“So beautiful! This gem must be worth a fortune, right?”
“The price is one thing. What’s more important is the added value—the deep affection behind it! Hehe…”
“Young Master Jing went all the way to Yunling just for our Mango. That kind of effort is truly rare. Even a small gift from afar carries great meaning, let alone a gemstone like this!”
The green, translucent gemstone hanging on Mango’s fair neck was a perfect match for her beauty. Even though Mango’s usual vibe was cute and playful, the gemstone added a touch of mature sensuality to her appearance.
The compliments kept pouring in. Everyone at the No. 26 Club had a certain level of status and wealth, far beyond just being well-off. They all had a good eye for quality. A gemstone of this color and craftsmanship was definitely not something you could get for just tens of thousands of yuan.
Giving such an extravagant birthday gift was indeed worthy of praise.
Because of this, the birthday party hadn’t even officially started yet, but the atmosphere was already electric. Mango was so moved that she looked at Jing Ran with starry eyes, completely smitten.
“Show-off!” Two low voices, one male and one female, muttered almost inaudibly. Most people couldn’t hear them, but Mango, standing less than a meter away from Ye Yuanyuan and Jiang Fei, caught it clearly.
Her emotional moment was abruptly interrupted. Those two words were such a mood killer!
The female voice was familiar—it was her best friend Ye Yuanyuan. Ye Yuanyuan had always been against Mango’s crush on Jing Ran, so it wasn’t surprising that she’d ruin the moment.
After sweetly thanking Jing Ran, Mango turned around and gave Ye Yuanyuan a reproachful look.
As for the other voice, the male one?
This was the first time Mango really took a good look at Jiang Fei, from head to toe.
She had already guessed Jiang Fei’s identity and had heard a lot about him from Ye Yuanyuan. But this was their first actual meeting.
Before this, she had been quite curious about Jiang Fei. She wanted to see what kind of man could have such miraculous medical skills at a young age, surpassing most renowned doctors. She also wanted to see what kind of man could make her invincible, fearless best friend Ye Yuanyuan feel so frustrated and helpless.
In her imagination, Jiang Fei should have been an impressive, interesting man.
But seeing him in person… well, he was just so-so.
After sizing him up, Mango pouted in disappointment, her interest waning. Of course, the main reason was that this man had spoken ill of her dream man, Jing Ran.
She quickly shifted her gaze to the big star, Qiao Yiyi, standing nearby. Mango was a die-hard fan of Qiao Yiyi, to the point of being a bit obsessive. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so insistent on asking Ye Yuanyuan to bring Jiang Fei along.
“Hi, Qiao Yiyi! I’m your fan! I love your songs! I’m even a moderator on your official fan page! Thank you so much for coming to my birthday party!” Mango eagerly greeted Qiao Yiyi, her hands fidgeting nervously before finally extending one for a handshake.
Qiao Yiyi, graceful and composed, shook her hand and smiled. “You must be Bai Mango. Your name is lovely.” She then pointed at Jiang Fei and added, “Jiang Fei is the one who brought me here.”
Qiao Yiyi was polite and gentle, but she was also perceptive. She could tell from Mango’s earlier dismissive glance at Jiang Fei that she needed to emphasize his importance.
“So you’re Jiang Fei? Nice to meet you. Yuanyuan has mentioned you a lot,” Mango said, giving Qiao Yiyi face by turning to Jiang Fei with a smile.
“Oh, really? It’s an honor to be talked about so often by Miss Ye,” Jiang Fei replied with a smile.
He didn’t take Mango’s attitude too seriously. He knew she had probably overheard him calling Jing Ran a “show-off,” and now she was holding a grudge.
“Do you think I’d say nice things about you behind your back?” Ye Yuanyuan rolled her eyes at Jiang Fei, her tone icy.
Jiang Fei rubbed his nose, feeling a bit helpless. “I know you wouldn’t.”
“Hmm, not exactly…” Mango shook her head, her eyes twinkling mischievously as she glanced between Jiang Fei and Ye Yuanyuan. “Actually, Yuanyuan often says good things about you. Like how skilled you are in medicine, how great your cooking is, and how strong you are…”
“Bai! Mango!” Ye Yuanyuan’s face turned cold, her teeth clenched.
She had never praised Jiang Fei behind his back, nor had she ever intended to. For Ye Yuanyuan, complimenting a man in private was even more embarrassing than badmouthing him!
“Alright, alright! I’ll stop!”
Seeing her best friend’s temper flare, Mango stuck out her tongue playfully and raised her hands in surrender. She then turned to Jiang Fei, holding out her hand with a grin. “Dr. Jiang, since you’re here for my birthday party, you must have prepared a gift for me, right? Hehe…”
Though her words were light, there was a teasing glint in her eyes.
Hmph, since you called my Jing Ran a show-off earlier, let’s see what kind of gift you can come up with. Mango wasn’t a materialistic person, but she was determined to give Jiang Fei a hard time—just a little payback for his earlier comment.
Jiang Fei was caught off guard. He had come to the party solely to bring Qiao Yiyi. The thought of bringing a gift hadn’t even crossed his mind!
He barely knew Ye Yuanyuan, let alone this Bai Mango. Why should he give her a gift? That would just be a loss for him!
“Uh…” Jiang Fei hesitated, not wanting to admit he hadn’t brought anything. That would be too embarrassing. After all, it was customary to bring a gift to a birthday party.
Ye Yuanyuan noticed Jiang Fei’s awkwardness and realized her best friend was deliberately trying to make him lose face.
“Bai Mango, what kind of gift do you want? I’ll go prepare one for you right now,” Ye Yuanyuan said, glaring at Mango as she tried to help Jiang Fei out.
“Yuanyuan, a gift from you and a gift from Jiang Fei are completely different, okay?” Mango replied with a grin. “Don’t worry, I’m not asking for anything expensive. Just something that represents his thoughts and blessings for me. Whatever he gives, I’ll be happy!”
She then blinked at Jiang Fei, her expression full of expectation.
At this point, Jiang Fei wasn’t too fond of Ye Yuanyuan’s best friend.
I just made a small comment about your dream man, and now you’re holding it against me? If it weren’t for Ye Yuanyuan, I wouldn’t even be here at your birthday party!
And you’re talking about blessings and thoughts? Do I even know you?
Though Jiang Fei was annoyed, he kept his thoughts to himself, maintaining his composure for Ye Yuanyuan’s sake.
Any gift will do? Jiang Fei frowned, trying to think of something he could give. But he realized he had nothing on him!
He didn’t even have his wallet—just his phone, keys, and a few hundred yuan. He hadn’t anticipated this situation, so he hadn’t prepared anything.
Should I just hand her 200 yuan and tell her to buy her own gift?
That wouldn’t work. Not only was 200 yuan too little for such a high-end event, but it also wasn’t appropriate. She wasn’t asking for cash; she wanted a meaningful gift.
She said any gift would do, as long as it represents my thoughts and blessings… though in my opinion, money is the best blessing.
As Jiang Fei was lost in thought, Qiao Yiyi stepped in to help.
“Oh no! I forgot to bring a birthday gift! What should I do?” Qiao Yiyi said, trying to cover for Jiang Fei. She knew he hadn’t prepared anything, and by admitting she hadn’t either, it would make Jiang Fei’s lack of a gift less awkward.
“Yiyi, you’re my favorite idol! Just having you here is the best gift I could ask for! Could you sing a song for me later as my gift?” Mango said, her eyes sparkling like a true fan.
“Of course,” Qiao Yiyi agreed with a smile.
Just when everyone thought the matter was settled, Mango turned her attention back to Jiang Fei, still smiling. Whether she was still trying to get back at him for his earlier comment or had some other motive, her expression made it clear she wasn’t letting him off the hook.
This woman was really persistent. Was she determined to make things difficult for Jiang Fei?
Jing Ran, standing beside Mango, remained silent, watching Jiang Fei with mild curiosity, as if waiting to see how he would handle the situation.
The man Yuanyuan talks about so often shouldn’t be this weak, right? If he can’t even handle such a small challenge, I’ll be really disappointed, Mango thought to herself, still smiling on the outside.
