Chapter 10: Star River Enters a Dream

This time Song Huan Yan didn't pause, but calmly ordered, "Throw the person out."

The bodyguard behind replied "Yes," but Qin Jiao Jiao rushed forward, angrily pointing at Song Huan Yan, "I know! You hooked up with another man! So you dumped my brother, deliberately making him look bad on a day like this! You even spent all his savings on this banquet, claiming it was your birthday party, just to show off! What kind of fake rich girl are you, you vicious woman!"

It isn't surprising that Qin Jiao Jiao says this, because Qin Zi Mo outwardly shows extreme love for her and treats her exceptionally well.

Song Huan Yan didn't want to argue with the Qin family here, and calmly ordered again, "Throw (her) out."

"What are you pretending?" Qin Jiao Jiao snorted disdainfully, then suddenly pointed to the side, "The man you were hooking up with is him! Or rather, you want to hook up with him!"

Only then did Song Huan Yan realize that Nan Gong Yu was still standing nearby.

Probably… just watching?

She happened to glance over, and the bodyguard beside Nan Gong Yu stepped forward and slapped Qin Jiao Jiao, "How dare you tarnish Mr. Nan Gong's reputation; you have some nerve!"

"What?" Qin Jiao Jiao covered her face.

Even though she had only just arrived in Kyoto and lacked experience, she at least knew that this lavish, costly hotel was called "Nan Gong."

Song Huan Yan slowly raised an eyebrow—are the boss's bodyguards even more swift and fierce?

At this moment, Song Huan Yan's bodyguard, feeling affronted, stepped forward and slapped the other side of Qin Jiao Jiao's face, "How dare you tarnish the reputation of the Song Family Heiress Song Huan Yan; you're courting death!"

Song Huan Yan: "...."

Is there even a desire for rivalry?

"What? Song Family… Heiress?" Qin Jiao Jiao was utterly incredulous.

But Nan Gong Yu's bodyguard had already stepped forward without hesitation and hauled Qin Jiao Jiao away.

Qin Jiao Jiao, having been hit, had her five‑year‑old son wailing loudly, repeatedly shouting, "You bad woman, don't hit my mother, or I'll kill you!"

Song Huan Yan remained expressionless, deaf to it.

Terrified, Qin Jiao Jiao's husband Li Zihang frantically clamped the child's mouth, yet dared not step forward to defend his wife.

The Qin family shouted, "What are you doing? This is the banquet my son booked!"

"Song Huan Yan, what kind of heiress are you? Aren't you just working for General Sang?"

The family was dragged away, and the noisy chatter finally faded.

But Song Huan Yan felt a bit awkward; she didn't know whether this counted as Nan Gong Yu helping her out of the jam.

Seems not.

He seemed only to be spectating; Qin Jiao Jiao's words offended him, so his bodyguard acted, not deliberately to rescue her.

The bodyguards on both sides were hitting the same person, yet each struck separately, as if unrelated.

Song Huan Yan looked at Nan Gong Yu, her gaze cold.

Nan Gong Yu also happened to look at her, equally cold, even colder, and aloof.

The two just stared, seemingly both unskilled at greeting or initiating conversation.

Or perhaps the bodyguards around Nan Gong Yu were the first to bow and say in unison, "Hello, Miss Song."

Song Huan Yan's bodyguards immediately bowed toward the opposite side, saying, "Greetings, Lord Nan."

Song Huan Yan: "...."

Both sides' bodyguards straightened simultaneously, and only then did Nan Gong Yu, still cold, give Song Huan Yan a slight nod.

Song Huan Yan also gave a courteous nod in response.

At the spacious elevator entrance, Nan Gong Yu didn't step in first; instead, he looked at her.

Quite gentlemanly.

His face was excessively handsome, his aura sharply imposing; looking at him for a few extra seconds felt uncomfortable, almost overwhelming.

Song Huan Yan nodded, lifted a foot, and entered the elevator.

There were too many bodyguards behind them to all enter; only a few followed in.

Thus the elevator remained spacious, not crowded.

Although both sides had many bodyguards, none were foolish enough to cram the elevator full…

Riding the same elevator, they both learned each other's identities, yet remained cold and silent.

But Song Huan Yan didn't mind, nor felt uneasy.

If we're not familiar, then we're not; there's no need to force familiarity.

It's just that the man's overwhelming aura spread everywhere, making even the already uncrowded elevator feel somewhat cramped.

Just as the floor neared, a pair of hands suddenly, with utmost respect, presented Song Huan Yan with a gift box.

The box was sizable, appearing to contain a set of jewelry.

Song Huan Yan was momentarily stunned.

Then she heard the man's cold voice say, "Happy birthday."

Song Huan Yan turned her gaze; the one handing over the gift was his bodyguard, while the speaker was him.

Song Huan Yan hadn't expected that today, aside from family, household servants, bodyguards, and her two close friends, the first person to say "Happy birthday" to her was actually him.

Song Huan Yan's bodyguard hurriedly extended both hands to receive the box for her first.

The two bodyguards seemed to be performing some sort of handover ceremony…

Song Huan Yan pursed her red lips and said, "Thank you."

Nan Gong Yu merely gave a cold nod.

When the elevator arrived, she stepped out first, heading to the lounge, while Nan Gong Yu went to the banquet hall.

In the lounge were Tang Chenge, Sang Wan, the makeup artist, and some attendants.

Song Family parents and the adopted son Song Qicheng were outside entertaining guests.

When Song Huan Yan entered, Sang Wan stepped forward and asked, "He didn't bully you, did he?"

Song Huan Yan raised an eyebrow, "He can't bully me."

The two pulled her onto the comfortable sofa, and Tang Chenge asked, "When the scumbag learned your identity, did he cry, sob, and roll around in self‑pity?"

Song Huan Yan nodded, "It seems that's how it was."

Tang Chenge and Sang Wan laughed heartily.

Song Huan Yan lowered her gaze, toyed with the diamond bracelet shimmering on her wrist, and said coolly, "It's only just begun."

The two close friends covered their mouths and giggled, "He deserves it!"

Sang Wan said, "He'll probably spend the rest of his life steeped in extreme regret. You're beautiful, come from a good family, and you've given him everything; anyone who loses someone like you would be so remorseful it would be unbearable. I truly don't know how he could be so desperate to cheat."

Song Huan Yan said coolly, "It's not hard to understand. Perhaps he deceived me with my lack of family background, which can't compare to a white‑rich‑beauty like Qiao An, who's also young."

Tang Chenge nodded, "Pah, how shameless! Qin Zi Mo probably thinks he's a superstar, a cut above everyone else. Compared with a real Aristocratic Family, he's like an ant. He's here in Kyoto… huh, I'm really looking forward to the days ahead."

Song Huan Yan nodded, "I'm looking forward to it too."

"Huh, what's this?" Sang Wan said, noticing the gift box Song Huan Yan had placed on the coffee table.

Sang Wan picked it up.

Song Huan Yan said, "I think I ran into Nan Gong Yu; this is the birthday gift he gave me."

Sang Wan and Tang Chenge raised their eyebrows together and exclaimed, "Yo, yo, yo!"

Tang Chenge said, "He's so busy that it's hard to see him even at banquets, and he came specially?"

"And on top of that, he prepared a gift and actually gave it to you in person!" Sang Wan added.

Usually gifts for such banquets are signed and sent straight to the reception desk.

"He probably doesn't have feelings for you, right?" Sang Wan said, rubbing his chin, "He knows you broke up, so…"

Song Huan Yan replied, "Come on, I just broke up; only a few people know."

Sang Wan pursed his lips, "That's true."

"Just a coincidence," Song Huan Yan said.

Tang Chenge asked, "Isn't he super handsome?!"

Song Huan Yan answered honestly, "Hmm, he does have a certain charm."

Sang Wan and Tang Chenge laughed inexplicably together, leaving Song Huan Yan a little puzzled.

Sang Wan said, "Let me see what was given!"

Tang Chenge, still holding Song Huan Yan, asked, "What did you two talk about? Did you exchange contact info? Did he approach you first?"

Before Song Huan Yan could speak, Sang Wan shouted, "Whoa! It's Star River Dream!"