86 Wedding anniversary banquet arc (1) : Breaking into Liu Villa
Ai was lost in her stupor when an incoming limousine almost knocked her out. She quickly stepped aside, startled.
A beautiful young woman stepped out who looked as refined and wealthy as the other women. She traced her sight along Ai’s figure and smiled in disdain, noticing her plain clothes and no jewellery at all. Her sandals were slightly worn out, and she had no makeup on her face.
“What is this maid doing here? Why are you wearing this instead of your maid uniform? Whatever. Take my bag.”
She handed her bag to her, gesturing to do her job.
Ai blinked. “I am not a maid.”
“Not a maid? Then why are you here?” She was puzzled. “Naturally, someone like you cannot be a guest.”
“I am not a guest either.”
“So?”
“I have an important thing to give to Mr. Liu Jinhai and Mrs. Liu Nana,” Ai sincerely stated.
The woman stared at her and burst into laughter. “W-what? Seriously? You think just anybody can go inside? Do you know where you are standing and whose celebration is this?”
“It’s the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary celebration party of Mr. Liu Jinhai and Mrs. Liu Nana. I know.”
Her mouth twitched..
“Yes and guests like you with no status and more importantly, no invitation to the banquet cannot enter. You do realize that, right?”
I understand that now, Ai thought.
She thought it was just a normal celebration. The grand banquet and certainly, the need of an invitation was beyond her expectations.
Qin Wen smirked, feeling victorious. She sighed. “Low class people like you can do anything to witness wealth and glamor, right? Did you really think you can just barge inside and meet Mr. and Mrs. Liu?”
Ai frowned.
“Unfortunately, that’s the difference between us. I don’t know where you have come from, but you better leave. The guards at the Liu villa are quite stern and unforgiving. They will mercilessly throw you out. So save yourself the humiliation,” she ‘kindly’ smiled and left.
Ai remained standing at her place. She looked down at Jun’s gift again and was determined to do what she came here for.
She was least bothered with Qin Wen’s insults. Instead, her mind was churning on how to get inside without an invitation.
Ai made up her mind and walked towards the guards at the gate. She politely greeted them. “Hello.”
The guards took a look at her but didn’t seem to recognize her. “Apologies Madam, but I don’t recognize you. Can you show us your invitation?”
“I don’t have an invitation.”
They blinked in confusion. She was definitely not one of the maids here either because they knew all the maids who worked in the Liu villa.
“Then…”
“But I still need to go inside. I have an important thing to give to Mr. and Mrs. Liu.”
“What is it?”
“This gift.”
The guards took a look and exchanged glances. “Who is it from?”
“Their son, Jun.”
They choked in shock, and their eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
Third young master Jun!?
“M-Mam, you cannot be serious…How can you have third young master’s gift with you?”
Does he even talk to another woman besides Miss Han Shui? And why would he send a gift like this anyway?
Ai stared at them.
It will be complicated to explain that I live with him. They won’t even believe me.
“I found this in the library where he frequently visits. I go there too. Unfortunately, I couldn’t return it to him, so I could only come here, reading the address on this note. It’s from their son, so it must be definitely important to his parents. They will be happy getting his gift, especially when it seems that he cannot be personally here. That’s why I request you. Will you please let me in? I will hand this over and leave.”
The guards were troubled. They had seen a lot of women making one or the other excuses as if wanting to claim a connection with the Liu family young masters.
But somehow Ai’s polite demeanor, voice and expression didn’t make them feel that she was a bad or scheming woman. Her concern sounded genuine.
Nevertheless…
“Please forgive us. But we cannot let you inside without an invitation. Those are the rules. We cannot break them. You give this gift to us, and we will hand it over to the Master and Madam. Rest assured.”
Ai pursed her lips. “But I have something important to talk to them too. I want to hand this gift myself.”
They shook their heads. “We cannot let you inside, Mam. We don’t mean to insult you, but those are the strict rules.”
Ai’s shoulders slumped in defeat. But she wasn’t ready to give up yet. She thought talking it out might help. But she underestimated the security.
She bowed. “Thank you.”
As she left, she stood under a tree at a distance, watching other guests enter the Liu villa. She had only one choice left.
I will have to slip in sneakily without the guards’ attention.
She felt guilty for breaking in like that, but handing Jun’s gift to his parents was more important to her.
Ai surveyed the place and found another entrance through the huge and lavish garden. Naturally, there were guards on that side too. But the focus was on the main entrance where guests were pouring from.
She thought about what to do next and appeared before them clutching her stomach and gasping hard.
The guards were immediately alerted. “What’s wrong?”
“Pain…” she breathed hard as if she would die at any moment. “It hurts…Help…please…”
The guards quickly came to her aid. “Are you alright?”
They took a swift scan of her and deemed it was safe before approaching her.
Ai pretended to faint, and the guards were aghast.
Shit, why tonight?
“Who is she?”
“I don’t know, but we cannot let this ruin this banquet. The guests are already here.”
“Yeah, you are right.”
They quickly took her inside for a quick medical checkup. They put her on a bed inside a cabin and one of them left to fetch a doctor’s help while the other stayed behind to look after her.
“Water…” she touched her throat and whispered.
“Oh! Please wait here,” he quickly nodded and left.
As the other guard left too to bring water for Ai, she quickly took this chance to slip out of the cabin.
Finally, I am inside, she sighed in relief.
She silently rushed towards the house when she heard some leaves rustle from the side. She turned and saw a figure hiding behind a tree and acting suspiciously.
She stiffened.
Who…A thief?