We ordinary people also need to fall in love.

Xie Shu did not intend to tell Xu Ting beforehand that he was going out.

She knew very well that if she told her in advance, she would only be met with a barrage of questions, followed by a negative response: No, it's not safe, Mom has already arranged everything.

Instead of exhausting yourself in that long, drawn-out struggle, it's better to just go out and move on.

Therefore, Chen Qiuhe's plans were destined to come to nothing, and Chen Qiuhe could only express his regret.

When the clock struck midnight, the entire villa was quiet. The motion-sensor lights in the corridor flickered on and off.

If you're a girl with strong social skills, your phone is probably already flooded with congratulatory messages: red envelopes from relatives, midnight greetings on social media, and voice messages from friends right at midnight.

Unfortunately, Xie Shu was different. Only a handful of people knew her birthday. Among her classmates, only Li Mubai, Chen Qiuhe, and Deng Yi knew it.

She was used to it all along, used to keeping quiet amidst the hustle and bustle, used to waking up as usual on her birthday and attending the birthday banquet arranged by her mother.

She used to think there wouldn't be much difference between seventeen and sixteen, just like there wouldn't be much difference between sixteen and fifteen, but now...

When she woke up the next day, she saw the birthday wishes sent by Deng Yi and Chen Qiuhe at midnight. She replied briefly, then got up, washed up, and did her homework for the day.

"Meow."

A white cat wandered in; it was her Ragdoll cat. She came to her owner's side and looked up at her.

Hungry?

Xie Shu stood up from the chair and walked onto the balcony.

Looking at the orange tabby cat that was still fast asleep, she shook the bag. The kibble made a rustling sound as it hit the bag. The orange tabby cat immediately raised its head. Seeing that it was time to eat, it stood up, stretched, and came over.

"So lazy." Xie Shu patted his head, then poured cat food into both bowls, added water to the other two bowls, and returned to his seat.

In order to prevent the two cats from disturbing her birthday party, Xu Ting ordered that both cats be kept in Xie Shu's room.

In the past, Xie Shu's birthday banquet was usually held in a hotel banquet hall, but this year Xu Ting suddenly had the idea to hold Xie Shu's birthday banquet in her own villa.

At 10 a.m. on the 20th, Xu Ting began calling people to decorate the villa.

Balloons, bouquets, dining tables, lights—the design company staff carried large and small bags in and out, and the spacious living room was quickly transformed into a small banquet hall.

Through the window, Xie Shu saw that the courtyard was also being renovated, and a white banner with colorful lettering was being hung up: Have a great birthday!

There are even private chefs who come to your home, bringing a full set of kitchen utensils and ingredients, and busily preparing dishes in the kitchen.

It seems a bit chilly this morning. Is the air conditioner set too low?

Xu Ting stood on the stairs, looking down at everything with a satisfied smile on her lips.

She also invited her relatives and friends, business partners, former classmates, and several girls around Xie Shu's age. These people could become Xiao Shu's network in the future, she thought to herself.

Watching people bustling about and the banquet gradually taking shape, Xu Ting felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

She straightened her collar, went upstairs, and came to Xie Shu's room, gently knocking on the door.

"Xiao Shu, remember to change into the new dress I bought for you. I'm taking you outside now to pick out some accessories. Your dad won't be coming back today."

There was a few seconds of silence, then with a click, the door was pulled open.

Xu Ting's smile froze for a moment after she saw Xie Shu's attire.

Xie Shu wasn't wearing a formal dress, nor did she show any signs of elaborate dressing up. She was just wearing a simple long dress, and her hair was unstyled, simply draped over her shoulders, like any ordinary high school girl going out for a midday walk.

"I need to go out for a bit." Xie Shu didn't look at Xu Ting; his gaze passed over her and landed on the tightly closed door at the end of the corridor.

As soon as she finished speaking, she walked towards the door.

"You come back here!" Xu Ting frowned and grabbed her. "Don't think I don't know where you're planning to go! Who you're with doesn't matter to Mom! But Mom has already arranged your schedule for today, so you're not allowed to go anywhere!"

Arrangements, more arrangements... Xie Shu's gaze gradually darkened.

Xu Ting waited, and her daughter remained silent and impatient as usual, eventually having to accept it. But this time, she heard Xie Shu say:

"Arrangements? Arrangements?" Xie Shu's voice wasn't loud, but every word trembled slightly. "Why do you have to arrange everything for me? I just want some time to myself, is that not even allowed?"

"Don't forget who gave you everything you have now!" Xu Ting said, barely containing her anger. "Go and see those people who have no money. What kind of lives do they lead? They can't afford to eat, they can't afford to go to school, and they're even afraid to go to the hospital when they're sick! Don't you ever appreciate your parents' kindness?"

"I just want a free life, and I don't like attending any banquets! I especially dislike all the things you've arranged for me!" Xie Shu raised her head and looked directly into her mother's eyes.

Snapped!

A crisp sound rang out in the villa, where you could hear a pin drop. In that instant, the entire villa became even quieter. The sounds of setting up downstairs stopped, and the chopping of vegetables in the kitchen also ceased.

Xu Ting laughed angrily, "Fine! You want freedom? Then get out of this house! Go experience what it's like to live without money! And don't spend a single penny of our money!"

Without hesitation, Xie Shu suppressed her grievances, stubbornly raised her hand, and slammed her phone hard onto the ground.

With a loud crash, the phone slammed onto the polished marble floor, and fine cracks spread across the screen like a spiderweb from the center.

Xie Shu stormed out, angrily pulling open the door and rushing into the afternoon sunlight. With a bang, the door slammed shut.

Xu Ting was still standing in the corridor behind him, her chest heaving violently, her gaze fixed on the shattered phone on the floor.

The broken screen was still lit up, displaying the app search interface.

"You all go back first. I'll give you the money you owe," Xu Ting said to the people who were still setting up the venue and preparing food in the kitchen after calming herself down.

These people immediately thanked them and then quickly left the villa.

Xu Ting sat on the sofa and looked up to see the colorful banner hanging there: Happy 17th Birthday to my dear daughter!

She stood up, ripped it off, threw it into the trash can, and then collapsed heavily onto the sofa, panting heavily.