Mayor Zhang also had his own ulterior motives. After speaking with the man, he waited anxiously. The members of the Qin family were also waiting anxiously. About a minute later, the man emerged with an indifferent expression. "You’re too late. Miss Gu has already left."
Mayor Zhang looked dumbfounded. "The door is right here. Don’t tell me she flew out or something?"
The man looked down on him. "My master dislikes being disturbed while dining. He usually leaves through the back entrance."
Mayor Zhang, deflated like a popped balloon, stammered, "Yes, yes... of course..."
He left, dejected, no longer concerned with the Qin family’s predicament. When the others heard the important person had departed, they also dispersed.
Qin Han, Wang Keru, and Qin Siyuan stayed outside to watch the fireworks for a while longer before returning to the hall. Only the Qin family’s relatives and friends remained, scattered about. Lin Qi was the only one still accompanying Shen Wanqing, whose eyes were a little red.
Qin Han knew he had wronged the young woman tonight, but with Gu Anxi possibly knowing someone truly formidable, he had no other choice. He gestured for Qin Siyuan to comfort her, but Qin Siyuan himself was out of sorts that evening. How could he possibly console Shen Wanqing?
The chaotic, farcical evening had finally concluded.
Meanwhile, Gu Anxi and Bo Xichen stood side-by-side in the parking lot, saying goodbye to Mr. He and the others. Feng Mian escorted Mr. He off, while Chu Ci took Chu Yan home.
Bo Xichen looked at the fireworks still illuminating the sky and smiled. "Let’s go."
He settled into the passenger seat, and she drove. The expensive sports car shot off like a meteor into the depths of the night.
At the entrance to Zhen Garden, Huang Mao clutched a small cake, his gaze fixed on the direction the sports car had vanished.
Today was his goddess’s birthday, and he had wanted to give her a cake. But then he saw her with such a distinguished man—a man far taller, more handsome, and vastly wealthier than himself, one who also exuded an air of particular refinement. Huang Mao wanted to cry, but no tears would come.
His underlings tried to console him, "Boss, we’ll help you kidnap her!"
Startled, Huang Mao smacked each of them on the head. "What do you fools know? Am I that shallow a person? I’m just... heartbroken..."
He sighed. "As long as she’s happy, that’s all that matters."
His underlings nearly fainted. Their boss was truly smitten; his love for his goddess was real.
Gu Anxi drove down the winding mountain road and entered Qingcheng. Bo Xichen had been resting with his eyes closed the entire time. She knew he’d had a few extra drinks with Mr. He earlier, so she asked softly, "Do you want to find a place to sober up a bit?"
Bo Xichen’s hand suddenly grasped hers, but he released it a moment later, perhaps deeming it improper. He murmured, "Anxi, do you remember your old villa?"
Gu Anxi’s heart skipped a beat. She hummed affirmatively. "It was seized by the court."
"I bought it," Bo Xichen whispered.
The high-performance sports car fishtailed slightly, but she quickly corrected it. Gu Anxi bit her lip. "But it was repossessed by the bank. How could you buy it?"
"I bought the bank," Bo Xichen said with a smile, then looked out at the night scenery. "It took some effort, but it wasn’t too difficult."
He hadn’t bought the bank merely to indirectly reclaim the villa; he had other uses for it. Currently, Qingcheng’s largest bank, Citibank, was controlled by the Bo family from Beicheng, with Feng Mian as its direct manager.