freenovelworld Chapter 26 Birthday Party: Winning a Beautiful Verbal Battle
Chapter 26 Birthday Party: Winning a Beautiful Verbal Battle
"Miss Li, we've arrived."
The driver opened the door, gentlemanly helped Li Xi out of the car, and reminded her, "Miss Li, please take your things with you."
Li Xi checked the car to make sure nothing was left behind before taking the dinner bag and gift box and being led by the driver to the gate outside the Gu family manor.
She handed the invitation to the bodyguard at the door.
The bodyguard opened the invitation, and upon seeing the bold, pen-stamped signature at the bottom, he immediately closed it and bowed respectfully to Li Xi: "Miss Li, please come in."
As Li Xi, wearing a coat and holding up the hem of her skirt, stepped through the Gu family's gate, a middle-aged woman in an employee uniform walked over.
The woman had long, jet-black hair piled up and a small, round face that looked peaceful and serene. She introduced herself, "Hello, Miss Li, I am Butler Zhou from the Gu family's housekeeping team."
"I will be at your service from now on. Please feel free to contact me if you have any needs."
After saying that, Butler Zhou extended his arm to Li Xi, saying, "Miss Li, you may take my arm."
Li Xi was wearing 10-centimeter pointed high heels, and even though the ground was flat, it was still quite a distance to the banquet hall.
"Thank you."
Li Xi took Zhou's hand and followed her toward the banquet hall.
As they passed a fork in the road, Sister Zhou suddenly stopped, pointed at the fork, and said, "Go this way, and that's where the old man and Huaizhou live."
Li Xi nodded to himself, making a mental note of it.
But she felt something was off. Why would Butler Zhou bring this up with her?
After walking for a while, they passed another fork in the road, and Butler Zhou stopped again and said, "Over there is the Lake Pavilion Park, where guests can rest."
Li Xi understood; Butler Zhou was simply fulfilling his duty as a butler by introducing the Gu family manor to the guests.
As Li Xi walked around, she had only one thought: Gu's house is really big.
If someone's husband were having a secret rendezvous with his lover here, the journey to catch them in the act would be so long that their high heels would break.
Li Xi was amused by her own thoughts.
Seeing her expression, Butler Zhou smiled too. "Miss Li, we've arrived. Have a wonderful evening."
After saying that, Butler Zhou handed her a wristband-shaped pager. "This is a walkie-talkie that you can use to talk to me. Wear it and contact me anytime if you need anything."
Butler Zhou put the bracelet on Li Xi and said, "Press the green button on the left to make a call."
Li Xi was flattered and her goodwill towards the Gu family increased greatly. "Thank you, Butler Zhou. You can go back to your work now."
Watching Butler Zhou turn and leave, Li Xi first took the gift she had prepared for Old Master Gu to the accountant for registration, and then lifted the hem of her skirt and walked into the banquet hall.
The Gu family owns a banquet hall specifically for holding banquets.
The building is designed in a European style and has five floors. The interior features a circular, high-ceilinged lobby, with a giant crystal chandelier hanging from the starry dome on the fifth floor.
Li Xi stood in the banquet hall on the first floor, looking up at the starry sky ceiling above her head, and was somewhat awestruck.
As expected of someone who cares about the family.
No wonder Xie Jiaoyue clung to Gu Huaizhou like a lapdog; who wouldn't be tempted by that?
Said Cao Cao, Cao Cao.
"Li Xi!"
A fragrant breeze wafted from behind to Li Xi's left, and a slender arm slipped through the crook of Li Xi's arm and took her arm.
Li Xi turned her head and saw Xie Jiaoyue's face.
"Li Xi, you actually dared to come."
Xie Jiaoyue whispered in Li Xi's ear, and to outsiders, the two looked like a pair of close sisters.
"Your dress tonight is beautiful, it looks really good on you..." Xie Jiaoyue glanced at Li Xi from head to toe with a playful look, and said with a half-smile, "It's very tempting."
tempting.
She was actually subtly mocking Li Xi for dressing up so extravagantly tonight, implying that she was using her beauty to seduce a wealthy man.
Li Xi silently curled her lips, and mimicking Xie Jiaoyue's scrutinizing gaze, she turned around and examined Xie Jiaoyue's outfit tonight.
Xie Jiaoyue wore a halter-neck diamond fishtail gown tonight, with a perfectly fitted waist that made her waist look only the width of a palm.
Her dress flowed to the ground, swaying gracefully; she was undoubtedly the most dazzling leading lady of the night.
"Miss Xie looks beautiful tonight too," Li Xi said sincerely.
Xie Jiaoyue was prepared to be scolded by Li Xi.
If Li Xi dares to speak disrespectfully to her, she can take the opportunity to have the Gu family's security guards send Li Xi away.
But Li Xi turned the tables and praised her for being beautiful...
Xie Jiaoyue felt a surge of secret joy when her arch-nemesis, who was always at odds with her, praised her beauty.
"Thank you." She couldn't help but show off, "This dress is from the newly released Fall/Winter haute couture collection of the Central European high-end luxury brand S. I'm the first Asian to wear it..."
Before Xie Jiaoyue could finish speaking, Li Xi curved her red lips and continued to praise her: "Miss Xie is like the hostess of the banquet tonight, beautiful and dazzling, making it impossible for anyone to look away."
Upon hearing this, Xie Jiaoyue raised her neck high, like a proud peacock.
Changing the subject, Li Xi added, "Fortunately, Mr. Gu has done good deeds and accumulated virtue throughout his life. He is a well-known philanthropist in the business world, and everyone has heard the story of his deep affection for his late wife."
"Otherwise, seeing such a dazzling Miss Xie, everyone might mistake her for Mr. Gu's new young wife."
Xie Jiaoyue's smile froze.
She subconsciously glanced around at the guests.
Noticing that the VIPs around her were looking at her with great interest, Xie Jiaoyue felt uneasy and embarrassed.
Xie Jiaoyue then realized that dressing too flamboyantly was not a good thing.
No matter how ambiguous her relationship with Gu Huaizhou was, she was not yet the granddaughter-in-law recognized by the Gu family.
If tonight is Gu Huaizhou's birthday party, it's understandable that she would dress like this as his rumored girlfriend.
But tonight is Mr. Gu's 80th birthday!
She can be beautiful, but she can't be too high-profile.
It is a big no-no to let the guest overshadow the host!
Xie Jiaoyue took a shallow breath and said sarcastically to Li Xi, "Stop lecturing me. Li Xi, you're not some innocent young girl, so stop pretending to be high and mighty in front of me!"
"Your dress has a completely bare back, doesn't it? Why don't you take off your coat and let everyone see your dress?"
Li Xi scoffed dismissively, "Do I look like an idiot to you?"
"You think I'll just take my clothes off because you tell me to?"
"So what if my dress has a low back? You wear what you're supposed to wear for the occasion. I'm wearing a coat right now, who can see that?"
“We’ll see.” Li Xi smiled provocatively at Xie Jiaoyue, deliberately stimulating her: “Don’t be in such a hurry. Once I see Gu Huaizhou, I’ll take off this coat immediately.”
Xie Jiaoyue choked on her breath, unable to swallow it, and even her internal organs trembled with anger at Li Xi.
Xie Jiaoyue laughed angrily, "Li Xi, if you want to seduce Gu Huaizhou, you'll have to see if you have the ability."
"Just you wait and see." Li Xi picked up a glass of white wine from a passing waiter's tray and took a sip.
Seeing Xie Xingyun and Jiang Qingkong walking towards them hand in hand, Li Xi quickly covered her wine glass with her hand, saying in a tone that was neither too loud nor too soft, "Oh dear, Miss Jiang is here too, then I'd better hide the wine glass well."
"To avoid accidentally getting drugged again, being taken advantage of by scumbags, and then being advised to be magnanimous by some saintly people."
Jiang Qingkong who drugged her, Xie Xingyun who took advantage of her, Xie Jiaoyue who advised her to be magnanimous...
Li Xi's words reflected the true nature of three people.
Seeing that Xie Jiaoyue and the other two had all turned pale, Li Xi had won a beautiful verbal battle, and she was overjoyed.