Chapter 23: The Best Birthday Gift [3]

"I won't trouble you to worry about me, Miss Lin. It would be better if you focused on taking good care of your pregnancy. If there is nothing else, I shall take my leave."

"Waiter, check, please." Wen Xiaorou pulled some money from her bag, placed it on the table, nodded at Lin Fei'er with a faint smile, and walked away.

"Miss Rou, it might be good to get together with friends more often," the driver suggested, worried that she was feeling stifled at home.

"They aren't friends," Wen Xiaorou replied, staring blankly out the window. She was no longer sad; Jing Nuo had always been this kind of man, and she should have prepared herself long ago to face it all.

The driver glanced at her through the rearview mirror but said nothing more. He didn't know what to say; the young mistress of the Jing household seemed like a lifeless puppet, and he rarely ever saw her smile.

"Miss Rou, for the young master's birthday party next Sunday, is there anything special you need to prepare?" As soon as Wen Xiaorou entered the foyer, Auntie Liang approached her to ask about the banquet.

"No," Wen Xiaorou shook her head at Auntie Liang with a smile. She had already prepared a birthday gift for Jing Nuo, but now, she felt that everything she had done was simply ridiculous.

"What could she possibly prepare? She spends all day doing nothing but eating and sleeping," Mrs. Jing remarked, having just come down the stairs. She overheard their conversation and seized the opportunity to mock Wen Xiaorou.

"Mother." Wen Xiaorou murmured the title, her smile forced. She imagined how Mrs. Jing would react if she discovered that Lin Fei'er was carrying Jing Nuo's child. She would surely be overjoyed! When that day came, she, the daughter-in-law, would truly count for nothing—she might even be cast out of the house. How could she possibly smile from the heart?

"Hmm." Mrs. Jing looked Wen Xiaorou up and down, her gaze lingering on her stomach. She nodded slightly, thinking to herself that if Wen Xiaorou could provide Jing Nuo with a child, that would be the best birthday gift of all.

Over the next few days, forced by Mrs. Jing, Jing Nuo returned home once to discuss the banquet arrangements. His interactions with Wen Xiaorou remained lukewarm—little to say in public, and even less in private. That night, Wen Xiaorou finally made a decision: she would give Jing Nuo a grand birthday gift, one that he would surely be very pleased with.

"Auntie Liang, what has happened to Wen Xiaorou? Why isn't she here yet?" On the day of the banquet, as the party was about to begin, the young mistress of the Jing household was still nowhere to be found. Mrs. Jing was naturally irritated and turned to question Auntie Liang.

"Ma'am, I don't know. When she left this afternoon, she said she would arrive with the young master," Auntie Liang replied. She had been anxious for quite some time; the young master had arrived a while ago, but there was no sign of Wen Xiaorou.

"Auntie, long time no see! You're looking younger than ever." As they were talking, Feng Jing suddenly appeared from nowhere to greet Mrs. Jing.

"Feng Jing! Why haven't you come to visit the Jing residence in such a long time? Your auntie has missed you." Mrs. Jing beamed at the sight of her. In her mind, Feng Jing was the top candidate to carry on the Jing family line. It was hard to blame her for thinking that, given her son's clear affection for the woman.

"Hahaha! Well, I shall go back to the Jing residence with you later then!" Feng Jing was beautiful, poised, and gracious, and she hit it off so well with Mrs. Jing that she had never once considered Wen Xiaorou a rival.

"It's a deal, then. You must stay and chat with me until dawn today!" Feng Jing's arrival caused Mrs. Jing to cast Wen Xiaorou completely to the back of her mind, as if the woman before her were the true daughter-in-law.