39: interesting

I know you're anxious, but don't be anxious just yet.

Because there's something more urgent at hand. The gift Yan Qinghe sent could be called perfect, complete with both thoughtfulness and value. However, the gift Yan Zhuohua prepared was relatively lacking. It wasn't that he intentionally didn't prepare it well, but mainly because he had promised Yan Qinghe at the time that he would send a gift he made with his own hands.

Something handmade and thoughtful really struggles to reach a value comparable to gifting a car or a club, and Yan Zhuohua currently didn't have that much money anyway.

He really couldn't help but be anxious now. Tomorrow was the birthday, and the gift had to be sent out by midnight tomorrow night at the latest. Moreover, he would be busy with the cocktail party tomorrow afternoon and evening; there was simply no time left.

Before dinner, the car drove back to the main residence.

While eating dinner, Yan Zhuohua's brain spun rapidly as he sought a solution.

To no avail.

In the end, he chose to ask Sheng Xufeng for help. Sheng Xufeng said to leave it to him, and that the gift would appear at his doorstep when he returned home tomorrow night.

To be honest, when this kind of flag is raised, something usually goes wrong more or less. Yan Zhuohua wasn't quite at ease and still felt that relying on himself was the most reliable option. As for Sheng Xufeng, he would just be a backup!

It wasn't until he was about to fall asleep in Yan Qinghe's arms that night that he finally figured out what gift to choose.

Sunday, October 18th, 5:00 PM. The new Head of the Yan Family and his spouse held a cocktail party at a hotel under the Xingfeng Group to officially announce to the public that the Yan Family's new leader had taken charge.

Yan Zhuohua moved back and forth through the venue. After a week of emergency training from his mother, he had completely mastered the essential skills of the Head's spouse, hosting the guests with ease.

Yan Qinghe was also chatting with several family heads about business matters.

Uncle Yan Jinming, who had been missing for a long time, also attended the cocktail party today. It was mainly because he was the previous Head of the Family and couldn't not show up; otherwise, he would have rather gone to catch a couple of fish to nourish An Qingman.

Yan Zhuohua saw the people from the Zhao Family at the door again. Truly, he felt annoyed just seeing them. Progress on that project with the Zhao Family was currently going smoothly. That Zhao Zichuo was indeed a useless tag-along who knew nothing, but he didn't realize it himself. Instead, he had interfered in important decisions several times, causing his deputy to grow several white hairs from anger. Yan Zhuohua took this opportunity to set many traps for him, estimating that by the time this project ended, the Zhao Corporation would be lucky to just break even.

However, a major event had recently occurred in the Zhao Family. Old Master Zhao had truly arranged a marriage alliance for Zhao Zijing with a young master from a mid-tier family named Xiao Qihui. It was heard that Zhao Zixing, Zhao Zijing, and Su Mo all disagreed with this marriage and were causing a scene at home.

Pulling back his thoughts, Yan Zhuohua still followed etiquette and stepped forward to welcome the Zhao Family.

Not many people came this time, only Zhao Zhongkai, Zhao Zixing, and Zhao Zichuo.

“Head of the Zhao Family, thank you for coming. Please, come inside.” Yan Zhuohua wanted to usher them in quickly.

Unexpectedly, it was Zhao Zichuo who started the provocation this time: “Madam Yan, I didn't expect you to be so practiced in these matters. I thought Head of the Yan Family would have you by his side to interact with the other family heads and young masters!”

Yan Zhuohua's face was full of question marks, not understanding what he was talking about. But out of politeness, he gave a token reply: “This is what I should do as the spouse of the new Head of the Yan Family. There's nothing more to say.”

Zhao Zichuo's face instantly turned red with anger: “Madam Yan certainly has a silver tongue. I just wonder how much longer you'll be doing this job. Don't let it be someone else next time!”

Yan Zhuohua became even more confused; he suspected Zhao Zichuo had something wrong with his head.

“Thank you for the compliment. However, I do this job if I want to, and if I don't want to, no one stops me. You needn't trouble yourself.”

Zhao Zichuo wanted to say more, but he was stopped by Zhao Zhongkai, who said with a fake smile: “Zichuo is still young and immature. Don't lower yourself to his level.”

After saying that, without waiting for Yan Zhuohua to reply, he led his people straight inside.

??? Where does the Zhao Family get the nerve to be so insolent with me time and time again? Yan Zhuohua was incredibly furious.

Why do they love using these petty tricks? If they came at him with something serious, Yan Zhuohua could just strike back directly and give them a major lesson. But with these trivial matters, if you act, it's not worth it; if you don't, it's truly annoying enough.

Yan Zhuohua cursed a few times in his heart before throwing himself back into his duties.

This cocktail party was no different from others, except that the Fu Family from C City also attended. They sent the candidate test driver his mother had mentioned last time, Fu Yifeng, as well as a young master from the main branch named Fu Muyu. It seemed that if no accidents occurred, this Fu Muyu would be in charge of the preliminary project.

At 6:00 PM, the cocktail party officially began. Yan Zhuohua and Yan Qinghe both followed their Uncle onto the stage. Before everyone, Uncle solemnly announced that Yan Qinghe would officially assume the position of Chairman of Xingfeng Group starting today, and as the new Head of the Yan Family, would continue to lead the Yan Family forward.

The cocktail party reached its climax amidst the music. Everyone below the stage raised their glasses to toast the three people on stage.

The lively cocktail party finally ended at 9:00 PM. Yan Zhuohua and Yan Qinghe did not return to the main residence but went straight back to Mirror Lake Bright Forest. On the way, Yan Zhuohua leaned against Yan Qinghe, staring out the window in a daze.

“What are you thinking about?” Yan Qinghe ruffled Yan Zhuohua's hair.

Yan Zhuohua snapped back to reality: “Thinking about the Zhao Family. That Zhao Zichuo said a bunch of nonsensical things to me today.”

“What did he say?” Yan Qinghe asked.

“I can't quite put it into words, it just felt strange somehow.”

“It's fine. They can't cause any real trouble. Don't mind them.”

“Mm.”

Back at Mirror Lake Bright Forest, the driver left first.

The two were leisurely preparing to enter the house when they suddenly noticed a cardboard box at the door. Sheng Xufeng's name was left on it.

It was the gift he had asked Sheng Xufeng to prepare!

Such a large box—he didn't know what was inside.

Yan Qinghe didn't know what it was yet when he saw Yan Zhuohua step forward and pick up the box.

“What is this?”

“Oh, it's one of the gifts I prepared for you,” Yan Zhuohua replied frankly.

“One of them?” Yan Qinghe looked forward to it.

The two entered the house first. Yan Zhuohua set down the box and went upstairs first to get the other two gifts.

What he had originally prepared for Yan Qinghe was a perfume he had blended himself. It was the refreshing scent of a courtyard after a midsummer rain from his childhood memories. There was one more item, decided on a whim last night—a small jade pendant. This was given to him by Yan's father, Yan Jinming, on Yan Zhuohua's seventh birthday, with the hope that he would be as refined as jade. Giving it to Yan Qinghe now as a gift could be considered returning it to its original owner.

Holding the gifts, Yan Zhuohua prepared to head downstairs.

As it turned out, before he could even step out the door, Yan Qinghe barged straight in.

“Zhuohua, I really like the gift you prepared. Shall we use it tonight?” Yan Qinghe was somewhat unable to contain his excitement.

Yan Zhuohua was very confused. What gift did Yan Qinghe like so much? He reached out and took the box from Yan Qinghe's hand. Opening it, he saw a beautiful dress—a red one.

“!!!” Yan Zhuohua was shocked and immediately closed the lid. “This isn't, isn't...”

“Isn't what? Did you actually outsource the task of choosing a gift for me to someone else?” Yan Qinghe had already guessed the source of the gift, but since it was already here, how could he let it go?

Yan Qinghe's words were difficult to answer; whether he spoke or not, it seemed he couldn't escape a certain 'death.' Yan Zhuohua agonized for a long time without finding a solution, only able to watch helplessly as Yan Qinghe pulled out the dress and walked toward him.