Chapter 171 - The 18th Birthday (1) (2/2)

“Her guardian’s just some white-collar worker Why would he have that much money?” Mei Xiawen shook his head distractedly An unpleasant thought occurred to hicha paused The saht had occurred to her An odd smile spread across her face as she whispered in Mei Xiawen’s ear: “See, it doesn’t round—as long as she’s pretty, and sh, no door will ever be locked to her This is why you should never underesti?” Mei Xiawen pushed Jiang Hongcha away “Nianzhi isn’t like that”

He refused to believe that Gu Nianzhi had betrayed hicha

“I didn’t say that, did I?” Jiang Hongcha returned to the sofa, and sat with her slender legs crossed She put her chin in a hand and said: “Still, a penniless orphan is suddenly rich enough to have her 18th birthday bash on a Caribbean cruise shi+p She ar daddy What else could it be?”

Mei Xiawen did not reply He walked to his rooot out his phone, and called Gu Nianzhi

It was 7 in thefor Gu Nianzhi

She had just walked into the Co when she heard her phone ring She saas froet my invitation?”

“Yeah, I did” Mei Xiawen suppressed his anger as he asked lightly: “Nianzhi, whatyour birthday on a Caribbean cruise shi+p?”

“It wasn’t my idea,” Gu Nianzhi replied cheerfully “It was Professor He He’s throwing the party for me, and invited everyone to celebrate with me on a Caribbean cruise shi+p”

So it had been a present froh of relief Another thought occurred to hiain “Professor He? W-Why… Why’s he being so nice to you? Why would he splurge so much money on you?”

Gu Nianzhi did not like Mei Xiawen’s tone “What are you i to say, say it Don’t beat around the bush”

She walked into her office in a cloud of anger and shut the door behind her

Mei Xiawen tugged at his hair in frustration “Don’t play dumb You knohat I mean Tell me, ould a professor spend so much money just to celebrate your birthday? Do you think I’ on?!”

“Mei Xiawen! How dare you insult me and Professor He!” Gu Nianzhi was absolutely furious She had to restrain herself froht now! Or I will never speak to you again!”

It was an explosive reaction from Gu Nianzhi There was even a hint of a sob in her voice

“…Is there really nothing else behind this?” Mei Xiaas nervous “Nianzhi, you know that I love you I’ve been waiting for you You proo back on your word!”

Gu Nianzhi was livid, but Mei Xiawen sounded so nervous and worried she found herself unable to continue arguing with him Besides, his concerns were not entirely unreasonable

After all, Gu Nianzhi had also been careful to keep her distance frouard when she learned that He Zhichu had always been generous with his students

“Xiawen, Professor He isn’t like us, he’s in an entire class of his own He always throws expensive birthday parties for his students My party isn’t even particularly i within her as she patiently explained to Mei Xiawen: “He’s flown his students to Las Vegas for a day trip, booked the entire Universal Studios theme park in Florida for a private party, and even led his students on a hunting trip to Africa—Professor He paid for all that”

“What?!” Mei Xiawen realized he had ju of e in a well—a total ignorae and perspective of ent on beyond his tiny bubble Mei Xiawen had couished family, and was the heir to his family fortune, but Professor He was evidently a lot wealthier than he was

“Nianzhi, I rong I should have clarified with you before juized sincerely “You’re so lucky to have Professor He as your teacher I don’t think any of the other professors in our country actually spends that kind of raduate students”

Gu Nianzhi adized as soon as he knerong, and never prolonged an argument unnecessarily out of spite Besides, they were currently living on different continents, and were still getting to know each other: it was all the more important to explain the

She had not agreed to be Mei Xiawen’s girlfriend, not yet, but Mei Xiaas already frantic with concern about her—was this his way of expressing his love for her?

“All right, I shouldn’t have lost o “So are you co! I’ll be there, count on it!” Mei Xiawen rubbed his palratiate himself with Professor He—if Professor He knew Gu Nianzhi was his girlfriend, perhaps he would be just as kind and generous with hi up, Mei Xiawen opened the door and saw Jiang Hongcha rising fro?” Mei Xiawen did not like other peopleMinesweeper” Jiang Hongcha shrugged “So how did it go? Did she tell you what’s going on?”

“Yeah The birthday party is a present from her professor” Mei Xiawen tossed his phone onto the co paranoid”

“Her professor?” Jiang Hongcha rolled her eyes “Xiahen I was studying at Juilliard, I heard that one of ood grades and a scholarshi+p…”

“Professor He isn’t like that” Mei Xiaas confident in his understanding, this ti a birthday party on a cruise shi+p is as nor a , duh”

Jiang Hongcha had known Mei Xiawen for many years, but she had never received a retort fro as this one

She pulled a tight lid over her resento She stayed with Mei Xiawen, as though nothing had happened

Mei Xiawen had planned everything carefully, but he could not have foreseen what happened next: the next o to the airport to catch his plane, Jiang Hongcha, who had slept with hiht before, suddenly complained of stomach pain She was in so cha? Hongcha? What’s wrong?!” Mei Xiawen frantically got out his phone and called for an acha heeled into the operating rooency

Mei Xiawen sat outside the operating room, all alone He did not dare tell anyone what had happened—the doctor had infore…

He watched the plane he was supposed to board take off without hicha heeled out of the operating rooist looked at Mei Xiawen reproachfully as she berated hi voice: “You should have had nant Well, the child’s gone nohat do you have to say for yourself?”

Mei Xiaas at a loss for words

He stayed quietly by Jiang Hongcha’s bed, until she finally cacha looked at hietically “I made you ht, you can still make it to the party”

Mei Xiawen shook his head “That won’t be necessary I’ll celebrate her birthday with her next year, when she’s back in the country I’oing to need rest and care: aon the female body as actual child-birth

…

A short e fro to attend to for the next few days and could not make it to her party

Gu Nianzhi looked at her phone; she did not feel particularly disappointed She thought for areply to Mei Xiawen

Mei Xiaas not the only one who could not attend the party; He Zhichu, too, had left Washi+ngton

Wen Shouyi had told Gu Nianzhi that Professor He had hurried back to his hoent matter with his family, and may not be able to attend her birthday party However, there was nothing to worry about: he had entrusted the preparations for the party to Wen Shouyi

Gu Nianzhi listened to Wen Shouyi skeptically, but was forced to concede she was probably telling the truth when He Zhichu still had not returned to Washi+ngton on the night before her birthday

Gu Nianzhi sat in her bedroo her panda pillow She propped her head with a hand as she thought about the situation: it was beco, and Zhao Liangze would be celebrating her birthday with her, just as it had been in the previous years

Zhao Liangze knocked on her door He said, s to the airport first thing in the ”