Jian Ran followed the address to the hotel, which was true to Jian Jianguo's flamboyant nature—a birthday party arranged at a five-star hotel.
By the time she arrived, many guests had already gathered, bustling about.
Although Jian Ran had dressed simply, the women around her were glamorous and perfumed, making her seem rather plain by contrast, and she felt somewhat out of place.
If it weren't for her appropriately stylish dress, people might have mistaken her for a waitress, right?
Jian Ran actually did not want to see them again, but she still had unresolved issues to deal with.
Truth be told, she had seen right through Jian Jianguo. When he had thrown her mother and her out to marry Song Wenli, she had started to regard him as a father in name only.
Today, she had come mainly to reclaim the shares left to her by her mother. It was not about the money, but because it was her mother's wish, and she did not want to let them take advantage of that.
After entering the banquet hall, Jian Ran glanced around and quickly spotted Song Wenli and her daughter—the focal point of the event.
Song Wenli was dressed in a brocade cheongsam, which hugged her exquisite figure. Her hair was styled up, and she wore delicate makeup; if not for the fine lines at the corners of her eyes, one would hardly guess she was nearly 50 years old.
She walked around with a wine glass in hand, accepting everyone's congratulations.
And Jian Rou was beaming with joy. She now felt as if she was on an unstoppable rise, having gone from a minor eighteen-line actress to the hottest star of the moment and still securely holding the throne of the entertainment industry's top actress, unrivaled to this day.
Because her fiancé was Gu Tingjue, with this man as her backing, all the society ladies and celebrities liked to curry favor and please her.
Look, now there are many people surrounding her. And today, Jian Rou was indeed the center of attention, wearing a deep V-cut red dress that revealed her fair, smooth back, with curves in all the right places and heavy makeup that made her look seductive and appealing.
As the host, Jian Jianguo was also surrounded by a group of close friends.
Seeing this, Jian Ran gave a wry smile and then walked towards Jian Rou.
Indeed, she had come today to be a thorn in their side. Hadn't they said she was unfilial before?
Being complimented felt so good. Jian Rou was all smiles, occasionally glancing towards the main entrance to see when Gu Tingjue would arrive.
However, when she looked over, her smile quickly froze at the corners of her mouth. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she saw Jian Ran slowly approaching her.
How is that possible?
How would she know about this? And without an invitation, how could she have gotten in?
Jian Rou's heart skipped a beat, feeling utterly devastated. Why had she shown up at this critical moment?
With the place full of guests today, what exactly did she want to do?
Panicked, Jian Rou excused herself to the guests with a "sorry," then swiftly pushed through the crowd to confront Jian Ran, demanding angrily, "What are you doing here?"
Truthfully, she didn't want to see Jian Ran at all—every time they met, nothing good ever happened.
She was still fuming about that humiliating scene in the Haoting Group lobby?
She couldn't believe that this wretch had appeared before her again so soon.
Jian Ran smiled faintly, then said unhurriedly, "Aren't you the ones saying I'm unfilial? How could I not come to celebrate Dad's birthday?"
"Get out, leave immediately, you're not welcome here!" Jian Rou's eyes seemed to spit fire in an instant.
"Don't worry, I came because I wanted to discuss the company shares with you all. Today, with so many people around, it's good to let everyone know," Jian Rou said coldly.
Jian Rou's face changed color immediately, "What shares? Don't delude yourself!"
"Whether it's delusion, you know perfectly well. It's clearly written in black and white, the company was established with Mom's dowry, and it owns half of the shares. What, do you plan to swallow it all by yourself?" At that time, she and her mother were driven out penniless and couldn't compete with them at all.
Now that she had spread her wings, she wasn't afraid of them.
"Jian Ran, you're doing this on purpose, aren't you? You really know how to pick the time. Are you intentionally here to embarrass us? I warn you, you better leave right now, or you'll regret it. If you want the shares, fine, you can talk about it at the company, but don't you dare ruin Dad's birthday party today." Jian Rou, noticing people looking their way, deliberately lowered her voice.
"Sorry, today is the only day I had free." Jian Ran's expression grew colder, knowing that if she walked out today, it might be even harder to see Jian Jianguo again.
"Why are you here?" While they were in a standoff, a voice sounded from behind them.
Jian Ran turned her head and saw Jian Jianguo standing not far away, dressed in a suit, as refined as ever. To those unaware, he appeared to be a good man, but only Jian Ran knew what a heartless person he was.
"Dad, today is your birthday. I'm here to wish you a happy birthday and to talk to you about the shares..." Jian Ran started calmly.
Upon hearing this, Jian Jianguo's face immediately turned grim, "Get out now, I don't have a daughter like you, and as for the shares, I don't know what you're talking about?"
Although Jian Ran had anticipated his reaction, she still felt a sting in her heart upon hearing these words.
"Dad, you're only 50 today, you're not suffering from dementia, are you? When you married Mom, it was with her dowry that Jian Corporation was established. There's an agreement and it is protected by law." Jian Ran's lips curled slightly, feeling satisfied at seeing Jian Jianguo's face alternating between red and white.
"You unfilial daughter, get out now, or I'll call security." After saying this, he signaled to the security personnel nearby.
Soon, two men in black stood beside Jian Ran.
Jian Ran knew she couldn't confront them head-on in their territory, but she had a long road ahead. Her visit today was also meant as a warning, so she responded lightly, "What? Do you want to make this a spectacle known to everyone?"
At that moment, Song Wenli came over, her eyebrows knitted tightly. She had noticed the commotion here earlier, and upon seeing Jian Ran, she became furious. Like a bad penny, Jian Ran just kept turning up.
But the people around were watching, so she could only suppress her anger.
"Jian Ran, today is your father's birthday. Let's discuss any issues later. If you sincerely came to celebrate, then we welcome you, but if you're here to cause trouble, you can't blame me for being impolite."
It had to be said, a seasoned ginger is spicier. Her words were well put, leaving no room for critique.
Probably everyone listening thought Song Wenli was acting with great understanding, right?
Jian Ran, of course, wouldn't entangle with her senselessly. She had to exert her efforts where it mattered.
"Isn't that right? I came with all sincerity." Jian Ran's demeanor remained indifferent.
"You little bitch..." Jian Rou, unable to contain her anger, was about to curse out loud.
"Rourou..." Song Wenli interrupted her.