After Flirting with the God-Tier Beautiful Tycoon - Chapter 3

The next day, the air pressure was low, suggesting rain was coming.

Sun Jiabao’s birthday celebration was a traditional family banquet, set in the largest hotel in the south city, Zhanghua Garden. In the huge banquet hall, only eight round tables were loosely placed.

This banquet hall was called “Ji Xiang Ru Yi” (Good Fortune and Ruyi), the most luxurious one in Zhanghua Garden, and naturally, the most luxurious in the entire South City, requiring a minimum reservation of fifty tables.

Many relatives were present, but the only person attending as a friend was Shen Xiaojiang.

She held a bouquet of pink flowers and stood outside the hall entrance, waiting for Sun Jiabao to come and greet her.

The VIP elevator stopped, and four people stood inside: two bodyguards in black suits, Chen Yi, and He Zhong.

He Zhong was the first to spot Shen Xiaojiang.

“Seventh Mistress, this…” He turned his head.

Chen Yi also looked in that direction, her expression calm. “Mm, I see her.”

Shen Xiaojiang didn’t notice anyone else; she lowered her head to lightly smell the flowers in her hand, the corners of her mouth slightly lifted.

Her eyes were big and beautiful, her dark pupils exceptionally deep, and the whites of her eyes were clean and clear. She had the kind of look that made people want to approach her.

Today, she was wearing a white shirt, light blue skinny jeans, and classic black canvas shoes.

The cheap, less than one-hundred-yuan red small bag carried on her, surprisingly gave off the feeling of a luxury item from a specialty counter.

The shirt was loosely tucked into her jeans, a combination of convention mixed with a touch of just-right playfulness.

Her whole presence was like a sea breeze, carrying a captivating saltiness and ease.

This was the first time Chen Yi had seen a girl with this kind of appearance.

Shen Xiaojiang’s eyes widened slightly, but she quickly returned to normal.

“Ginger Baby, you’re finally here!” Sun Jiabao squeezed out a voice and walked out, lifting her skirt.

Shen Xiaojiang first gave her an eye roll, then held the flowers out to her. “Happy birthday.”

Sun Jiabao released her skirt, covered her mouth with both hands, exaggerating wildly. “Oh my, are these for me? Really?”

Shen Xiaojiang gave a relaxed smile, saying lightly, “You misunderstood, they’re for the dog.”

“Big Ginger, I hate you!” Sun Jiabao said she hated it, but still eagerly hooked her arm through Shen Xiaojiang’s.

“It’s just a birthday, do you have to dress so grandly?” Shen Xiaojiang said, while actively reaching out to help Sun Jiabao hold up her skirt.

“Pretty? My aunt bought it for me, she said it’s by some Italian designer.” Sun Jiabao was about to spin around to show it off but was ruthlessly stopped by Shen Xiaojiang.

“Beautiful like you’re about to get married,” Shen Xiaojiang said, then thoughtfully helped Sun Jiabao adjust the flowing sash at her waist.

Shen Xiaojiang was like that a tongue sharp as a knife, but a heart made of tofu.

She was verbally biting, yet her actions were gentle to the core.

Not only did Sun Jiabao love her, but anyone who spent time with her came to love her too.

After the two figures completely disappeared, Chen Yi slowly walked out of the elevator.

She removed her sunglasses. “Are the two of them that close? Why have I never heard Jiabao mention it before?”

He Zhong lowered his voice and said, “Shen Xiaojiang usually focuses on reading while working part-time, and she mostly keeps to herself. However, she and Miss Sun have been best friends since high school.”

“High school?”

He Zhong nodded.

Sun Jiabao didn’t attend high school in South City, but in Shen Xiaojiang’s hometown, Hai City.

Back then, South City was not as prosperous as it is now, with fewer job opportunities and greater pressure to live. Sun Jiabao’s parents were forced to do business in Hai City and took their daughter with them. Sun Jiabao finished high school in Hai City before returning to South City for university.

Guests entered one after another, leaving only a middle-aged woman looking around at the entrance.

She was Chen Yi’s cousin, Sun Jiabao’s mother, Chen Fangru.

“Cousin!” Chen Yi’s face showed an expression different from her usual one.

“Xiao Qi!” Chen Fangru exclaimed excitedly.

“Sorry, Cousin, I’m late.” Standing next to Chen Fangru, Chen Yi immediately shed her aura of intensity, becoming gentle and obedient.

“Nonsense, you’re so busy with work, it’s wonderful that you could spare the time to come.” Seeing Chen Fangru smile, Chen Yi also smiled.

“Just busy with trivial things,” Chen Yi handed the gift bag to Chen Fangru. “This is for Jiabao.”

“Why did you buy another…” Chen Fangru’s smile lessened. “This Ji Xiang Ru Yi hall, you booked it under my name, so you paid the deposit, didn’t you?”

Without Chen Yi’s connections, Chen Fangru couldn’t have booked a venue as high-spec as the Ji Xiang Ru Yi hall for just eight tables.

Chen Fangru pushed the gift back, saying earnestly, “It’s not easy for you to earn money; you don’t need to spend so much.”

Chen Yi smiled without saying anything.

Chen Fangru led her to the main table. “Jiabao, look who’s here.”

Hearing the voice, Sun Jiabao turned her head, surprised and delighted. “Oh my goodness! Little Aunt! How did you manage to come?”

Chen Fangru lightly patted Sun Jiabao’s shoulder. “What, can’t your Little Aunt come?”

Sun Jiabao rubbed the spot that was patted, feeling wronged, and muttered, “No, it’s just Little Aunt has never attended family banquets before…”

Chen Yi’s eyes were calm, and her smile was composed and elegant. “Jiabao, happy birthday.”

This “happy birthday” was exceptionally gentle and pleasant to hear.

Shen Xiaojiang couldn’t help but turn her head.

Just then, her eyes met Chen Yi’s clear, bright gaze.

A highly saturated amber color, like jade, like a cat’s eye, like a bottomless deep pool.

In that moment, time seemed to stand still.

Shen Xiaojiang’s heart skipped a beat.

A few seconds later, Chen Yi was the first to look away.

Shen Xiaojiang felt as if her soul had been hooked.

In all her life, this was the first time she had seen such a beautiful woman.

Her features were very defined, her skin glowed white, and every glance, every smile, told a story.

Despite the glamorous and seductive makeup, she looked more innocent and pure than anyone.

Her entire being was shrouded in a thin white veil, so unreal.

Like an ephemeral water lily, devastatingly beautiful, yet carrying an extra layer of fleeting sorrow.

Dangerous, contradictory, and captivating.

“Ginger, Ginger!” Sun Jiabao’s voice woke Shen Xiaojiang from her daze.

“What are you doing? I’ve called you a hundred times!” she said, pulling Shen Xiaojiang to sit down. “My little aunt, pretty, right?”

“Oh?” Shen Xiaojiang seemed slightly lost. “Oh.”

For the first time, she had this subtle feeling.

In the center of the main table was a tall crystal vase holding a bouquet of vibrant flowers.

The host entered, and a waiter removed the flower bouquet from the center of the main table, instantly clearing Shen Xiaojiang’s view.

It was then she realized that the person sitting opposite her was none other than Chen Yi, who had almost stolen her soul.

Coincidentally, the other person was also looking at her.

For some reason, Shen Xiaojiang felt uneasy, and this time, it was her turn to look away first.

After the host finished the welcome speech, the lights in the hall suddenly dimmed.

A soothing melody filled the hall, and old photographs appeared on the large screen.

Anyone who didn’t know would truly think this was a wedding reception.

Shen Xiaojiang pursed her lips and quietly teased Sun Jiabao next to her, “You looked better when you were little.”

Before Sun Jiabao could respond, Shen Xiaojiang immediately turned her head back to watch the screen.

The person in the photos had changed from a naive little girl to a graceful young woman.

At this point, Shen Xiaojiang, driven by an impulse, tilted her head and glanced across the table.

Chen Yi’s short hair was ash blonde, curled inwards at the ends, highlighting her slender, long neck.

She was wearing a black linen suit jacket, with the sleeves rolled up twice to expose a striped lining, over a dark green silk slip dress. Separated by the jacket, Shen Xiaojiang couldn’t imagine the exact style of the dress.

Chen Yi held her arms crossed, her head tilted at a forty five degree angle, her gaze sincere and genuine.

She was truly beautiful, even more so the longer Shen Xiaojiang looked, she thought.

Shen Xiaojiang liked beautiful women.

It was the kind of affection where, as soon as she saw a beauty, she felt dizzy and couldn’t walk away.

Just then, Chen Yi briefly glanced in Shen Xiaojiang’s direction, catching her red-handed.

Shen Xiaojiang had originally intended to snap her head back before the other person could react, but today, she was a beat too slow.

As the saying goes, if you’re not embarrassed, the embarrassment belongs to others.

So, instead of flinching, Shen Xiaojiang smiled openly at her.

Chen Yi saw that smile, and her heart gave a sudden lurch.

Halfway through the meal, people started coming to the main table to offer toasts.

This was the part Shen Xiaojiang disliked the most.

They were all strangers, yet she had to cooperate and say all sorts of insincere things.

“Classmate, keep getting along well with Jiabao at school, and if you need anything, just let the uncle know…”

“You and our Jiabao are both top students, you’ll be the pillars of South City in the future!”

Shen Xiaojiang was like a dust covered artificial flower, expressionless and silent.

Unlike Chen Yi, she absolutely would not bestow a smile upon people who were irrelevant to her.

Inadvertently, she glanced at Chen Yi, who was quietly sitting in her seat, playing on her phone.

No one came to toast her, and no one spoke to her.

Her presence felt out of place with everything around her.

Even after all the people toasting had left, no one engaged with her.

She was like a ghost, unseen by anyone.

Why was this?

Shen Xiaojiang had no idea.

Just then, a waiter, holding a dish in one hand, turned the glass Lazy Susan on the table with the other.

He accidentally splashed bright red soup onto Chen Yi’s black suit jacket.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…” the waiter apologized repeatedly.

Chen Yi’s expression was as calm as water; while taking off her jacket, she squeezed two words through her teeth. “It’s fine.”

She draped her jacket over the back of the chair, her movements slow and graceful. Dozens of eyes in the room stared intently at her.

Shen Xiaojiang was no exception.

Because beneath Chen Yi’s suit was a dark green halter neck dress that exposed her entire back.

It was completely unsuitable attire for an ordinary family banquet like this, more fitting for a high-end society evening gala.

Shen Xiaojiang wasn’t interested in such skimpy outfits, but it looked incredibly good on Chen Yi, and she couldn’t help but take a couple more glances.

Even more eye catching was the tattoo covering her entire back.

A floral tattoo.

Shen Xiaojiang didn’t like flowers and didn’t study them much.

But at this moment, she wanted to know what variety of flower this was, and she even started planning what kind of vase she would need to keep it in later.

Chen Yi wore a fine pearl necklace, and the clasp had a very long extension chain that reached all the way from the back of her neck to her tailbone.

If beauty could kill, no one present would have survived.

“Vixen! She can’t go a day without causing trouble!”

“What kind of day is it today? Does she have to wear something like that? No shame.”

“You don’t even need to think about where she works; the men who’ve been under her skirt probably number more than ten fingers.”

People at the back tables were whispering, and Shen Xiaojiang instinctively frowned upon hearing it.

The clean banquet hall was suddenly filled with a dirty stench.

She suddenly remembered a meme online:

“What does a woman with a tattoo represent?”

“It represents your prejudice against her.”

She didn’t know Chen Yi and refused to speculate about any of her actions.

She only knew that what clothes she wore, what tattoo she got, and where she worked were all Chen Yi’s freedom.

Shen Xiaojiang turned her head and glared at the two people who were whispering.

To be precise, it wasn’t just a glance, but a full glare.

Truthfully, Shen Xiaojiang didn’t know why she did that.

In any case, she glared, and it was quite fierce.

When she turned back, Chen Yi had already left the table and walked toward the restroom.

After a while, Sun Jiabao was led away by her mother to toast the elders.

Shen Xiaojiang was a little uncomfortable sitting alone.

She looked at the empty seat opposite Chen Yi hadn’t returned yet.

So, she got up and also walked in the direction of the restroom.