BXBX NOVEL Chapter 44 - 44: The Appearance of the Supporting Actress
As Shu Pan hesitated, a graceful figure entered the room with the crowd. Upon closer inspection, she recognized it as Tong Fei, though she hadn’t actually met her in person before. She had only seen her in newspaper articles.
The news of her secret meetings with Gu Shaoting had been spreading like wildfire these past couple of days. It was hard to ignore, but Shu Pan had gradually managed to remain calm. Even though occasional ripples of pain still washed over her, most of the time she simply ignored these reports.
Wherever the beautiful woman went, she couldn’t be ignored. Tong Fei was dressed in a black cashmere skirt and wore a beret. Her overall demeanor was elegant and refined, and she possessed a natural grace that made any attire look stunning.
Shu Pan couldn’t help but mock herself internally. She and Tong Fei were like the difference between an ugly duckling and a swan. Even without the matter of her father, any discerning person could tell who was the wise choice for Gu Shaoting.
Tong Fei walked in with a large gift box in her hand, making her way toward Grandpa. She affectionately called him “Grandpa” and handed over the gift, along with some auspicious words.
Standing nearby, Shu Pan watched as Grandpa accepted the gift with a casual
“Thank you.” He then turned to address others
After all, guests had come to celebrate, so he couldn’t be overly critical. He politely added, “Please help yourselves.”
Tong Fei realized that her presence wasn’t being well received, recognizing Grandpa’s attitude. She forced a smile and said, “I’ll leave you to chat, Grandpa.
I’ll go find Auntie.”
With a simple “Hmm” from Grandpa, she walked away.
Not far away, Song Can noticed her and approached, placing her hand affectionately on Tong Fei’s arm. Their intimate interaction might have led an unaware observer to believe they were mother and daughter.
Song Can led Tong Fei over to her circle of close friends and companions.
Meanwhile, not too far from Shu Pan, a group of women were discussing their husbands. Because they were close by, Shu Pan could hear their conversation quite clearly.
“My husband went to France a few days ago and brought back a bag like this. It’s hideous, just look at this one in my hand. Can you believe it? It’s the new limited edition this month. Men’s taste is so different, right?” One slightly plump woman, who was closest to Shu Pan, pointed to the recently released limited edition bag, seemingly expressing disdain while actually boasting.
“I thought it was just our husbands whose taste wasn’t great. So, men are like this? Look at my necklace. The pendant is this huge diamond, totally mismatched. It feels like nouveau riche, no elegance at all…” A slightly older woman raised her hand and touched the sparkling pink diamond pendant around her neck, lingering slightly on the radiant gem.
Following suit, the woman beside her, with a somewhat troubled expression, chimed in, “Exactly, who doesn’t agree? My husband is the same way. Every time he comes back from a business trip, he brings me a gift. Like these shoes on my feet, they’re the latest model, globally limited. They cost six figures. It’s a shame to leave them untouched. However, they’re hard to match with outfits, so it’s quite frustrating sometimes…”
“That’s exactly how it is in our household too.”
Shu Pan found the conversation incredibly dull. She didn’t know these women and had no interest in their topics, so she couldn’t join the conversation.
As it was Grandpa’s birthday celebration, she endured the situation.
In truth, she looked like an outsider now, completely out of place. Everyone else seemed to have found their roles and positions in such an occasion, while she remained lost, unable to fit in..