The Useless Stepmom Brings Her Kids to Reality TV Shows to Photograph Them

Chapter 247: Evening In The Maple Forest

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Li Zexin had spent an hour trying to persuade and outright threatened his roommates to lend him money. However, none of them were willing to give in. Instead, they asked him if he could relay their gifts to Lin Wan.

Li Zexin was in despair. “Fine! Let’s end our friendship here. I will change rooms now. If you ever want to send me a message, write it on a piece of driftwood and send it by water.”

He had expected his friends to try to dissuade or at least comfort him. But it was like they didn’t care at all. They nodded gravely and then gathered together to discuss what to give Lin Wan for her birthday.

At Chenxin, Li Yanchen called Secretary Han and Assistant Qin to his office. They were invited for a personal meeting. The topic of the meeting was: How to make Madam happy?

Assistant Qin was surprised. “Is Madam unhappy because of something?” Secretary Han was also confused.

“Wanwan’s birthday is less than half a month away. This will be her first birthday after marriage. I want to throw an unforgettable birthday party for her. But I have no idea how to go about it.” Li Yanchen had tried to think of something in the past two days, but he couldn’t come up with anything. That was why he wanted to ask Assistant Qin and Secretary Han.

Assistant Qin heaved a sigh of relief. “For a split second, I thought you did something to let her down.”

“Boss, I am not sure about this,” said Secretary Han. “I am not even married.

My birthday falls on a working day. I am always working overtime.”

“Are you using this as an opportunity to blame me?” said Li Yanchen.

Secretary Han gasped. “No! I didn’t mean it that way! I am so sorry!”

“Then go and find someone who knows what to do about this.”

“Alright,” said Secretary Han. He got up and walked to the door.

He turned back and knocked on the door again. “Boss, who should I send?”

Li Yanchen’s nostrils flared in rage. “Why are you asking me? Find anyone who knows how to prepare a birthday party! You really have become stupid because of too much work!”

After Secretary Han hurried away, Assistant Qin forced out a smile. “Boss, maybe we should make a reservation at a hotel as we do for young masters’ birthdays. I will tell the manager that it’s Madam’s 28th birthday. We just need to focus on decorations after that.”

“Just that?”

“Yes. The hotel service is good. You just think of something to buy for Madam.

Women like bags or jewelry. These two won’t tail you.” Assistant Qin was proud of himself for holding his own. He waited for his boss to praise him. Li Yanchen sighed. “You go too. Find me someone who knows what to do.”

“What? Do you feel that I can’t give better advice?”

“Just go,” said Li Yanchen impatiently.

Assistant Qin walked out of the office and met Secretary Han outside. They discussed who to send inside. They decided to send the planning manager and the deputy manager to Li Yanchen.

When the two of them were told that the boss needed help with planning Madam’s birthday, they happily went inside.

Li Yanchen hadn’t expected Assistant Qin and Secretary Han to send the planning manager and deputy manager to handle a personal matter like this.

However, as expected of the planning manager, he came up with a pretty good idea after brainstorming for about half an hour.

The theme of the party was decided. It was to be “An Evening in the Mapel Forest”.

The planning manager came up with the idea. Since Lin Wan’s birthday was in October, the theme would fit well with it. October was the time when the maple leaves were in abundance. It symbolized fall, after all. They suggested Li Yanchen go on a date to a park and sit with Lin Wan so that they could enjoy a serene October evening.

As for gifts, both the deputy manager and the planning manager were in agreement and suggested a limited-edition bag or jewelry which could be engraved with Lin Wan’s name to make it feel more personal.

Time was running out. So, Li Yanchen reduced their workload of the company and asked them to focus on the birthday party for now.

At Yun Xi High School, it was already late September. Li Zexuan had gone to the Xingzhi Tower every day and back to his dormitory, but he had never met Xie Wanyu there again.

He was a little disappointed. ‘Did I scare Xie Wanyu away?’

He used the public phone at the dormitory building to call Lin Wan.

“Ms. Lin, can you come to school to see me tomorrow afternoon? Just say… you are here to drop some of my clothes.” Li Zexuan really wanted to talk to her about Xie Wanyu.

“Okay… What clothes?” Lin Wan asked.

“Whichever you find,” said Li Zexuan. “I have to ask you something. Break begins at 11:40 tomorrow. Don’t be late.”

Meanwhile, Lu Wenqian found Xie Wanyu’s classroom. She also found out that both Luan Rongrong and Xie Wanyu were transfer students, and they rarely interacted with other students. They were both very reserved.

Xie Wanyu always wore her school uniform and her glasses. She didn’t even look that special.

From her classmates’ perspectives, Xie Wanyu was good in her studies and got high grades. Other than that, she had no unique qualities and could not be compared to Lu Wenqian at all.

‘Could it just be a coincidence?’ thought Lu Wenqian. Lu Wenqian wondered if they knew each other from the past. She had never seen Xie Wanyu at the Xingzhi Tower with Li Zexuan after that day.

Lu Wenqian and Sun Mingtao went to the cafeteria.

Sun Mingtao had made a major discovery.

“Wenqian, Xie Wanyu’s family background isn’t very good. I found out that she lives with her grandmother. Her grades were very good, so Yun Xi High School made an exception and accepted her in the middle of the semester. Also, I don’t think Li Zexuan likes her in that way. Her personality is very weird. She always keeps quiet, and her voice is like a mosquito’s. Luan Rongrong is her roommate. She doesn’t have any other friends.”

“Then, is it possible that Li Zexuan gave her those papers because he just knows her in passing? Are they relatives or something? It would make sense that he felt obligated to give her the papers if that is true.”

“Well… that’s possible. Everyone in the school knows that you like Li Zexuan,” said Sun Mingtao. “No one would dare to go against you. Don’t worry about it.”

“Thank you. Don’t tell Li Zexuan anything about this. What if they are relatives, and he gave her those papers out of obligation?” Lu Wenqian didn’t know that those papers were actually study materials.

“Alright,” said Sun Mingtao. “Wenqian, if they really are relatives, then it would be good if you befriend her.”

“Hm… smart of you, as always,” said Lu Wenqian. “I added a thousand points to your meal card. I will be leaving now.”

Her heart was finally at ease.

In the dormitory room, Luan Rongrong gave Xie Wanyu a juice packet. “Wanyu, are you deliberately avoiding the Xingzhi Tower?”

Xie Wanyu pursed her lips.

“Wanyu, what’s going on in your mind?” Luan Rongrong was worried. “I just want to focus on my studies for now.”

“You are already good at your studies,” said Luan Roongrong. “What is it?”

Xie Wanyu was silent. “He is a celebrity. He is from a good family. And I am… nothing. ”

“But if you can be friends with Li Zexuan, no one would dare to bully us anymore, including Lu Wenqian. Nobody in the city dares to offend the Li family.” Luan Rongrong had done her homework too. She had found out all about Li Zexuan, his family, and Lu Wenqian.

Xie Wanyu did not know who Lu Wenqian was. However, she felt a bit of hope. “No one will bully us if we are friends with Li Zexuan?” she asked.

“Yes!”

Xie Wanyu’s resolve wavered. If that were true, then nobody would badmouth her even if they found out about her background..