Chapter 134: Gu Liang’s Engagement
The Gu family villa was adorned with opulence, a grand spectacle of wealth and influence. As the car carrying Li Chen and Sun Lixia pulled up, a panorama of luxury unfolded before them. Rows of sleek, expensive cars lined the entrance, each one a symbol of the affluence that graced the illustrious occasion.
Valets hurriedly darted around, gracefully opening car doors for the elite guests who emerged in a display of designer gowns, tailored suits, and glittering accessories. The air was charged with an undeniable sense of exclusivity, as if the very atmosphere recognized the importance of the gathering.
The crowd exuded an aura of sophistication, mingling in front of the villa’s grand entrance. Women draped in flowing gowns adorned with jewels conversed with men in impeccably tailored suits. Laughter, murmurs, and the clinking of fine crystal glasses created a symphony of affluence that resonated throughout the opulent surroundings.
Against the backdrop of the Gu family villa’s extravagant facade, the scene unfolded like a carefully choreographed ballet of luxury and influence. The guests, each a prominent figure in their own right, embodied the epitome of success, mingling in anticipation of the forthcoming engagement celebration.
As Sun Lixia commented, "I see they went out of their way for this," Li Chen added with a smirk, "Hmm, they sure did." Xu Zhonhao, positioned at the front passenger seat, attired in a manner that emphasized his role as a bodyguard, stepped out of the car and courteously opened the door for Li Chen.
The young ladies standing outside couldn’t help but steal glances at Li Chen, their whispers not as discreet as they may have thought. One of them remarked, "Who is that fine man over there?" Her companion replied, "I don’t know; I don’t think I’ve seen him before." The first woman speculated, "I wonder which family he’s from." Her friend responded, "I’ll introduce myself once we get inside. I haven’t seen a man so handsome in ages."
While Li Chen moved to the other door to assist his mother, Sun Lixia gracefully emerged from the car. Her entrance triggered even more whispers among the onlookers. The ladies who had been discussing Li Chen couldn’t resist speculating further. "Oh, is that his girlfriend?" one asked. The other quickly dismissed the idea, saying, "No way. That woman might have great skin, but you can tell she’s old enough to be his mother." Another girl chimed in, "That means she must be his sugar mama." The assumptions and gossip continued to swirl as they approached the entrance of the Gu family villa.
Sun Lixia remarked, "I see those ladies seem disappointed." Li Chen chuckled and said, "That’s their problem. Let’s go in, Mom." They walked arm in arm towards the security guard responsible for checking invitations. While waiting their turn, Li Chen asked, "Where is Aunt Yanyan?" Sun Lixia replied, "Oh, well, your aunt loves to make a grand entrance. You’ll see."
As they approached the guard, Li Chen heard an annoying voice he knew too well – Jiang Xiaofeng. Jiang Xiaofeng sneered, "Hey, loser, what do you think you’re doing here?" Li Chen retorted, "I was invited. You were there; you should know better." Jiang Xiaofeng mocked, "You honestly thought Gu Liang meant it? Dude, you can’t enter without an invite. So take your sugar mama and leave."
Jiang Xiaofeng’s voice carried, making sure everyone within earshot could hear. The two ladies who had previously discussed Li Chen shared a knowing look, and one said, "I told you that was his sugar mama."
Jiang Xiaolin, Jiang Xiaofeng’s sister, also joined him and stood by Xiaofeng’s side. She scanned Li Chen up and down and commented, "You’re cute. You shouldn’t do sugar mamas." Jiang Xiaofeng teased, "Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for him." Jiang Xiaolin clarified, "I just said he’s cute, and that’s the truth." Sun Lixia watched in amusement and remarked, "You can’t be eyeing my baby like that, young girl." Li Chen stared at his mom with amusement, deciding to let her play her game.
Jiang Xiaofeng scoffed, "Oh, please. My sister would never want a man like him. Keep him, just be careful. He will milk you dry and leave you." Li Chen, annoyed, said, "Let’s get inside." Jiang Xiaofeng taunted, "Hey, buddy, where do you think you’re going?" He then turned to security and said, "Guards, this guy here has no invitation. He can’t be allowed inside." Jiang Xiaofeng’s loud voice had attracted a lot of attention, and people were now looking at them.
Two guards approached Li Chen and Sun Lixia, their commotion capturing the attention of Gu Hua, who quickly arrived at the scene. Spotting Li Chen in the midst of the uproar, Gu Hua asked sternly, "Li Chen, what in the world are you doing here?" Li Chen calmly responded, "Your sister extended an invitation."
Gu Hua rebuffed him, "I know my sister never meant that. Take this old cougar and leave." Sun Lixia, feeling affronted, shot back, "Who is this young man calling me an old cougar?" With a wry smile, Li Chen introduced Gu Hua, "This is Gu Hua, Gu Liang’s brother." Sun Lixia nodded in acknowledgment, "Ah, I see."
Undeterred by Gu Hua’s warnings, Li Chen replied in a relaxed tone, "This is Gu Hua threatening me? I’d be curious to see that day." Gu Hua, slightly taken aback, took a few steps back, hesitant to confront Li Chen directly. He then ordered the guards, "Get this loser and his old cougar out of here!"
As the guards were about to reach for Sun Lixia, Li Chen moved swiftly, delivering a precise punch that sent one guard crashing to the ground with an unexpected thud. Outraged, Gu Hua demanded, "How dare you strike my men!"
Li Chen stood his ground, "They’re not allowed to lay a finger on her."
Gu Hua roared at his guards, "I ordered you to remove them! What are we paying you for?" Before more guards could intervene, Sun Lixia calmly retrieved her invitation from her bag. The vivid red and gold card caught everyone’s attention.
Gu Hua examined the invitation with skepticism, questioning its authenticity. Sun Lixia remained composed, "Does it matter? What’s important is that this invitation is valid, and this young man is my guest."
Refusing to back down, Gu Hua insisted, "No, this can’t be real. That invitation is fake."
Sun Lixia’s tone grew firmer, "I’ll give you five minutes to verify its authenticity. And when you confirm it’s real, you’ll apologize to my date. Do you understand?"
Gu Hua hesitated but eventually instructed one of the guards to verify the invitation. Jiang Xiaolin observed the unfolding events, her emotions concealed behind a poised demeanor, waiting silently for the outcome.
Jiang Xiaofeng couldn’t contain her eagerness, "I can’t wait to see you get thrown out of here." Sun Lixia responded confidently, "Oh, we will see." The guard quickly returned, whispering a few words to Gu Hua. Gu Hua’s eyes widened in surprise as he asked Sun Lixia, "Where did you get this?"
Sun Lixia maintained her calm demeanor, "Like I said, it doesn’t matter. So, what did your guard say?" Through gritted teeth, Gu Hua instructed the guards, "Let them in." Jiang Xiaofeng, in disbelief, questioned, "Wait, how is that possible?" Gu Hua admitted defeat, "The invitation is legit." Jiang Xiaofeng sarcastically remarked, "Hmm, I see your sugar mama has connections, Li Chen." Li Chen smirked, "She sure does." In reality, he still didn’t know how his mother had obtained the invitation, and he made a mental note to ask her later.
Jiang Xiaofeng wanted to say more, but Jiang Xiaolin patted his shoulder and shot him a disapproving look. Xiaofeng closed his mouth and watched as Sun Lixia walked inside the villa arm in arm with Li Chen. Xiaofeng approached Gu Hua and asked, "Who is that woman with Li Chen?" Gu Hua replied, "I don’t know, but her invitation came from the Shan family." Xiaofeng wondered, "Could she be someone important in Beijing?" Gu Hua responded, "I don’t know. I’ll try to ask Shan Zitong later."
Sun Lixia and Li Chen gracefully navigated through the crowd, drawing occasional curious glances. Xiaolin, who had been observing the unfolding drama, couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was more to Sun Lixia than met the eye.
The air was filled with the scent of fresh flowers, and the soft melodies of a live orchestra added a touch of sophistication to the ambiance. Sun Lixia maintained her poise, seemingly unfazed by the earlier commotion.
Jiang Xiaofeng, still puzzled, decided to approach Xiaolin and share his thoughts. "This is getting interesting, don’t you think?" he said. Xiaolin nodded, her eyes fixed on Sun Lixia and Li Chen. "There’s more to this woman than we know," she remarked, a hint of curiosity in her voice.
Jiang Xiaolin eyed her brother, Jiang Xiaofeng, with a stern expression. "Try not to offend her any more before I find out who she really is. And, for goodness’ sake, stay away from Li Chen," she warned him, her voice laced with authority.
Xiaofeng, aware of his sister’s intellect and intuition, reluctantly nodded in agreement. "Alright, alright. I’ll keep my distance," he muttered, deciding to swallow his annoyance for the time being.
Xiaolin maintained her firm gaze on him, emphasizing the seriousness of her words. Satisfied that her message had been conveyed, she turned awa. As Jiang Xiaofeng entered the villa, he wore a more solemn expression, pondering over the mysterious woman’s significance in Li Chen’s life.
