And, because they hadn't seen each other for a long time, the two women naturally had a lot of catching up to do. Right away, Siyue dragged Gu Qingcheng away to find a quiet place where they could sit and talk.
Gu Qingcheng and Siyue had been inseparable since they were in kindergarten. They were like twin flowers growing from the same stalk. Their three-year separation did not seem to have affected their closeness one tiny bit as they chatted animatedly and without stop, practically oblivious to their surroundings.
...
At 8:30 p.m., the venue's lights suddenly dimmed, interrupting the conversation between Gu Qingcheng and Siyue.
Turning her head, Siyue noted that the stage nearby had been lit up, and she said, "The birthday party celebration is about to begin. Let's go over there."
Smiling, Gu Qingcheng held onto Siyue's hand and stood up. The pair then walked toward the stage.
The party guests were already crowded around the stage, not leaving much room for the latecomers. Raising her head, Siyue tried to find a spot closer to the stage and caught Su Nianhua's eye. He looked at Siyue and waved to her. Dragging Gu Qingcheng along, Siyue made her excuses as she pushed her way through the crowd toward Su Nianhua.
Siyue and Gu Qingcheng had just managed to secure their spots when Tang Shi appeared from backstage.
He was dressed in a simple custom-made black suit and a plain white shirt and red tie. He looked breathtakingly refined.
At a steady pace, he walked toward the center of the stage. As the spotlight shone on his tall physique, his chiseled features, and his perfect proportions, it all seemed a tad surreal.
With a haughty air, he held the microphone and made a brief formal speech. Then he passed the mike to Lu Ran, who was standing on the side of the stage.
Dressed in a red suit, Lu Ran took over the mike and spoke in his clear voice, enunciating every word, "A very big thank you to all of you for attending the birthday party of the CEO of Sheng Tang Enterprises, Mr. Tang Shi. We hope that you will help yourselves to the delectable feast and drink to your hearts' content. Have a great time!"
At Lu Ran's words, the guests standing around the stage applauded loudly.
The trained service staff then started to serve each guest a glass of champagne.
"A toast to all of you." Tang Shi raised his glass, bowed slightly at the guests, and downed his champagne at one go.
The guests milling around the stage also raised their glasses and drank.
Now that the toast was completed, the lighting in the venue gradually came on again.
As Tang Shi and Lu Ran made their way down from the stage, they were quickly surrounded by a crowd of people rushing forward to convey their birthday greetings, toast him, and hand him their gifts.
Regardless of whether he really liked the gift, Tang Shi would personally receive each gift, say a word of thanks, and then hand it over to Lu Ran who was standing beside him.