Chapter 373 Shui’s Birthday Banquet Arc (3)

After the cake cutting ceremony, guests arrived one after the other to give Shui birthday wishes and gifts. As soon as Jun and Ai arrived, a sense of awkwardness loomed in the air but for the guests.

Meeting Shui was different but Jun and Ai meeting Xinyi and Zhiyuan? It would be bound to get uncomfortable!

But in contrast to what they imagined, Xinyi was the first one to actually hug Ai, which definitely took Ai aback. As Shui's mother, she wasn't expecting her to be so cordial.

"I am glad you came here," Xinyi withdrew and smiled. "I always wanted to thank you."

"Thank me?" She tilted her head.

"Of course. I heard what happened in Shanghai and how you stood up for Shui. Shui praised you so much when she returned. As a mother, I cannot be happier that you protected my daughter. And not just at Shanghai but from the moment you started dating Jun, you were never hostile towards Shui, which I sincerely appreciate. It takes guts to do that."

Zhiyuan gravely nodded. "Thank you, Zhou Ai. We are glad to have you as Shui's friend. It's all because of you that things never became awkward for us."

Siying chirped. "Yes. The one who treats my sister well is also my friend! Also, I heard a lot of praises of you from Nuo."

Suddenly, he felt a chill run on his back feeling a strong and piercing gaze. His brow twitched, and he didn't even need to guess who was the source of this hostility.

It's like Uncle Jinhai has an antenna whenever I take Nuo's name...

Ai felt at a loss for several moments. "Thank you."

Xinyi chuckled. "It's we who thanked you, so you said welcome."

Zhiyuan and Jun were busy in their own staring competition. It was a bubbly and flowery atmosphere between Xinyi and Ai but a serious and suffocating air between Zhiyuan and Jun.

"Uncle Zhiyuan. Your little speech was amazing," Jun randomly said what came to his mind.

Zhiyuan narrowed his eyes. "Liu Jun."

"Yes."

Shui cleared her throat. "Dad, you promised me..."

Suddenly out of anybody's expectation, Zhiyuan pulled Jun into a big hug. "Hahaha, why are you so tense? It's your Uncle Zhiyuan! No need to be so stiff."

"..."

Even Xinyi hadn't expected this response.

Jun suspiciously asked, "Uncle, it seems you are too happy with Shui's birthday tonight."

"And the fact that you won't steal her from me anymore. So you are a good boy to me now, hohoho~"

"..."

"Mom..." Shui pleaded Xinyi for help.

Jun asked, "Then what was I to you until now?"

"A villain. Which every man who dares to target my daughter is."

Jun smiled. "Is that so? Then I hope that a new villain quickly enters and disrupts your life, Uncle."

"..."

"Liu Jun! How dare you curse my happiness!?" Zhiyuan exclaimed.

"Don't you curse mine?" A cold, detached voice shrouded with deep hostility seeped into the air.

With Jinhai, black clouds immediately entered the scene, rumbling and thundering. He gave on murderous stare to Siying, freezing the atmosphere.

Siying tried to pull in his most affectionate smile, but Jinhai was in no mood to entertain him. Instead, he calmly glanced at Zhiyuan. "Your son has been doing the same thing for years now, cursing my happiness. But you seemed to ignore all of that."

A vein popped on his forehead. "Liu Jinhai. You were being a tyrant. Siying and Nuo love each other but you are acting as a villain in their love story."

"So were you in Jun and Shui's..." his deathly quiet voice rang with menace. "But I am glad we were on the same page. You won't be confused as to why Siying might suddenly disappear one day," he narrowed his eyes.

Oh God, just kill me...Siying sighed. It's such a treacherous path loving Nuo.

Zhiyuan snarled. "Don't dare touch my son just because you cannot handle your daughter falling in love!"

Jinhai sneered. "Don't be happy for my son just because he and Shui aren't together anymore."

Ai seriously wondered what was wrong with these fathers.

They sure don't see their hypocrisy...

"Jinhai!" Nana puffed up her cheeks and pulled him back. "Why are you causing a scene tonight? It's Shui's birthday!"

"He started it," Jinhai said, unfazed.

"No excuses!"

Xinyi also gave a stern scolding to Zhiyuan. "If you don't stop it now, I will throw you out of the party."

Siying and Shui gave a thumbs up, crushing Zhiyuan's heart. "You all are heartless!"

Jun wanted to get away from this headache, so he held Ai's hand and slickly tried to leave. But as soon as they turned, he met his mortal enemy. Lightning crackled between Jun and Yating's eyes as they crossed paths.

Yating smiled. "Liu Jun."

"Gu Yating," Jun smiled back. "You seem to be a lot free these days. How is your health by the way? You should have stayed back home and rested," he emphasized more on the last sentence.

Indirectly, it also meant that he didn't want Yating to collapse or get sick for Ai to tend to him again.

"I am fine, Liu Jun. You don't need to be so concerned for my health," he dryly said.

"As long as it doesn't involve Ai taking care of you, I am really not so concerned about your health," Jun shot back.

Ai tugged his arm and signaled him not to be mean to Yating, to which Jun only snorted.

Yating was close to punching his face but instead, he calmed himself by looking at Ai. "Ai. Nice to see you here. I am sorry I couldn't properly thank you that day. My sickness caused you unnecessary trouble."

Ai shook her head. "No problem. Hope you are not overworking like before."

p "I am being more careful and conscious now," he softly smiled.

"That's better."

Jun's mouth twitched. He whispered in her ear. "He knows what is good for him or not. You don't have to be the one to explicitly state it."

Now, Ai's brow twitched. "I am just telling him as a friend."

"No need."

"..."