The lengthy small talk finally ended, and the birthday banquet officially began.
Everyone was guided by the hostesses to their seats in turn. Mayor Pei and the birthday Old Master were the last to sit at the main table.
Pei Cizhou wore a cold expression. When the hostess invited him to the main table, he refused, “No thanks, just find me a random seat.”
The thought of spending two whole hours dining with a bunch of clueless old foxes was pure torture!
The hostess’s smile stiffened as she looked toward Ge Furen (Mrs. Ge).
Ge Furen could usually handle other matters on her own, but when it came to the Mayor Pei’s family, whom the Old Master held in high regard, she didn’t dare make a unilateral decision. So, she awkwardly turned to the Old Master.
This spot at the banquet was the center of power, and even a minor incident caught the attention of many shrewd observers.
Qiuyun watched the scene unfold and shook her head inwardly. No wonder a soldier mirrors his general.
Ge Furen and her head chef were exactly the same breed of people.
In a situation like this, the right move was to let the little demon have his way. If anything went wrong, the Old Master could always step in and put a stop to it. Instead, Ge Furen had chosen to pass the buck to the old man.
This not only failed to demonstrate her decisiveness but also painted the distinguished young guest as unreasonable while casting herself in an innocent light.
Would this honored guest be pleased by such treatment?
Was this the attitude for someone seeking a favor?
As expected, the Old Master’s face darkened.
Ideally, he should have played the role of the stern enforcer, scolding his wife for her nonsense, saying something like, “How could we seat Young Master Pei anywhere else?” As for where Pei Cizhou would actually sit, his father would have the final say, and the family could make the arrangements accordingly.
But now the ball was in his court. Whether he agreed or disagreed, he’d offend someone. The difference was whom he would offend. If he passed the question on to Mayor Pei, it would make him look indecisive—unable to settle such a trivial matter without deferring to others. After all, today was not only a banquet in Mayor Pei’s honor but also his own birthday celebration. With so many guests watching, how could he afford to appear so weak?
These thoughts flashed through his mind in just three or five seconds.
“Brother Pei, come sit with us!” Jiang Chuling had seen Brother Pei several times before when she was with her older brother, so she naturally called out to him.
Jiang Linzhi was startled.
Damn it! He’d forgotten to tell his little sister to pretend she didn’t know Pei Cizhou!
“Nonsense!” The Old Master breathed a sigh of relief as someone handed him an easy way out. “Young Master Pei is an honored guest. He should be seated at the main table, not with a bunch of children!”
“Ah, Master Jiang, you’re mistaken,” Mayor Pei said with a genial laugh. “Cizhou is young and can’t sit still. It would be better to let him sit at the children’s table. That way, he won’t be stifled at ours.”
Old Master Jiang promptly instructed his wife to make the arrangements. “I suppose I didn’t think that through. Right this way, please.”
At the same time, Ge Furen realized that her momentary hesitation had put the Old Master in a difficult position. Her heart was full of unease, but on the surface, she had no choice but to force a smile and arrange for the seating.
“There’s no need for the trouble,” Minister Ruan said, eyeing his son coldly. “They’ve already set the seating arrangements carefully. Your arrival would just force them to redo everything. When will you learn to be considerate?”
A faint, scornful smirk flickered across Pei Cizhou’s face as he casually walked to the main table and sat down. “I was just asking. If it works, fine. If not, forget it. Why do you have to scold me at someone’s birthday banquet, and with such anger?”
Minister Ruan’s gaze sharpened, but before she could lash out, Mayor Pei interrupted, “Say no more. You know very well this is someone’s birthday feast!”
Pei Cizhou still wore his usual indifferent expression, leaning back in his chair as he idly toyed with the silverware on the table, his long, elegant fingers twirling the knife in crisp, clean movements.
Mayor Pei turned with an apologetic look. "The boy doesn’t know any better. Please forgive him, Master Jiang."
Old Master Jiang smoothly deflected the blame. "It’s the staff’s lack of judgment, making a young man like Young Master Pei sit through drinks and chat with a bunch of old fogies like us. He must be bored to death."
Up on the dais, pleasantries went back and forth. Jiang Linzhi, using the excuse of looking after his younger sister, swapped seats with Xiao Liu and leaned in to whisper to her quietly. "Xiao Qi, later on, even if you run into him, don’t talk to your Brother Pei. Best to pretend you don’t know him."
“?”
Jiang Chuling was puzzled. “Why? Is it because Mayor Pei won’t let him hang out with you?”
“What’s going on inside that head of yours!” Jiang Linzhi shot his sister an exasperated glare and had to explain. “Do you want to end up like Big Brother—burdened with the whole family’s expectations?”
Being burdened with the family’s expectations meant losing your hobbies, your freedom, your time, and everything you could control for yourself. Your entire life would be arranged step by step by your family, making you nothing more than a puppet.
Jiang Chuling frowned but didn’t answer.
The honored guests took their seats, and the dishes began to be served.
After the appetizers and main courses had settled in the stomach with some protein to buffer, the guests raised their glasses and one by one approached the Old Master to toast him for his birthday.
It was customary for guests to bring gifts. These would be recorded at the gatehouse upon arrival, but at a birthday feast, the gifts themselves had to be presented directly to the celebrant—a rule that had remained unchanged from ancient times to the present.
There were brushes, ink sticks, paper, and inkstones; fine tea and purple clay teaware; ancient paintings and rare manuscripts. It was clear that the gift-givers knew well Master Jiang’s refined tastes—none of them offered anything less than highbrow, elegant treasures.
And since everyone present was used to such occasions, none of them were clumsy with words. They could talk circles around anyone, their tongues practically blooming with flowers, creating a harmonious and joyful atmosphere.
From time to time, assistants by Qiuyun’s side, receiving signals from the host, would trot over with gifts to present. Only Young Master Pei, looking utterly bored and detached with a cold, disdainful expression, caught her eye as she stood by a pillar watching the scene unfold.
Their gazes met. Qiuyun was momentarily stunned.
It wasn’t hard to see why. Sure, the guy had a foul temper, spoke bluntly, and came off as a rebellious, headstrong youth—the kind who acted like he owned the place—but his face was absolutely top-tier.
His features followed the golden ratio of three sections and five eyes. His brows and eyes were cold and slightly aloof, disdainful. His eyes were the standard Phoenix-eye shape, a perfect parallelogram, but the slight curve at the lower lid softened the sharpness, making him less unapproachably distant.
His nose was a straight, classic shape—tall and prominent, flowing smoothly from the T-zone at his brow bridge down to the bridge of his nose. The slightly protruding, downward-pressed tip of his nose paired elegantly with the V-shape of his philtrum, which in turn complemented his lower lip, which had a slight fullness to it. This created an intense, striking impact that rivaled the power of his eyes.
Looking further down, his jawline was sharp and clean, and his neck carried a delicate, pale elegance. Apart from the prominent Adam’s apple, you could clearly see his blue veins, trailing down until they were covered by his slightly open collar, leaving the rest to the imagination.
When a face and a pair of eyes like that—across a sea of people—met yours directly, even a seasoned veteran like Qiuyun, someone who had been through half a lifetime, couldn’t help but be spellbound and freeze for a moment.
Then the corners of his lips flattened and then lifted slightly, revealing a faint smile. It was like snow melting under the sun, exposing the youthful vitality that should belong to someone his age.
“?”
After coming back to her senses, Qiuyun felt a flicker of confusion. They weren’t yet close enough for him to do that, were they?
“The purple clay teaset that Chairman Wang sent over… I’d say something’s just not right about it.”
Within the banquet hall, cups clinked and laughter mingled as guests toasted one another, the atmosphere brimming with warmth and conviviality. Suddenly, a cool, youthful voice cut through the air, shattering the cheerful harmony, drawing the gaze of all present.
