Chapter 14 (continued)

This was Ruan Miao's first time attending such a high-end gathering. Almost all the prominent families in the city were present, with various backgrounds. He Shangye led his siblings gracefully through the elegant crowd, stopping occasionally to introduce his siblings. His demeanor was poised and confident, attracting the attention of most of the women present.

In the past few years, He Shangye had restored much of the family's reputation, which had been nearly ruined by Liang Rui. As a result, many of the older generation had high hopes for him. However, their attitude towards He Shanglu and the other two siblings was cold, hinting at underlying issues.

Having faced these people's disdain for years, He Shanglu didn't bother with pleasantries, maintaining a defiant attitude. He Shangye noticed but didn't correct him, seemingly indulgent. Meanwhile, He Shangzhi, the twin, was like a transparent presence, barely noticed by anyone.

Ruan Miao took all this in, realizing that the He family's internal dynamics were indeed too complex to get involved with.

His situation was even worse than He Shanglu and He Shangzhi. At least they were legitimate children. He, on the other hand, was an illegitimate child from an affair, with no real connection to the He family. Only He Shangye's kindness had allowed him to stay. Thus, the people at the gathering were even colder towards him. However, Ruan Miao had mentally prepared himself for this and wasn't particularly bothered by their attitudes, following behind He Shanglu and going about his business. 

After finally meeting all the elders, He Shangye allowed them to move about freely. He still had to continue socializing with those people.

Watching He Shangye walk away with a highball glass in hand, Ruan Miao couldn't help but feel some sympathy for these rich kids. They had to learn these intricate and manipulative social skills from a young age, which seemed exhausting.

However, thinking about the immense wealth and status they gained, Ruan Miao quickly shut his mouth. A poor person feeling sorry for the rich was absurd.

"What are you looking at? Get over here!" He Shanglu snapped impatiently. "Standing there like an idiot."

Ruan Miao withdrew his gaze and followed He Shanglu. They were surely going to find their peers. This venue was filled with adults; the younger generation preferred to be elsewhere, having fun.

The banquet was divided into upstairs and downstairs venues. Upstairs was the domain of the young. The large living room had several big sofas, soft seats scattered about, waiters moving around with trays, and a group of well-dressed young men and women laughing, playing cards, and dice games. In one corner, there were pool tables and game machines.

He Shanglu visibly relaxed in such a setting. He loosened his tie and walked over to the group, sitting down unceremoniously among old friends. Ruan Miao, not wanting to intrude, found an empty, quiet sofa. The low table in front of him held an array of small cakes, and the unfamiliar music in the background allowed him to relax a bit.

Despite having eaten breakfast, Ruan Miao couldn't resist the small cakes. He had always had a sweet tooth and could eat a lot. Soon, he had finished all the cakes on the table. If He Shanglu were there, he would probably scold him for being a pig.

A sharp-eyed waiter quickly brought another tray and thoughtfully poured him a glass of juice, smiling warmly at him.

This was the first person to smile at Ruan Miao all evening, so he instinctively smiled back. "Thank you."

The waiter, with a gentle smile, said it was nothing and took the empty tray away. Ruan Miao found the waiter's appearance quite charming and couldn't help but watch him leave. When he turned his head, he saw someone sitting not far from him.

Jian Fanyu was sitting on a sofa some distance away, seemingly unaware of Ruan Miao's presence. Ruan Miao cautiously continued eating his cake, not wanting to alert Jian Fanyu, afraid of being noticed.

Unfortunately, Xi You was not considerate enough to avoid causing trouble.

"Miao Miao! What are you doing here? I was looking for you everywhere!"

Ruan Miao's shoulder was slapped hard, causing him to grimace in pain. He quickly swallowed his cake as Xi You sat down across from him, shamelessly grabbing the last piece of cake from Ruan Miao's hand.

"What do you want?" Ruan Miao grumbled, rubbing his shoulder. Xi You's erratic behavior was confusing; he had been ignoring Ruan Miao recently, and now he was clinging again.

"I don't like playing with them," Xi You said matter-of-factly. "Besides, how can you eat all by yourself?"

Their conversation caught Jian Fanyu's attention, who turned to look at Ruan Miao. Ruan Miao immediately sat up straight and greeted him, "Hello, Jian."

"Hello," Jian Fanyu replied briefly.

This was the first time Jian Fanyu had directly responded to him. Usually, he either ignored him or just nodded slightly. Ruan Miao was momentarily stunned.

Xi You, observing with interest, said, "Looks like Jian Fanyu isn't mad at you anymore."

"How do you know?" Ruan Miao asked curiously.

"Just a guess." Xi You replied, his mouth full of cake. "Jian Fanyu is quite outstanding among us, though he's always been quiet and not one to hang out with us much. But he's generally pretty gentle."

"Ever since you and Yan Yang fell out, he seems like a different person. We all thought it was because of you and Yan Yang."

"Since he responded to you just now, it might be because you've distanced yourself from Yan Yang recently, so he's not angry anymore."

Ruan Miao, sipping his juice, glanced secretly at Jian Fanyu again, who seemed lost in thought, his profile still perfect. Ruan Miao sighed, "Yan Yang is really not a good person."

"Pfft!" Xi You almost spat out his cake. "Weren't you infatuated with him before?"

"That was me being blind." Ruan Miao said expressionlessly. "I feel sorry for Jian Fanyu."

Xi You, finishing the cake, said seriously, "Keep it up and don't revert to your old self."

"Why?" Ruan Miao asked instinctively.

Xi You, grinning mischievously, leaned in and whispered, "Because I like you this way. If you go back, I'll kill you."

Ruan Miao: "..."

Fine, no point arguing with someone so illogical.

The second-generation kids were having a blast, and the atmosphere was lively. After a few rounds of Werewolf, they found it boring and started playing Truth or Dare. Cliché but fun for messing with each other.

Ruan Miao, hiding behind the sofa, watched the interaction with curiosity. He saw them passing cards with their mouths and dancing energetically. He Shanglu seemed to be the main target, constantly picked on due to his bad luck and short temper.

Yan Yang was there too, looking desolate and distracted, seemingly searching for someone. Ruan Miao guessed he was looking for Jian Fanyu. He sneaked another glance at Jian Fanyu, who caught him looking.

Ruan Miao sensed that there might be a serious rift between Yan Yang and Jian Fanyu. Jian Fanyu might be avoiding Yan Yang, which didn't align with the original story where they had reconciled by this point. Even with Ruan Miao's interference, Yan Yang still cared more about his childhood friend. Yet, the current deep rift between them puzzled Ruan Miao.

Could it be that my mere presence as this little butterfly has stirred some law, causing all the plotlines to change?

If that's the case, Ruan Miao thought it was completely right for Jian Fanyu to ignore Yan Yang. Someone like him should be cherished like a prince, and without Yan Yang, Jian Fanyu could be spared ten years of torment. Why waste his prime youth on someone like Yan Yang?

Xi You watched for a while before suddenly raising his voice, "Jian Fanyu, what are you doing here?"

Ruan Miao turned around, utterly baffled by what mischief Xi You was up to now. His voice was loud enough to startle everyone nearby, and upon hearing Jian Fanyu's name, the youths immediately started clamoring, complaining that Jian Fanyu was unfair for staying on the sidelines and not joining them.

Yan Yang walked over and spotted Ruan Miao observing from the sofa, "Miao Miao?"

Ruan Miao pretended to be calm, sitting up confidently. "Please address me as Mr. Ruan."

Yan Yang's expression was complicated and conflicted. He glanced at Jian Fanyu, then at Ruan Miao, and ultimately walked towards Jian Fanyu.

To everyone's surprise, Jian Fanyu silently got up and sat down next to Ruan Miao, seemingly unwilling to give face to Yan Yang. Yan Yang stood awkwardly where he was, unsure whether to approach further.

The waiter came over for the second time, bringing them another plate of small cakes, even more exquisite and tempting than before. Ignoring everyone else, he smiled at Ruan Miao, "Enjoy."

"Thank you." Ruan Miao smiled gratefully, feeling a surge of affection for this kind-hearted waiter.

Jian Fanyu quietly observed for a while before softly asking, "Is it delicious?"

"It's delicious!" Ruan Miao felt ecstatic. He felt he could go without a meal today as long as he could satisfy himself with these small cakes. But mindful of the big shots present, he generously offered, "Would you like to try some?"

Jian Fanyu gazed at the cakes with deep, calm eyes for a moment. Then, methodically, he picked up the most beautiful one and took a delicate bite.

"Not bad."

Ruan Miao: "..."

Heart shattered.