The Cannon Fodder Stole the Male Lead’s Script GL - Chapter 52

Xin Keke’s birthday party was scheduled for Saturday evening and was set to begin at seven o’clock at her house.

At school, people had always assumed that Xin Keke’s family was simply nouveau riche and not especially wealthy. When her parents last showed up at school, their appearance came across as tacky. Everyone believed that the family did not have a strong financial background.

However, when the classmates actually arrived at her house, they realized their assumptions were only partially correct.

Xin’s family truly was nouveau riche, but they were not short on money. In fact, they were extremely wealthy.

Their level of affluence far exceeded what the rumors had suggested.

To begin with, their home was located in Yunting Shuihua, a famous and exclusive villa district in the city. In all of Yinchuan, only the Jiang family’s estate at Jiangpan Yuwan was more expensive. However, Jiangpan Yuwan had strict purchase restrictions and only ten households were permitted to buy homes there. Even with sufficient money, one could not buy a property there without a connection to the Jiang family.

Because of this, its price was not publicly listed. This made Yunting Shuihua the most expensive and accessible residential area in the city.

Even at their school, very few students came from families rich enough to live in that community. As far as they knew, only Yan Kuo’s family lived there.

Compared to the Yan family, though, Xin Keke’s parents were clearly more extravagant. They had purchased four adjoining townhouses and reconstructed them. The new structure looked like a castle and covered a vast area.

It was the most majestic property in the entire neighborhood.

“When we were buying, there weren’t any larger villas available. That is why we settled for these townhouses. Please don’t find it too small. Come in, everyone.”

Lan Meijuan, Xin Keke’s mother, wore a sapphire-blue floor-length gown with a low neckline. She stood at the door and humbly apologized to each student who arrived.

The students were stunned into silence.

Clearly, they had underestimated the situation.

Inside the golden arched doorway, the interior decor amazed everyone. It looked like a miniature Louvre. Every corner gleamed with gold and splendor. The chandeliers were made of crystal and came in various colors. Some even had colorful gemstones hanging from them.

Students began to wonder aloud if the Xin family’s wealth had been brought in by a storm. The extravagance was astonishing.

The villa was massive and resembled a grand hall. The structure had four levels.

At the very top was an open-air rooftop. Some students attempted to go up, but the staff politely stopped them, explaining it was not open.

Though disappointed, the students understood that pressing further would be rude. They respected the boundaries.

Most of the students arrived quickly. For those who lived far away, Lan Meijuan had arranged for transportation to bring them to the party.

Jiang Yun and Zhan Rao arrived together.

Jiang Yun’s home was only ten minutes away by car. However, Zhan Rao would have had to take a bus for more than an hour, so Jiang Yun drove over to pick her up.

Zhan Rao wore the same white qipao that Jiang Yun had gifted her earlier. Coincidentally, Jiang Yun was also wearing the same outfit when she came to pick her up.

When they walked side by side to the front door of the Xin residence, the other students stared in awe.

One wore black, and the other wore white.

One had her hair styled in a graceful bun that brought to mind the elegance of the Republican era, while the other wore two neatly braided pigtails that hung beside her ears and gave her an innocent and fresh appearance.

Although their outfits were simpler and not as brightly colored as what others wore, the two of them looked incredibly well-matched and absolutely stunning.

Even Yan Kuo, who resented Jiang Yun and Zhan Rao to the core, had to admit that while he disliked them, their faces alone made it difficult to hold any real hatred.

Yet, when he thought about how these two beautiful girls might belong to each other instead of him and might even be secretly scheming against him, his expression darkened again.

“Brother Kuo, I thought you weren’t coming,” said Cai Minhao, scratching his head and laughing when he spotted Yan Kuo.

Yan Kuo took a deep swig of fruit wine and grunted, “Why wouldn’t I come?”

“You were arguing with Zhan Rao earlier on the field…”

Seeing that Yan Kuo’s expression was becoming unpleasant, Cai Minhao immediately shut his mouth.

Yan Kuo refrained from lashing out and instead said in a stiff tone, “That was just an accident.”

Cai Minhao nodded in agreement. “Alright, got it.”

Then he followed Yan Kuo’s gaze to where Zhan Rao and Jiang Yun stood at the door. He sighed and commented, “They really do look good together. I honestly can’t think of anyone else who could match either of them.”

Hearing that, Yan Kuo raised his chin and let out a cold snort.

Cai Minhao turned to look at him but chose not to speak further.

Inside the hall, the crowd had already grown.

Originally, Xin Keke had invited only a dozen classmates. However, she had encouraged each of them to bring along friends. As a result, the number quickly expanded to several dozen.

Fortunately, the Xin residence had enough space. Besides the main hall, there was also a large lawn outside.

Lan Meijuan had made excellent arrangements. Inside, she had created a small dance floor. Outside on the grass, she had placed lighting, food, drinks, and even arranged for a band to perform.

Zhan Rao and Jiang Yun found a quiet corner to sit and watched the others enjoying themselves.

As Zhan Rao scanned the area, she noticed someone was missing.

“That’s strange,” she said.

“What is it?” Jiang Yun asked.

“Why hasn’t Tong Xue arrived yet? She should have been here by now.”

Jiang Yun looked around and also realized that Tong Xue, Xin Keke’s best friend, had yet to show up.

“Did you try calling her?”

Zhan Rao shook her head, then lowered her head and tried dialing. The call was not answered.

She sent a message, but there was no reply.

“Could something have happened?” Jiang Yun asked.

Zhan Rao looked a bit worried but still believed it unlikely. She shook her head and was about to try again.

Suddenly, Jiang Yun asked, “Did you notice anything different about our invitation compared to the others?”

Zhan Rao nodded. “Ours were handmade by Keke. The rest looked like they were ordered by her family.” After a pause, she added, “But Tong Xue’s was even more special than ours.”

She did not say more, but Jiang Yun already understood.

She frowned for a moment, then asked, “What was Tong Xue’s reaction when she received it?”

Zhan Rao shook her head. “I couldn’t tell.”

“I tried testing her earlier. She seemed completely unaware that Keke had feelings for her.”

Jiang Yun sighed. “Sometimes, what people let you see is exactly what they want you to see.”

Zhan Rao blinked and then quickly understood what Jiang Yun meant.

“Then…”

“That’s why you should stop calling. She probably won’t come. And even if she does, I doubt she will give Xin Keke the answer she wants.”

Meanwhile, Xin Keke was still upstairs, sitting at her vanity. A professional makeup artist hired by her mother was applying the finishing touches. She wore a dark green gown that made her skin look like snow. Her usually bare face had been transformed over an hour into something dazzling.

“Are you done yet?”

Xin Keke tugged at her dress with gloved hands and asked anxiously.

“My little princess, it’s almost finished,” the makeup artist replied.

Her look was inspired by Audrey Hepburn. A satin green ribbon tied her hair, adorned with pearls. She looked graceful and beautiful, just like a real princess. The dress also accentuated her slender waist.

“All done!”

The makeup artist put away the tools.

Xin Keke grabbed her skirt and rushed downstairs.

When she appeared on the staircase, the room went silent. Then thunderous applause erupted.

Her mother leaned emotionally into her father’s arms and murmured with pride, “My little princess is so beautiful.”

Xin Keke descended the stairs slowly. With help from a house staff member, she reached the center of the hall. She lifted her skirt and gave everyone a curtsy, then began scanning the crowd quickly.

No matter how hard she looked, she could not find the person she was searching for.

She grew more anxious and kept looking.

Guests came over to offer congratulations, but she could barely respond.

“Keke, happy birthday!”

“Keke, you look amazing!”

“Keke, this party is fantastic!”

The compliments surrounded her, but she could not hear any of them.

If that person did not come, then none of it mattered.

She walked through the crowd, thanking guests, moving from the hall to the lawn. But she still did not see her.

“Zhan Rao, where is she? She didn’t come?”

Xin Keke finally found Zhan Rao and Jiang Yun and asked anxiously.

The two exchanged a glance. They already knew.

“No. We’ve been here for a while, but we haven’t seen her,” Zhan Rao said.

“Did you call her? Message her? Maybe she couldn’t come. I can go pick her up.”

Zhan Rao hesitated. “We tried calling. She didn’t answer. And she hasn’t replied to messages either. But don’t worry. Maybe she just got delayed.”

She knew how hollow her words sounded. Even she could not believe them.

Xin Keke lowered her head. Her eyes were red.

She clutched her dress tightly and looked as if she were about to cry.

“Why would she suddenly not come…” she muttered.

She had thought anyone else could miss the party, but not her.

Suddenly, someone shouted from behind.

“Hey, is that Tong Xue?!”

“She’s arriving now? Wait, who’s with her?”

Xin Keke’s eyes lit up. She followed the direction everyone was looking.

But what she saw shattered her heart and left her completely confused.