Such a grand birthday banquet.
Many were anticipating whether Xie Guanyan would make an appearance.
As the rising elite of the capital's social circle, Xie Guanyan rarely attended high-society gatherings.
His status had long surpassed the need to curry favor with anyone—instead, he was the one others sought to flatter.
For those who enjoyed socializing, it was fine, but for those who didn’t, it was nothing but a nuisance.
When the crowd caught sight of the tall, dignified man in a pristine white suit stepping into the courtyard, many were taken aback.
Xu Yali truly had considerable influence.
Then, another imposing figure strode in—Huo Tingshen, clad in a stately gray suit, exuding authority.
Eyes widened in astonishment.
Today was truly a red-letter day!
These two titans seldom appeared at the same event.
Though not outright rivals in business, they were far from friends.
At most, they exchanged nods, rarely speaking a word to each other.
As they entered one after the other, the crowd surged forward to greet them.
"President Huo!"
"President Xie!"
Huo Tingshen, ever stoic, acknowledged them with a mere nod.
But soon, he noticed Xie Guanyan’s gaze fixed in a particular direction.
Following his line of sight, Huo Tingshen spotted a figure in red, smiling as she sipped champagne.
She’s drinking again!
Huo Tingshen frowned.
And why was she even here?
Had Xu Yali sent her an invitation?
Impossible!
Their divorce wasn’t finalized yet—Xu Yali wouldn’t have sent separate invitations.
Shifting his gaze slightly, he noticed Lin Mo in a yellow dress.
Understanding dawned.
Lin Mo had brought her.
But how did Lin Mo even know Xu Yali?
Familiar with Xie Guanyan, the capital’s rising star, and now acquainted with the eldest daughter of the Xu Family from the south—this young woman had quite the connections!
At that moment, he also saw Lin Mo surrounded by several young heirs of the capital’s elite.
Huo Tingshen immediately grasped what Xie Guanyan was staring at.
He shot Xie Guanyan a sidelong glance, a trace of mockery flashing in his eyes.
Can’t even keep an eye on your own woman—look, she’s already drawing attention again!
Serves you right!
Those who had come to greet them soon noticed that Xie Guanyan, usually so amiable, seemed distracted today.
"President Xie, what has caught your eye?" Huo Tingshen suddenly asked.
The onlookers were stunned.
This was the first time anyone had seen Huo Tingshen initiate a conversation with Xie Guanyan.
Had the two become friends?
Only Xie Guanyan knew Huo Tingshen was doing this deliberately.
Having witnessed his humiliating stint as a male escort at the KTV, Xie Guanyan was all too happy to see him squirm.
Suppressing his emotions, Xie Guanyan smiled mildly. "President Huo, why have you come alone today?"
Huo Tingshen: "..."
Oh-ho!
The crowd buzzed with excitement.
No one dared to ask Huo Tingshen directly about his divorce—but Xie Guanyan had just done it.
The ultimate mouthpiece!
A vein throbbed at Huo Tingshen’s temple. Fuming, he ignored Xie Guanyan and strode toward the villa’s main hall.
Time to deliver his gift.
Xie Guanyan also needed to present his.
After one last glance at the girl encircled by admirers, he followed suit.
He had always known Shanshan was popular.
Back in high school, her admirers were too numerous to count.
But it didn’t matter. So what if they added her on WeChat?
Shanshan was too busy with her studies to spare them any time!
Exchanging contacts was just basic courtesy!
The two men arrived in the reception hall one after the other.
"Madam Xu, happy birthday," Huo Tingshen said perfunctorily.
His assistant promptly handed over the gift.
Xu Yali gave him a measured smile. "Thank you, Mr. Huo."
Huo Tingshen couldn’t shake the feeling that Xu Yali disliked him.
They’d never interacted before, though the Huo family had business dealings with the Xu Family.
But Xu Yali was devoted to the arts, uninvolved in the family’s commercial affairs.
Since their collaboration was mutually beneficial, there was no reason for her to hold a grudge.
Lately, even the ever-confident Huo Tingshen found his self-assurance wavering.
Xie Guanyan stepped forward, his voice warm. "Madam Xu, it’s been a while. Happy birthday."
The moment Xu Yali saw him, she rose to her feet, her smile radiant. "Xiao Xie, I didn’t expect you to make time for this."
Huo Tingshen: "..."
The contrast was downright brutal.
Xu Yali gestured for Xie Guanyan to sit. "You’ve been busy lately, haven’t you? I haven’t seen you at the theater recently."
Xie Guanyan used to attend classical dance performances at the grand theater at least once a month.
He had even sponsored a dedicated rehearsal space for classical dancers.
Over time, the two had grown acquainted.
Classical dance troupes were predominantly female, with many stunningly beautiful performers.
Initially, Xu Yali assumed he was pursuing one of the actresses—after all, fair ladies often drew noble admirers.
But she soon realized Xie Guanyan never interacted with the dancers. He simply watched from the audience and left immediately after.
Xu Yali concluded: the man was genuinely passionate about classical dance as an art form!
Xie Guanyan adjusted his glasses with one hand. "Yes, I’ve had a lot on my plate recently."
Shanshan was back.
Now that he could see her in person, there was no need to seek solace in performances.
During her absence, he had clung to every possible reminder of her.
Every time, he imagined it was Shanshan onstage—that she hadn’t died!
Xu Yali’s smile deepened. "Let me tell you, one of my former students has returned. No one performs The Ballad of Mulan like her. If I can persuade her to return to the stage, you’re in for a treat."
The Ballad of Mulan was a classical dance masterpiece depicting the legend of Hua Mulan.
The lead role demanded a blend of valor and grace, with movements requiring both fluidity and strength.
Key sequences included striking poses, side lunges, reining in an imaginary horse, brandishing a whip, drumming, raising banners, ceremonial gestures, and swirling robes.
Few could do it justice.
Xie Guanyan didn’t need to guess who Xu Yali meant.
Years ago, a fourteen-year-old girl had performed The Ballad of Mulan to a packed theater.
Too poor to afford a ticket, he had sneaked in to watch her from a corner.
Under the spotlight—
He had never seen anyone shine brighter.
But before he could finish watching, theater staff caught and ejected him.
"I look forward to it," Xie Guanyan replied, his eyes gentle.
Would he get another chance to see her?
As Xie Guanyan and Xu Yali chatted animatedly, Huo Tingshen stood by, feeling both awkward and irked.
His frown deepened as a thought struck him.
Xu Yali was a dancer. So was Zhao Ziling.
If Zhao Ziling was here… was she planning to dance again?
The idea sent a chill through him.
Xu Yali came from an illustrious family, yet her path had been paved with criticism.
Why would Zhao Ziling willingly subject herself to that?
Wasn’t being Mrs. Huo enough?
No one paid Huo Tingshen any mind. Xu Yali said to Xie Guanyan, "I’ll introduce you two later."
Shen Feng stood beside Xu Yali like a eunuch attending an empress—utterly out of his depth.
These magnates were figures he could only admire from afar.
More guests entered the reception hall.
A young man approached with a gift. "Auntie, happy birthday."
Xu Yali beamed. "Thank you, Little Yan."
Behind him stood Xu Zunlong, head of the Xu Family and Xu Yali’s younger brother.
Xu Zunlong certainly recognized Huo Tingshen and Xie Guanyan and greeted them both. In the circles of Jingbei, no one was unfamiliar with these two prominent figures.
Xu Zunlong wasn’t particularly close to Xie Guanyan, but his relationship with Huo Tingshen was on good terms.
Huo Tingshen’s mood improved slightly. Now Xie Guanyan would just have to play the supporting role, wouldn’t he?
"Mr. Xu, it’s been a while," Huo Tingshen said.
Xu Zunlong smiled. "President Huo, I heard you’re getting divorced?"
Huo Tingshen: "…"
