After Breaking Up With the Scheming Bad Woman 81

Chapter 81: Breathing Became a Luxury.

June 14th, Saturday, the day of the Lu family’s old matriarch’s birthday banquet arrived as scheduled.

The Lu family had been in the fabric industry for many years, steadily building their business, and had long since established a place for themselves in the industry.

This time, the old matriarch Lu’s eighty-fifth birthday banquet was a grand affair, and it was not proposed by the Lu family’s eldest son, Lu Yuming, but by the old matriarch herself.

At this age, one lives one day less. Some of her peers from the past were getting fewer and fewer. She had attended several funerals, so she wanted to take this opportunity to see everyone again.

People should enjoy themselves when they should. Everything could be left to the younger generation in the family. She didn’t need to worry about anything.

And the weather in Jingcheng was very cooperative. It had been raining lightly yesterday, but today it was clear and sunny. A few thin wisps of clouds stretched across the sky, and as they drifted slowly, they looked down at a bustling and prosperous French-style manor in a certain part of the city.

The manor was located in a prestigious area of Jingcheng and covered a large area. Because it was an old lady’s birthday banquet, it was decorated in a very festive red. The branches of the lush green trees inside were all tied with red silk ribbons with the words “Fu” (fortune) and “Shou” (longevity), which fluttered in the gentle breeze into a flowing red cloud, adorning the thousands of square meters of green grass.

The guests arrived one after another, getting out of one luxury car after another. Their faces were either old or young, all of them celebrities from all walks of life, dressed formally, smiling and talking. When they saw a familiar face, they would go up to exchange pleasantries, and then together they would hand over their exquisite banquet invitations to the butler.

Huai Xing was in full makeup, and beside her stood the equally exquisitely made-up Lu Zhenyue and Lu Xianyue. They were greeting guests on the lawn.

She had never appeared on such an occasion in the past. Now, suddenly appearing in the same frame as the two Lu sisters, and both wearing haute couture gowns from the same brand, naturally, many people would ask, “Little niece Lu, this is…?”

Lu Zhenyue replied with a smile, “She’s also a member of our Lu family.”

Lu Xianyue also added, “She’s our good sister.”

Everyone knew to stop there after getting this answer and did not ask any more questions. They nodded politely to Huai Xing with a smile, and the next second, they could hear her accurately call out their own names.

But not everyone did not know Huai Xing, for example, Tan Yunshu from the Junling Group.

The two companies had officially started to cooperate, and they would occasionally contact each other on WeChat. Huai Xing would also see Tan Yunshu post selfies with her lover on her Moments. At this moment, Tan Yunshu and Fang Yu were both holding their skirts with one hand, and their other hands were not free either, holding hands from the moment they got out of the car.

Next to them was Shen Yingzhi from the Shen Group. She was speechless at this display of affection between the two wives. She was wearing a well-tailored suit today, and as she walked, she sneered, “Hehe, if it weren’t for Ning Jing being on a business trip, would it be your turn to show off in front of me?”

“We’re just afraid that the other will fall. Besides, aren’t you used to it yet?” Tan Yunshu raised an eyebrow and then called out to a relatively familiar person in front, “President Huai.”

Huai Xing’s hair was tied up today, her dark hair coiled above her fair nape, at just the right height, which made her features look even more three-dimensional from both the side and the front.

She replied with a grin, “President Tan, we meet again.”

“This is my wife, Fang Yu,” Tan Yunshu introduced generously.

“Hello, Miss Fang,” Huai Xing said, extending her hand.

Fang Yu shook her hand back. “Hello.”

Huai Xing then looked at Shen Yingzhi, her smile still just right. “President Shen, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Hello, President Huai,” Shen Yingzhi also curled her lips. “We’re very happy to have ‘Silk Season’ in our ‘Linli’ mall.”

“‘Silk Season’ does have this idea.”

Tan Yunshu reminded her tactfully at the side, “Wait a minute. Is our chat today also going to be so business-like?” She smiled. “When is President Huai going back to Haicheng? Why don’t we find some time to meet again before that and have a meal together?”

“Okay, no problem.”

Shen Yingzhi: “Then we’ll go and look around first. President Huai, you can continue to be busy.”

With that, the group of three walked in, chatting and laughing, and chatted warmly with others.

After Lu Zhenyue had exchanged pleasantries with a few people nearby, she came over with a glass of juice. She put one hand on Huai Xing’s shoulder and brought the rim of the glass to Huai Xing’s lips. “Xiao Xing, how about this juice?”

Huai Xing didn’t have time to refuse this intimate act, but after thinking about it, she felt that it was nothing, so she tilted her head back slightly with Lu Zhenyue’s raised wrist.

After two sips of juice, her mouth was filled with a sweet fruity fragrance. She curved her eyes at Lu Zhenyue. “It’s delicious, Sister Suisui.”

“I just made it casually,” Lu Zhenyue said with a smile, her gaze shifting to the lawn.

“The Chu family is here,” she said.

Hearing this, Huai Xing blinked and then followed Lu Zhenyue’s gaze.

Before this, Chu Wantang had not actually told her that she was coming to this birthday banquet, but she was convinced that Chu Wantang would come—

Because Chu Wantang would not give up any opportunity to meet her.

As she had expected, today’s Chu Wantang was wearing an apricot-colored qipao. The qipao was exquisitely made and of high quality, with a pearly luster. The stand-up collar outlined her slender swan neck, and the pankou was like a butterfly that had been attracted and had stopped, unwilling to fly away. The waistline was cinched just right, like a flower branch gently caressed by the evening breeze, with a flowing rhythm. When she walked, the hem of the qipao swept through the air, and the air would ripple.

But Chu Wantang did not come alone. Beside her was Chu Yiming.

Chu Yiming was over eighty, wearing a Zhongshan suit, his hair gray, and time had carved deep furrows on his face. There were also undeniable age spots on his face. His frame did not look very strong, but he also stood up straight, supported by his granddaughter as he walked forward.

At this moment, his granddaughter’s attention was all on the front.

The scene of Lu Zhenyue feeding Huai Xing juice just now had fallen into Chu Wantang’s eyes, and it overlapped with the scenes she had seen in the past two months, replaying in her mind over and over again.

She also saw the familiar gowns on the two of them, with gold thread interspersed, and a halo of light flowing as they walked.

“Old Mr. Chu,” Lu Zhenyue said, going up to greet him. She glanced at Chu Wantang, not at all surprised, first nodded to Chu Wantang, and then said to Chu Yiming, “You’re here.”

Chu Yiming had not participated in such an occasion for many years, but that did not mean that he did not know who was standing in front of him now.

He could not see any joy or anger in his cloudy eyes, but he smiled. “If I hadn’t come, I was afraid your old lady would call and scold me.” He then explained, “But Ah Ying is sick and can’t come.”

“I’ve already told you and Grandma to be more careful,” Chu Wantang said with a helpless look at the side.

Chu Yiming felt a headache. “Don’t nag, Tangtang.”

Lu Zhenyue spoke at the right time, a deep smile on her charming face. “It’s already very good that you could come, Old Mr. Chu. Please come in. Grandma is waiting for you.”

The old lady had instructed her that if the Chu family came, she had to personally welcome them to the reception hall.

From beginning to end, Huai Xing had not said a word.

She looked at Chu Yiming’s face and couldn’t help but feel extremely sad. If the Chu family had been able to withstand everything under those rumors back then, would Huai Zhao and Chu Lingyi not have ended up like this?

The clouds of sorrow between her brows were not well hidden. Chu Wantang saw it and really wanted to reach out and smooth her lightly furrowed brows.

In the end, she only curled her knuckles and called her in a difficult voice, “Xingxing.”

Hearing this form of address, Lu Zhenyue silently shifted her gaze to Huai Xing.

“This is…” Chu Yiming asked uncertainly. “The second young lady of the Lu family?”

The guests had almost all arrived, and Lu Xianyue was taking the opportunity to have a long-distance relationship with Wen Shiwei in Haicheng.

Huai Xing met the old master Chu’s gaze and answered very calmly, “Old Mr. Chu, my surname is Huai.” A faint smile was on her lips. “My name is Huai Xing.”

“Huai…” Chu Yiming’s heavy voice was a little hoarse. “What about the others in your family?”

Huai Xing lowered her eyes, her expression dejected. “I’m the only one left.”

“Your grandfather’s name was Huai Zhuo, and your grandmother’s name was Lu Qianlan. They were old friends of mine and Ah Ying…” Chu Yiming recalled his late friends and took a deep breath.

Chu Wantang didn’t want to see Huai Xing’s brows furrowed. “Grandpa, you should go into the reception hall first. The old lady Lu is still waiting for you.”

“Yes, I’ll go in now.”

Although Chu Yiming said that, he still looked at Huai Xing and said again, “Child, this is your older sister Wantang. I heard her call you that just now. I suppose you two know each other? I’ll have Tangtang contact you later, okay?”

Huai Xing glanced at Chu Wantang and nodded very politely. “Okay, Old Mr. Chu.”

The truth of the past, Chu Yiming was also a breakthrough point here.

…

There was still some time before dinner, and the guests had all entered the reception hall.

After Lu Xianyue finished her call with Wen Shiwei, she came over and sat down on the grass with Huai Xing and Lu Zhenyue.

She squinted her eyes, looked at the blue sky, and said lazily, “Greeting guests is so tiring. Auntie even gave us such an important task. I want to go back to Haicheng.”

“Do you want to go back to Haicheng because of this, or because of Wen Shiwei?” Lu Zhenyue stroked her little sister’s head.

She then turned her head and saw Huai Xing sitting silently in her chair, looking at her phone screen.

Lu Zhenyue flicked her hair and asked very naturally on the surface, “Xiao Xing.”

“Hmm?” Huai Xing turned her head, her expression serious.

“You deceived me. I’m not happy.”

“What?” Huai Xing said seriously. “When did that happen, Sister Suisui?”

Lu Zhenyue pondered, “You and Chu Wantang knew each other long ago, right? But on the night of the premiere of ‘Mist,’ her rhetoric was not tenable, but you didn’t explain it to me.” She paused. “Wait, actually, you don’t have to explain to me that you know her… alright, then there’s no deception. It should be that I’m a little bothered.”

She then asked her little sister, “Xianyue, did you know that Xiao Xing and Chu Wantang knew each other before?”

“…I did,” Lu Xianyue said. She couldn’t lie to her own sister, so she had no choice but to sacrifice her friend.

As soon as she answered, she quickly ran away, leaving the two of them here.

Lu Zhenyue sighed. “Wen Shiwei has known you for so many years, so she must know. Xianyue has lived opposite you for five years, so she also knows. And I haven’t known you for many years, and I don’t live opposite you. It seems reasonable that I don’t know. It’s also reasonable that I’m excluded from your world, don’t you think?”

“I’m sorry, Sister Suisui,” Huai Xing said, a strand of her hair falling down, as if in cooperation with her master’s apology.

She explained a little nervously, “I just felt that there was nothing to say.”

“What if I want to know? Will you tell me or not?” Lu Zhenyue stared at the person in front of her, hesitated for a moment, and reached out to push aside the strand of hair that had fallen by her ear, tucking it behind her ear.

Huai Xing nodded. “I won’t hide it from you.”

The smile on Lu Zhenyue’s face deepened. She wanted to habitually ruffle her head, but her hair was tied up, so it was not very convenient.

In the end, she took out her lipstick, looked at Huai Xing’s lips, and said, “Don’t move. I’ll touch up your lipstick for you.”

Not far away, Chu Wantang was standing on the steps of the reception hall, watching this scene on the lawn.

In the past week, she had been sending Huai Xing check-in photos of her drinking water as usual, but Huai Xing’s replies had never been timely. The contract was progressing steadily, and she didn’t want to use the excuse of work anymore.

But once she stopped taking the initiative, she would be completely cut off from Huai Xing. Although she said that they were friends now, Huai Xing would not take the initiative to send her a message.

She had no right to ask anything of Huai Xing, because she was the one who was seeking emotions from Huai Xing.

At this moment, she couldn’t help but think that she should have just stayed in the reception hall and not come out.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have seen Lu Zhenyue push aside Huai Xing’s hair. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have seen Lu Zhenyue touch up Huai Xing’s lipstick. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have seen Huai Xing’s long lashes half-lowered, a hint of a smile still on her lips.

Chu Wantang walked into the garden in a daze and sat down. She couldn’t smell any fragrance. She lowered her head and dialed Huai Xing’s number—

“Xingxing.”

But she only said this form of address, and she couldn’t say anything else.

Breathing became a luxury, and her eyes instantly filled with a salty bitterness.

But as a friend who could not cross the line, she no longer had the right to even get red-eyed in front of Huai Xing.