Chapter 52: The Same Birthday

Xiao Nan’s suggestion made Ren Yishan hesitate. When Ren Tianchuan led her out of Jian Qing’s room, she clung to her father’s arm and asked, “Dad, do you have any way to connect with the Li family? Isn’t Uncle Xiao just making things difficult for us with what he said? How are we supposed to meet anyone from the Li family?”

Ren Tianchuan comfortingly patted his daughter’s arm. “Jian Qing isn’t that capable. I’ll devote all our resources to help you. If Jian Qing makes any progress, I’ll make sure you get everything back.”

“Thank you, Dad!” Ren Yishan hugged her father’s arm gratefully, smiling sweetly.

Uncle Qian was directing gardeners to tend the flowers in the courtyard. Watching this scene, he felt a pang of discomfort.

That evening, carrying dinner upstairs, Uncle Qian relayed everything he’d witnessed to Jian Qing. Her expression remained unchanged; she ate in silence, then finally spoke: “Uncle Qian, take me to Hong’ai Hospital tonight.”

“Of course, but… Qingqing, are you feeling unwell?”

He brought over the wheelchair and helped her sit. Jian Qing let out a deep breath. “If I’m attending Li Jingche’s birthday banquet, I must go in perfect form. Let’s get the cast removed.”

“Your leg…”

“It’s already healed.” Jian Qing tapped her plastered leg, smiling with confidence. “I wonder what expression Ren Yishan will wear tomorrow when she sees me standing at the venue.”

She had the cast removed at the hospital that night. The next day, once she confirmed that Ren Yishan and Ren Tianchuan were both out, Jian Qing went upstairs.

She had ten gowns prepared. Initially, she wanted to wear a black and gold evening dress, but when she saw the white gown that had lain in the closet for so long, she remembered what “Number 33” had once said: “You look beautiful in white, like Snow White.”

Her heart warmed. Since her mother had gone abroad, few had spoken so sincerely to her—Number 33 certainly ranked among the best.

The white halter dress crossed at the chest in a deep V, revealing a smooth expanse of back. The skirt wasn’t long, giving the whole outfit a light, lively air—perfect for her fairy-like features.

After a turn in the dressing room, she decided to wear this to Li Jingche’s birthday party.

But as soon as she settled on the dress, her phone rang.

It was Number 33. “Tomorrow is my birthday. Will you come to Jiaohaibay and spend it with me?”

“Your birthday?” Jian Qing suddenly recalled: when they first met, Number 33 had mentioned his thirtieth birthday was a week away. She hadn’t realized it coincided with Li Jingche’s.

She hesitated—she didn’t want to disappoint Number 33, but she was simply stretched too thin.

“Darling, let me wish you a happy birthday in advance. How about this: tomorrow night at nine, I’ll wait for you at Jiaohaibay.”

Whenever Jian Qing called him “darling,” Li Jingche’s expression became delightfully animated. His face, so perfectly sculpted, would remain composed, but his ears and neck flushed bright red.

He grunted in response, then, after hanging up, sank into the sofa, rubbing his brow with one hand, a smile tugging at his lips.

Li Shuang came downstairs and, seeing her brother’s expression, sidled over curiously. “Brother, what’s got you so happy?”

Hearing her voice, Li Jingche’s eyes lifted, his demeanor turning cold. “The jewelry I asked you to give to Jian Qing—why did it end up in Ren Yishan’s hands?”

Li Shuang immediately fell silent, barely daring to breathe. She shrank back, hoping to slip away unnoticed, but Li Jingche caught her wrist.

“Brother! You’re magnanimous, a real statesman—surely you won’t hold this against me. I truly didn’t mean it. I just asked Ren Yishan to pass the gift along; who could have guessed she’d keep it for herself? Please, let me off! I’m sorry, I really am!”

Li Shuang was the sort who begged for mercy when caught but turned cheeky once released, grinning obsequiously.

“Stop with the ‘brother, brother’—anyone would think you’re a mother hen.”

Li Jingche slowly let go of her hand, watching as his sister finally stood upright, and added, “Hao Qing called the police earlier. How’s the investigation going?”

At the mention of this, Li Shuang adopted a theatrical air, lounging on the sofa arm and grinning wickedly. “Brother, you said it yourself, Hao Qing really doesn’t plan to let Ren Yishan off.”

She rattled off a string of gossip into Li Jingche’s ear. He nodded slowly. “At least you know what’s good for you.”

“So, brother, are you really dating Jian Qing?”

Li Shuang, seeing how invested her brother was, was ready to play wingman.

Li Jingche neither nodded nor shook his head. He took the coffee brought by a servant and, for a long while, didn’t drink, as if carefully pondering Li Shuang’s words.

Finally, he nodded. “Bed partner, I suppose.”

“What?!”

Li Jingche’s words nearly knocked Li Shuang’s jaw loose. “Brother, I thought… I thought you were an old-fashioned romantic, but you’re actually playing around? Mom’s a devout Christian—she’s absolutely against premarital relations! If she finds out about this…”

“You think I want this?” Li Jingche rubbed his temples, troubled. He didn’t know how he’d fallen for Jian Qing’s charms. He cast a sidelong glance at his sister, and just then, his phone rang. Before answering, he cautioned, “Keep my real identity secret. I haven’t revealed everything to Jian Qing yet.”

“OK.”

Watching Li Jingche answer the phone a moment later, Li Shuang obediently flashed an “OK” sign and quietly slipped out.

Leaving the villa, Li Shuang drove her sports car straight to Jingjiang City. At a luxury boutique, a tall, handsome figure had been waiting for some time.

“Darling, you’re finally here!” As soon as Li Shuang entered, Xiao Yunchen greeted her.

She smiled faintly, and with a beckoning finger, drew the man over as easily as one would call a dog. “Tomorrow’s my brother’s birthday. Help me pick out some gifts.”

“Of course, Shuang.”

Watching Xiao Yunchen kneel to help her put on shoes, Li Shuang snapped a photo and sent it to her group of girlfriends. “Remember, if I make Xiao Yunchen come to me willingly within two days, each of you owes me two hundred thousand for a limited edition black house.”

“Li Shuang is amazing—I’ll wire the money now!”

“Shuang is the strongest!”

“But Xiao Yunchen is really good-looking. Would you actually date him?”

“….”

The women chatted back and forth. Li Shuang glanced down at Xiao Yunchen, her gaze flicking between him and the shoes he was fastening. She typed into the chat: “A trash bin looks no cleaner just because it’s lined with a bag. I’m just playing with you all for a bet—normally, I wouldn’t even look at someone like Xiao Yunchen.”

“Shuang is so generous!”

Satisfied, Li Shuang shopped to her heart’s content in Jingjiang City. When she finally emerged, Xiao Yunchen’s arms were piled high with bags.

“Shuang, you bought so much—you can’t carry it all by yourself. Let me take you home.”

He was eager to visit the Li family residence, clearly hoping for a chance to meet Li Jingche. Last time, his father had taken him to dinner there; Xiao Yunchen hadn’t eaten a bite and ended up punched. If the collaboration with the Li family didn’t work out, the Xiao family was on the brink of bankruptcy.

He smiled obsequiously, face full of flattery.

Li Shuang hadn’t wanted to bring someone like him home, but remembering that her future sister-in-law was his ex-girlfriend, she felt a surge of indignation on her brother’s behalf. Better to bring him home and let her brother put him in his place!

“All right, get in the car.”

With a beckoning finger, Li Shuang summoned Xiao Yunchen, who immediately hurried after her.