Chapter 17: Giving a Birthday Gift

Cai Weihua sat down opposite Zhou Chen, plopping down heavily and began to eat voraciously. Unlike Zhou Chen, Cai Weihua’s gluttony didn’t draw ridicule; instead, some of the young women showed fascination, openly declaring how masculine he was.

“Little brother, if you like her, go after her. I saw it before — anyone my sister personally greets at the door must be special,” he said.

“Don’t worry, I can tell you’re different from those hypocrites. I really like you!” Cai Weihua said generously, pouring a glass of red wine for Zhou Chen.

Zhou Chen didn’t refuse and took the glass, explaining, “You’ve misunderstood. My relationship with your sister is purely as classmates. She is our homeroom teacher; she can vouch for me.”

All eyes turned to Gu Zhaoyue, who grew a bit reserved.

“Zhou Chen and Cai Yamong really are just classmates,” she confirmed.

Cai Weihua laughed heartily. “No worries. My sister is so beautiful, I just can’t believe you don’t feel anything. If you like her, go ahead and pursue her with confidence.”

At first, Zhou Chen had a good impression of him. But after several attempts to push for something between him and Cai Yamong, he grew somewhat displeased.

“I admit your sister is truly beautiful and tempting, but that doesn’t mean you have to chase after her,” Zhou Chen said with a cooler tone.

As a modern-day cultivator, Cai Weihua originally didn’t intend to intervene. But when Zhou Chen exerted soul pressure, Cai Weihua sensed he was no ordinary person and stepped forward.

“Don’t be angry, just joking,” Cai Weihua said, sitting beside Zhou Chen and putting an arm around his shoulder.

“Yamong is my cousin. I want her to marry someone she truly likes.”

“Those so-called ‘respectable’ scoundrels are only after the Cai family background. They can’t truly give Yamong happiness.”

“To be honest, my cousin has always been cold since childhood. This is the first time I’ve seen her willingly approach a member of the opposite sex.”

Zhou Chen felt exasperated. “We’ve just graduated high school. Can we drop all this nonsense?”

Cai Weihua sighed. “The situation inside the Cai family is complicated now. Old Master Cai doesn’t have much time left, so Yamong’s father is in a passive position.”

“Especially since Yamong’s father is battling cancer, countless people are eyeing the headship.”

“If the family headship is seized, Yamong will inevitably be used as a pawn in marriage alliances to stabilize the Cai family’s turmoil after Old Master Cai passes.”

Zhou Chen frowned. “Why are you telling me this? I’m just an ordinary college entrance exam graduate from a normal family. Even if I know, what difference does it make?”

Though Cai Weihua looked rough and burly, he was actually quite thoughtful. Smiling half-seriously, he said, “Are you really ordinary? Even if you are, it doesn’t matter. As long as my cousin likes you and you can live peacefully together, that’s all that counts.”

Zhou Chen shrugged off Cai Weihua’s hand. “Sorry, I’m not interested in your cousin.”

The birthday banquet had already started. After the host finished speaking from the stage, it was time for the birthday girl, Cai Yamong, to deliver her thank-you speech, expressing gratitude to all the guests.

She especially mentioned Zhou Chen, thanking him for his academic help recently, which only intensified the hostility from those privileged young men toward Zhou Chen.

“Seems like my cousin has special feelings for you!” Cai Weiguo said with an expression that said, “I know everything.”

Zhou Chen ignored him.

Cai Weiguo looked like an uncle but was actually just in his early twenties, lively and talkative.

After Cai Yamong’s speech, she didn’t leave the stage. The gift-giving segment followed.

Among all the attendees, except for Zhou Chen and Gu Zhaoyue, most were prominent figures from Xiangnan Province.

Their gifts were extravagantly valuable—luxury cars, villas, watches, necklaces.

The pile of gifts quickly amassed, worth over a hundred million yuan.

What embarrassed Gu Zhaoyue was that a maid read out every gift aloud, as if afraid anyone would miss it.

However, some special presents could be opened privately.

The second-generation wealthy typically gave expensive gifts.

The second-generation officials were more creative, offering their own paintings or calligraphy.

They all wanted their gifts to be the talk of the town.

When nearly everyone had presented their gifts, Chen Kai sneered sarcastically, “Just now, Yamong sincerely thanked someone on stage. Why does that person have no manners and didn’t even bring a birthday gift?”

Zhou Chen stood and, together with Gu Zhaoyue, walked to the stage to hand over their gift to the maid.

“Happy birthday, Cai Yamong!”

The maid was tactful. Seeing Zhou Chen and Gu Zhaoyue’s modest attire, she didn’t open the gift box.

Cai Yamong thought the same, sparing Zhou Chen and Gu Zhaoyue’s pride.

After all, compared to these rich second-generation officials and wealthy heirs, an ordinary person’s gift simply wasn’t on the same level.

But Chen Kai was relentless. “Open it and let everyone see what kind of precious gift someone who’s personally greeted by Yamong at the door could give.”

The maid ignored Chen Kai; she wasn’t his servant and didn’t take orders from him.

Yet Chen Kai’s words stirred quite a commotion.

Everyone knew Cai Yamong’s aloof nature, so it was surprising she would personally greet a peer of the opposite sex at the door.

The parents of those wealthy heirs naturally wanted Zhou Chen to embarrass himself, hoping Yamong would lose interest.

They chimed in, eager to see just how valuable Zhou Chen’s gift was.

“Open it!”

A richly dressed woman commanded the maid in an authoritative tone.

The maid dared not disobey; after all, the woman’s husband bore the surname Cai.

The maid opened Zhou Chen’s gift box, revealing a Pisces pendant.

The woman glanced at it and couldn’t help but scoff, “Just this worthless trinket? And you dare show it off?”

The Pisces pendant looked cheap, especially with a crack on it, clearly not new and likely having had several previous owners.

The wealthy heirs laughed derisively. They had imagined Zhou Chen might present something extraordinary, viewing him as their biggest rival.

Now it seemed unnecessary; Zhou Chen was truly just an ordinary person and posed no threat.

The woman sneered viciously, “Yamong, I’ve told you before, don’t make friends with those sleazy, disreputable people. They only want your money.”

“Some people really have no shame—invited you and yet you dare to come. Don’t you know your own status?”

These words made Gu Zhaoyue blush with embarrassment, feeling as if sitting on pins and needles.

Zhou Chen, however, remained unfazed.

In his eyes, the woman was no different from that noblewoman who treated her toy poodle like a son—a mere puppet whose fate he could decide with a thought.

Seeing Gu Zhaoyue growing uneasy, he prepared to leave with her.

They had already attended the birthday banquet; there was no need to stay until the end.

“My social affairs don’t require an outsider’s interference. The Cai family is Cai, not Chen!” Cai Yamong said coldly.