“No wonder I’ve never heard of KT since I was a kid.”
“If the company went bankrupt and the technology disappeared, where did this drone come from?”
Everyone turned to look at the drone in Yici’s hands.
Right—where did it come from?
The next second, all eyes landed on Jiang Fuyue—of course, she gave it to him!
“Uh…” Qi Yang pushed past the people in front of him and walked straight to Jiang Fuyue. “Hi… I just wanted to ask, where did you get this drone?”
Jiang Fuyue studied him.
Qi Yang quickly added, “I want to buy one too!”
One of his buddies joined in to vouch for him, fearing Jiang Fuyue might not believe him. “Qi Yang is a hardcore drone enthusiast. He has a massive collection, covering models from every major company. I remember him saying his biggest regret was never getting a KT Black Gold drone.”
“Me too! I want one!” Another boy piped up.
And then—
“Sign me up!”
“+1!”
“+2!”
“…”
Zhao Yixin stood frozen, bewildered by the scene in front of her.
Jiang Fuyue was now surrounded by a group of boys, all of them speaking to her with genuine enthusiasm and even a hint of admiration.
Nearby, a group of girls whispered among themselves.
“I never thought she’d have something so rare. That’s incredible.”
“That Black Gold drone… just hearing the name makes it sound expensive.”
“Expensive? You can’t even buy it, no matter how much money you have!”
“Then… should we go over and take a look too?”
“Wouldn’t that be awkward? We were mocking her earlier…”
“Pfft, didn’t those boys also laugh at her? And now they’re all shamelessly fawning over her. We only made a few quiet comments. She probably didn’t even hear us!”
“You’re right. Plus, Zhao Yixin and Zhang Xue were the ones who said the worst things. Especially Zhao Yixin—she practically dragged us into it. Those words weren’t even ours, right?”
“Exactly! I think Zhao Yixin was just jealous of her looks. She’s been trying to get Yici’s attention forever, but he doesn’t even spare her a glance. Serves her right!”
“Let’s go. Let’s take a look too.”
And with that, they happily squeezed into the crowd.
Zhao Yixin: “?!”
Aaaaaah—those traitorous little b*******! They were the ones talking trash earlier, and now they’re putting all the blame on her! She was furious.
What, they’re not jealous of Jiang Fuyue’s looks?
They don’t want to steal Yici’s attention?
Liars—she’d never believe it!
Out of the corner of her eye, Zhao Yixin noticed Zhang Xue standing quietly to the side, and a wave of “shared suffering” washed over her.
She walked over. “You’re upset too, right?”
Zhang Xue: “?”
“Don’t play dumb. I know you’re just as angry as I am. You probably wish you could tear that girl apart right now.”
Zhang Xue burst out laughing. “Are you okay in the head?”
Zhao Yixin: “?”
“What’s there to be angry about? I’m not as pretty as her, and my figure’s not as good either. She’s just better-looking than me. At least I’m self-aware.”
Zhao Yixin was stunned. “Then why… why did you insult her earlier?”
“Because I was bored. I thought it’d be funny. And honestly, I was curious about what gift she gave Yici. What else could it be?”
“…”
Zhang Xue shrugged. “Unlike you, I don’t see every pretty girl as a rival, thinking they’re all out to steal Yici.”
Zhao Yixin’s lips trembled. “But… aren’t we friends?”
“Oh, if you count fake friends as friends, then sure.”
Zhao Yixin’s face turned pale.
“Oh, by the way,” Zhang Xue added casually, “I don’t have such a malicious mind as to wish someone dead. Miss Zhao, murder is illegal. Maybe don’t be so ignorant?”
With that, she joined the crowd, smiling brightly. “Hey, let me take a look too!”
“What’s a girl doing checking out drones?” a boy teased.
Zhang Xue wasn’t having it. “What’s wrong with that? It’s 2024—still pulling the gender card? Don’t make me and the other girls here punch you into a panda.”
“Hahaha, Zhang Xue’s still as fierce as ever. Young Master Qi just backed down instantly…”
The scene was lively, filled with laughter and banter.
Zhao Yixin, meanwhile, stood there feeling utterly isolated. No one reached out to her, and she couldn’t bring herself to act nonchalant like Zhang Xue.
Before the cake-cutting even began, she slinked away, humiliated.
“To the lawn! The cake’s here!”
“Let’s go, let’s go—”
A crowd escorted Yici outside, with Jiang Fuyue naturally included in the group.
Yici, craning his neck, loudly warned, “No one touches my Black Gold without my permission! If you do, we’re done. For real!”
Having their schemes exposed, a group of boys reluctantly pulled their hands back from the edge of temptation, groaning in protest.
“Yici! You’re so stingy!”
“I just want to touch it! My hands are clean, I swear!”
“Ugh, I’m drooling over that metallic finish. I bet it’s one of a kind in the country.”
“…”
Qi Yang walked with the crowd but stuck closely to Jiang Fuyue, making Yici’s eye twitch and brow furrow.
“Jiang Fuyue, please tell me where to custom-order one. Price is no issue—I’m very serious!” Qi Yang pleaded.
Jiang Fuyue glanced around. Several groups, dozens of eager eyes, were fixed on her.
“I can tell you….”
Everyone’s eyes lit up.
“But,” she continued, “since it’s a limited edition, you might not be able to order it.”
“That’s fine! Just tell us! We’ll figure it out.”
The others quickly nodded. “Exactly!”
Jiang Fuyue finally reached into her pocket and pulled out a business card—black and gold, minimalist, with only a phone number printed on it.
Qi Yang, standing closest, grabbed it instantly like it was a treasure.
The others looked at Jiang Fuyue expectantly. “Can you hand out more? A few more cards, please!”
“Sorry, just one.”
“!”
Immediately, Qi Yang became the center of attention.
“Don’t even think about it! I’m not sharing. It’s limited edition—first come, first served. If I share, I might as well not order it at all…”
He didn’t even bother with the cake. After shouting a quick goodbye to Yici, he dashed out of the house clutching the card.
“No way, he left?”
“He really left?”
“Didn’t he come to a birthday party?”
“Oh, come on, this is Qi Yang we’re talking about. Fighting him for a drone is worse than fighting him over a girlfriend. Now you understand.”
“Yeah, he’s untouchable.”
With Qi Yang gone, Jiang Fuyue and Yici found themselves with a little more breathing room.
“… I really like the gift you gave me. It’s so cool. Thanks!” Yici said earnestly, standing by the cake.
Wan Xiutong and Liu Bowen started lighting candles. “… Done.”
Liu Bowen asked, “Yici, are you making a wish?”
He used to scoff at the idea—praying to candles always seemed silly. But today—
“I will.”
The teenager clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and silently made his wish.
Three seconds later, “Done.”
“Blow out the candles.”
Yici turned to Jiang Fuyue. “Want to do it together?”
“Sure.”
After that, the cake was cut and distributed. Everyone got a slice, breaking into small groups to chat.
Yici, however, couldn’t relax. He wolfed down his piece and hurried back inside.
He had to keep an eye on his Black Gold. Who knew what those brats might do?
But when he entered the living room, there wasn’t a single brat in sight—only his dad.
Yi Hansheng stood by the coffee table, his tall figure as solid as a pine tree. In the natural light, he exuded a mature charisma that couldn’t be concealed.
Some men could win hearts with just a silhouette.
Yici clicked his tongue. “Dad, why are you down here?”
Yi Hansheng turned slowly, his calm expression unreadable. Beneath that calmness, however, there seemed to be an undercurrent of something brewing.
For a moment, Yi Hansheng appeared even more composed than usual.
But Yici had a feeling this calmness was merely the calm before the storm. The air was already heavy with impending thunder.
“…What’s wrong?” The young man looked puzzled. The next second, he suddenly noticed the card in the other man’s hand.
Yici panicked. He rushed forward and snatched it from his father’s hand. “Why are you going through my stuff?”
Turning his back, he carefully tucked the card into his pants pocket, the tips of his ears and the back of his neck quickly flushing red.
Alright then—Young Master Yi was officially embarrassed.
But Yi Hansheng didn’t tease him like he usually would. Instead, he asked in a serious tone—
“Who gave you that card?”
