Chapter 47  : Xu Rongfei’s Birthday Party

When the national holiday was over, and Chen Fan was back to school, he found that other than Jiang Tanqiu’s insistent questions about what had happened at the bar on that night, nothing else had changed at school. His classmates no longer looked down on him and neither did they admire him.

Si Yinxia was still studying like there was no tomorrow. Teachers were very impressed by his newfound enthusiasm, and they were convinced that if Si Yinxia kept at it, he could potentially be admitted into the best university in China.

One day, Xu Rongfei came over to look for Chen Fan. Chen Fan went out of the classroom to meet her as a swell of murmurs rose around him.

“It’s my birthday next week. Can you make it?” Xu Rongfei asked as she batted her lashes at Chen Fan.

“Of course!” Chen Fan cracked a smile. “You are my sister, remember?”

He said, indulging the girl with his attention.

Although he would not date her, she could be his sister he always wanted.

Chen Fan had cultivated among the stars for over five hundred years. Other than his teacher Cangqin, he had no one to talk to and confide in. It wasn’t because he didn’t have anyone around him, but it was because of his unwavering dedication to his cultivation that had forbidden him to waste his time on sentiments.

“Am I just a sister?” The light went out from Xu Rongfei’s eyes for a split second before the smile returned to her face.

She turned around and sauntered off. After a few steps, she turned back and shouted, “Seven o’clock next Saturday. Don’t forget about it!”

Chen Fan cracked a smile. After he made a mental note of the time, he put the matter to the side to focus on his real business.

Of late, he had spent all of his time on creating the Dharma Array. Third Lord Wei had brought him a piece of stone that was found at a few thousand miles down in the ocean, but its effect was mediocre. After all, it was just a rock, regardless of how many centuries it stayed underwater, it contained little to no water element in it.

“If this is the only material we get, the Spirit Channeling Array could only release less than ten percent of its intended effect.”

Chen Fan lamented.

However, even at ten percent, the huge amount of Spirit Qi meant that there would be more than enough Qi for him to use until he reached the Ethereal Enlightenment Level.

When Chen Fan walked back to the classroom, he found himself the target of many jealous glares. From time to time, he even caught a glimpse of Si Yinxia’s chilling gaze.

Time flew by, and soon it was Saturday.

When it was nightfall, Chen Fan found Xu Rongfei’s home based on the address she had given him. It was called the “Golden Kang Community Villa.”

The Golden Kang Community Villa was a mid-range residential development and a two-story house that would cost only two or three million yuan. It was more affordable and modest than the Yun Wu Mountain Villa. This was where most of Chu Zhou City’s middle-class family lived.

“Welcome, welcome!”

The birthday girl stood at the entrance and welcomed him with a charming smile.

She was dressed up from head to toe tonight. She was in a white slim fit maxi dress that accentuated her tiny waist and elegant legs. She wore makeup but not too heavily, and her delicate earrings complemented her egg-shaped face. She wore her hair down with wavy curls. She looked nothing like a student, but an elegant and gorgeous white-collar city girl.

“Brother Chen, you are finally here!

“I was worried that you were going to bail on me.”

Xu Rongfei said as she gave Chen Fan a warm smile.

“I told you that you are my sister; what kind of brother would miss his sister’s birthday?”

Chen Fan cracked a smile and then handed a small gift box to Xu Rongfei.

“Happy birthday, this is your gift.”

Inside the box was an earring made out of jade. Chen Fan had cast a Dharma Array on it that was no less powerful than what he offered Third Lord Wei. Once the earring was close to its wearer, it would protect the wearer from all kinds of ailments.

“A gift? Thank you, Brother Chen Fan!” Xu Rongfei was elated. She accepted the gift box and started to unpack it. However, she was stopped by Jiang Churan with a cold face.

She reminded Jiang Churan that it was uncouth to unpack a gift in front of the guests.

“Get in here; don’t block the way.”

Jiang Churan’s face was hard as stone. She glared at Chen Fan with a great measure of rancor.

Chen Fan cracked a smile and let Jiang Churan’s insult slide off of his mind. He walked into the house and started to greet other school mates.

The house was already packed with guests, some of them were Xu Rongfei’s childhood friends, and some were friends she met at high school. Chen Fan saw many familiar faces: Li Yichen, Zhang Yumeng, Yang Chao, and even Han Yun.

“Master... Mr. Chen?” Han Yun’s eyes lit up as soon as she saw Chen Fan. She walked to Chen Fan with a glass of red wine.

She was the oldest member of the group and was already working for her grandfather. She was wearing a custom fit dress and heavy makeup. She looked like a rich princess straight out of one of those Korean Soap Operas.

“Miss Han.” Chen Fan nodded.

Han Yun’s lips curled into a smile. “Why so formal! Just call me Xiao Yun. I have heard the Old Man Zhen calling you brother, so technically, I am one generation younger than you.”

“I will call you Han Yun, and you can call me whatever you want.” Chen Fan shook his head and said.

Chen Fan had lived over five hundred years; even the Old Man Zhen was a child in his eyes.

However, since he was reborn as a teenager, he needed to act like one. Plus, he would choose to be a happy go lucky high school kid over a lonely and gloomy old cultivator at any time of the day.

“Fine, no fun. I will call you Chen Fan then. I was hoping to make Fei-Fei jealous of me. Oh well.” Han Yun battered her lashes and gazed at Chen Fan with a pair of mesmerizing eyes.

Of all the people attending the party, only she knew who Chen Fan really was. She alone knew that even the most powerful tycoons in Chu Zhou City had to call him Master Chen respectfully. He was not simply “a friend of Wei Ziqin.”

“Humph! Look at her; she is going to melt before Chen Fan. Can she be any more desperate?” Zhang Yumeng grunted.

At first, Zhang Yumeng was shocked by the development at the auction like everyone else. However, after she had talked to some friends, she learned that Wei Ziqin had a habit of making friends who were not in her league. That being said, none of her friends had any notable achievements either, so she wagered that Chen Fan was one of those lucky few who happened to be Wei Ziqin’s friend by chance.

In other words, being Wei Ziqin’s friend didn’t change the fact that Chen Fan was a useless no-account.

Zhang Yumeng wagered that if Wei Ziqin weren’t put on the spot as she happened to be there when Chen Fan was on his last leg, she would not offer her help so readily.

Convinced that there was nothing extraordinary about Chen Fan, Han Yun’s unctuous and submissive attitude toward the boy made Zhang Yumeng feel sick.

“Don’t stress out about it. Han Yun is the oldest, and she knows what she is doing. “One of Zhang Yuemeng’s friends put in.

Li Yichen stood beside the girl and was also observing Chen Fan attentively.

Ever since his plan failed to bring down Chen Fan, he decided to take this opponent seriously. After much research, he found out that Chen Fan’s mother was a successful businesswoman in the Zhong Hai City.

It was highly unusual that the son of a real estate magnate would labor inside of a bar.

He registered that Chen Fan was hiding something.

“OK, I think everyone is here; let’s start the party!”

A beautiful woman in her forties came down the stairs. She and Xu Rongfei looked very similar, and although being old, she was not any less attractive than the girl.

Everyone greeted her in unison, “Hi Auntie!”

Auntie Xu nodded with a smile. Behind her was a buff young man. It was Chu Minhui. It appeared that Chu Minhui and Auntie Xu were very close as they talked and laughed with each other.

“Minghui, would you please tell Fei-Fie to come here?”

Auntie Xu spoke to Chu Minhui with a warm smile.

“Yes, Auntie Xu.”

Chu Minhui strode out, and when he passed by Chen Fan, he paused a fraction of a second as the hook of his cold glance caught Chen Fan. He let out a snort full of disdain before he carried on.

All the while, Chen Fan held a clam and indifferent face.

He had given him warning before. If Chu Minhui dared to offend him again, he would make him pay dearly.

A Celestial Lord always kept his word. Even if the most powerful man on earth protected Chu Minhui, Chen Fan would not hesitate a second before he rained down punishment on him.

After a while, Xu Rongfei was brought into the room, and the birthday party finally started.

Chu Minhui pushed out a cart, and on it was a seven-layer-cake. It was decorated with seventeen candles for Xu Rongfei’s seventeenth birthday.

Everyone sang the birthday song and then they waited for the birthday girl to blow out the candles and make a wish.

Xu Rongfei folded her hands and half-closed her eyes. She gave Chen Fan a surreptitious glance.

“This is my wish...

“I wish I could live with Chen Fan happily forever after.”

Although she had made the wish in her mind, Chen Fan had heard every word of it loud and clear. Seeing the infatuated expression on the girl’s face, Chen Fan smiled wryly.

He had thrived in his rough and tumble life for five hundred years, and never once was he defeated. Countless goddesses fell for him because of his invincibility, and therefore, he was no stranger to a girl’s loving gaze.

“I am sorry; I think you will be disappointed.”

Chen Fan lamented in his mind.

“I have waited for five hundred years for this new life. But I didn’t come back for you...”

After Xu Rongfei had made the wish, everyone jumped at the cake at once.

Suddenly, the door was pushed open, and a handsome, refined middle age man crashed the party with a group of brawny bodyguards.

“What are you doing here?”

As soon as Auntie Xu saw the man, she pulled a taut face.

On the other hand, Xu Rongfei’s face was lit up with surprise, she shouted gleefully, “Dad!”