CHAPTER 61: CHAPTER 61: BIRTHDAY BANQUET I

When dinner ended, Yue Ning made her way to Huo Feng’s room.

The room was dimly lit, the faint glow of a lantern spilling across the floor. By the window, Huo Feng stood with his back straight, his silhouette casting a soft glow against the night sky.

"Huo Feng," she called softly.

He turned, his eyes glinting in the half-dark.

"Here," Yue Ning said, lifting the cup in her hands. "A cup of juice for you."

Huo Feng’s gaze lingered on her face for a while before dropping to the glass. "You shouldn’t have," he murmured, shaking his head.

"I’ll feel very bad if you don’t accept it," Yue Ning pouted. Her voice was low but insistent. "Besides, I saw how your mood soured after dinner. I wanted to cheer you up."

Something in her eagerness tugged at him. At last, he smiled faintly and took the cup from her hand.

They settled side by side against the bedframe, the silence between them comfortable, broken only by the soft sound of him sipping from the glass.

"I only came back because Grandmother’s birthday is tomorrow," Huo Feng said at last, his tone calm but tinged with weariness.

Yue Ning reached over, her slender fingers brushing against his hand before she clasped it gently. "Everything will be fine," she said with quiet conviction, her smile warm in the stillness of the night.

For a moment, his eyes softened. Without him knowing, the heaviness in his chest eased just by having her by his side.

_______________

The next morning, the mansion was filled with unusual liveliness.

Servants hurried through the courtyards, polishing railings until they shone. They hung silk lanterns in neat rows, and arranged fresh flowers in tall porcelain vases. The air carried the faint scent of incense, already burning at the ancestral shrine.

Everywhere Yue Ning turned, there was movement. She wanted to help out, but was rejected. Fabrics rustled as maids prepared ceremonial robes, the shuffle of feet as attendants swept the walkways, and the clipped voices of stewards as they double-checked every detail.

Old Madam Huo’s birthday banquet would not begin until evening, yet the ancestral mansion was already thrumming with anticipation.

"Sister-in-law, come. I have something to tell you."

Yue Ning was in the kitchen with the chef when she was dragged out by Huo Yan..

"What is it?" Yue Ning asked patiently, looking at the girl whose face was all red from excitement.

"You are aware my brother left early in the morning right?" Huo Yan asked, a calculating gaze in her eyes.

"Uhn. He said he had some important work to do. He’d be back before the banquet started," Yue Ning replied, not quite understanding what Huo Yan meant with her questions.

"Well, that important work was getting you a brand new dress. Gosh, I’m so excited. My Brother is so amazing!" Huo Yan squealed.

Yue Ning, on the other hand, had a puzzled look.

"New dress?" She asked.

"Yes yes. Come, I’ll show you," Huo Yan excitedly pulled her away.

Huo Yan brought Yue Ning into Huo Feng’s room, and left without hesitation. He was already waiting for her there, and there was also a dress on the bed.

Yue Ning’s eyes brightened, and her lips curved softly as she traced the dress with her fingertips. The fabric shimmered faintly under the lantern light, clearly tailored with care.

"I noticed you didn’t have anything prepared for tonight," Huo Feng said, his voice quieter than usual. His hand slid into his pocket, as though unsure what to do with himself. "It seemed only right to get you one."

Her heart trembled softly. For someone as distant as him, this gesture carried more weight than flowers or jewels.

"Thank you," she whispered, her eyes bright with a warmth she couldn’t hide.

A knock sounded at the door. Huo Yan poked her head in, grinning from ear to ear. "Brother, I’ve delivered her. Now you owe me."

Huo Feng shot her a look, half stern, and half indulgent. "We’ll talk later."

Huo Yan stuck out her tongue before darting off, leaving the two in silence once more.

Yue Ning turned back to the dress, brushing the fabric again as if to convince herself it was real. A strange flutter rose in her chest, but she pushed it down quickly.

’You are seeing the signs, but you are too scared to admit it. It’s only a matter of time.’ The System’s teasing voice resounded in her mind.

Yue Ning ignored it, but her heart flipped while staring at the dress.

_________________

By the time evening arrived, the ancestral mansion was bathed in golden light.

Luxury cars lined the driveway, servants ushering guests through the grand entrance.

Laughter and greetings echoed across the marble hall as dignitaries, businessmen, and socialites arrived one after another, their arms weighed with gifts.

After all, it was the birthday of the Matriarch of the Huo family—they couldn’t afford to come empty-handed.

Just outside, in a sleek car parked a short distance away, Yue Chen adjusted her earrings while her mother leaned closer.

"Remember," Mother Yue said, her tone low but sharp, "once we step inside, you must behave yourself. Huo Feng listens to Old Madam Huo." Mother Yue paused, and stared at her beautiful daughter.

"If you can get into her good books, it won’t be long before Yue Ning is pushed aside. That girl has nothing—while you..." she trailed off, smiling coldly.

She didn’t complete her words, but Yue Chen knew what her mother wanted to say.

Her lips curved, her eyes gleaming with endless ambition. "Don’t worry, Mother. Tonight, I’ll make her regret ever standing in my way, and also put her in place."

Mother Yue patted her hands. "You are my good daughter."

They both walked out with Yue Chen armed with a gift box. Father Yue didn’t accompany them as he was a little sick.

With a practiced smile, they walked forward, and the servants ushered them in.

Once they were in the hall, they found Yue Ning moving gracefully among the guests, her presence radiant under the chandelier. The dress Huo Feng had gifted her shimmered with every step, drawing eyes wherever she went.

Yue Chen’s nails dug into her palms as jealousy burned in her chest.

Mother Yue, sensing her daughter’s fury, quickly caught her hand and whispered, "Don’t do anything rash."

But Yue Chen wasn’t listening. Her gaze locked on Yue Ning, her lips curling into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

"Sister!" she called, her voice clear and sharp across the hall. All heads turned to look at her.

Yue Ning turned at once, her elegant smile never faltering.

For a heartbeat, the air stilled with tension that promised a fire in the next moment.