Chapter 56: Birthday Party (Part Two)

Zhou Xiaoru felt that it wasn't that she was being pretentious, nor was she being too sensitive.

If it were in the past, she perhaps wouldn't have been able to tell whether the looks others gave her were good or bad.

Just like how she hadn't discovered back then that Gu Liyan's heart had always been occupied by someone else.

Things are different now; she has done countless part-time jobs, worked summer jobs, and searched for work many times.

She has failed, been scolded, and been treated with cold indifference.

She has seen all kinds of people: the good, the bad, the loyal, the treacherous, the deceitful, and the even more deceitful!

She cannot control the biased views of others, but she can control herself.

She feels that no one is born noble, and no one is born to be looked down upon.

She clearly saw contempt in the eyes of this middle-aged man!

Although they are not big shots and have no social background, she believes that as human beings, the most basic respect is fundamental!

It was precisely this contempt in his eyes that made her feel somewhat angry.

Thinking about it from another angle, she felt she was making a mountain out of a molehill; if others look down on her, that is their business.

Regardless of whether what the other party displays is hypocritical, feigned, or even disrespectful.

So what!

She has nothing to be haughty about either...

This is Zhou Xiaoru's self-identification and psychological adjustment.

An optimistic person should have the spirit and ability for self-mockery and self-adjustment.

That is what a certain Xiaoru believes.

If she had had this realization earlier, she wouldn't have overestimated her own abilities and gone to like a certain Gu.

But as the saying goes, everyone has the right to dream; what if it comes true one day!

And the beautiful dream of a Prince Charming that Miss Zhou had at sixteen—seven years later, although her dream has already awakened, it does not prevent it from truly coming true!

As she turned these thoughts over in her mind and sighed a basketful of laments, she had already walked toward the elevator.

This could not avoid the various surprised gazes from those around them, all shooting toward them at once!

Jiang Bufan almost wanted to use her own vicious gaze to sweep back and counterattack the people around them.

It's just a birthday party, what is there to be smug about!

When she has her birthday, she will go back to her hometown and set up several large tables to show them. A bunch of people who have never seen the world!

The two quickly walked to the elevator entrance and hurriedly pressed the button.

Behind them, Gu Liyan and Su Poyang had already spotted them.

Gu Liyan even strode over and grabbed a certain Xiaoru's arm.

The person being held tilted her head to look at the tall, handsome man behind her who had already changed into a new outfit!

Wow! Is this about to stage a modern Cinderella and domineering CEO drama now!

Life is like a play, it all depends on acting!

She would just watch how this guy performs next; she would definitely cooperate fully with the performance.

Gu Liyan gripped her arm and asked "affectionately."

"Didn't we agree to eat together?"

Zhou Xiaoru curled the corner of her mouth with a forced, insincere smile.

"This is a place for you to eat; it's not suitable for us!"

The man frowned slightly, "What's wrong with you?"

After asking, he glanced at the head butler who was still standing at the kitchen entrance not far away.

That head butler, receiving someone's gaze, couldn't help but have his expression falter, and he hurriedly walked over.

Meanwhile, Su Poyang and Shen Andong also walked over one after another.

Shen Andong thought something else had happened and asked.

"What's wrong?"

And walking over with them was also a woman dressed in a very noble and glamorous way.

When Jiang Bufan saw that woman, her expression changed too.

Why is Fang Qingkong here!

Zhou Xiaoru also saw her and couldn't help but snort coldly in her heart; it really is true that once you meet for the first time, the probability of bumping into each other increases significantly.

Fang Qingkong also took the initiative to greet her, "Hi, Xiaoru, you're here too."

She was specially dressed up today; looking at the person before her and the clothes she was wearing, the gaze of a quintessential wicked female supporting character couldn't help but emerge in a certain someone's eyes.

As soon as Zhou Xiaoru heard this "you're here too," she felt even more uncomfortable in her heart, and what was with that look.

This person isn't even with Gu Liyan right now, what is she being smug about!

Too lazy to look at that snake-spirit face, she retorted mercilessly.

"Are you talking to me!"

A certain snake-spirit face, upon hearing this, saw the smile on her exquisitely made-up face stiffen somewhat.

Then, our Miss Zhou was seen saying something else.

"Miss Fang, we seem to be... not familiar!" Don't act as if they are very close! They are complete strangers to each other!

Jiang Bufan saw more and more people seemingly gathering around to watch them, so she hurriedly pried at the hand of the man who was still grabbing a certain Xiaoru's arm.

While pulling, she said.

"You are holding a concubine-selection ceremony here today, right? We common folk won't join in the fun; please allow the two of us to take our leave."

Saying this instantly offended a whole group of ladies present.

Su Poyang's face twitched even more, and Shen Andong almost laughed out loud.

Looking at the handsome Gu Liyan again, from beginning to end, his eyes had been fixed on Zhou Xiaoru.

Jiang Bufan had been tugging for a long time, but she couldn't pull away the hand that was gripping Zhou Xiaoru; she was on the verge of going up and taking a bite out of it.

But our Miss Zhou was even more ruthless!

What Jiang Bufan was currently thinking of doing, but didn't dare to do, she had already done right under everyone's noses!

Zhou Xiaoru was seen saying coldly, "Let go!"

But the man acted as if he hadn't heard a thing, remaining completely unmoved!

He said, "After dinner, I will send you two back."

Zhou Xiaoru's good temper had, by this moment, been exhausted to the very last bit!

So this wasn't a play about a domineering CEO and Cinderella, but rather the domineering CEO falling in love with me directly!

She extended her other devilish claw and pinched directly onto the handsome Gu Liyan's fair, slender hand.

She didn't believe she couldn't make him feel pain.

But as the force in her hand increased, the man before her only furrowed his brows, yet refused to let go no matter what.

This, in turn, made Fang Qingkong, who was on the side, ache with distress.

She had already walked over and started joining the ranks of those pulling at his arm.

She even reproached Zhou Xiaoru, "Xiaoru, how can you pinch Liyan? Let go quickly."

At this moment, the back of his hand had already been pinched red. Such an act instantly shocked all the female spectators present.

In those eyes, each one like a snake spirit, shot rays of venomous light!

Zhou Xiaoru, however, couldn't care about that much; now, whoever made her unhappy, she would make them regret it.

Her hand did not stop its movement, and she stared coldly at the person who had spoken.

"Miss Fang! What are you to this gentleman!"

"......" Fang Qingkong was speechless for a moment, thought about it, and said.

"Regardless of what our relationship is, you can't just pinch people!"

The aforementioned Xiaoru curled her lips into a cold sneer, "Heh! Like Zhou Yu beating Huang Gai, one is willing to beat, and the other is willing to suffer! If he feels my actions make him uncomfortable, he can beat me directly! What does it have to do with you!"

"You!!"

These words left Fang Qingkong speechless, and her face turned bright red.

Conversely, the gentleman being pinched was not angry; in his eyes and on his face, a trace of warmth and a smile even faintly emerged.

Finally, this grand drama of arm-tugging drew its curtain as the gentleman was the first to let go.

At this time, Zhou Xiaoru, in front of everyone, made another shocking move.

Pulling Jiang Bufan, who was beside her, she bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle toward Su Poyang on the other side.

She said, "Sorry! I've caused you some trouble today, and I apologize to you here. With this, all our past grievances are wiped clean! Tomorrow I will officially resign from the company. Thank you, President Su and President Gu, for your special care over these past two months! I will remember it for the rest of my life! Finally, I wish President Su that every year has this day, and every day has this moment!"

In the future, on Qingming Festival, she would remember to offer a few extra sticks of incense! To thank them for their past care!

As she finished speaking, the elevator behind them opened right on cue.

The two turned around again and walked into the elevator.

Under the gaze of pair after pair of eyes, the elevator doors slowly closed!

By now, Su Poyang's face could be considered completely black.

Thinking of everything that had happened before, plus that kind of blessing, this year's birthday gave him, for the first time, the urge to never want to celebrate a birthday again.

The banquet in the lobby returned to normal following the departure of Zhou Xiaoru and her friend.

But just after the two left, Gu Liyan also followed and walked out directly...

This angered Fang Qingkong once again!

After Zhou Xiaoru and Jiang Bufan exited the hotel, they arrived at the main road outside and couldn't help but exhale deeply.

In that kind of environment, they had almost been suffocated!

It seems that there is still a qualitative difference between Cinderella and a loser.

Both felt that it was better to be a female loser; the life of a Cinderella was not something everyone could handle.

With this realization, they decided to drink a little alcohol tonight to celebrate their survival from this ordeal!

It was just that their celebration hadn't had a chance to begin before it was ended again by the intrusion of someone.

To be specific, it was the intrusion of two people.

One was Gu Liyan, and the other was the one who followed him out, today's birthday boy, Su Poyang!

Seeing these two appear, the other two instantly changed their expressions.

Zhou Xiaoru just wanted to knock these two guys unconscious!

Was there no end to this! Was it really that hard for them to go eat at a street stall!

Seeing her expression change rapidly, Gu Liyan hurriedly spoke up.

"Let's go eat together. You choose the place, and I'll pay."

Jiang Bufan on the side couldn't help but roll her eyes. Oh my, now he knows to consider Zhou Xiaoru's feelings; what was he doing earlier?

As soon as Su Poyang saw her roll her eyes, he hurriedly signaled with his eyes for her to help persuade them.

But Jiang Bufan acted as if she hadn't seen it, her eyes nearly rolling to the top of her head.

Seeing this, Su Poyang couldn't help but curse in his heart, "This dead girl!" He now suspected that the one who pulled off his bath towel in the room earlier was this dead girl!

His lifelong reputation had been ruined today.

He had seen Gu Liyan leave and followed him out because he felt that some misunderstandings needed to be explained to Zhou Xiaoru in person.

His cousin, who hadn't blossomed in a thousand years, was finally close to blooming, so he couldn't let it be ruined by his own hands.

At this moment, the entire mess of the birthday banquet upstairs had already been handed over to Shen Andong.

Shen Andong expressed that he was very helpless...

Just as they were easing the atmosphere on their side, the appearance of another person instantly shattered the mood once again.

Like a persistent ghost, Fang Qingkong appeared behind them once more.

She lifted her skirt, wearing a pitiful, tearful expression, and called out a certain man's name.

"Liyan... can't we just sit down and have a proper talk..."