It's just a toy, why would you care if it breaks?

Tomorrow is Saturday, and the Wei and Dou Groups will jointly host a thank-you dinner.

At 3 p.m. this afternoon, Wei Xun brought Qing Lin to the banquet hall of Nancheng International Hotel to see how the preparations were going.

The staff are busy with the final setup.

The crystal chandelier was polished to a shine, the long table was covered with a champagne-colored tablecloth, the tableware was neatly arranged, and the joint logo of the Wei and Dou families was printed everywhere.

Dou Muxian was standing by the stage, talking to the hotel manager. When he saw Wei Xun come in, he immediately smiled and went to greet him.

"Xun'er, you're here." Dou Muxian patted Wei Xun on the shoulder, his tone warm: "I was just telling them that we'd check the procedures again once you arrived."

Wei Xun greeted him politely, "Hello, Uncle Dou."

Qinglin also greeted them, holding a tablet in her hand, ready to take notes at any time.

Dou Muxian led the two into the banquet hall, introducing the dishes as they walked: "Look, this is the main guest area, reserved for the elders and core partners of both families; that's the buffet area, where the dishes are all prepared by Michelin-starred chefs, specializing in fusion cuisine while catering to both northern and southern tastes. The drinks are also ready; the red wine is a vintage from Bordeaux, and the white wine is from your grandfather Wei's cellar—all top-notch offerings."

Wei Xun was very satisfied: "Uncle Dou is very thoughtful; the arrangements are very thorough."

"Of course," Dou Muxian smiled. "This collaboration is a win-win situation. The banquet was well-organized, which also reassured the suppliers and distributors."

The two walked to the edge of the stage, and Qinglin took out the program sheet and checked it item by item with the assistant brought by Dou Muxian.

From the order of the opening remarks to the signing ceremony and the final toast, every detail was meticulously planned.

Wei Xun didn't say much because everything was arranged perfectly.

After checking the process, about half an hour had passed.

Dou Muxian escorted Wei Xun out. At the entrance of the banquet hall, he suddenly lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "Xun'er, there's another surprise for you at the banquet tomorrow night."

Wei Xun was taken aback: "What surprise?"

Dou Muxian, however, kept him in suspense, patting his arm and saying, "You'll find out when the time comes; it's the one you've been longing to see."

Wei Xun didn't take it too seriously, thinking it was just a concession prepared by the Dou family for cooperation, or some kind of commemorative gift.

He smiled and said politely, "Then I'll wait and see. Thank you, Uncle Dou."

After saying that, he and Qinglin turned and left.

Once in the car, Qinglin put away her tablet and turned to Wei Xun, asking, "Mr. Wei, it's still early. Would you like to go to the store to try on the dress for tomorrow's banquet?"

"Okay. I had them make one for you too. The size is based on what you gave me last time, so it should fit."

Qinglin was taken aback, somewhat surprised: "Made for me?"

"Yes. There's a dancing segment at the banquet tomorrow. If no one's going to dance with me, you can be my partner."

Qinglin was even more surprised. After hesitating for a few seconds, she couldn't help but ask, "President Wei, I thought... you would bring Nanyan to the banquet."

Wei Xun's tone softened: "How could that be?"

He paused, then continued, "Dou Xuan invited my grandfather to attend, and you know his temper. If he sees Nan Yan, he might say something nasty, and I don't want things to turn out badly."

"...I didn't mention the dinner to Nan Yan. These are all work-related matters, and there's no need to tell him, so as not to make him overthink."

Qinglin looked at his profile, wanting to say something, but swallowed the words back.

The atmosphere inside the car quieted down, with only the sound of the wheels rolling over the road.

Wei Xun looked out the window, but for some reason, he thought of Nan Yan.

With such a lively banquet tomorrow night, will he feel lonely at home all by himself?

Wei Xun shook his head, suppressing the thought.

Why think about these things? Just go home early after the banquet.

……

The next day, Nan Yan was busy at the bakery all day.

The "Wheat Ear Bond" cookie is selling like hotcakes. Although Nan Yan has shared the recipe with other bakers, she is still very busy.

From morning to noon, I barely rested.

When it was time to leave work, Wang Caidan called him over.

"Nanyan, wait a moment." Wang Caidan smiled and handed over a red envelope: "This is from President Xu. You sold 10,000 cookies in seven days. That's amazing. This is your reward."

Nan Yan looked at the red envelope and quickly waved her hand, "Sister Dan, I can't accept it. Mr. Wei said that I'm just working here for fun and don't want a salary."

"This isn't salary, it's a bonus." Wang Caidan stuffed the bonus into his hand. "It's a special gift from President Xu to reward you for developing such great cookies. Just accept it, you deserve it."

Nan Yan held the thin red envelope, feeling both uneasy and happy.

He hesitated for a moment, but still accepted the red envelope.

Inside was a stack of brand-new banknotes, exactly one thousand yuan.

This is money he earned through his own abilities.

Nan Yan looked at the thousand yuan and felt very happy, thinking about what to buy.

He suddenly remembered that a few days ago a man named "Dou Xuan" came to his house and gave his husband a mangosteen, saying that his husband liked to eat it.

The gentleman must have really liked it; the look in his eyes when he was holding the mangosteen was unforgettable.

With the thousand yuan in her pocket, Nan Yan went to the fruit shop and bought a whole bag of mangosteens. She picked the ones with purple peels and fresh stems, which looked very sweet.

After paying, Nan Yan carried the mangosteens and walked briskly home.

He placed the mangosteen on the coffee table in the living room, then took a plate and carefully peeled one.

The snow-white flesh is revealed, carrying a faint fragrance.

Nan Yan took a bite; it was very sweet.

He imagined how happy his husband would be to come back and eat such delicious mangosteens.

Unfortunately, Wei Xun did not return home that night.

……

At 7 p.m., the banquet at Nancheng International Hotel began on time.

The banquet hall was brightly lit, filled with elegantly dressed people.

The large screen on the stage was playing a promotional video for the precision instrument export project between the Wei and Dou families to Country B.

Wei Xun, dressed in a black bespoke suit, stood out in the crowd with his tall and straight posture.

Qinglin, wearing the champagne-colored dress he had given her, with her long hair styled up, exuded elegance as she walked beside him.

Dou Muxian and his son Dou Xuan were busy serving the guests.

Wei Dezhao sat in the main guest seat, wearing a Zhongshan suit, and talked with the guests around him.

His wife, He Mei, was dignified and elegant, chatting intimately with Wei Xuan's mother, Cen Rong.

The opening remarks and signing ceremony proceeded smoothly and in an orderly manner according to the established procedures.

When it came time for the toasting, Dou Muxian picked up the microphone and walked onto the stage. Wei Dezhao in the audience exchanged a glance with him, and the two nodded with confident smiles.

"Thank you all for taking the time to attend tonight," Dou Muxian's voice rang out through the speakers, tinged with a smile. "The smooth progress of the cooperation between the Wei and Dou families wouldn't have been possible without the support of our suppliers and distributors. On behalf of the Dou family, I'd like to raise a toast to everyone!"

He raised his glass, and the guests below responded by raising their own glasses, chanting "Cheers!" The clinking of glasses echoed throughout the room.

Setting down his wine glass, Dou Muxian continued, "Tonight, besides celebrating our cooperation, we've also prepared a surprise for our young and promising nephew, Wei Xun. The next dance is Dou's greatest expression of our sincere cooperation with Wei."

This inexplicable statement made Wei Xun frown.

What surprise?

The music then began, a soothing waltz melody.

Wei Xun turned his head to look at Qing Lin beside him, and just as he raised his hand to signal her to get ready to dance, the spotlight above his head suddenly moved away and shone directly at the entrance of the banquet hall.

All eyes were drawn to it.

A girl stood at the entrance, wearing a wine-red dress that made her skin look as white as snow, with her long hair slightly curled and her makeup exquisitely applied.

She was slender and beautiful, and standing there, she was radiant and dazzling.

Upon seeing who it was, Wei Xun abruptly stopped, his eyes filled with astonishment.

The next second, the girl smiled and walked quickly towards him: "Brother Xun!"

The sweet call pierced through the soothing music and reached everyone's ears clearly.

Wei Xun was dumbfounded. Only one thought occupied his mind: Dou Jieyin? Why did she return to China ahead of schedule?!