Qi Lei smiled happily, then noticed through the rearview mirror that Song Zhen's expression seemed somewhat gloomy.
He quickly added, "The boss is good too!"
Song Zhen gazed out of the window with an expressionless face.
He remembered that his first night with Gu Xinzhou had occurred just two days before Little Xiahua's birthday.
That meant McDull's birthday should be about ten months after Little Xiahua's birthday.
Now it was golden autumn in October.
So, McDull's birthday... was in the summer!
Song Zhen's lips formed a straight line as he thought of McDull's adorable manner. Suddenly he asked, "Qi Lei, would you mind having a few more people to celebrate Little Xiahua's birthday with us?"
The car stopped in front of Gu Xinzhou's small villa.
Song Zhen sat quietly inside the car, motionless.
He had spoken to Qi Lei, asking him to personally invite McDull to Little Xiahua's birthday party.
If the invitation was successful, he would give Little Xiahua a birthday red envelope of 100,000 yuan.
If the invitation failed, Qi Lei could take three months off, unpaid.
Qi Lei's forehead was slightly sweaty as he mustered the courage to press the doorbell, then anxiously hoped.
He saw a window in the villa slightly part the curtains, only to quickly close them again.
All returned to calm.
No one opened the door.
Qi Lei's phone beeped.
He looked at it and saw a message from Song Zhen: Climb the wall and go in.
Qi Lei reluctantly stepped back a few steps, then charged forward, leaping onto the wall and climbing over.
A group of bodyguards watched from the side, quietly applauding him.
Qi Lei arrived at the villa's door.
The door to the villa was wide open; McDull liked to run back and forth in the living room and the courtyard because there was a children's playground in the courtyard and the living room was filled with toys.
Standing by the door, Qi Lei saw Lan Baozhen and Gu Xinzhou sitting on the living room sofa.
He stepped forward respectfully and said softly, "Madam Lan, madam, today is my daughter's birthday, and I'd like to invite the Young Master to her birthday banquet."
Originally, Gu Xinzhou had been prepared to remain utterly indifferent.
But...
Qi Lei's daughter?
Gu Xinzhou recalled many past events: "Your daughter is in kindergarten now, right?"
Qi Lei: "Yes, madam, Little Xiahua is now in middle kindergarten."
"Little Xiahua?" Gu Xinzhou finally broke into a sweet smile: "What's her full name?"
Qi Lei: "Qi Qinghan, Qing from 'clear,' Han from 'lotus flower.'
Gu Xinzhou pondered briefly, then praised, "Han means lotus, and Qinghan represents a lotus growing untainted from the mud, which for a girl's name conveys purity, dignity, self-respect, and beauty. Qi Lei, you're really good at picking names!"
Qi Lei smiled sheepishly: "Madam, it, it was the Boss who chose the name."
Gu Xinzhou frowned slightly: "Little Xiahua's nickname is nice too, lively and cute."
Qi Lei awkwardly responded: "Madam, the nickname was also chosen by the Boss."
Gu Xinzhou: "..."
Her face, which had been bright like the spring breeze in March, now completely fell.
She picked up the coffee in front of her and drank it expressionlessly.
She neither spoke nor paid any more attention to Qi Lei.
Lan Baozhen, seeing how pitiful Qi Lei looked, knew that Song Zhen had pressured him into this.
She set down her coffee and gently suggested, "I think it's a good idea. Let McDull go; Qi Lei will definitely take good care of him. Besides, McDull has just returned to the country and doesn't have any friends here. Children need friends too."
Gu Xinzhou still said nothing.
Qi Lei became anxious.
Gathering his courage, he approached McDull, who was playing with Lego: "Young Master, today is my daughter's birthday. She would like to invite you to her birthday party. Would you like to come?"