Second floor of the villa.
Yici barged into the study in a huff. “Old man, what’s wrong with you?”
Yi Hansheng, who was working on some documents, looked up with a questioning expression. “?”
Yici demanded, “What’s with that crowd downstairs?”
Yi Hansheng replied, “People here to celebrate your birthday, of course.”
“I told you to just invite a few friends! Who asked you to call over so many people?”
Yi Hansheng countered, “This is simple enough. How much simpler do you want it?”
Yici: “….”
“Besides,” Yi Hansheng continued, “these are all your friends. Miss Zhang, the daughter of the Zhang family—you were elementary school classmates. Miss Zhao, second daughter of the Zhao family—you two even danced together at a party. And then there’s Miss Li…”
“Enough!” Yici felt his temple throbbing. “What I meant was, I can invite people myself. I don’t need you to bring in a bunch of random socialites!”
Yi Hansheng clicked his tongue, finally understanding that his son thought he was meddling.
Ungrateful kid didn’t even bother sparing his father some face.
Yi Hansheng cleared his throat. “Well, they’re already here, and they’ve brought gifts. We can’t just send them away, can we?”
Yici nearly exploded, especially when he looked out the window and saw the posh, pretentious crowd mingling on the lawn.
He’d only invited a few classmates, not planning anything so grand. Who was he supposed to be showing off to? The thought of Jiang Fuyue looking at him with that knowing, amused smile made him even more uncomfortable.
Yi Hansheng wandered over, eyeing the bustling scene outside with satisfaction. “It’s not that many people—just a few friends, no adults. What’s making you so uncomfortable?”
“Turning eighteen, it’s a milestone. We should celebrate properly, considering our family’s circumstances, right?”
Yici gave up. “….” Please, just stop talking.
Yi Hansheng clicked his tongue, a bit disgruntled.
Just then, Yici’s gaze caught sight of something on the lawn, and a flash of excitement appeared in his eyes. “I’m going.”
With that, he ran off like the wind.
Yi Hansheng stood in place, glancing thoughtfully out at the garden below, his gaze lingering on four figures: three girls and one boy. They had a noticeable student vibe, in stark contrast with the finely dressed guests around them.
Yi Hansheng instinctively sensed that these four were different.
Sure enough, as soon as Yici reached them, they fell into casual conversation, confirming his suspicions.
Since when did his son get along so well with regular students?
He didn’t mean to look down on these classmates, but compared to Yici’s usual spoiled friends, they were indeed different.
As he observed with interest, the tallest girl in the group lifted her gaze in his direction, and he instinctively leaned back, catching a glimpse of bright, captivating almond eyes.
When he came to his senses, he was stunned.
The glass was specially treated to prevent people outside from seeing in, so how did she notice him? And why had he instinctively dodged? He was the head of the Yi family, and she was just a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old girl.
On the lawn, Yici was chatting with Liu Bowen but kept glancing at Jiang Fuyue. Seeing her look up, he asked, “What are you looking at?”
Jiang Fuyue lowered her gaze. “Nothing.”
But she’d clearly felt that eerie sensation of being watched.
Liu Bowen asked, “Why don’t I see any classmates from No. 1 High School?”
Yici explained, “I did invite some, about a dozen. They’re probably just late.”
“Here’s my gift.” Liu Bowen handed him a bag containing a neatly wrapped box. “Wishing you endless youth and happiness.”
Yici accepted it with unusual politeness. “Thank you.”
Lin Qiao chimed in, “This is from me. It’s only good for three days, so eat it soon.”
“Thanks.”
Finally, Wan Xiutong shyly offered her gift, stammering, “H-happy… birthday…”
She blushed furiously, ducking behind Jiang Fuyue, her cheeks as red as a cooked shrimp.
Yici scratched his head. “Thank you.”
Though he didn’t interact much with these “model students,” he had invited Liu Bowen’s group just to ensure Jiang Fuyue would come. But hearing their heartfelt, genuine wishes, he felt a warm, unexpected gratitude.
Jiang Fuyue handed over her gift as well. “Happy birthday.”
Yici’s eyes sparkled, but he managed to avoid the faux pas of unwrapping it immediately, instead holding the box tightly in his hands.
“Heh… thanks.”
Just then, the butler arrived to tell him that more guests had arrived—the children of Yi Hansheng’s business partners. Yici’s expression turned dark.
The butler nervously said, “Sir said, a guest is a guest. Basic etiquette should be observed.”
Yici grumbled, “He invited them; let him entertain them himself.”
The butler’s legs went weak. “Young Master, please don’t joke around…”
How could someone of his status possibly come down personally to entertain a bunch of kids? Even their parents might not have such an honor.
In the end, Yici still left, grumbling under his breath.
Before leaving, he told the four of them, “I’ll be back soon. You guys eat something first, and if you’re bored, just wander around.”
Then, he shot the butler a look: Go ahead, but make sure to treat them well!
The butler let out a sigh of relief and nodded repeatedly.
He personally led Jiang Fuyue and the others around the garden, introducing them to the Yi family’s most renowned desserts.
Wan Xiutong took a bite and her entire face lit up. “So good!”
The butler chuckled. “As long as the guests are happy.”
Lin Qiao, the foodie of the group, dived right in and couldn’t pull herself out. As she ate, she even gave a serious review: “This molten cheese is sweet but not overwhelming, and the way it bursts in your mouth is just perfect! There’s no trace of that fridge taste at all. Honestly, it’s better than any Michelin restaurant dessert I’ve had!”
Liu Bowen wasn’t a fan of overly sweet things. He grabbed a fried chicken drumstick and thought to himself, this would be even better with an ice-cold Coke.
As if reading his mind, the butler immediately handed him a chilled glass, condensation still forming on the rim.
“Burp— Perfect!”
Jiang Fuyue took a bite of the dessert and couldn’t help but frown. This taste…
“Jiang Jiang, I wasn’t lying, was I? Isn’t it delicious?” Wan Xiutong blinked eagerly, waiting for her feedback.
“Yeah, it is,” Jiang Fuyue nodded. So good, in fact, that it tastes exactly like what Lou Mingyue loved in the past life.
She glanced around the garden, a strange feeling growing in her heart.
A vast stretch of purple irises stood before her—sturdy stems, wide leaves like blades, thriving with vitality.
“These flowers…”
The butler replied, “Oh, you mean the irises?”
“Yeah.” Jiang Fuyue lowered her gaze, her expression unreadable. “They’re beautiful.”
She was the first guest to notice the irises today. The old butler, suddenly in the mood to chat, said, “Of course they are! Sir spent a fortune hiring experts to take care of them. The annual cost alone is staggering. Occasionally, he even trims them himself. The shape you see now was cut by him.”
“Is that so?” Jiang Fuyue’s tone was laced with intrigue.
From up close, the iris bushes looked ordinary. But from a distance, they formed the shape of a rainbow, with colors fading into each other in a perfect gradient.
“Why trim them into this shape?”
The butler smiled. “Sir says that irises are God’s messengers, connecting Earth to other worlds through rainbows, symbolizing light and freedom.”
Jiang Fuyue’s gaze grew even more complex.
She had said something like that once, hadn’t she? Just a casual remark, completely off the cuff—something impossible to verify unless someone had personally heard her say it at the time.
So, the owner of this house…
Surname Yi?
A face suddenly flashed through her mind—young, stubborn, standing before her with red-rimmed eyes, looking aggrieved. “It really wasn’t me!”
Just as Jiang Fuyue was lost in thought, the butler was called away, Liu Bowen and Lin Qiao went to try more food at another table, and Wan Xiutong got distracted by a little squirrel and instinctively followed it.
Jiang Fuyue was left alone.
She stood still, deep in thought.
“Tch—what’s so special about her?” A snide scoff came from beside her, dripping with arrogance and mockery.
Jiang Fuyue snapped out of her thoughts and turned her head, only to see a girl in a pale pink evening dress, with flawless makeup and her chin practically tilted to the sky, looking her up and down with cold disdain.
“?” Do I even know this person?
