Night had just fallen, and the entrance of City Clubhouse was crowded with reporters from many media outlets. Even though the guests hadn"t arrived, the lights kept blinking. Song Qingchun arrived with Song Menghwa. The car had just stopped at the end of the red carpet, and before the door even opened, the reporters rushed toward the car door like a bunch of raptors crowding around a piece of meat.
Song Qingchun held the skirt of her dress gingerly in her hand, and she bent out of the car. She was surrounded by flas.h.i.+ng lights and cameras. She maintained a generous smile as she held Song Menghwa. Under the flas.h.i.+ng lights, they moved along the red carpet gracefully into the hall.
The whole City Clubhouse was booked by Song Empire. The decoration of the venue had been decided on by Fang Rou; the place was as glittering and as magical as a crystal palace out of the fairy tale. In a hundred-meter-wide hall were gathered with more than half of Beijing"s rich and famous.
Everyone came dressed to the nines as they shared amusing stories over c.o.c.ktails and wine. After arriving, Song Qingchun stayed by Song Menghwa for only a moment before their old butler arrived, who took Song Menghwa to meet his old friends.
Song Qingchun, who was left unattended, held a gla.s.s of water in her hands as she waltzed over to a group of socialites.
Song Qingchun only shared two sentences with the group of girls when a large commotion happened near the entrance. She, alongside the girls, turned toward it unconsciously to see Su Zhinian in a black suit walk into the hall surrounded by the cl.u.s.ter of reporters.
Some reporters who chased after him for an interview, after being blocked outside of the entrance, stretched their mics as far as they could as they shouted questions at his back.
Su Zhinian seemed to have gotten used to this lifestyle. He carried on with ease until he stopped under the chandelier at the centre of the hall. He then started to look around like he was searching for something or someone.
It was only when his gaze met Song Qingchun"s that he stopped looking around. He nodded at her with a smile before turning around to chat with the businessmen who had surrounded him.
Half an hour until the official beginning of the anniversary, Song Qingchun and Su Zhinian were caught in their own circles, forced to socialize. The two of them didn"t cross paths, much less share a conversation.
Among the socialites who were close to Song Qingchun, two of them just celebrated the first month anniversaries of their babies. Due to this occasion, the topic of conversation circulated around the issue of babies. Even the cost of a baby"s diapers was discussed with apparent joy and happiness.
Song Qingchun stood to the side with a smile on her face. She didn"t join in the conversation, but her hands kept wandering unconsciously to her stomach. In less than ten hours, she and her baby were going to part ways. Song Qingchun lowered her eyes to hide the dimness in them as her mood fell to its lowest point.
She stood at the edge of the conversation for a few moments longer before she excused herself silently to find a seat in the hidden corner to sit down. Song Qingchun was alone for less than a minute when her phone vibrated. It was a message from Su Zhinian.
She looked around before spotting Su Zhinian around a group well-dressed men. He was leaning gracefully against the bar, and while the people around him were happily chatting, he had his head lowered, typing on his phone.