handsome face. A gentle, mist-like sparkle danced in his brown eyes, presenting the very image of a graceful and refined man. Dressed in a white tailcoat, with a delicate golden bowtie around his neck, he looked just like a Prince Charming straight out of a fairy tale.
"It's you?" Hua Xiaomo said with some surprise. Wasn't this the pretty boy she had just seen having a "car-shake" with a beast?
"Hua Xiaomo, I didn't expect to meet you here. That's great," the handsome man said with a polite smile.
Hua Xiaomo glanced at him. He really does have an attractively unusual appearance, but I'm not one to be swayed by looks. She quickly forced a slight smile in return, then turned her face away and walked to another area with the wine pitcher, not wanting to draw too much attention. She had noticed that quite a few eyes had followed the man as he arrived, and she didn't want to become the center of attention. Especially now, I need to keep a low profile; I'm only here for the three thousand bucks.
Unexpectedly, the handsome man made his way over to her again. "Hua Xiaomo, don't you recognize me?" His renewed attempt at conversation once again drew the gazes of the surrounding people, making Hua Xiaomo awfully embarrassed.
"Thank you for sending my friend home," Hua Xiaomo said. As for how he knew my full name, Dong Xiaoyou must have told him in the car.
The handsome man shook his head with a smile. It seemed she really had forgotten him. "I'm Mo Rutian! We used to study together, remember?"
"Study together?" Now it was Hua Xiaomo's turn to be astounded. She lifted her head and looked at him seriously.
"Really don't remember? There was a boy who always wore a bowtie of this color..." Mo Rutian pointed to his golden bowtie.
"Oh... so you're that rich merchant's son..." Fragments of the past stirred in Hua Xiaomo's memory. Even though he was a rich merchant's son back in junior high, he never put on airs. He was incredibly popular, and everyone, teachers and classmates alike, loved to be around him. He was practically the golden boy in everyone's eyes. However, there was one person who was disdainful of him, and that person became the entire class's public enemy. That person... was me, Hua Xiaomo! Thinking back now, I harbored some inexplicable hatred towards him back then—perhaps it was a kind of resentment towards the wealthy.
"Hua Xiaomo... back then, when I saw you standing outside my car window... I guessed it was you," Mo Rutian said, his lips curving into a gentle smile that made everyone around feel as if they were basking in a spring breeze.
"So, you intentionally followed our car, and this wasn't a coincidence at all..." Hua Xiaomo said, a hint of coldness in her amber eyes.
Listening to her rather unkind words made him somewhat uncomfortable.
"Hua Xiaomo, your personality is still so contrary! You haven't changed a bit," Mo Rutian said with a laugh. He found it odd. Back then, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say everyone in the class—no, the entire school, students and teachers alike—adored him. Yet, Hua Xiaomo was the sole exception.
"Who are you calling contrary? Mo Rutian, what you're saying is incredibly boring!" Hua Xiaomo shot back, feeling a sudden surge of irritation. Whirling around abruptly, SPLASH! She accidentally spilled the entire contents of the wine pitcher in her hand onto another person.
The person immediately jumped up, cursing, "Hey, are you crazy? What the hell do you think you're doing!" But when they both got a clear view of each other, they were both stunned.
"Xiao Mo..." Yang Junze looked at her in astonishment, the hand resting on his female companion's arm lowering slightly. He asked guiltily, "You, how come you're here?"
Hua Xiaomo looked at Yang Junze, and a churning frustration built up within her. Is this my birthday? What a day... Heaven has certainly given me far too many "surprises"... Hua Xiaomo glanced at the woman beside him. No need to guess, she must be some socialite from a renowned wealthy family.
"Why can't I be here? Yang Junze, are you the only one allowed to come, and I'm not?" Hua Xiaomo laughed. Looking at Yang Junze, soaked to the bone by her, is truly satisfying! How could I splash him so accurately without even looking? Heaven really is on my side!
Yang Junze looked quite disheveled and embarrassed, and the commotion in this corner had already attracted the attention of everyone at the venue.
"Junze, do you know this waitress?" Yang Junze's female companion looked at Hua Xiaomo with extreme disdain.
"...No, I don't," Yang Junze quickly replied.
"Don't know me... Hah..." Hua Xiaomo laughed again, the smile on her face stretching wider and wider. "Maybe you need me to wash your brain for you!" Suddenly, she grabbed another cocktail from the table and splashed it fiercely across his face...