Chapter 81: Presenting Birthday Gifts

Under Madam Song’s stunned gaze, Pei Muyin did not back down or dodge. In a soft, gentle voice, she articulated every single word with precision:

“Just now, Grandmother praised this grandmother’s granddaughter for her good grades, saying she consistently maintains a rank within the top ten of our year.”

“I have never hired a single private tutor for after-school guidance. Yet, ever since I enrolled, regardless of whether it was a minor quiz or a major examination, I have ranked first in our year every single time—with a total score far exceeding the person in second place.”

“And yet, Grandmother, you still say I am inadequate, foolish, and that my academic performance isn’t good enough. Following your logic, aren’t you simultaneously saying that this grandmother’s granddaughter—who studies so diligently, takes tiring supplementary classes, and ranks in the top ten—is even more inferior to me?”

“Grandmother, if I may ask… is that what you mean?” Pei Muyin posed this question straight from the depths of her soul.

The moment her words landed, the expressions on the elderly lady and her granddaughter instantly soured. Thinking it over, it really was exactly as Pei Muyin described. Thus, both of them turned their gazes directly toward Madam Song.

“I…” Madam Song choked on her words. Her eyes widened as she glared at Pei Muyin. “What nonsense are you talking about here!”

She immediately turned toward the elderly lady and her granddaughter to explain, “Madam Zhen, I didn’t mean that at all! I truly and genuinely think your granddaughter is exceptional.”

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Vlk Ywukd oypd’v alyeu vs easr vbl pwcflnv fwpv ulv: “Fkdnl vbyv’p vbl nypl, vbld Qaydexsvbla yexkvp vbyv R yx lmnlrvksdyz, yde vbyv yzz vbspl byapb vbkdtp usw pyke vs xl kd vbl rypv olal ynvwyzzu fwpv pyanypvkn alxyajp pyke kd alhlapl, ayvbla vbyd vbl vawvb.”

Yyeyx Fsdt dlyazu qykzle vs nyvnb bla calyvb.

Fbl oydvle vs eldu Vlk Ywukd’p nzykx sd vbl prsv, cwv vbl xsxldv pbl eldkle kv, kv oswze cl liwkhyzldv vs clzkvvzkdt vbl taydeeywtbvla sq vbl lzelazu zyeu pvydekdt aktbv kd qasdv sq vblx ytykd!

Mbkp czsnjblye! Ebld eke bla vsdtwl clnsxl ps iwknj yde pbyar?!

Vlk Ywukd’p hsknl byed’v clld zswe, cwv kv oypd’v iwklv lkvbla. Tla lyadlpv vsdl bye yzalyeu eayod vbl yvvldvksd sq vbl pwaaswdekdt twlpvp, yde rlsrzl olal zssjkdt shla qasx vkxl vs vkxl.

Yyeyx Hbld rasvlnvkhlzu blze bla taydeeywtbvla’p byde. Tla lmralppksd oyp ds zsdtla yp oyax yde qyxkzkya yp clqsal; bla lulp olal pnawvkdkgkdt yp pbl oykvle qsa Yyeyx Fsdt vs prlyj.

Tso oyp vbkp ydu ekqqlaldv qasx clkdt asypvle shla yd srld qzyxl? Yyeyx Fsdt nswze cyalzu xykdvykd vbl lzltydv rspvwal sd bla qynl. Qakvvkdt bla vllvb okvb y vktbv, osseld pxkzl, pbl ydpolale Vlk Ywukd:

“Zlp… Xq nswapl… Mblu olal yzz… pyanypvkn alxyajp.”

After Madam Zhen led her granddaughter away, Madam Song turned around in a fit of rage and scolded under her breath.

“Pei Muyin!”

Pei Muyin asked with concern, “Grandmother, are you… angry? Is it because I said the wrong thing?”

The girl’s eyes were clear and bright as she offered politely, “That grandmother probably hasn’t walked too far yet. Why don’t I go over and apologize to them?”

Saying so, she made a move to go find them.

“You—you stay right there!” Madam Song’s chest heaved up and down. Even the jade necklace resting on her collarbone absorbed the heat radiated by her angry skin.

Why did she feel as though something about Pei Muyin had changed? Previously, no matter how she berated or scolded her, the girl would always endure it submissively. This was the very first time she had ever talked back to her!

Where on earth did she learn this from?!

Right at that moment, the banquet officially commenced.

The overhead lights gradually dimmed, leaving a single bright beam of light centered on the man standing atop the spiral staircase.

That was the eldest son of Old Mr. Xu—the current patriarch in charge of Hong Kong’s Xu Corporation.

Everyone’s eyes naturally focused on him, and the room gradually quieted down.

Dressed in a sharp suit, the man possessed an extraordinary aura. In a resonant yet humble voice, he delivered his opening speech, expressing gratitude to everyone present for honoring his father’s 90th birthday with their presence.

A moment later, an elderly man clad in a red, Chinese-style Tang suit appeared in everyone’s line of sight. Although Old Mr. Xu was at the grand age of ninety with silver hair, his spine showed no trace of a stoop, and his whole demeanor appeared as energetic and vibrant as ever.

He radiated not only the composed sharpness of a seasoned businessman, but also the elegant, tranquil spirit of a scholar.

Flanked by his younger son and younger daughter, he stepped forward, took the microphone from his eldest son, and delivered a brief, succinct speech.

After a round of thunderous applause, it was time for the guests to present their birthday gifts.

It was a true spectacle of pearls, porcelain, and fine jade. Paired with vocal birthday wishes, gifts were stacked up in continuous streams, overwhelming the eyes with incredible variety.

Yet, as the guest of honor, Old Mr. Xu showed little genuine emotion or warmth on his face, beyond nodding slightly in appreciation as the servants took the gifts.

It was easy to understand why. The Xu family was a well-known, ultra-wealthy elite family in Hong Kong, with noble ancestral roots—there was hardly any rare or exquisite treasure they hadn’t seen before.

For a family like this, it wasn’t about how expensive the gift was, but whether the gift was thoughtfully chosen.

“Old Mr. Xu, wishing you fortune as vast as the sea and health with every passing year.”

Madam Song stepped forward unhurriedly, uttering her birthday blessings while taking a rectangular box from a servant nearby.

It was a scroll box containing a rolled painting—a birthday gift Madam Song had personally prepared. Old Mr. Xu loved paintings as well as ancient poetry, so Madam Song had specifically tasked someone to retrieve an original handwritten couplet by a scholar from the Jiang Dynasty.

Sitting in his dragon-carved armchair, Old Mr. Xu motioned for his eldest son to accept it, giving Madam Song a subtle nod: “You have put thought into this.”

Having handed over the birthday gift, Madam Song did not step down right away.

“Old Mr. Xu, I came with my granddaughter today, and my youngest granddaughter has also prepared a gift for you.”

As she spoke, Madam Song pulled forward Pei Muyin, who was holding a painting, and introduced her: “This child is very thoughtful. Hearing that you have a beloved young disciple, she spent quite some time specially finding an ink-wash painting created by your young disciple’s own hands.”

The moment those words were uttered, the surrounding atmosphere quieted down.

Old Mr. Xu’s young disciple was not a famous scholar, and the paintings created held no real collectible value, but to Old Mr. Xu, that was something extraordinarily special.

She really knows how to give a gift.

However, upon hearing Madam Song say this, Old Mr. Xu did not show an interested or caring expression as everyone had anticipated. Instead, his expression seemed to sink even lower than before.

Old Mr. Xu kept a neutral face, but sneered in his heart.

This was hardly the first person to present a painting by his young disciple as a birthday gift. Prior to the banquet, there had already been seven or eight such paintings brought to his door, all of which he had turned down.

These people didn’t appreciate those paintings, nor did they care for the artist’s technique or artistic realm. They simply wanted to curry his favor and flatter the Xu family.

It was a complete waste and a desecration.

If that girl were to find out, she would probably be furious.

But on second thought, Old Mr. Xu recalled how that girl had once said with excitement: “Do you know? Lately, so many people want to buy my paintings just because I’m your disciple!”

“I plan to paint a few hundred of them in one go and host a combined charity auction! Since they want to buy, let the highest bidder take them. If they have too much money and nowhere to spend it, we might as well donate it to charity and do some good deeds—what do you think?”

…

Ah. Not only would that girl not be angry, she might even set off firecrackers to celebrate having another chance to host a charity auction.

Recalling the past, Old Mr. Xu couldn’t help but shake his head with a smile. His expression softened considerably, and with a wave of his hand, he didn’t refuse and accepted the painting.

Madam Song froze for a moment: “Aren’t you going to open it yourself and take a look?”

Smiling, she pushed Pei Muyin in front of Old Mr. Xu: “This child worked so hard for a long time just to find this painting—”

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