Chapter 068: The Birthday Banquet—Never Taken to Heart

Song Kai cast a speechless glance at Liu Yan.

As expected, the fire of gossip burns brightest in a woman’s eyes.

Waving his hand, Song Kai said, “How could that be! We both have such good grades—eloping would just ruin our futures.”

“That’s true. But why hasn’t Liu Miaoyu come to class?” Liu Yan pressed on.

Song Kai shook his head. “No idea.”

Liu Yan sighed, a little disgruntled that she hadn’t managed to extract any useful information today.

Seeing Song Kai still sitting there playing on his phone, Liu Yan said, “Let’s go. It’s already started—hurry up and eat.”

“Uh… it hasn’t started yet, right?” Song Kai looked at her, puzzled.

Xu Ling was still on her way, wasn’t she? And besides, since it was Zhang Hongjun’s treat, why was Liu Yan going to eat too?

Liu Yan said nothing more and headed to one of the window-side tables in the first-floor hall.

There, more than a dozen boys and girls were drinking and chatting.

At the head of the table sat Chen Haijun.

He wore a birthday hat and was urging his classmates to eat and drink. When he saw Liu Yan approaching, he grinned, “Liu Beauty, you’re late!”

Liu Yan snorted and shot Chen Haijun a look.

Chen Haijun was puzzled. “Liu Beauty, why the sour face for the birthday boy? I invited you all to a feast costing over ten thousand a table, and you’re still not happy?”

Sitting down, Liu Yan said, “Chen Haijun, did you deliberately invite Song Kai and then not let him join us for dinner?”

“Huh?” Chen Haijun stared at her, baffled.

Liu Yan pointed to the waiting area’s sofa. “Song Kai’s right there. I know you two don’t get along, but if you don’t like him, you shouldn’t have invited him to your birthday. Now you’ve left him out of dinner—what’s that supposed to mean?”

She curled her lip. “Really beneath you.”

A few other girls, who never had much against Song Kai anyway, glanced over at him. Seeing him sitting there alone in plain clothes, head bowed over his phone, their sympathy swelled.

“Chen Haijun, that’s too much.”

“Yeah, you’re slapping his face in public!”

“Even if Song Kai took Zhou Ran from you, you shouldn’t treat him like this.”

Chen Haijun scratched his head. “Wait, did I send the group message to him by mistake yesterday? Damn. Ladies, don’t look at me like that—I’m the one treating you all to a big dinner today! Don’t take his side over mine!”

The girls, moved by Song Kai sitting there alone, felt an outpouring of sympathy.

But while their hearts ached, the boys around Chen Haijun were feeling quite smug.

“Boss, should we go invite him?”

“Yeah, since he’s here, let’s at least let him eat something.”

“That guy’s family’s bankrupt now—bet he’ll never eat in a place like this again in his life.”

The boys laughed among themselves.

Chen Haijun was tempted.

He’d been so thoroughly outdone by Song Kai before that he’d lost all desire to compete with him. He hadn’t dared to go up against Song Kai in ages.

But who would have thought Song Kai would actually show up at his birthday banquet!

This… this was a great opportunity! Even if he couldn’t embarrass Song Kai, he could at least reaffirm his own top-dog status.

Thinking this, Chen Haijun waved his hand magnanimously. “Well, I did send the message out by mistake yesterday. But since he’s here, even if he’s my rival, I can’t not let him eat. You all underestimate me. I’ll go invite him right now.”

“That’s more like it—we were all in the same class once, after all,” Liu Yan said, smiling. “Let’s go, I’ll come too.”

Seven or eight students immediately headed toward Song Kai.

Liu Yan went over, took Song Kai’s arm, and said, “Song Kai, come on, let’s eat.”

“Huh?” Song Kai looked up, surprised to see so many classmates from Class Three.

Chen Haijun said, “Song Kai, I never thought you’d come to my birthday banquet. Thank you for giving me face.”

“Um… I…” Song Kai hesitated, then realized what was going on. So Chen Haijun was celebrating his birthday and had invited classmates from Class Three, and they thought he’d come to offer birthday wishes.

He used to dislike Chen Haijun, but now that he was in a different class and it was Chen Haijun’s birthday, he couldn’t be too cold.

He quickly said, “Oh, so it’s your birthday, Boss Chen! Happy birthday—I didn’t bring a gift, sorry, I really didn’t know.”

“Drop the act,” sneered the chubby Yan Tao beside Chen Haijun. “If you weren’t here to eat, why would you be sitting here? Boss Chen doesn’t want your gift or your cash, don’t worry—just come eat.”

Liu Yan tugged his arm, “Yan Tao, shut up. Song Kai, we were all classmates. Even if there were conflicts before, let’s put them aside. Since you’re here, have a drink with us.”

Song Kai was exasperated.

“Guys, I really won’t go. Happy birthday to you, Boss Chen, you all go ahead. I’m waiting for a friend,” Song Kai replied.

Chen Haijun frowned. “Song Kai, I genuinely invited you out of goodwill. You gave me face by coming, and I’ll give you face and let you drink with us. Isn’t refusing a bit much?”

Yan Tao and the others smirked. “A meal worth over ten thousand per table.”

“Yeah, Song Kai, if you insist on saving face and not coming, you’ll never get to eat like this again.”

“Forget it, he’s probably feeling inferior for not bringing a birthday gift. Boss Chen doesn’t need your money anyway.”

The group behind Chen Haijun all laughed.

Song Kai sighed inwardly. Damn it, I just wanted a free meal, not from you guys. Why am I suddenly the butt of your jokes?

He shook off Liu Yan’s hand. “Liu Yan, you’re mistaken. I really am waiting for someone—arranged to eat here today.”

“Here?” Yan Tao laughed. “You forget you’re not a rich kid anymore? Who’d spend that kind of money to treat you?”

Song Kai frowned, suddenly feeling bored. These were just a bunch of children—what was the point of arguing?

Chen Haijun said, “Song Kai, do you still have it in for me? Think I brought you here just to embarrass you? Really, I’m not that kind of person.”

“I know you’re not. Please, just go eat.” Song Kai was at his wits' end.

At that moment, a voice sounded from behind. “Song Kai, what’s going on?”

Song Kai turned to see Xu Ling.

She wore a long violet dress, carried a small bag, her makeup delicate, her hair elegantly swept up. She looked poised yet youthful, mature yet radiant.

Today, she was having dinner with Zhang Hongjun. Although Zhang had annoyed her a little at lunch, he was still the Vice President of Penguin Group, second only to Ma Huateng. Of course, she had to dress formally.

Already a stunning woman, under the lights Xu Ling was even more graceful and dazzling.

The students from Class Three stared at her, both boys and girls alike, their eyes wide.

Song Kai breathed a sigh of relief. “Nothing, just ran into some classmates who are having dinner here. Glad you’re here—I’m starving.”

Hearing they were Song Kai’s classmates, Xu Ling, as his unofficial fiancée, felt she should say something.

She walked over, smiled at Chen Haijun and the others, and said, “So you’re Song Kai’s classmates? Hello. Oh, Song Kai and I have some matters to discuss upstairs, but he’ll come down to eat with you later.”

“No, there’s no need,” Song Kai quickly took Xu Ling’s arm. “Hey, don’t speak without knowing the situation—you’re making it worse.”

Xu Ling glared at him but fell silent.

Song Kai said to Liu Yan and the others, “See? I really was waiting for someone. Sorry, Boss Chen, I won’t join you—enjoy yourselves.”

With that, he led Xu Ling quickly toward the elevator.

The elevator went straight to the third floor, where the most luxurious private rooms in Red Cloud Restaurant were located.

The students all stood there, dumbfounded, watching Song Kai and Xu Ling’s retreating backs.

“What’s wrong, are you all stunned?” a girl asked, still chewing on a lobster. “Where’s Song Kai? Why didn’t you invite him? The food’s amazing.”

“I… damn! That woman… she’s incredibly beautiful.”

“Not just beautiful—she has an air of nobility and warmth. She’s my idol,” Liu Yan said, clutching her pounding heart.

“Did you see? Song Kai was holding her arm.”

“He even called her ‘wife-sister’!”

Everyone began to chatter excitedly.

“Wasn’t Song Kai with Zhou Ran? How does he have such a beautiful ‘wife-sister’ now?”

“That woman’s super rich—did you see? She took Song Kai to the third floor!”

“And where’s Liu Miaoyu? Wasn’t there a rumor she and Song Kai eloped?”

“Damn, what’s Song Kai’s deal? He really wasn’t here for Boss Chen’s birthday after all!”

…

Chen Haijun’s face was ashen. Though he’d spoken politely to Song Kai earlier, he suddenly realized that Song Kai had never cared about him at all…