Chapter 10: Turmoil at the Birthday Banquet

The clamor of the birthday banquet continued. Xu Anhao took a deep breath, thinking it would be better to leave early rather than remain as an extra person here.

She walked over to the trash can in the corner, paused for a moment, and finally closed her eyes as she tossed the bag inside.

The soft “thud” sounded like she had discarded the courage she had mustered over a long time.

Just as she turned to leave, her arm suddenly collided with a solid chest.

Staggering backward, she looked up and met a pair of deep, dark eyes.

The man wore a charcoal-gray suit, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His brow bone beneath the stray hairs on his forehead was handsome and prominent, but it was the small mole at the corner of his eye that held an indescribable familiarity.

Frowning, she racked her brain.

Was he the older brother from the neighbor’s house when she was a child?

Or perhaps a classmate of Shen Wenli?

While she was lost in thought, the man spoke first, his voice clear and bright, carrying a hint of barely noticeable excitement: “Xiao Hao? It really is you.”

“You are…” Xu Anhao opened her mouth, the name on the tip of her tongue but stuck there. She could only stare at him blankly; her eyes filled with confusion.

Just then, an enthusiastic voice cut in: “Chen Zhi! Finally, you’re here. Why are you so late?”

Shen Fu hurried over, his face beaming with a rarely seen smile. He reached out and patted the man’s shoulder, his demeanor so affectionate it was as if he were treating his own junior.

“Chen Zhi?” Xu Anhao softly uttered the name, and suddenly her mind buzzed.

It was him!

Was he the little boy who used to follow her around like a shadow, his pigtails bouncing with every step she took?

Was he the Chen Zhi who, at ten years old, had his family and hers laughingly agree they were childhood sweethearts, and who, blushing, stuffed a White Rabbit milk candy into her hand, saying, “I’ll marry you someday”?

But how had he changed so much? Staring at his face, she was too stunned to speak.

“What? Don’t you recognize me?”

Chen Zhi turned to look at her, a hidden smile in his eyes. He reached out and gently touched the top of her head, just like when they were children. “Have you forgotten me after just a few years apart?”

Xu Anhao’s cheeks flushed hot, and she quickly took half a step back, avoiding his touch.

Her tone was flustered: “No, it’s just that you’ve changed so much…”

Before Xu Anhao could finish, Shen Fu was already pulling Chen Zhi toward the main table, chattering incessantly:

“Was the traffic bad? Come, sit down. Zhixia was just asking about you.”

Shen Fu’s attitude toward Chen Zhi was completely different.

The Shen family’s return to the country to expand their business relied entirely on the Chen family’s resources.

Shen Fu valued Chen Zhi not only because he was the only son of the Chen family but also because he was the key to whether the Shen family could establish a firm foothold.

Moreover, Shen Zhixia had been clinging to Chen Zhi every day while abroad, pursuing him so openly that everyone knew about it. Shen Fu had long since assigned Shen Zhixia the title of “Chen Zhi’s fiancée.”

As Chen Zhi was being led away by Shen Fu, he glanced back at Xu Anhao, his eyes carrying a trace of barely perceptible concern.

Just as Xu Anhao breathed a sigh of relief and thought to slip away, her wrist was gently grasped.

It was Chen Zhi.

Somehow, he had broken free from Shen Fu and quickly caught up to her.

“What’s wrong?” Chen Zhi stared at her reddened eyes and tense jaw, his voice softening. “You don’t look well. Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

“Chen Zhi.” Xu Anhao abruptly pulled her hand away, taking another half-step back to create a clear distance. Her tone was calm but carried a sense of detachment.

“We haven’t seen each other for many years, and ” She paused, her gaze falling on the hand that had just touched her hair, enunciating each word clearly,

“You are Shen Zhixia’s fiancé. That gesture just now was inappropriate.”

Chen Zhi’s brows instantly furrowed, his expression darkening as his tone hardened: “When have I ever acknowledged having any relationship with her?”

Before Xu Anhao could respond, Shen Fu hurried over.

Shen Fu completely ignored Xu Anhao’s presence, grabbing Chen Zhi’s arm while lowering his voice yet unable to conceal his urgency:

“Chen Zhi! What are you saying to her? You can’t speak carelessly like that! Your wedding date with Zhixia is almost set if outsiders hear this…”

Shen Fu’s voice accidentally rose, and combined with the guests nearby who were already eavesdropping, his words sparked like a match thrown into oil

“Wedding date? But was Young Master Chen just being intimate with that girl?”

“What’s going on with Master Shen? He claims Young Master Chen is Zhixia’s fiancé while Young Master Chen denies it there must be drama here!”

“Who is that girl anyway? Young Master Chen chases after her with concern while Master Shen acts like she’s invisible. Could they be old acquaintances?”

Whispers instantly erupted like boiling water, with all eyes in the venue fixed on Xu Anhao.

Witnessing the chaos, Shen Fu knew that continuing to conceal the truth would not only jeopardize the collaboration with the Chen family but also completely disgrace the Shen family’s reputation.

This involved the Shen family’s greatest taboo the very reason they had moved abroad years ago to avoid scrutiny. Now that they had just reestablished themselves upon returning to the country, they absolutely couldn’t let it be ruined by this matter!

Gritting his teeth, he suddenly raised his hand and slammed the table, announcing loudly: “Everyone, quiet! I have something to say!”

The room immediately fell silent; all attention focused on him.

Shen Fu took a deep breath, his eyes briefly darting past Xu Anhao before he steeled himself and fabricated a lie:

“To be frank, Xu Anhao… was a daughter our Shen family adopted in earlier years. The engagement with the Chen family was originally made under her name.

Later, when her birth mother came for her, we respected their biological bond and let her return to her family, which is why the engagement was put on hold.

Zhixia is my biological daughter, and thinking it would strengthen family ties, I arranged her engagement with Chen Zhi. It’s my fault for not making this clear, causing everyone to misunderstand!”

He deliberately omitted the truth about the “switched at birth,” using “adopted daughter” as a cover.

This way, he preserved the Shen family’s dignity, gave Chen Zhi a way to save face, and barely maintained the collaboration with the Chen family.

Shen Mu stood nearby, her eyes already reddened.

She paid no attention to Shen Fu’s rhetoric, simply staring fixedly at Xu Anhao, her lips trembling. She wanted to approach but didn’t dare, afraid of disturbing this daughter they had finally “reclaimed.”

Shen Wenli secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Whether “adopted daughter” or not, at least his father had relented Xu Anhao was finally no longer an outsider.

Listening to her father’s words and watching Xu Anhao remain composed under everyone’s scrutiny, Shen Zhixia’s eyes nearly overflowed with resentment.

She stared fixedly at Xu Anhao’s back, her lips pressed into a tight line.

Why?

Why could Xu Anhao, an “abandoned” daughter, still make Chen Zhi unable to forget her? Why did her father have to preserve her dignity while covering up the truth?

She would never let Xu Anhao ruin her marriage. She would never let everything that belonged to her be snatched away!

Clearly disagreeing with Shen Fu’s explanation, Chen Zhi was about to refute when Shen Fu firmly gripped his arm to stop him.

Father Shen shot him a meaningful look, his tone pleading: “Chen Zhi, I’m begging you, do me this favor today. Let’s discuss this matter privately!”

Xu Anhao stood in place, listening to Father Shen’s words, feeling nothing but tightness in her chest.

That year when she was sent away, Father Shen had clearly stated, “You never belonged to the Shen family to begin with. It’s time you returned to your own home.”

Yet now, for the sake of benefits, she had suddenly become “the adopted daughter he couldn’t bear to part with.”

She lifted her eyes to Chen Zhi, her gaze carrying clear rejection: “Chen Zhi, I’ll say it once more we’re just friends. Let’s not mention the engagement again.”

After speaking, she didn’t bother looking at anyone’s expression and turned directly toward the door.

The gift bag was still in the trash can, but she had completely lost any desire to retrieve it.

Right now, all she wanted was to leave this place as quickly as possible.

Behind her, Father Shen was still making explanations to the guests, while Shen Zhixia’s sobs and Chen Zhi’s persistence were all left far behind her.

This birthday banquet had ultimately turned into a farce that tore off all pretenses.

And she only wanted to remain an outsider, never to get involved again.