The Ji Family, after many years, once again opened its doors to the public, announcing that its heir had come of age. Nearly all the prominent figures in City S were in attendance.
Half an hour earlier, Wei Yang had handed off his responsibilities to the apprentice he had been mentoring for the past few years and hurried off to find Ji Nian.
"Still not out yet?"
Staring at the tightly shut door, Wei Yang nudged Zhiliao beside him.
Chen Mo was also there, dressed exceptionally sharp today—so much so that Wei Yang couldn't help clicking his tongue after a few glances.
Zhiliao, accompanied by Wang Xiaofang (formerly known as Mei), stood guard outside the door and responded with a quiet "Mm."
"But it shouldn’t be much longer."
With that, he flipped open the lens cap of his camera and set it up, ready to start recording.
Ji Tingzhou had bought all this high-end equipment, yet he rarely used it himself. Wei Yang, on the other hand, had been having a blast with it.
Just as he was idly chatting with Zhiliao about how the kid had grown up, the door creaked open.
A maid pushed the door open from inside, revealing a figure stepping out in an elegant gown.
The dress was made of smooth satin, with lace appliqués covering the bodice. Strands of plump pearls wrapped around her arms, and ribbons and diamonds were woven into her curled hair. Around her neck rested a necklace that shimmered naturally, without any artificial glare—one of the birthday gifts Ji Tingzhou had given her.
Ji Nian had forgotten how many billions it cost, but it was undeniably beautiful. Over the years, she had grown accustomed to the exorbitant prices of her belongings, and besides, not wearing it might upset her father.
"Chen Mo, you're here~"
"So, how do I look?"
Spotting Chen Mo’s early arrival, Ji Nian lifted the hem of her dress and twirled.
Chen Mo’s eyes glistened with emotion as he nodded repeatedly. "Beautiful. Absolutely stunning. Our Nian Nian has grown into a fine young lady."
Wei Yang also snapped away with his camera. "Gorgeous! Absolutely breathtaking!"
Zhiliao nodded as well, stepping forward to press a kiss to her cheek. "You look wonderful."
Ji Nian’s eyes curved into crescents.
She wasn’t the only one who had spent an excessive amount of time getting ready. After Ji Nian had nibbled on some snacks, Ji Tingzhou finally made his appearance.
Dazzlingly polished and so handsome it was almost intimidating.
Chen Mo, watching from the side, shook his head and muttered under his breath that anyone who didn’t know better might think Ji Tingzhou was celebrating his 80th birthday, dressed like that.
Then came the moment Wei Yang captured in his photos.
"Dad, please tell me you didn’t launch eighteen nuclear missiles to celebrate my birthday."
For some reason, Ji Nian suddenly recalled this old joke and asked Ji Tingzhou with a giggle.
Ji Tingzhou shot her an exasperated look. "What kind of nonsense is that?"
"And another thing."
His gaze dropped to Ji Nian’s wrist.
Clashing with her otherwise impeccable ensemble was the bracelet she wore—a simple, unremarkable piece that made Ji Tingzhou frown. At least it looked decent enough and somewhat matched her outfit, so he could tolerate it.
"This was a birthday gift from He Xiang. He couldn’t make it today."
Ji Nian shook her wrist lightly, completely unfazed by Ji Tingzhou’s disapproving stare.
The stylist had tried to dissuade her several times, but Ji Nian insisted on wearing it, so eventually, everyone gave up.
Ji Tingzhou huffed but said nothing further.
Aside from He Xiang, nearly all of Ji Nian’s close friends had arrived.
Xiang Wan came with her father, who was still nervously double-checking, "Sweetheart, are you absolutely sure you’re good friends with Miss Ji? It’s not just her being polite, and you took it the wrong way, right?"
Their family business had been doing well in recent years, but it was nowhere near prestigious enough to rub shoulders with the Ji Family.
Yet, who would’ve thought that thanks to his daughter, he’d actually be stepping foot into the Ji residence?
"Dad, relax. You’ve watched so many videos of our band performances. We really are friends."
Xiang Wan sighed, then quickly changed the subject. "Isn’t that the owner of Pinghe Construction Materials over there? Haven’t you been wanting to talk to him for ages? He’s alone now—go seize the opportunity!"
At that, her father immediately forgot his nerves and scurried off.
Xiang Wan finally exhaled in relief.
Just then, Yang Xinyu—dressed in a sharp suit with his hair slicked back—suddenly appeared behind her. "Hey."
Xiang Wan turned and smiled at the sight of him. "Weren’t you with Shen Qingtang and the others?"
Yang Xinyu instinctively raised a hand to scratch his head but stopped midway, remembering his carefully styled hair. "Look over there."
He pointed.
Xiang Wan followed his gesture and saw a crowd gathered by the floor-to-ceiling windows.
A quick glance revealed a sea of colorful dresses and the lively chatter of girls.
One look was all it took for her to understand.
"Ah, Lu Jinghuai’s over there."
Yang Xinyu nodded. "And the student council president too."
Xiang Wan gave him a once-over. "You look surprisingly non-weeb today. Very normcore."
Yang Xinyu grinned mysteriously and motioned for her to look down.
Somehow, he had produced a plushie out of nowhere.
"Boss said the waterfall in their garden is amazing. I’m taking this guy for a photoshoot."
Xiang Wan gave him a thumbs-up in admiration.
"Your Highness, I heard you’re a senior at S High. Will you be staying locally for university or returning to Country O?"
"Your Highness, what perfume do you use?"
"Hey, stop pushing! I haven’t had my turn yet!"
A face like Lu Jinghuai’s was a rare sight, drawing swarms of admirers eager to get a closer look at the stunning young man.
Lu Jinghuai patiently responded to each question, though his mind was clearly elsewhere.
His gaze kept drifting toward a certain spot, as if waiting for someone to appear.
It wasn’t until Ji Nian emerged, hand in hand with Ji Tingzhou, that the crowd around Lu Jinghuai thinned, everyone’s attention shifting toward the father-daughter pair.
Under the spotlight, the two effortlessly commanded the room the moment they stepped out.
Ji Nian could no longer hear what others were saying. Her eyes scanned the crowd, landing on Yang Xinyu, who was waving so enthusiastically he might as well have been jumping, with Xiang Wan beside him.
A little further away, Shen Qingtang and Gu Xiuyuan raised their glasses in unison, toasting Ji Nian from across the room.
Finally, Ji Nian’s gaze settled on a figure who stood out even in the packed crowd—his height and striking light blond hair making him impossible to miss.
After finishing his opening remarks, Ji Tingzhou glanced at Ji Nian, whose mind had long since wandered. He patted her shoulder. "Go on. Play with your little friends."
Ji Nian: "……"
Right. In Ji Tingzhou’s eyes, they were all just a bunch of small animals.
Lifting her skirt, Ji Nian bid Chen Mo goodbye before heading off, not without first reminding him, "Please don’t pick a fight with Dad. It’d be embarrassing if people saw."
Chen Mo could only laugh helplessly.
From a distance, Ji Nian signaled Yang Xinyu and Xiang Wan to come over while simultaneously engaging with the swarm of guests approaching her.
The girls who had been fawning over Lu Jinghuai now flocked to Ji Nian’s side.
"Miss Ji, your necklace is exquisite!"
Ji Nian smiled. "Thank you. It was a gift from my father."
The group immediately launched into praises about their heartwarming father-daughter bond.
Once the small talk finally died down, Shen Qingtang and the others arrived, shielding her from further admirers.
"Happy birthday, Ji Nian."
Shen Qingtang stepped forward to hug her.
Gu Xiuyuan added, "All grown up now. Happy birthday."
"Boss, happy birthday. You look especially beautiful today."
Xiang Wan also came over to wish her a happy birthday.
Ji Nian thanked everyone.
Gu Xiuyuan and Shen Qingtang had specifically taken time off to attend her birthday party. Since it had been a while since they last met, the group chatted animatedly.
Shen Qingtang quietly teased Ji Nian, saying Gu Xiuyuan had indeed brought that four-headed T-shirt with him, joking that he must have secretly worn it.
Just then, Gu Xiuyuan caught them in the act and, half-embarrassed, half-annoyed, told her to lower her voice when gossiping about others.
After that, he glanced around and asked, "Where’s Lu Jinghuai?"
Shen Qingtang replied calmly, "I just saw him head to the restroom."
Only then did Gu Xiuyuan drop the subject.
Soon after, the four of them found a spot to take a group photo, and Ji Nian sent the picture to He Xiang.
