The engagement was with the younger brother, but I've fallen for the older brother.

The banquet hall was brightly lit, and half of the prominent figures in Beijing's social circle were present.

When Si Yimian and the other two entered, they saw that the rest area was bustling with activity.

Ruan Qiutang sat next to the main seat, wearing a crimson cheongsam, exuding a gentle and graceful temperament.

Si Ningyou was holding a dark green velvet gift box.

"Mom, this was specially made by an Italian artisan."

"Old mine glass-type jadeite symbolizes peace and good fortune."

When the box is opened, there is an imperial green jadeite necklace with full cabochons, pure color, and old jade.

An expert could tell at a glance that it's at least a seven-figure sum.

The surrounding ladies immediately burst into praise.

"The eldest daughter of the Si family is truly beautiful and filial."

"I've heard she's also very capable at work; that's truly rare."

The old lady, Song Yuehua, sat to the side and nodded in satisfaction.

"Ning You has been considerate since she was a child."

Ruan Qiutang accepted it with a smile, her eyes filled with satisfaction.

"Ningyou, that's so thoughtful of you. Mom really likes it."

He Nanxian stood next to Si Ningyou and took over the conversation.

"Ning You prepared for two months, saying it was a surprise for her aunt."

Si Ningyou retreated to He Nanxian's side, and the two stood side by side, indeed a well-matched couple.

"It's mainly because Brother Nanxian has good taste; he helped me choose for a long time."

Her gaze fell on He Nanxian, her tone ambiguous.

The ladies exchanged glances and smiled knowingly.

"You two look so good together."

"What a pity, the engagement is with the second young lady."

There was a subtle pause in the atmosphere after those words were spoken.

He Nanxian just smiled faintly and didn't respond.

Si Ningyou's cheeks flushed slightly, and she lowered her head and pursed her lips, as if her secret had been exposed.

"Does it matter who was chosen in the first place?"

The speaker was Qin Enyu, a third-tier actress and Si Ningyou's best friend.

They were also the main force behind bullying groups during high school.

"What matters is who you end up standing with."

"Some people may have the title, but whether they can stand firm depends on their abilities."

She paused, then covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

"After all, forced fruit isn't sweet, and shoes forced on you won't hurt your feet, right?"

The implication is clear.

He Sichen subconsciously looked at Si Yimian.

He thought she would feel wronged, angry, and embarrassed.

But her face was clean and she showed no emotion.

It was like hearing a completely meaningless fart.

He Sichen looked away, thinking to himself that he had worried unnecessarily.

Huo Siyue is different.

After hearing Qin Enyu's words, she immediately opened her mouth and spoke.

"Qin Enyu, is that your head or a showerhead on your neck?"

All eyes in the room were instantly drawn to him.

Qin Enyu's expression changed, and when she turned around and saw Huo Siyue, she twitched her lips.

"What did you say?"

He Nanxian turned around at the sound and was immediately attracted by Si Yimian.

She stood next to Huo Siyue, her back straight, her eyes clear, and the melancholy between her brows and eyes had dissipated.

She used to huddle on the edge of the crowd, like a dehydrated plant, listless and drooping.

Now it's like a polished pearl, so beautiful that you can't take your eyes off it.

Lost in thought, Huo Siyue stepped in front of Si Yimian, blocking her view.

"They just spew nonsense like a showerhead; is this how popular celebrities achieve their KPIs—by being foul-mouthed?"

"How come you, an actor, have crossed over to become a judge of life?"

"You've memorized your lines, so you're here pontificating?"

Qin Enyu was so choked up that her face turned green.

"Huo Siyue, you..."

Huo Siyue didn't stop and continued to attack.

"What do you mean, 'me'?"

"You've been following Si Ningyou around since high school, and you're still doing it now."

"So many years have passed, you've gone from school uniforms to haute couture, how come you're still stuck with the follower persona?"

"Let's raise your status, sis."

Qin Enyu took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to roll her eyes.

The ladies nearby were already chuckling to themselves, their shoulders trembling.

Huo Siyue is known in Beijing's social circles for her sharp tongue.

Why provoke her?

Huo Siyue stepped back to Si Yimian's side, took her arm again, and lowered her voice.

"Mianmian, ignore her, I've finished scolding her for you."

Si Yimian smiled and leaned close to her ear.

"Yueyue is great, I'll give you an extra chicken leg later."

Huo Siyue's lips curled up, and her mood instantly warmed up.

Si Yimian then smiled at Qin Enyu.

"Miss Qin, Yueyue may be blunt, but her words, though rough, are not without merit."

"But today is my mother's birthday, so let's not talk about these unpleasant things."

Qin Enyu was speechless again by her words, wanting to retort but feeling petty.

Si Ningyou tugged at her hand and shook her head, signaling her not to rush.

In this situation, whoever loses their composure first will lose.

Huo Siyue released Si Yimian and hopped over to Ruan Qiutang in a few steps.

"Auntie! My turn! My turn!"

Ruan Qiutang was amused by her and kept laughing.

"Alright, alright, it's Yueyue's turn."

Huo Siyue took out a palm-sized velvet box from her bag and opened it.

Inside is a butterfly brooch fully adorned with diamonds; when the light shines on it, it shimmers from pink to purple, displaying a dazzling array of colors.

It's a SoftVice high-quality bead; you can't buy it even if you have the money, you have to queue up to order it.

Happy birthday, Auntie!

"This was specially commissioned by SoftVice's chief designer to be made for you. You'll look absolutely stunning in it."

Ruan Qiutang smiled and took it, then patted her hand.

"Thank you, Yueyue, Auntie likes it very much."

Huo Siyue waved her hand and pushed Si Yimian forward.

"Mianmian also prepared a gift, which was much more thoughtful than mine."

Her tone became lively, and most of the tension from before dissipated.

Everyone looked at Si Yimian again.

Si Ningyou stood beside Ruan Qiutang, her eyes sweeping over the gift box in Si Yimian's arms.

As is customary in previous years, Si Yimian is practically invisible on such occasions.

When she came back the first year, she sent this country bumpkin a WeChat account that sold bags, saying it was a style her mother liked.

That fool actually believed it.

I spent all my pocket money on a secondhand counterfeit item that everyone laughed at.

When exposed in front of dozens of guests, his face went from expectant to deathly pale.

She still remembers that scene vividly; it made her feel great for a whole year.

After that, the fool never dared to give anything as a birthday gift again.

She always stayed in the corner like an outsider, only whispering a dry blessing at the very end.

Over the years, even Ruan Qiutang has gotten used to it.

They actually dared to make a move this year?

"Mianmian, what did you prepare for Mommy?"

"I haven't received a gift from you in eight years. Mom may not say it, but I've been thinking about it a lot."

Si Ningyou's words brought everyone's memories back to eight years ago.

Who here hasn't heard of that secondhand counterfeit goods incident from back then?

All eyes turned to Si Yimian.

There was curiosity, scrutiny, and mostly people waiting to see the joke.

After all, Si Ningyou's masterpiece is a testament to her talent; what can Si Yimian compare to?

The old lady, Song Yuehua, put down her teacup, her tone neither warm nor cold.

"Mianmian, your sister gave you imperial green jade, what did you give her?"

"If it's not suitable, don't take it out."

That's very straightforward; they didn't even bother to pretend.

He Nanxian stood to the side, his brows slightly furrowed.

He wanted to say something to defend Si Yimian, but when the words reached his lips, he felt that nothing he said would be right.

At that moment, a clear, cool voice came from the side.

The value of a gift is not reflected in its price tag.

Everyone turned to look at the source of the sound.

He Sichen walked over from the periphery of the crowd and stopped between the old lady and Si Yimian.

"On the operating table, a seven-figure imperial green jade is not as effective as a shot of adrenaline."

"The value varies depending on the occasion."

Everyone: "..."

These words sound like they're trying to get Si Yimian out of a tight spot, but also like they're targeting everyone.

He Sichen looked at Song Yuehua, his tone humble, but his words were anything but polite.

"Old Mrs. Song."

"What Miss Si gives is a token of her affection as a daughter."

"If you only look at the price tag, then never mind what I said."

Song Yuehua's face turned ashen, and she was speechless.

"Young man from the He family, what do you mean by that?"

He Sichen didn't respond, and turned his gaze to Ruan Qiutang.

"Aunt Ruan, you're the star of the night, so having fun is the most important thing."

With a single sentence, she effortlessly deflected the topic, neither directly confronting Song Yuehua nor failing to shift the focus back to the main character.

Then, he lowered his eyes and looked at Si Yimian.

"Here's your gift."