Free Web NovelChapter 662: Chapter 232: Net Worth Over a Hundred Million, Bai Weixi’s Special Invitation_3
When she heard Li Yuan’s reply, Bai Weixi’s worries turned to joy, and the anxiety in her heart vanished.
"Yes, Brother, you’re definitely the first. I stayed up waiting for your call. I was just having all these crazy thoughts, like if you hadn’t called, I would have waited for you all night long."
Thank goodness for Xu Zhi’s reminder, or I really might have forgotten.
"How could I forget? So, Bai, how do you want to celebrate your birthday tomorrow?"
Bai Weixi giggled sweetly. "Hmph, I don’t care about that. As long as you’re with me, I’ll leave everything else to you. Hehe, is that okay?"
Li Yuan was speechless. This was the difference between Bai Weixi and Xia Zhijin; Bai Weixi was a natural at acting cute, while Xia Zhijin wasn’t. Of course, Zhong Tingyue was also very good at it. Acting cute was like a woman’s natural instinct, something they knew from birth. Even three or four-year-old girls could do it; it was a trait etched into their very genes.
"Alright, leave it to me. I promise I’ll give you a huge surprise."
Although Li Yuan said this, he was already wracking his brain for how to celebrate Bai Weixi’s birthday. If he celebrated it like he did in his past life, it would just be a matter of inviting a few roommates and friends for a nice meal, followed by karaoke, cutting a birthday cake, and exchanging gifts and well wishes. That would be that. Although he could do that again this time, he felt it ought to be a bit more ceremonial. At the very least, he had just made a big promise and needed to live up to his current status.
I’m a billionaire celebrating my girlfriend’s birthday. Shouldn’t it be a bit more spectacular?
While Li Yuan was pondering, Bai Weixi took the initiative to bring up the past.
"Brother, do you remember this day last year, when you celebrated my birthday?"
"Of course, I remember!"
Li Yuan nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips. Back then, he truly believed he and Bai Weixi would become a real couple after the college entrance exams, so he had prepared her birthday gift with exceptional care.
Sometimes, looking back, he felt incredibly foolish. Perhaps that was just what the innocence of youth was like—a time when you could still believe in pure, unadulterated feelings.
Bai Weixi pursed her lips, holding back a giggle, a sweet smile on her face. "Brother, those paper cranes you gave me? I still have them back home. Hehe, what made you decide to write a little confession on every single one?"
Thinking of the foolish things he had done in the past, Li Yuan was left speechless. What kind of moronic act was it to naively decide to personally fold 999 paper cranes, writing a confession or a line of poetry on each one? In the end, besides making himself feel emotional, it was utterly useless and served no real purpose.
For most girls, these kinds of tricks might work when they’re young and naive, creating a fleeting moment of being touched. But once they got to college or entered the workforce after graduation, such childish gestures were less impressive than a red envelope with 1,314 yuan inside...
But for a guy, the one who sends you a 1,314-yuan red envelope might not truly love you. However, the one who personally folds 999 paper cranes for you definitely loves you with all his heart.
As time passes, as you grow older and gain more experience, feelings also become less and less pure. Why is it that for most people, their first love happens in high school? This is the reason...
Li Yuan offered a faint smile. "Perhaps back then, I just wanted to leave you with a beautiful memory. Paper cranes carry the meaning of longing, don’t they? I honestly thought you’d have thrown them away by now."
Bai Weixi smiled sweetly. "Hmph, you silly brother. How could I possibly throw them away? I’ve secretly kept every single gift you’ve ever given me. I was thinking, when we’re old, we can take out every gift and look at them, reminiscing about the past..."
"Brother, what about the birthday gift I gave you? Do you still have it?"
"Yes, I have it. It’s safe back at my parents’ house."
"Oh, okay! You’d better not throw it away, or else... Hmph, you know!"
"Brother, I suddenly miss you so much right now. I wish you were here with me. Will you always be with me? Like you wrote in those love letters in high school—’till the seas dry up and the rocks decay,’ your love for me will never change..."
"Yes, I will."
"Hehe, Brother, I’ll love you forever, too. Yuchen mentioned tonight that she, Xu Zhi, and Wang Shuai are all coming to our school to celebrate my birthday. Did you know?"
Lost in conversation, the two of them stood on the balcony talking for a long, long time. It was just like when their feelings first blossomed in high school, with an endless supply of topics and a constant desire to share their lives with each other. After hanging up with Bai Weixi, Li Yuan gazed at the night sky, which was already beginning to settle into a deep slumber, and sighed to himself. The feeling he’d just experienced was something he could only dream of in his previous life.
Everyone can be a Zhang Wansen, but not every woman is a Lin Beixing!
「The next morning,」
After the two shared another love-filled breakfast, Li Yuan drove back to school with Zhong Tingyue.
After Zhong Tingyue left, Li Yuan sent a text to Xia Zhijin to explain the situation. Then, he drove to his company alone and started searching online for a suitable venue for the birthday party. It had to be said that Modu was a true international metropolis; whatever you could imagine, you could find it here.
Eventually, Li Yuan chose a place with good reviews to host the party. He drove to the venue to check it out in person and finalized a 48,000-yuan birthday package, which was an all-in-one deal including entertainment, scheduled events, dining, and the birthday cake.
Sitting in his car, Li Yuan felt a bit tired. It would’ve been so much easier to just stick with the traditional dinner-and-karaoke combo. Why did it have to be so complicated? The party is sorted. Now I just need to buy a gift, and I’ll be all set.
As for what gift to buy for Bai Weixi, Li Yuan was hesitant. The truth was, Bai Weixi didn’t lack anything. She was a happy girl who had been lovingly pampered by her parents her whole life. Not long ago, he had already bought her a handbag and jewelry. What else could he possibly give her now?
Li Yuan was getting a headache. If he were just an ordinary guy, he could have casually bought some electronics, like a new smartphone, an MP4 player, a digital camera, or perhaps a guitar, a violin, or a bicycle. Any of those would have been fine. But now, Li Yuan suddenly felt like he had no idea what to give her.
This is getting stressful. She’s only the first of my girlfriends. I still have three others. I’ve got my work cut out for me in the future.
While Li Yuan was busying himself over Bai Weixi’s birthday, back in the Mei Yuan dormitory, Bai Weixi stopped Zhong Tingyue, who was just about to head out.
"Tingyue, there’s something I’d like to talk to you about."
Zhong Tingyue glanced at Bai Weixi, her expression filled with confusion. Because of Li Yuan, the two of them barely spoke in the dorm and rarely saw each other. In fact, she had been planning to apply for a dorm transfer just this week.
Seeing Bai Weixi walk toward the balcony, Zhong Tingyue thought for a moment before following. She also wanted to know what Bai Weixi had to say.
The two of them stepped out onto the balcony.
Bai Weixi looked at her beautiful roommate, a familiar pang of heartache rising in her chest. Even though Li Yuan had told her the story from their past life, a subconscious part of her still felt that this stunning girl in front of her had stolen her childhood sweetheart. And now, the very girl who had taken her boyfriend could stand beside her in the sunlight, as if she had every right to be there...
A flurry of thoughts flashed through Bai Weixi’s mind. She looked at Zhong Tingyue and spoke calmly.
"Tingyue, are you free tonight?"
Zhong Tingyue gave Bai Weixi a long, hard look before nodding. "I am. What’s up?"
Bai Weixi took a deep breath and said slowly, "Today is my birthday. I’d like to invite you to celebrate with me."
Hearing the invitation, Zhong Tingyue was taken aback, her expression one of genuine surprise. She truly had no idea it was Bai Weixi’s birthday; none of her other roommates had mentioned it, nor had Li Yuan. What surprised her even more was that Bai Weixi was inviting her, her "rival in love."
Ever since that confrontation during the first basketball game—that ’battleground’—they had both maintained a basic level of civility on the surface, avoiding any outright fights. Inwardly, however, they had both instinctively kept their distance, growing more and more estranged until they were like strangers living under the same roof.
"Okay, I’ll be there."
