Chapter 281

Xiaoqi's Father's Uncle's big birthday celebration was very lively.

There were a full sixteen tables, and the number of guests who came was really quite large.

Although six or seven tables were neighbors from all around who brought their whole families plus children to eat, the remaining ten tables of guests were no joke either.

The neighbors didn't need to bring gifts, but those ten tables of guests would.

This was probably the highlight of Xiaoqi's Father's Uncle's life - half of those ten tables were his son's business friends. Whether they were false friends or true friends, they still came to give face.

Although they didn't hire opera singers or anything, it was still glorious enough.

In fact, this birthday was partly to celebrate his birthday, and partly to celebrate the renovation of this old house. On their own property, they had torn down the original house and rebuilt it into a small Western-style house that could be called a villa.

It had four floors. The first floor was a grand hall with a huge crystal chandelier hanging down. The walls around were tiled and polished shiny. The pillars at the entrance were wrapped in a layer of marble - it took two children hugging them to encircle them fully. Very extravagant. It was a mix of Chinese and Western styles - there were Roman-style elements, and Chinese-style railings on the staircase. They probably just went with whatever seemed prestigious whether Western or Chinese. Overall, it had a very nouveau riche feel.

The first floor was decorated most magnificently and impressively. The bedrooms on the second floor were also nice, refined and luxurious. The third floor had basic renovations done. The fourth floor was still just concrete, which was why there was the issue of leaks in the roof.

In addition to the big chandelier, there was also a big projector in the yard that could project directly from the living room onto the white wall of the yard, like a movie screen.

It was noisy with people's voices, and also the sounds of TV programs. It was really very lively.

Xiaoqi's two cousins from Guyumula Village didn't even get seats. They helped out with the neighbors, serving dishes and pouring wine, doing odd jobs, and sneaking bites to eat in the kitchen when they could.

Sheng Juanhua was also helping out in the kitchen, dividing up dishes, cooking, washing dishes.

Su Youcai was the most cunning of them. He had wormied his way to the front hall early and sat at the guests' table, socializing with them.

He also helped his cousin fend off drinks, acting like a clever little brother, which was painful to watch.

If Xiao Qi saw this scene, she would probably feel that it was better than her own father and uncle serving dishes and pouring wine. That was physical labor, but at least there was no need to fawn and flatter. It felt even worse, more humiliating.

Calling him "Little Su, Little Su" as Second Uncle walked around raising his wine glass and bowing and scraping everywhere.

The view was best from the front hall, like sitting in the middle of a movie theater. You could watch the big screen directly. Right now the big screen wasn't playing any TV dramas or anything. After all, it wouldn't be coherent to watch. There were just some singing programs or commercials.

But Xiaoqi's Father's Uncle's son liked watching the sports channel because he gambled on ball games and was quite interested in sports and such. So the big screen was showing Meng City's sports channel. They said there would be a ball game later.

At 8:40 pm, the wine drinking was in full swing, and people were half full from the dishes.

Su Youfu was still quite hungry. After all, he did physical labor all year, and had been busy all day without eating much.

Su Youqian was also there. He took the opportunity during a lull to go to the kitchen and scrounge up some food to eat.

He just stood in the busy, trafficked area of the kitchen, holding a bowl, sloppily filling it with leftovers and soup, and eating.

Sheng Juanhua felt bad for her husband. When it rained, his legs and feet hurt. Standing for a long time made it worse. She told him to sit by the stove and eat.

Su Youfu sat down. His face was reddened by the fire, but he didn't seem too unhappy. After all, this was the usual treatment every time he came to his big uncle's house.

Su Youqian was also used to it. As a young person being ordered around, he was a bit simple-minded too. He felt his uncle's city house was great no matter what.

In the front hall, wine cups were intertwined as people ate cold dishes and drank heartily.

Su Youcai had also drunk quite a bit accompanying others. He had already secretly thrown up once. Several times his stomach acid surged up, but his face still had a smiling expression.

The big screen started an interview program.

The host introduced the guest.

The sound was very loud.

Because it was the intermission period of the birthday wine reception banquet, some people were lazily watching TV too.

"A new freshman at Enhua University, Su Xiaoqi, got second place in the women's group in this marathon competition. She broke last year's national record for the women's marathon in China, improving the national record by a full 21 seconds. At the same time, she won the 'National Speed' award sponsored by the National Athletics Association, Sports Federation, and Mingrui Sports, with prize money of 1.21 million RMB."

As Su Youcai watched the big screen, he thought that being able to earn over a million just by running was ridiculous. This money fell from the sky!

He didn't think much more about it.

But the newlywed groom from last time, Su Youfu's nephew and Xiao Qi's uncle Li Darong, recognized the girl on the screen instantly.

He had an extremely deep memory. The little girl who had come to attend his wedding banquet last time had lingered in his mind for several days afterward. He felt that the poor and remote Guyumula Village had actually produced such an outstanding girl. His own pathetic cousin was lame but had given birth to such a beautiful daughter - a fine bamboo sprouting from rotted brambles. Her scent, or rather the aura about her, was different from them.

For this, his wife had ridiculed him several times afterward.

He actually didn't have any intentions at the time. He had just spoken nonsense drunkenly that day, and gotten ridiculed by his wife for it. But it left a deep impression.

But now the very girl from that time was on TV. Going to university had made her even prettier.

He had also drunk quite a bit today. He looked around for his lame cousin everywhere, checking all the tables but not finding him. Finally he located him in a corner of the kitchen, holding a bowl and eating.

Seeing him come over, Su Youfu quickly stood up and said, "Is it time to serve dishes? We'll come right away."

Li Darong quickly said, "No, Cousin, ah, and Cousin's wife too, come see, I feel like I saw your daughter."

Sheng Juanhua didn't like this cousin. At a glance you could tell he was disreputable, someone who mixed around in society. But he was said to have made quite a bit of money in the last two years and become rich. Since he was showing them respect, and seeing that her husband had been pulled away, she was worried something was wrong and followed along.

Then nothing happened. The TV channel had been changed.

Li Darong was anxious. He looked everywhere for the remote control until he finally found it, and changed it back to the Meng City Sports Channel they had been watching before.

Li Darong's actions had already attracted quite a few people's attention. The birthday man today also didn't know what nonsense his son was up to, but since he owed his current status and face all to his son, he didn't dare reprimand him to his face either. He didn't know why his useless country bumpkin nephew was being pulled out like this.

If he was bullying the guy, there was no need to choose this moment. Although he looked down on him, he had to maintain face.

His son could make money, so he was a bit afraid of his son too, and didn't make a sound.

He watched as his son pulled out that lame nephew.

At this moment on the TV screen was an especially pretty young girl wearing a red knit sweater, with short hair and a little ponytail tied. She had a very attractive face, and also seemed vaguely familiar for some reason.

"I grew up in a high altitude area, so maybe I have good lung capacity," the girl said crisply.

"Do you normally like running?" the host asked.

"Yes, I run every day, at least 30,000 steps," the girl replied.

"Cousin, is this your daughter?" Li Darong excitedly slapped Su Youfu.

Su Youfu shuddered all over, not saying anything, just trembling for a while.

It was Sheng Juanhua who reacted first instead: "She's my daughter. She's loved running all over the mountains since she was little."

Su Youcai also reacted by now. He hurriedly walked up.

Just now he had also thought his drunk cousin was causing trouble, so he had shrunk away to the back.

The simple-minded Su Youqian, who had followed along holding his bowl earlier, now slowly said, "How did Little Seven get on TV? She looks even prettier than before."

Li Darong slapped Su Youfu heavily again: "Cousin, you've struck it rich. Your daughter Xiaoqi broke the record in running and won over a million prize money!"

At this time, his pregnant new wife came out too. Hearing what her husband said, she instantly recalled the bag she had helped that country cousin-in-law with earlier. She had examined it closely and felt it was genuine, not fake. The workmanship was too good. She had even looked online - that bag cost over 8,000 yuan for the newest model.

Now hearing what her husband said, she chimed in, "Oh my, I said cousin-in-law was carrying a bag worth over 8,000 yuan and she said her daughter sent it to her. I was wondering how a young girl in college could have so much money. So this is how it is!"