Chapter 12: Birthday Gift
Du Xin and Tan Xiaoxiao stayed tucked away in a corner until eight-thirty, at which point they descended the stairs and immediately sought out another corner to hide in.
"Just how afraid of those people are you? You're being so incredibly cautious."
Having followed her as she darted from one hiding spot to another, Du Xin finally voiced the question that had been on his mind.
"It's not fear—you have no idea how annoying they are! They follow you around all day long; one moment they're sending flowers, the next it's necklaces, bracelets, or whatever else. It's absolutely maddening. I have to change jobs every so often just to get away from them. The day you bought your house? That was actually my very first day at a new job."
Tan Xiaoxiao sighed, speaking with a tone of utter helplessness.
"Well, why don't you just reject them outright? Be a little harsh—that would put an end to their hopes once and for all."
"I can't do that. Most of them are the sons of my father's business partners. One of them, in particular, is the son of a major shareholder in our company—and we even grew up together."
"Childhood sweethearts? Isn't that a good thing?"
Tan Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes at Du Xin once again.
"Childhood sweethearts—yeah, right! I don't like him. He loves hogging the spotlight too much. Plus, rumor has it he enjoys playing with people's feelings. I certainly don't want to entrust my entire future to someone as unreliable as that."
"Well, that's just how men are—aren't we all like that?"
Du Xin remarked casually, not expecting to provoke Tan Xiaoxiao's ire.
"Whose side are you on, anyway?! Why are you going around defending other people? You're making so many excuses for him—don't tell me *you're* that kind of guy, too!"
"I certainly am not! I've only ever had one girlfriend, and actually, *she* was the one who dumped *me*. Anyway—we've been talking for a while now, but I still don't know who your father is, or what exactly your family does."
Du Xin hurriedly offered his explanation, then swiftly steered the conversation in a different direction. Tan Xiaoxiao—who had been wondering just who could possibly be formidable enough to dump a guy like Du Xin—didn't mind the change of topic at all. Instead, she pointed toward a middle-aged gentleman standing in the middle of the room and spoke to Du Xin. "He is my father. Our family made its fortune in real estate back in the nineties. Nowadays, while we still manage our real estate holdings, we've also expanded into the fashion industry, as well as car dealerships and a food company."
"Holy crap! Your family is loaded! Wait a second—don't tell me you guys are *the* Tan family! Is your dad Tan Chengjun?!"
"Mm-hmm."
Tan Xiaoxiao couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled. Based on her observations, Du Xin's background was certainly no less impressive than her own; he really shouldn't be acting this surprised.
"The richest family in the entire city! So you're actually a little heiress! In that case, how can you be so comfortable letting me play the role of your boyfriend? Aren't you afraid I might take the act too seriously?"
"I trust you."
Tan Xiaoxiao fixed her gaze on Du Xin and spoke with earnestness—a look that actually made Du Xin feel a little flustered.
"Alright then! I'll just have to say you've got excellent judgment; I truly am a man of integrity."
Watching Du Xin's somewhat comical demeanor, Tan Xiaoxiao actually felt a sudden warmth in her heart. She burst into laughter, and Du Xin couldn't help but join in.
"We would like to welcome everyone who has taken the time to join us today for our young lady's birthday banquet. Here, we..."
Suddenly, the voice of the master of ceremonies rang out from the main hall.
"Let's go over there."
Tan Xiaoxiao said. The two stood up, and Tan Xiaoxiao skipped over to Du Xin's side, linking her arm through his. Feeling the soft touch of her arm against his own, Du Xin involuntarily stiffened.
"You're my boyfriend now, remember? Come on! Let's head over."
Tan Xiaoxiao said with a smile. Du Xin composed himself and walked alongside Tan Xiaoxiao toward the front of the hall. Only then did the crowd notice the pair. As they advanced, people constantly stepped aside to make way for them; everyone nodded respectfully to Tan Xiaoxiao while simultaneously sizing up Du Xin. Instantly, Du Xin was struck by a sense of foreboding.
"Xiaoxiao..."
"Xiaoxiao, what are you...?"
"Who is he, Xiaoxiao...?"
As they passed a group of young people, the youths peppered Tan Xiaoxiao with questions—their eyes betraying an unmistakable hostility toward Du Xin. "The birthday girl... surely that's not you?"
"You figured it out! You're my boyfriend now, so you'd better make a good impression! And don't forget my gift!"
Du Xin instantly felt a headache coming on. Having never experienced anything like this before, he didn't know how to react—should he act like a domineering CEO from a novel, or should he go for a more subtle, understated flex? In the end, he decided to simply play it by ear.
Finally, Tan Xiaoxiao walked up to Tan Chengjun.
"Dad, this is my boyfriend: Du Xin."
"Hello, Uncle. I'm Xiaoxiao's boyfriend—my name is Du Xin. You can just call me 'Little Du.'"
Tan Chengjun's expression was initially rather sour; however, seeing that Du Xin was well-dressed, handsome, polite, and carried himself with a confident yet humble demeanor, his expression softened somewhat.
"Mm."
He gave a simple grunt—his way of acknowledging Du Xin.
"And now, let's welcome our guest of honor today—Xiaoxiao—to the stage!"
What followed was the standard routine: blowing out the candles, cutting the cake—nothing particularly novel or exciting.
Finally, the pivotal moment arrived: everyone began presenting their gifts. There was a wide variety on display—some on the more affordable side, like watches costing tens of thousands; others were extravagant items worth hundreds of thousands, or even millions. There was a violin crafted by a European master from the last century, a heart-shaped diamond discovered in South Africa, and even a globally limited-edition custom perfume. Most of these lavish gifts were presented by young scions of wealthy families—and as they handed over their presents, the majority of them cast provocative, challenging glances at Du Xin.
After most of the guests had presented their gifts, a voice rang out across the hall. Though not particularly loud, in the hushed silence of the lobby, it reached the ears of every single person present.
"We've all presented our gifts; I wonder what Xiaoxiao's boyfriend has prepared? Why don't you bring it out and let us take a look? I'm sure it must be far more expensive than what I brought! Oh—my gift happens to be that four-carat heart-shaped diamond over there. It only cost me a mere 1.5 million."
As he spoke, he fixed a provocative stare upon Du Xin.
Du Xin gave a helpless smile. Although he had fully anticipated this moment, he still felt a twinge of annoyance. Every eye in the lobby—even Tan Chengjun's—turned toward Du Xin, eager to see what gift he had prepared.
Du Xin stepped out from the crowd and spoke. "I hadn't originally intended to bring this out just yet, but since this gentleman is so eager to broaden his horizons, I suppose I'll present it now—just to give him a real eye-opener."
"Hmph! Such arrogant bluster!"
Du Xin paid no heed to the snide remarks from below as he stepped onto the stage. Tan Xiaoxiao, however, was instantly seized by panic. The gift she had actually prepared was merely an ordinary necklace—worth a mere hundred thousand or so—and presenting *that* would only make them a laughingstock. She frantically tried to signal Du Xin with her eyes, but to her dismay, he completely ignored her silent pleas.
"My gift... is this."
With that, Du Xin opened the box Tan Xiaoxiao had given him. As the lid lifted, revealing the familiar silhouette of the necklace, Tan Xiaoxiao felt her heart sink—she thought for sure they were doomed. But upon taking a closer look, she froze in stunned silence. The necklace featured a total of seven diamonds set within a platinum chain. At its center sat a heart-shaped, purplish-red diamond weighing at least five carats. Flanking it on either side were three colored diamonds of distinct hues, each weighing three carats; judging by their vivid coloration, they appeared to be of the highest intensity grade—at least "Fancy Vivid." Arranged in perfect symmetry, they descended in a sequence of blue, yellow, and pink. Scattered across the surrounding setting was a multitude of smaller diamonds, creating a dazzling backdrop. As the magnificent overhead lights shone down upon the piece, a kaleidoscope of shimmering colors instantly illuminated the entire grand hall.
"Xiaoxiao, I give you this 'Heart of the Rainbow.' May it bring you happiness and joy, every single day."
By now, Tan Xiaoxiao—who had remained standing on the stage—was covering her face with her hands, tears streaming down her cheeks. She nodded frantically, unable to speak.
"Mm-hmm..."
Then, she rushed forward and threw her arms tightly around Du Xin, holding him in a fierce embrace.
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