We Weren’t Fated, I Just Played My Cards Right - Chapter 8

The Zhan family villa was spacious, filled with numerous guests, especially young people.

Upon entering, Dong Zhenghao and his wife immediately began mingling with acquaintances, leaving Liu Mumu and Dong Yue standing by a dining table.

The table was laden with an array of tempting pastries.

“Can we eat these?” Liu Mumu whispered to Dong Yue.

Dong Yue subtly shook her head. “Better not now. Wait until Uncle cuts the birthday cake—no one will notice then.”

“Rich people…” Liu Mumu muttered, reluctantly tearing her gaze away from the desserts.

“There seem to be quite a few people our age here. Don’t you know anyone? Shouldn’t you say hello?” Liu Mumu asked curiously, scanning the room.

Dong Yue shook her head again. “Xiao Qi is more familiar with them.”

Most attendees came from De Yu, the most prestigious private school in Qingcheng spanning elementary through high school. While she recognized many faces, their relationships were another matter.

With his ample allowance, Dong Qi easily blended into their circles. Dong Yue, however, hadn’t made many friends.

True to Dong Yue’s prediction, no one approached them even as the party began. The young crowd seemed tightly knit, paying no attention to outsiders.

Not that Liu Mumu went unnoticed—she was currently the subject of discussion among that very group.

Dong Zhenghao was no nobody. His unexpected appearance with an unfamiliar girl naturally drew attention. Those well-informed knew about the new addition to the Dong family.

Watching Liu Mumu, someone sneered, “I don’t know what’s trending lately with all these ‘long-lost pearls’ popping up.”

Others recognized the speaker—his family had recently welcomed an illegitimate child, hence the bitterness.

Another countered, “That girl looks older than Dong Yue. Maybe Mr. Dong had her before marriage.”

“Before or after marriage, they’re both illegitimate. Who’s more noble than whom?”

After some bickering, the group moved on.

But one person was utterly shocked upon seeing Liu Mumu.

Zheng Xuan, recently recovering from minor surgery, held orange juice instead of wine throughout the party.

He was sitting with a few friends, all of whom had been dragged along by their parents last minute and were feeling rather bored. As they listened to the idle chatter around them, he followed the conversation and caught sight of the person they were gossiping about—the alleged illegitimate daughter of Dong Zhenghao.

The granddaughter of the fortune-telling master!!!

What kind of bizarre twist was this?

After leaving the hospital, Zheng Xuan had been trapped in the illusion that he might be living in a fantasy world. He had even frantically searched online for a cultivation manual and spent three consecutive nights attempting to “draw in spiritual energy,” only to abandon his dreams of immortality after repeated failures.

Just when he thought that with the master’s passing, he was doomed to remain an ordinary mortal for life, he unexpectedly encountered the master’s granddaughter here.

It was… somewhat thrilling.

Zheng Xuan eagerly rushed toward Liu Mumu, but as he approached her, he grew a bit nervous—would she even remember him?

Fortunately, Liu Mumu had a good memory and recognized Zheng Xuan at a glance.

Mainly because during their time at the hospital, Zheng Xuan’s intention to report her and her grandfather to the police had been so blatantly obvious that she couldn’t possibly forget him.

“Hi, I’m Zheng Xuan. Do you remember me?” he tentatively greeted her.

“I do. The guy who stayed next to Grandpa’s room after his hemorrhoid surgery.”

“…Ahem.” Zheng Xuan choked on his own saliva, his face flushing with embarrassment. “Good, good that you remember.”

“Hello, I’m Liu Mumu, and this is my younger sister, Dong Yue,” Liu Mumu introduced.

“I know, I know. What a coincidence running into you here today. Could we exchange contacts?” Zheng Xuan wasn’t usually this shy around girls, but Liu Mumu carried the aura of the master, making him act differently.

Liu Mumu had no reason to refuse. They added each other as friends and exchanged phone numbers. Liu Mumu saved his contact as: Potential Client No. 1 – Hemorrhoid Zheng.

Zheng Xuan’s sudden approach caught the attention of Dong Zhenghao and his wife. Seeing them about to come over, Zheng Xuan waved his phone at Liu Mumu. “Let’s chat another time.” Then he quickly left.

Dong Zhenghao glanced in the direction Zheng Xuan had gone and said to Liu Mumu, “That Zheng kid is a bit of a slacker, but he’s decent enough.”

He couldn’t help feeling a little smug that his eldest daughter had already attracted attention on her first public appearance.

Regardless of anything else, his daughter was undeniably beautiful—these young people had good taste.

When Liu Mumu didn’t react, Dong Zhenghao assumed she was just shy and added, “You’re not that young anymore. It’s fine to date a little. Don’t worry, the family won’t object.”

The Zhengs didn’t have much business with him, but they had deeper roots in Qingcheng and wider connections. It wouldn’t hurt to get acquainted.

If Liu Mumu could develop a relationship with Zheng Xuan, it would benefit the Dong family in the future.

Now, he actually thought there was nothing wrong with having one more daughter.

However, after Dong Zhenghao finished speaking, Liu Mumu looked at him with disappointment.

Dong Zhenghao’s brow twitched. “What’s the matter?”

“Dad, don’t I have an arranged fiancé?”

Dong Zhenghao was utterly baffled by the question. “What fiancé?”

“In all the books I’ve read, wealthy families always arrange a fiancé for their long-lost daughters. Our family is so rich—how come I didn’t get one?”

Not only was there no arranged fiancé, but she even had to find a boyfriend herself. This was downright tragic in her eyes. She had even gotten her hopes up a little.

“…Should there be one?” Dong Zhenghao was completely lost.

“I think there could be.”

Although Blind Liu had assured her she’d find a boyfriend before turning twenty-five, Liu Mumu felt that, given her fate, she needed a little help from those around her.

For example, it would be great if her dad could just assign her one. If he could assign her two, that would definitely prove he was her real father.

After a moment of contemplation, Dong Zhenghao told her with absolute certainty, “There really isn’t one.”

He suddenly regretted not having considered this earlier. What a strategic oversight!

Before long, the host of the banquet arrived with his children.

Zhan Hongye, elegant and refined, stood beside his wife, Jiang Jia, looking every bit the perfect match. Behind them were a pair of siblings—the elder being Zhan Hongye’s firstborn, Zhan Huitian, who bore a strong resemblance to his father. Though he had only recently graduated from university, he was already assisting in the family business.

The girl was Zhan Ni, who had just been brought home. Her skin was somewhat dark, and unfortunately, she was wearing a pink evening dress today, making her stand out awkwardly.

Facing such a large crowd for the first time, Zhan Ni couldn’t help but feel nervous. Under the scrutiny of so many eyes, she appeared timid and withdrawn, only further diminishing others’ impressions of her.

With just a glance, Jiang Li could tell this was her sister’s doing. Unfortunately, her own stepdaughter was far more difficult to deal with, and she seethed inwardly.

Zhan Hongye first thanked the guests for coming. Then, Jiang Jia presented a small but exquisitely decorated cake, claiming it was made by their daughter especially for him.

With the right music setting the mood, the atmosphere was warm and touching—except for Zhan Ni, who seemed stiff and out of place.

Anyone could tell that the cake couldn’t possibly have been made by her, but that wasn’t the point. The problem was that Zhan Ni clearly wasn’t comfortable with the situation.

“Old Zhan’s daughter isn’t much to look at,” Dong Zhenghao remarked.

Many shared his opinion. They didn’t care about the girl’s past living conditions or the deeper reasons behind her demeanor. Their first impression alone was enough for them to judge her.

For now, nothing major was apparent, but in the future, this less-than-stellar first impression would lead to her being ostracized by this social circle.

In fact, she didn’t even have to wait for the future. After the usual formalities like making wishes were over, Zhan Hongye and his wife danced the opening dance, and the atmosphere gradually grew lively—while Zhan Ni was inevitably pushed to the sidelines.

No one approached her to greet her, even though she was one of the evening’s main figures. Her biological brother had long been pulled away by friends, her father was busy chatting with business associates, and her stepmother only glanced at her from afar.

She was like a castaway on a deserted island, exposed to the biting wind, shivering all over.

At that moment, she spotted Liu Mumu in the crowd—her high school classmate.

Back in high school, they hadn’t gotten along well. She came from a single-parent family, while Liu Mumu had no parents at all. Yet teachers and classmates had always favored Liu Mumu more. Even though her own grades were better, the teachers treated Liu Mumu with noticeably more warmth.

Despite this, she still walked over to Liu Mumu.

Jenny took a deep breath, put on a smile, and greeted her: “Liu Mumu, long time no see.”

Meeting a familiar face in an unfamiliar city—even someone with whom she’d had minor conflicts—felt more comforting than being surrounded by strangers. Jenny thought this was true for her, and it must be the same for Liu Mumu.

They were both outsiders.

The two of them walked to a small garden outside. It was deserted, dimly lit—perfect for conversation.

“What brings you to Qingcheng?” Jenny asked.

Liu Mumu answered frankly: “I found my biological father and moved in with him until school starts. What about you? What about Auntie Zhang?”

Auntie Zhang was Jenny’s mother. She used to work in the school cafeteria, and Liu Mumu had always liked getting meals from her because Auntie Zhang not only didn’t skimp on portions but often gave her extra.

Jenny fell silent for a long moment before replying, “My mom’s gone.”

Liu Mumu was stunned: “How?”

She had seen Jenny’s father at school last year. Not long after, Auntie Zhang had quit her job at the cafeteria, and Liu Mumu never saw her again. But Auntie Zhang had good facial features—though not particularly prosperous, they indicated a stable, long life. There was no way she should have died so suddenly.

Remembering her mother’s death, Jenny suddenly grabbed Liu Mumu’s wrist, staring at her intently as she whispered, “I know your grandfather was really accurate with his fortune-telling, that he knew a lot of things. My mom’s death was really strange—could you ask your grandfather for me?”

“But my grandfather has already passed away.”

Jenny felt as if she’d been struck by lightning, her whole being devastated. Liu Mumu’s grandfather, that famously accurate fortune-teller, was dead?

“Why don’t you tell me about it instead.”