84 1.3.6: Birthday Celebration II

As she got inside, she suddenly felt her stomach churning. Butterflies roamed in her stomach and she felt strangely nervous.

Qiang Yue flashed her his gentle smile, and gripped her shaking hand.

"Are you alright?"

Despite the heavy feeling on his chest that he constantly felt after the death of his father, in front of Xiao Yunhua, he always tried to hide it so that she wouldn't sense his depressed aura.

He didn't want her to feel heavy like him, hence why he smiled like nothing was wrong.

Seeing his smile, she felt dazed.

As genuine as he tried to make it, she could clearly see himself forcing himself to smile.

Her words of feeling a little nauseous were swallowed back and she nodded.

"I'm fine. Just a little dizzy."

Immediately, worry filled his eyes and he gripped her hand harder in concern.

"If you don't feel well, then please, stay back. I'll gift and greet my friend, then return to the hospital. It's nothing extremely important to have you there."

Xiao Yunhua shook her head, her frenzied hair falling gracefully on her shoulders.

Qiang Yue subconsciously watched the movement out of the corner of his eye then returned his focus back to her.

"I promised you. Besides, it's nothing too bad. I think it's probably because I haven't eaten anything for a couple of hours."

She sheepishly smiled, to which she looked a bit childish despite her appearance.

Qiang Yue wanted to scold her for forgetting to take care of herself, but in the end, he could only chuckle and look at her dotingly.

"I'll take you somewhere to eat."

"No!" She cleared her throat awkwardly for blurting out the word too loudly.

"I'm sure there will be something to snack on when we arrive. I don't want to be the reason for us being late."

As much as Qiang Yue wanted to tell her that it didn't matter and her health was more important, he stopped himself when he saw the resolute look in her eyes.

He started the car and began driving, but for a reason that only he knew about, he didn't release his grip on her hand until she gently reminded to drive with both hands to prevent any accidents. 

When they arrived, Xiao Yunhua felt shivers again.

The butterflies from earlier were roaming around in her stomach fervently and her conscious was telling her that something was going to happen.

Whether good or bad, she wasn't sure.

When Qiang Yue parked the car, she finally had the chance to look at where the birthday celebration was being held at. When she looked at it, she felt startled because it looked strangely familiar.

A towering, majestic and noble mansion, the same mansion that she had seen on multiple events... the Zhou Mansion!

She immediately paled and turned to Qiang Yue to ask him who his friend was. But before she could get the chance, Zhou Elder, who stood at the door anticipating their arrival, immediately greeted them. "Qiang Yue, so happy that you could make it."

"Mr. Zhou, you didn't have to greet us personally." Qiang Yue said calmly, feeling a bit suspicious directed at the old man.

"Qiang Yue, you shouldn't call me so formally, call me Uncle." Before Qiang Yue had a chance to retort, Zhou Elder turned his attention to Xiao Yunhua.

He smiled warmly, showing no indication that he knew her true identity nor that he had investigated her. His expression was one of a magnanimous elder meeting someone for the first time. "We met at the funeral, yet I feel like it wasn't a proper place to meet. A pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Miss..."

"Xiahu. Xiahu Yunhua is my name, sir. A pleasure to meet you as well." She extended her hand and firmly shook his hand. Neither will willing to portray how they really felt at that moment, but Zhou Elder knew that her little façade was going to shatter the moment that she was exposed.

"Come in, both of you." Zhou Elder guided them inside. The Zhou mansion was so large that they had an assembly room as large as three quarters of Riverside altogether. They had wanted to hold Zhou Ming's birthday celebration elsewhere, but Zhou Eldress suggested that the man would prefer it to be in his home after being away for so long.

Besides, it could allow the potential bridal candidate to familiarize herself with the mansion that she would be taking care of as the matron.

As Zhou Elder led them to the room, Xiao Yunhua realized that people there were looking at her and Qiang Yue. Looking at their appearance, she could immediately understand why. It was like putting an angel and a devil together, side-by-side. They seemed incompatible, but light and dark standing next to each other, as well as how beautiful the couple was... it didn't cause a bad picture.

In fact, they matched well.

But Xiao Yunhua didn't know that and assumed that they looked odd.

When the doors finally opened, Xiao Yunhua looked around and froze.

Her worst nightmare was about to happen.

There, with an unfamiliar woman standing next to him, was Zhou Lang.

Across from his table, with a clingy Kang Yiyi was Zhou Feng.

And finally, her eyes met with the person in the center. When she saw his dark and enchanting eyes, she wanted to faint.

Why was the man from her almost-one-night-stand here!?