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墨書 Inktalez
Today is the most grand day of the year at the Cheng Residence, the birthday of Cheng Mo Su.
Everyone has been busy since early morning until nightfall. The blue stone beams are adorned with crystal lights, dyeing the entire night as if wrapped in elegant attire. The bare branches have been decorated with various lanterns, taking on different shapes and shining brightly when looked up at. The guests coming and going in the residence are dressed in various formal outfits, carrying jade rings, creating a scene of opulence. In the winding corridor, the renowned calligrapher Mr. Chen personally inscribed the words "Happy Birthday" in large characters, set against a backdrop of shimmering gold edges, appealing to both refined and popular tastes.
Butler Liu personally welcomed guests outside, nodding and bowing with a smile on his face, though inside he felt a tinge of melancholy. Just earlier, his nephew had caused a ruckus again, even shouting that he was useless. Thinking of this made his smile freeze.
"Uncle Liu." Butler Liu quickly snapped back to reality and saw Miss Huang Wei, promptly greeting her with a smile and extending his hand to support her. Huang Wei's fair arm rested on him as she smiled brightly, "Is Mo Su ready?"
"Of course, Miss. She has already finished getting ready and is currently waiting for the guests," Butler Liu replied. Upon hearing this, Huang Wei became excited. Cheng Mo Su was naturally beautiful and usually wore light makeup; how would she look today in full makeup? She hurried forward, almost rushing into the hall.
Under the rows of crystal lights, Cheng Mo Su's already fair skin appeared even more flawless. Her black hair was elegantly styled up, with only a few strands cascading down to her waist. With a stunning smile, she moved through the crowd, holding a red wine goblet gracefully while chatting lightly with the guests, her words flowing like pearls. Her makeup was bold yet tasteful; she wore a bright red qipao that accentuated her curvaceous figure, resembling stars in the night sky, clouds on the horizon, elegant chrysanthemums, and delicate orchids.
Her sparkling water-like eyes spotted Huang Wei, revealing a hint of a smile as she walked over with graceful steps. "You’re here! Come sit inside. This year for my birthday, Dad isn’t here; handling so many people alone is really too much for me," she said with an open and cheerful smile while linking arms with Huang Wei and leading her to their designated seats.
Huang Wei settled down and smiled back, "I think you could handle thousands of people."
Cheng Mo Su's face resembled peach blossoms as she lightly scolded playfully, "Don’t tease me anymore." After sharing some laughter with Huang Wei, she inadvertently noticed a well-dressed man in a suit who appeared to be looking for something behind his gold-rimmed glasses. A blush crept onto her cheeks like the glow of sunset. Cheng Mo Su followed Huang Wei's gaze and naturally saw the man whom Huang Wei had always admired. She smiled slightly and winked at Huang Wei, saying, "Uncle Xu is here; I’ll go greet him."
"Uncle Xu," she said with a bright smile on her rosy cheeks. "Long time no see."
Xu Hua seemed surprised by her sudden appearance but quickly masked it with a smile. "Mo Su has become even more beautiful; how are you managing this birthday banquet all by yourself?"
"Actually, I feel a bit tired," Cheng Mo Su replied with eyes as clear as a stream. "Without Dad here, I feel somewhat overwhelmed."
"Yes, the president's trip is very important. Once he leaves, all the bank matters will be handled by me, and I already feel overwhelmed. I really miss the days when the president was by my side," he said, pushing up his gold-rimmed glasses.
Cheng Mo smiled and nodded, "Uncle Xu is joking. My father often mentioned that Uncle Xu handles things flawlessly and in an orderly manner; he is his right-hand man. He also said he was truly fortunate to have recognized Uncle Xu's talent back then."
Xu Hua paused slightly in his heart. The girl's words pointedly highlighted her father's favor towards him, reminding him to remember his place while the president was away and not to overstep his bounds...
He smiled faintly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. As he turned to leave, something fell from his pocket without him noticing. Cheng Mo picked it up before him; it was a translucent milky-white ring. She recalled having seen this ring before; Madam Qin also had one. However, Madam Qin's items were always unique and custom-made. Cheng Mo's gaze froze slightly; she could confirm this was Madam Qin's item, but why was it with Xu Hua? A chill began to creep in as she looked at Xu Hua, who still wore a gentle smile.
"Uncle Xu, you should take care of your ring," she said, handing it back to Xu Hua without looking at his refined face or thinking about Madam Qin's delicate demeanor. She felt that the world was extremely hypocritical and just wanted to escape quickly. She wove through the guests and slowly ascended the stairs, somehow ending up in the library.
Unlike the noise outside, this place felt exceptionally quiet. In the large room sat only Shaoyi, who still wore his indifferent expression, intently staring at a half-finished game of chess. His fingers moved slightly as he placed a piece down with a resonant sound. Cheng Mo sat down opposite him; he then raised his gaze to meet hers, slightly taken aback. Usually, she wore a dignified and graceful smile, but today on her birthday, her water-like eyes shimmered with ripples that made him reluctant to disturb her.
Cheng Mo's delicate hand brushed against a black piece as she forced a smile. "Shaoyi, let's play a game."
Shaoyi looked intently at her; his dark eyes held a clear light. "A new game will take a long time; aren't you going to greet those guests?"
Cheng Mo was momentarily stunned; indeed, she still had those guests to attend to. But thinking of those two inexplicably entangled people made her heart ache slightly. Huang Wei had always admired Xu Hua, yet Xu Hua was secretly involved with Huang Wei's aunt. How could Huang Wei cope with that? She pouted as if sulking, "No, today is my birthday; I'll celebrate however I want."
Shaoyi was taken aback for a moment as he looked at her slightly lowered gaze and childlike cheeks. When she lifted her head again, she wore her usual gentle smile with shallow dimples that suddenly stirred his heart. He quickly glanced away and broke into an unruly smile. "Alright! Then let's celebrate your birthday happily." He adjusted his mood and looked back at her; his eyes no longer held coldness but rather warmth as he said softly, "Happy Birthday."
This time it was Cheng Mo who felt her heart flutter. She lowered her eyelids slightly, not daring to meet his gaze, simply saying thank you. The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat subtle; the previously chilly room now made their palms sweat slightly. Shaoyi took the chess box and broke the sudden awkwardness. "Miss, let's begin."
"Okay." Cheng Mo quickly regained her composure and began to move the pieces delicately while glancing up at Shaoyi, who focused intently on the board with an air of cold determination and aggression. She couldn't afford to be careless either; her pieces fell gracefully as they engaged in fierce competition on the board without giving each other any leeway. It is said that playing chess reveals one's character; as Cheng Mo placed her pieces down while thinking, Shaoyi played with remarkable decisiveness yet calmness—each move seemingly casual but hiding great intricacies within. Her water-like eyes darted across the board until she heard a sharp sound as Shaoyi placed a piece in an unexpected spot.
Cheng Mo frowned slightly; this move didn't seem like something Shaoyi would make—it was completely a blunder that gave her many opportunities. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Shaoyi's stern face; his gaze remained fixed on the board with an air of overlooking everything around him—showing no sign of regret whatsoever.
Cheng Mo Su Ning was focused on the chessboard, feeling a vague sense of unease in her heart. However, she continued to play according to her original plan. In the next moment, it seemed she had gained control of the game, and Shaoyi was led by her, left only with a defensive position. Her Rose-Colored Lips curled into a smile; she was about to win, and it was unexpectedly easy.
Shaoyi showed no signs of losing; he remained calm and composed. His long, strong hand grasped a piece and dropped it decisively, suddenly changing the dynamics of the game. Cheng Mo looked in astonishment at the chessboard that had transformed completely. Shaoyi's cunning move was a bait, drawing her into the game, then using her offensive actions to secretly plot his own strategy. Just as they approached the endgame, he made a sudden counter-move that caught her off guard. It turned out that what she thought was her victory was merely Shaoyi manipulating the game.
Her gaze turned cold as some things became clear in her mind. Regarding the two incidents involving Butler Liu and Shaoyi, she had thought she handled them well and immediately saw that Butler Liu was the mastermind behind them. However, she overlooked that there was someone who had only used one or two moves to lead her to such a decision; that person was actually the biggest winner in these two matters.
Her hand holding the chess piece paused slightly in mid-air. Butler Liu had intentionally set a trap, while Shaoyi countered each move effortlessly, using her hand to eliminate Liu Wen Tang and Afu Ah Gui within just a few moves. Even Butler Liu began to fear him and dared not act recklessly. Moreover, inexplicably, Afu Ah Gui, who was originally Butler Liu's confidant, suddenly turned against him. She stared at Shaoyi, who remained expressionless but exuded an overwhelming sense of pressure that crashed toward her, leaving her feeling flustered.
If that’s the case, then what about that letter? Could it be that the handwritten letter from Brother Zuo was forged by him? Cheng Mo Su's gaze grew increasingly confused, while Shaoyi's eyes remained deep like the ocean, impossible to decipher his emotions. Suddenly, as if recalling something, she turned around without regard for the unfinished losing game and hurriedly left without saying a word, anxiously searching for that one figure among the seated guests downstairs.
"I can't find Miss; the guests are getting hungry waiting for her. Where did she run off to?" Butler Liu said anxiously. Meanwhile, Liu Wen Tang seemed unconcerned. "It's better if we can't find her; she made me go collect newspapers. Father, you have no idea how much extra money we've lost at home; several relatives keep coming to ask for money. If I don't give them any, they'll scold me! Who did I offend?" Just as Butler Liu was about to respond, he spotted that graceful figure and quickly stopped Liu Wen Tang, greeting her with a forced smile.
Cheng Mo Su rushed over as if seeing a lifeline. Under Butler Liu's puzzled gaze, she grabbed Liu Wen Tang's shoulder. "Wen Tang, I remember you said that day that it was Shaoyi who handed you Qingyin's handkerchief. But you're not foolish enough to trust him so easily, are you?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Wen Tang immediately perked up. That day Miss had scolded him not to speak about it; now Miss finally understood. Whether he could regain his official position depended on his current performance. "Yes! That Shaoyi deliberately set me up; he forged a letter in Qingyin's handwriting." As he spoke, he took out the letter. "I thought Miss might want to see it someday, so I've kept it with me. His imitation really looks very similar; that's why I fell for it." Although Qingyin's handwriting wasn't particularly beautiful, it had an alluring quality with a hint of rouge fragrance; this kind of handwriting is hard to capture accurately for imitation. Yet the letter before them showed that Shaoyi's imitation was so similar that even the original might not be able to tell apart. A chill ran through her heart; if that's the case, then there’s a high possibility that Brother Zuo's handwritten letter was also forged by him.
Cheng Mo Su bit her red lips lightly as her doubts and fears grew stronger. Shaoyi... what kind of person are you? What is your purpose here?
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