Chapter 68

Li Sipei’s birthday banquet was held at a five-star hotel in the city center. Since it was hosted by Madam Li, the scale of the event was naturally grand

—the entire hotel had been booked for the occasion.

Outside the hotel entrance, by the fountain, luxury cars were parked in neat rows. Guests in elegant attire stepped out one after another, guided inside by hotel staff. The scene was lively and bustling.

Mi Zhao arrived quite late. He flashed his invitation to a staff member, who then led him to the banquet hall.

The hall was enormous—nearly twice the size of the one used for A University’s gala events.

A lavish, intricate crystal chandelier hung at the center of the ceiling. Against the stark white background, light and shadows intertwined like rippling water. Rows of delicate lights extended along the ceiling’s seams, shimmering like scattered diamonds.

The hall had been carefully arranged into different sections: a ballroom for social dancing, a lounge area with sofas, and a buffet station. Soft, elegant music floated through the air, accompanied by a melodious female voice singing in a language Mi Zhao couldn’t understand.

It sounded like French.

He tried to make out a few words but quickly gave up—he wasn’t even fluent in English.

As expected, he felt completely out of place here. The moment he stepped in, he became stiff and uneasy, unlike the other guests, who moved about gracefully.

Honestly, the street-side food stalls behind the hotel suited him much better.

Mi Zhao wandered around aimlessly for a while before settling in an inconspicuous corner. He grabbed a plate of fruit and, while eating, scanned the crowd for Li Sipei.

It didn’t take long to spot him.

There was no denying that Li Sipei was even more eye-catching standing than when he was in his wheelchair. He had broad shoulders, a slim waist, and stood at least 1.85 meters tall. The tailored suit he wore accentuated his proportions to near perfection.

He was listening to an elderly man speak, his head slightly tilted, eyes lowered, lips lightly pressed together, occasionally nodding in response.

The old man held a glass of red wine. Whenever he got excited about something, he would take a sip. A waiter passed by carrying a tray, and the old man gestured for Li Sipei to have a drink.

But Li Sipei declined outright, not even giving him face.

The old man chuckled at his response and didn’t press further.

Although there weren’t many people around them, from Mi Zhao’s vantage point, he could clearly see that some guests were eager to approach. One particularly bold woman had her eyes locked onto Li Sipei, unable to look away.

Mi Zhao took a seat on a nearby sofa, watching while eating his fruit.

He wasn’t worried about others coveting Li Sipei— he was just surprised by how many people were interested in him. With a rough count, there were at least six or seven people lingering near him.

His husband was even more popular than he had imagined…

As he chewed on a grape, he started to feel a little sour himself.

Swallowing the fruit, he was about to grab something else to eat when he noticed, out of the corner of his eye, that someone had sat down beside him.

Turning his head, he saw a man he didn’t recognize.

But the man seemed to know him. He smiled at Mi Zhao after sitting down, staring so openly that it made leaving feel awkward. Mi Zhao, who had been half-rising from his seat, hesitated and sat back down.

The man held an empty wine glass, likely having just finished socializing. He leaned forward to place the glass on the table, then turned back to ask, “Do you live in Longwan Community?”

Mi Zhao frowned slightly and asked instead, “Do you know me?”

“No, but I’ve seen you a few times.” The man studied his reaction for a moment, then, as if confirming something, said with a hint of regret, “Seems like you don’t remember me.”

Mi Zhao’s frown deepened.

He had no impression of this man at all. But the way the stranger suddenly struck up a conversation made him uncomfortable.

Tightening his grip on his plate, he glanced toward Li Sipei.

That was when he realized that, at some point, Li Sipei had also noticed him.

And he was staring in his direction with an unreadable expression.

Their eyes met.

The corners of Mi Zhao’s lips lifted slightly, and he winked at Li Sipei.

Li Sipei’s gaze remained icy, but at least his expression wasn’t as unpleasant as before.

The man beside him, unaware of their exchange, continued talking. “I live in Longwan Community too, in your building. We’ve run into each other in the elevator a few times. I even greeted you once-do you remember now?”

Mi Zhao withdrew his gaze from Li Sipei and looked at the man.

“I forgot,” he said succinctly.

“….” The man was speechless for nearly half a minute.

“You go ahead. I’m leaving,” Mi Zhao said, getting

く

up.

The man hesitated. “Are you here with someone?”

Something about the way he asked made Mi Zhao pause.

Standing by the sofa, he studied the man for a moment and suddenly understood his intent. His lips curled into a smile-one that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Sorry, but I’m taken,” he said flatly.

The man was momentarily stunned, his expression shifting through various emotions. After a long pause, he nodded. “Alright.”

As soon as Mi Zhao left, another figure silently took his place on the sofa.

The man poured himself another half-glass of red wine, feeling a little disappointed.

He had noticed Mi Zhao arriving alone while parking outside. After observing him for a while inside and seeing that he remained unaccompanied, he decided to strike up a conversation after his business interactions were over.

The boy was exactly his type whether it was his looks, physique, or even his demeanor, he seemed tailor-made to his taste.

Too bad he was already taken.

Before he could dwell on it further, a hand casually rested on his thigh.

Turning his head, he saw a familiar face-the same one he had woken up to every morning these past few days.

“You’re here,” the man said, smiling as he clasped Lin Qiuzu’s hand.

Tonight, Lin Qiuzu was dressed like a flamboyant butterfly. As he leaned in, the scent of his cologne enveloped the man completely.

The man wrinkled his nose slightly—he actually didn’t like strong perfumes. The faint scent of laundry detergent on that young man earlier had been just right.

“Why are you sitting here? I’ve been looking for you forever,” Lin Qiuzu said. Not wanting to draw attention, he quickly withdrew his hand from the man’s thigh.

But his gaze was blatant and filled with desire, his eyes smoldering with an almost tangible allure.

The man held his gaze for a few seconds before suddenly chuckling. “Just finished socializing and found a quiet spot to rest for a bit.”

Lin Qiuzu smiled knowingly. He had already noticed the interaction between the man and Mi Zhao earlier. Seeing them part on seemingly bad terms had pleased him immensely.

“Are you done socializing?” he asked softly.

The man smiled briefly, then replied with understanding, “I’ve met everyone I needed to.”

“Shall we go?”

“Alright.”

Meanwhile, Mi Zhao found another seat and soon noticed the man and Lin Qiuzu leaving the hall together. He raised an eyebrow, instantly grasping the situation.

So they knew each other.

No wonder he had felt so uncomfortable when talking to that man.

But Lin Qiuzu’s taste in men was still as questionable as ever. Whether it was Yu Xingteng, Li Yan, or the man he had gone out with earlier, none of them were easy to deal with.

Mi Zhao withdrew his gaze and looked toward Li Sipei in the crowd.

By now, it was already past ten in the evening. A hotel staff member wheeled out a dining cart, atop which sat a beautifully crafted five-tier cake.

The crystal chandelier hanging at the center of the ceiling suddenly went dark, leaving only a dim circle of small lights at the edges. The faint glow was far from enough to illuminate the grand hall.

At the same time, the birthday song began to play.

A round spotlight shone onto the large cake on the dining cart, casting both Li Sipei and Madam Li, who stood beside it, into its glow.

All eyes in the hall focused on the mother and son. The silence was so profound that even the sound of a pin dropping could be heard—no whispers, no murmurs.

Mi Zhao was entirely swallowed by the darkness, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on Li Sipei. With his status, he had no way of securing a prime spot near the mother and son. While others sat where they could be seen at a glance, he was positioned near a large column.

Fortunately, from here, he could still see Li Sipei.

Since stepping into this hall, the stark difference in their social standing had become increasingly evident to him. In all his years, he had never had a birthday banquet like this—never had the elite of high society celebrating his birthday. Everything before him looked like something out of a television drama. If not for knowing Li Sipei, he wouldn’t even have the right to step into this place.

Madam Li, who was well-maintained and elegant, stood beside Li Sipei looking more like his sister than his mother. With a polite smile, she first expressed her gratitude to the guests before prompting Li Sipei to make a wish.

Throughout the entire process, Li Sipei didn’t utter a single word, nor did he bother to put on a smile. He did whatever Madam Li instructed—closing his eyes briefly and perfunctorily making a wish before taking the knife handed to him by a staff member and starting to cut the cake.

Once the cake was cut, the chandelier lights brightened once more, and the birthday song faded back into the previous background music.

The atmosphere instantly lightened.

The guests seated in front of Mi Zhao rose one after another, seemingly eager to approach the mother and son. With his view blocked, Mi Zhao stood up as well, preparing to find Li Sipei.

At that moment, a hand holding a slice of cake extended toward him.

Following the hand upward, Mi Zhao’s gaze landed on Li Sipei’s smiling face. After keeping his expression cold all night, Li Sipei finally showed a smile, making him look much more pleasant.

Mi Zhao had always liked seeing Li Sipei smile.

“For me?” he asked.

“This is the only piece I cut seriously,” Li Sipei replied. “Want to try?”

Mi Zhao pursed his lips before taking the plate. “Are you done here?”

“Mm.”

“Can we leave?”

“Mm.”

Mi Zhao finished the cake while standing, then set the empty plate and fork on the table. “Let’s go. I still have a gift for you.”

Many guests had brought gifts tonight, and just by looking at the elaborate packaging, one could tell they were extravagant. Yet, none of them seemed to interest Li Sipei. But now, hearing Mi Zhao’s words, he suddenly became curious. “What gift?”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

Mi Zhao worried that leaving so abruptly wouldn’t look good, but Li Sipei showed no concern at all. He was even more eager than Mi Zhao. Several people who had intended to strike up a conversation hesitated, their steps faltering under Li Sipei’s gaze before they even got close.

The two of them moved swiftly toward the entrance of the hall. Just as they reached the door, Mi Zhao instinctively turned back for a glance.

At that moment, he locked eyes with Madam Li, who was watching him from afar.

Surrounded by a crowd of guests, Madam Li maintained her graceful smile, yet the warmth never reached her eyes.

Just that one glance sent a chill down Mi Zhao’s spine, making it momentarily difficult for him to move forward.

Then, a warm hand took his. Fingers interlocked, palm pressed against his skin.

“Let’s go,” Li Sipei said.

Mi Zhao lowered his gaze, looking at their joined hands.

There were still many people watching them, and they had undoubtedly seen this moment as well. He hesitated for a brief second—then, instead of letting go, he gripped Li Sipei’s hand even tighter.

“…Okay.”