Song Yan made his way through the bustling crowd toward Si Yuan.
He had rushed to get here, traces of weariness still visible in his eyes.
Noticing Si Yuan standing pale and rigid, Song Yan’s brow furrowed slightly. “What’s wrong? You look terrible.”
Si Yuan grabbed his sleeve anxiously. “Brother, what exactly is Lin Shuangyu planning to do today?”
Song Yan didn’t understand.
Scanning the well-decorated venue, he smiled. “Isn’t the birthday party beautifully arranged? What’s really bothering you?”
Even knowing Song Yan might not believe her, even knowing how much he trusted Lin Shuangyu, she couldn’t just sit back and do nothing. Only Song Yan could help her now.
“Brother, Lin Shuangyu she…”
Before she could finish, Lin Shuangyu’s voice cut in.
Approaching from beside Song Yan, she naturally took his hand while subtly pushing Si Yuan’s hand away. “A Yan, I’ve been waiting for you. So? Did I do well with my task?”
Song Yan nodded, his gaze gentle. “I always trust you with everything.”
Lin Shuangyu smiled and continued, “There’s still a surprise for little sister on the big screen later.”
Si Yuan froze completely, whipping her head around to stare at the large screen in the center of the Banquet Hall.
In that instant, she almost guessed what Lin Shuangyu intended to do.
Song Yan turned back to ask her, “You were just… Xiao Yuan?”
Si Yuan couldn’t hear anything. She took two steps back, avoiding looking at Song Yan and Lin Shuangyu, then turned and strode toward the control room behind the large screen.
Staff members rose quickly when she burst in. “Song Miss, can we help you?”
Si Yuan’s voice carried a cold tremor, her fingertips white from clenching. “Where are the materials Lin Shuangyu asked you to play?”
The staff exchanged glances, hesitating and avoiding eye contact.
Si Yuan stepped forward, her gaze icy as she repeated, “Where are they?”
Someone finally relented, pulling a USB drive from the control desk drawer and handing it over.
Taking the drive, Si Yuan pressed her thumb against its cool surface, the tension in her chest easing slightly.
Without lingering, she left the control room and quickly entered the restroom at the end of the corridor.
Lifting her hand, she dropped the USB drive into the toilet.
Pressing the flush button, she watched it disappear.
Only then could Si Yuan finally breathe freely.
Her chest heaved heavily a couple of times as she closed her eyes.
Finally… resolved.
The emcee’s voice echoed from outside, reminding Si Yuan it was time to return.
With her anxiety fading, rationality gradually returned.
Facing the mirror, Si Yuan straightened her dress, took a deep breath to steady herself, then pushed the door open and walked out.
The birthday celebration officially began.
The hall lights dimmed abruptly as silver candlesticks beside the tables lit up with warm glows, casting soft halos throughout the venue.
Song’s Father and Song’s Mother sat at the main table. Song’s Father’s gaze rested on her with some warmth, while Song’s Mother offered a strained smile.
At the very least, they didn’t want to leave Si Yuan with bad memories on her birthday.
Holding the hem of her gown, Si Yuan walked step by step through the crowd to the center of the hall.
A waiter slowly approached, pushing a cart bearing a three-tiered cake.
The crushed diamond decorations on the frosting glittered in the candlelight.
A gentle piano rendition of “Happy Birthday” began to play.
Song Yan took the cake knife and offered it to her, his tone carrying its usual warmth. “Little princess, today you’re the star. You must make the first cut.”
Si Yuan curved her lips into a smile, accepted the knife, and made a firm cut through the center of the cake.
The crowd broke into applause.
Si Yuan nodded in gratitude while casting a sidelong glance toward Lin Shuangyu.
Just then, she noticed the staff member from the control room earlier swiftly weaving through the crowd before bending down to whisper something into Lin Shuangyu’s ear.
Instantly, the smile vanished from Lin Shuangyu’s face, replaced by a cold expression.
The next moment, she lifted her gaze directly toward Si Yuan, her eyes harboring a chilling intensity.
Si Yuan inclined her head slightly and withdrew her attention from Lin Shuangyu.
It seemed Lin Shuangyu was determined to fight her to the bitter end.
Fortunately, this time she hadn’t succeeded.
No one noticed when a giant festive balloon had drifted overhead, hovering mid-air in the Banquet Hall.
With a sudden “bang,” it exploded.
Startled, Si Yuan instinctively looked up.
Colorful streamers mixed with glittering confetti fluttered down, instantly bathing the entire hall in a radiant glow.
As she lowered her head, her eyes inadvertently met Song Yan’s amused gaze.
Song Yan took two steps closer, his voice cutting clearly through the noise: “Xiao Yuan, happy birthday.”
Warmth flooded Si Yuan’s heart. “Thank you, brother.”
Song Yan raised an eyebrow, his tone affectionate. “This year, am I still the first to wish you happy birthday?”
Si Yuan’s smile faltered momentarily.
If they were being precise… it should actually have been Jiang Wang.
Just as Si Yuan was about to respond, a puzzled voice rose from the crowd: “What’s this?”
Before the words faded, someone else picked up a piece of paper from the floor, holding it up with a frown. “Why are there photos too?”
Whispers immediately erupted throughout the room.
As the main lights brightened again, Si Yuan could clearly see that mixed with the streamers were numerous photographs and loose pages.
Setting down her cake, Si Yuan picked up one of the photos from the nearby table.
It was from her old diary that she’d discarded.
But it had been torn page by page, interspersed with photos filled with her intimate thoughts, all scattered throughout the hall along with the festive streamers.
Several torn pages happened to land right before Song’s Father and Song’s Mother.
Song’s Mother’s fingers turned white as she clutched the paper, her eyes instantly turning cold.
Si Yuan froze completely, her mind going blank.
She snapped her head toward Lin Shuangyu, only to meet the other woman’s undisguised mockery – watching her as if she were a laughingstock.
Of course, Lin Shuangyu wouldn’t be foolish enough to reveal her plan prematurely.
The USB drive earlier wasn’t her final move at all.
She had even anticipated that Si Yuan would try to seize the USB drive.
From beginning to end, Si Yuan had been kept in the dark like a fool.
But those things… she had personally thrown them into the sink…
Frantic, she turned to Song Yan, her voice trembling. “Brother, I didn’t do this, please believe me—”
Her explanation was cut off by the rising murmur of voices.
The noise swelled around them.
“Are these words on the photos written by Song Miss to her brother?”
“This seems really inappropriate, these words sound…”
“Even if they’re not blood-related, she shouldn’t have feelings for her adoptive brother, right?”
The hushed comments pierced Si Yuan’s ears like needles.
Song Yan clenched his fists.
He had secretly stored those diaries and photos in a drawer after discovering them – how could they appear here?
He watched as Si Yuan’s face grew paler by the second, her eyes reddening, on the verge of tears from confusion and distress.
His heart twisted with pain. He wanted to wipe her tears, wrap her in his embrace, tell her it was okay, that her brother was here, that he wouldn’t let anyone hurt her…
But under the contemptuous gazes surrounding them, Song Yan swallowed the comfort that had reached his lips.
He turned to look at Lin Shuangyu, who immediately put on an innocent expression: “A-Yan, I really don’t know what’s going on. There was no balloon or confetti in the schedule.”
Song Yan’s Adam’s apple moved slightly, but in the end he didn’t admit to anything.
Avoiding Si Yuan’s confused and pleading gaze, his tone was as cold as a bystander’s: “I’ll take Mom and Dad home first. You handle things here yourself.”