Chapter 307: Chapter 307

"What could it be? Just a bigger crowd of people, that’s all! By the way, why hasn’t that boy John shown up today?" Zeng Qiuping and his companion had been busy with preparations for the birthday banquet recently—choosing dishes, tasting them, finalizing the menu, and arranging the venue kept them thoroughly occupied.

Mrs. Leng’s expression stiffened. "I’ll go check if the dishes are ready!"

When it came to John, she didn’t even want to bring him up now. Especially since Mr. Leng Sr. had already expressed his stance—she knew she had to hold her temper for Mochen’s sake. Besides, she planned to do another paternity test; if John wasn’t her grandson, she’d make sure Qian Rouxuan paid dearly...

Zeng Qiuping gave Mrs. Leng’s departing figure a complicated look. Although her son had swiftly handled the photo incident yesterday, her heart had been hanging by a thread. If that CD were exposed, it wouldn’t be something so easy to sort out.

Fortunately, Liu Jiaqi wasn’t hard to placate. However, if she were to discover the woman’s identity, would she not start overthinking? The Liu Family wasn’t the kind to be trifled with—they could make anyone’s life difficult.

Ah, just thinking about it left her flustered. She couldn’t even muster enthusiasm for the lively greetings among the multitude of guests. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novèlfire.net

In the lounge, Mr. Leng Sr., seated in the principal position, had Leng Mohao standing to his left, followed sequentially by Liu Jiaqi, Leng Mo, Leng Ning. When Leng Mochen and Li Si arrived, Mr. Leng Sr. waved them over, signaling for the pair to stand by his right side.

As soon as Li Si took her spot, she sweetly said, "Grandpa, happy birthday!" No matter what kind of thoughts this old man harbored, at least for now, he seemed to favor Leng Mochen.

"Good! Good!" Mr. Leng Sr.’s usually stern face softened slightly. In his view, after everything that had unfolded, Mochen and Li Si remained kind-hearted children, giving him some peace of mind.

Leng Mohao’s expression relaxed, but Li Si could catch glimpses of contempt in the way he occasionally glanced at Mochen.

She secretly found it amusing within her heart. Did he really think yesterday’s press conference had resolved everything perfectly? How naive—this was only the beginning.

Liu Jiaqi, too, was observing Li Si discreetly. She couldn’t believe how carefree Li Si appeared, even when an illegitimate child had appeared on the scene, grinning so cheerfully!

Leng Mo retained their frost-like demeanor; meanwhile, Leng Ning, who usually chattered non-stop, remained quiet. Whether it was because Mr. Leng Sr. was present or due to some guilt weighing her down, her disposition was noticeably subdued.

When the Leng Family entered the banquet hall, the previously jovial crowd lowered their voices in unison to offer birthday wishes to Mr. Leng Sr.:

"Mr. Leng, congratulations! Congratulations!"

"Mr. Leng, may you enjoy longevity like the Southern mountain and blessings as vast as the Eastern ocean!"

For a moment, the atmosphere was bustling and vibrant, filled with cheerful voices of blessing and congratulations.

Mr. Leng Sr. waved his hand in response, his face flushed with delight. His normally austere features were adorned with a rare smile.

Leng Qianhan stood at the forefront. "First of all, I’d like to thank everyone for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend my father’s 80th birthday celebration. Today, on behalf of the younger generation of the Leng Family, we offer you this humble drink as a token of our gratitude. Cheers!"

After finishing his words, he raised his glass and drank it all in one go—a clean and decisive gesture.

The guests below nodded in recognition one after another, then collectively lifted their glasses.

On stage, Mr. Leng Sr. sat upright in a chair with his cane in hand, his face filled with jubilation. Leng Mochen and the other younger family members stood behind him, stepping forward to offer their birthday gifts when the emcee called their names.

Li Si observed Leng Qianhan and the others presenting exquisite items such as renowned inkstones, paintings of pine and cranes, and premium stamps. Mr. Leng Sr. nodded with approval as he glanced at each gift, his face lightened with softness, though he said little.

When it was Leng Mochen’s turn, he took out an inkstone crafted from the legendary He Shi Bi that Long Wu had acquired for him. Finally, Mr. Leng Sr. grew visibly moved—this child Mochen truly understood him well, affirming his affection for him.

Accepting the gift with eyes full of gratitude, Mr. Leng Sr. lovingly caressed the stamp, uttering "Good! Good!" twice with genuine joy.

Li Si smirked secretly; Long Wu was reliable after all. She couldn’t help but wonder—how was Brother Wu faring on his end? Did Meng Meng recall anything of significance?

Her eyes scanned the guests’ seats. Xu Er, seated toward the right side of the stage, caught her gaze and even gave her a mischievous wink.

Well! Every time Li Si saw Xu Er, she felt like laughing. This guy—never mind his usual cheeky antics—thinking about how he floundered helplessly around Bai Shasha and kept stumbling hilariously, she genuinely doubted whether it was truly nervousness.

Leng Mohao’s face now looked sullen and pale with resentment. He couldn’t stomach how everything Leng Mochen did seemed to outshine him—clearly, the stamp he’d gifted hadn’t even managed to catch Mr. Leng Sr.’s attention.

However, in the next moment, he cast a meaningful glance at Leng Mochen, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. It was nothing; even if Mr. Leng Sr. favored Leng Mochen, so what? The higher he was raised now, the harder he’d fall later!

Once the Leng Family finished offering their birthday gifts, the emcee directed the guests to take their seats as per the event’s schedule.

Li Si maintained a graceful smile, blending into the decor while keeping an eye on Leng Mohao. Every shift in his demeanor was duly noted by her, and she found it rather entertaining. How long could his smugness last?

It wasn’t until Yan Xuefeng and Tian Yaruo arrived with Yan Kesong in tow that Li Si’s attention shifted. Yan Xuefeng glanced at her briefly, then swept his gaze elsewhere before bowing slightly with a polite smile as he said, "Wishing Mr. Leng Sr. longevity like the Southern mountain and blessings as vast as the Eastern ocean!"

Mr. Leng Sr. was quite pleased. Having met Elder Yan at a previous gathering, they had even spoken about the younger generation’s connections. "Good! Good! How is your father doing recently? And these must be your wife and child?"

To Mr. Leng Sr., Elder Yan’s grandson had made such a remarkable recovery that if no one mentioned his condition, he might have thought the child was perfectly healthy. Who would’ve guessed he’d been so gravely ill at one time?

"My father’s health is holding up! Indeed! This child is truly indebted to Li Si for being well enough to stand here today!"

Tian Yaruo and Yan Kesong each stepped forward respectfully, offering their heartfelt birthday wishes to Mr. Leng Sr.

Li Si regarded them coldly. Their arrival was within her expectations and logical in context. However, if they hoped to exploit her for more, they were sorely mistaken.

Mr. Leng Sr. nodded and said, "Very well. Your father has already mentioned this, so there’s no need to talk about it further. It’s simply fate connecting our two families."

"Yes, yes!" Yan Xuefeng eagerly assented...

Suddenly, commotion arose at the entrance. The guests who had been engrossed in their drinks all turned their attention toward the door. Li Si shifted her gaze as well—Qian Rouxuan had arrived, pulling John by the hand despite the obstruction at the entrance as she made her way forward.

Li Si inwardly exclaimed, "Finally, they’re here!"

A flurry of mixed reactions spread across the table. Leng Qiankai and his wife bore expressions of shock and fury—how dare this woman bring her child here at such a significant occasion? The possibility of Mochen’s humiliation made Mrs. Leng curse her own poor judgment.

Zeng Qiuping’s look was complicated, Leng Qianhan remained indifferent, Liu Jiaqi’s expression was one of anticipation for drama, and Leng Mo only stared blankly at their glass. Li Si paid extra attention to Leng Mohao’s face, which seemed calm yet betrayed hints of concealed anger. Could it be that he had been unaware beforehand?

Leng Ning’s eyes burned with fiery rage, her expression one of flustered indignation. Li Si thought to herself—if looks could kill, Qian Rouxuan would’ve been dead on the spot.

Leng Mochen’s demeanor, as usual, showed no trace of emotion.

Mr. Leng Sr. frowned faintly, displeased as he glanced to the right. During this time, Qian Rouxuan, holding John’s hand, had already stood before Mr. Leng Sr.’s presence. (To be continued. If you work, please visit Qidian.com to cast your recommendation votes and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to read this work.)