Chapter 409

The lights in the hall sparkled, falling on the guests' luxurious attire, a feast for the eyes.

Mu Youyu and Jiang Liangjin appear.

Mu Youyu appears again, possibly with no other names.

C City appears. Also maybe "cooperation party" is not a name.

Thinking that she still had another event in the afternoon where she couldn't afford to be this nervous, she grew a bit more confident.

Someone whispered, their volume kept very low; she could barely hear, catching only a few words.

Mu Family and Young Master Jiang. Also, "Young Master Jiang" is what that term means.

I heard today is the handover of authority? Taking over at sixteen, Jiang Director is also reluctant to let go.

Jiang Liangjin raised her eyebrows upon hearing this, and Jiang Su secretly wished for it.

At such a young age, can you handle it? Will you hand over part or all?

I heard they'll first make him CEO in name, then after graduation switch to chairman.

Not only the Jiang family is handing over authority; the Shen family also has one this afternoon. Have you all received the invitations?

……

Jiang Liangjin gripped her hand tighter, comforting her, 'Let's go see the elders first?'

Okay.

The two walked through the crowd to the front of the main table.

Jiang Su and Shen Ningmu were already standing there, with Jiang Ye Ye and the direct elders of the Jiang-Shen family beside them.

Shen Ningmu wore a burgundy dress today, her hair up, looking more dignified than usual.

Upon seeing Mu Youyu, her eyes lit up: 'A-Yu is here! Come over so Auntie can look at you.'

Mu Youyu obediently walked over: 'Hello, Auntie.'

Shen Ningmu pulled her hand and examined her from all sides—left, right, back, front—each view cute, saying, 'Really pretty, who picked this outfit?'

My older brother.

"Good eye!" Shen Ningmu praised, then leaned close to her ear and lowered her voice: 'Mu Yichi tried on ten outfits this morning before finally choosing this one.'

Mu Youyu couldn't help but glance at Jiang Liangjin.

The boy stood beside Jiang Su listening to what he said, noticed her gaze, turned his head, met her eyes, and the corner of his mouth curved again.

Mu Youyu quickly averted her gaze.

Shen Ningmu saw this, smiled with deep meaning: 'Go sit down, you'll have something to do later.'

Mu Youyu didn't understand the meaning of those words, and was pushed by Shen Ningmu toward the main table.

The main table is large, seating about thirty; the Mu and Song families have already filled most of the seats.

Grandfather Mu sat near the middle, with Grandma Song beside him, then the uncles and aunts.

All the brothers, even those studying abroad, came as promised.

As Mu Youyu just walked over, Mu Xi stood up to pull out a chair for her: 'Sit here.'

But Shen Ningmu smiled and waved, reached out to support her arm and guide her to the head seat: 'Come, sit in the head seat.'

Mu Youyu looked at the vacant head seat and softly objected: 'Isn't today Mu Yichi's birthday?'

"Good child," Shen Ningmu rubbed her head affectionately, "It's nothing; Mu Yichi's is ours Mu Youyu's, just treat it as your own birthday too."

Jiang Liangjin's tone was indulgent: 'Right, what's mine is yours.'

"That's right!" Grandfather Jiang had been sitting elsewhere, and deliberately didn't take the head seat, ordering servants to push two tables close to the head seat, pressing them tightly together.

The Mu and Song families were very pleased, seeing the sincerity of the Jiang-Shen family.

Mu Nian said: 'Little sister, hurry and sit.'

Lu Yuchu brushed aside Song Yan's hand, interjected: 'Right, little sister, this is your and Mu Yichi's seat.'

Mu Youyu obediently sat down, and Jiang Liangjin naturally sat beside her.

Mu Yichi leaned close to his brother and asked: 'Is everyone here?'

Mu Xin glanced around: 'Qing An hasn't arrived yet.'

Not long after those words were spoken, a commotion came from the doorway.

Everyone turned toward the sound and saw Qing An striding in, followed by two attendants each holding a carved wooden-pattern gift box, the boxes tied with gold ribbons.

He wore formal attire, his blond hair neatly combed, making him look rather proper.

Qing An immediately spotted the main table side, walked over quickly: 'Didn't I arrive late?'

Mu Xin: 'Just in time.'

Qing An set the box on the table, first greeted Grandfather Mu and Grandma Song, then turned to Jiang Liangjin, pulled out a palm-sized velvet box from his pocket, tossed it over casually: 'This is for you.'

"Thank you, Brother Qing An." Jiang Liangjin caught it, then passed it to the bodyguard.

Song Yusui, who had specially taken leave to come here, jumped up from his seat: '!! Who let you give gifts now? We haven't given any yet.'

Qing An slipped both hands into his pockets, posture relaxed: 'Yo ho ho, I don't care, I'm happy to do it, just to piss you off.'

He plopped down beside Mu Xin, leaned in and whispered: 'Guess who I met on the way?'

Mu Xin had a blank expression: 'I won't guess.'

Qing An was momentarily choked, but not deterred, lowered his voice and leaned in mysteriously: 'I met your mom.'

Mu Xin finally gave him a proper look, a hint of surprise flashing in her light-blue eyes: 'My mom? And then?'

When did she return to the country?

Mu Youyu, Mu Xi, and Mu Nian were all surprised—truly rare.

"And your dad was also there; he asked if I was going to attend Mu Yichi's birthday banquet, I said yes, so he had me bring this." Qing An then pulled out another envelope from his pocket and handed it to Jiang Liangjin: "This is from your future father-in-law."

Jiang Liangjin's fingertip touched the envelope, and she paused slightly.

Mu Youyu heard the four words "future father-in-law" from the side, and almost choked on her own saliva.

She tilted her head and glared at Qing An, who mistook it for a little sister acting cute, and felt extremely pleased.

Jiang Liangjin didn't open the envelope in front of everyone, but simply handed it to the bodyguard waiting nearby, telling him to keep it safe, then glanced at Mu Youyu.

Their eyes met, and the brothers thought they were exchanging some secret signal, then each looked away.

Mu Youyu picked up the cup in front of her, took a sip of water, and pretended nothing had happened.

The brothers were noisy, guests arrived one after another, and the hall's volume grew louder and louder.

Time was up, Jiang Su eagerly walked onto the stage, tapped the microphone, and the whole venue fell silent.

Media reporters set up their live broadcast equipment, flash lights primed, waiting for him to speak.

Jiang Su adjusted the collar of his suit, walked onto the stage, aura fully open, "Thank you all for gracing us with your presence today to attend my beloved son's sixteenth birthday banquet."

Jiang Liangjin felt uncomfortable all over from his saying "beloved son."

Jiang Su didn't care about those, he curled his finger and tapped the microphone again, scanned the crowd below, finally landing on Jiang Liangjin and Mu Youyu at the main table.

"Sixteen years old, in our Jiang Family, is also a kind of adulthood."

No one downstairs spoke.

Mu Youyu, being looked at like that, reached out and grabbed Jiang Liangjin to sit up a bit straighter.