Chapter 206: 206: Mr. Mu’s birthday banquet
Well, Jiang Nuo is an international superstar after all, he’s walked numerous red carpets under the spotlight. If he didn’t have this skill, he’d have wasted his years in the entertainment industry.
"It’s nothing, just got used to reading scripts," Jiang Nuo said with a smile.
"Reading scripts can train you to have such a skill? Uncle, are you kidding me? You must have a secret," Murong didn’t believe it and clung to his arm, insisting he reveal his secret.
However, Jiang Nuo really didn’t have a secret. He couldn’t exactly say that it was because his wife provided him with lots of good things that nurtured him, could he?
"There is a secret, but I can’t tell you now. Just listen to your aunt, follow your elder brother, study hard, and someday you’ll be able to memorize things quickly too."
"Really? Uncle’s secret can’t just be aunt, right?" Murong complained, muttering, "Even if you’re showing off your love, you don’t have to do it like this, do you?"
"Ah Rong, you’ll get used to it in the future!" Mu Bai patted his shoulder comfortingly.
The birthday gifts were originally supposed to be given later, but since Murong had already started, his other cousins couldn’t delay anymore and had to come forward one by one to present their gifts to Elder Mu.
But with Murong’s start, the gifts from Mu Cheng, Mu Qing, Mu Jie, Mu Rui, Mu Ying, Mu Feng, and other grandchildren seemed less impressive. Even the gifts from Mu Mingsi, Wang Yuan and his wife, Mu Mingyu, Tong Yunyun and her husband, could only be considered valuable.
However, Elder Mu was very happy. The gifts weren’t important, but the fact that "aunt" was finally willing to show up at the Mu family was. This meant the Mu family was about to take a step forward, and their past glory was within reach.
Then, the Zhan family took the lead in presenting birthday gifts to Elder Mu.
The Ying family, Lu family, and Yue family also sent young family members to celebrate Elder Mu’s birthday. Seeing these prominent families were all present, other observing families finally relaxed and hurriedly brought their gifts too.
Suddenly, the previously quiet hotel became lively, with the sound of clinking glasses and champagne shadows cast around.
Everyone seemed to be laughing happily, wishing Elder Mu endless happiness and longevity, as if they truly hoped he could live a long life and lead the Mu family to greater heights. But in reality, how many were there purely for building connections?
If it weren’t driven by benefits, who would want to wear a fake smile and go to great lengths?
Even if they were driven by benefits, they weren’t coming for the Mu family, but for the Zhan family.
The Mu family may be a large family, but it’s already in decline. All it takes is a word from Young Yan, and this big family would be overwhelmed.
But it’s different with the Zhan family. Not only are they the nation’s richest, with strong family power, but they also have marital ties with the Yan family. Elder Zhan is Young Yan’s great-great-grandfather.
Even if something were to go wrong with the Zhan family, with the relationship between the Yan and Zhan families, the Yan family wouldn’t just ignore the Zhan family.
So no matter how you look at it, getting on board with the Zhan family is much more reliable than with the Mu family.
Everyone was eyeing the Zhan family, hoping to connect with them. Especially Zhan Zhengxiao and his wife, and their eldest son Zhan Jingwen, who are the current leaders and future successors of the Zhan family, holding the power of the Zhan family.
But unfortunately, the Zhan family members seemed to be very busy.
Zhan Zhengxiao and his wife were talking with the Mu family’s authority figures, Mu Mingsi and his wife, along with Zhan Zhengye and his wife, and Mu Mingyu and his wife. Others couldn’t even get a word in.
With Elder Zhan and Elder Mu, few dared to disturb them casually. Those without the right status weren’t even qualified to speak with them. But beside them was Zhan Jingwen (everyone knew he was the future successor of the Zhan family), and next to him was Mu Qing from the Mu second house.
The former was expected because it was already known, but the latter surprised many. Mu Mingsi had sons, so why would he let a nephew from the second house serve there?
Everyone exchanged glances. Normally, doting on this grandson would be understandable, but on an occasion like today, it seemed unreasonable, right?
Especially since standing on the other side was the future successor of the Zhan family.
Does this mean the Mu family has already decided that their future successor is Mu Qing?
And at this moment, where was Murong, the son of the actual authority of the Mu family?
He was with some peers from the Zhan and Mu families, surrounding a young, unfamiliar girl, serving tea and water.
Besides him, there was also Zhan Jingshu, the most pampered young master of the Zhan family.
Who was that girl?
No one knew. The Mu family hadn’t formally introduced her to everyone, but the heads of both families were very polite to her, even calling her "aunt."
From this, it could be seen that the girl’s identity was not simple.
Someone who could garner respect from both the Zhan and Mu families couldn’t be an ordinary person, could she?
Some people started having ideas about this girl.
"This is wine specially prepared by aunt for my grandfather. It’s a treasure, good for women’s beauty and men’s health, extending life... You generally can’t even taste it elsewhere. How about I pour everyone a glass to try?"
Murong proudly poured a glass for Zhan Jingshu and the others. The wine bottle in his hand was noticeably different from the others, skinny at the top and wide at the bottom, a milky white color all over, smooth as jade but not quite.
It somewhat resembled the vase in Guanyin Bodhisattva’s hand, with very smooth lines and no intricate patterns, except for one side of the bottle belly painted with a scene of flying snow in spring, full of poetic charm.
Besides their table, only Elder Zhan’s, Elder Mu’s, and the tables of Zhan Zhengxiao and Mu Mingsi had such bottles, indicating their rarity.
Upon hearing this, Zhan Jingshu immediately felt displeased, "Master, you’ve given so many good things to my junior, why didn’t you prepare something for me too?"
Knowing the capabilities of his Master, how could he not know that anything from the Master’s hand wouldn’t be ordinary?
The bracelet Elder Mu received already made him envious. His grandfather’s health wasn’t even as good as Elder Mu’s, yet Murong managed to get such a good thing for his grandfather, and he hadn’t considered anything for his own grandfather.
He was not greedy for those things himself, but for the sake of his family, he hoped they would remain healthy and live long lives.
"Who said your Master hasn’t prepared something for you? Don’t worry, whatever your junior has, your Master won’t give you any less," Jiang Nuo chuckled. Murong was thick-skinned, the kind of child who knew how to ask for things.
Zhan Jingshu, on the other hand, had clearly been a good boy from a young age, making it a point not to trouble others, so he wouldn’t act spoiled like Murong, demanding this or that.