C45 Lin Chen's Birthday Gift Was Mocked

"Sister Ann Lan, you're quite the strategist, aren't you?"

"Coming to celebrate Grandpa's birthday without bringing a gift, and instead, you end up here reaping benefits from Grandma?"

Sun Xue rubbed her cheek, still smarting, and cast an envious glance at the jade bracelet in Lin Chen's hand.

She remembered all too well that Grandma had always kept that bracelet close.

Years ago, even her own mother couldn't coax it away from Grandma.

Yet now, it had been handed over to Ann Lan and her partner.

It irked her to no end.

"Xue, you and Lanlan are cousins, part of the same family," Grandma reminded her.

"A birthday gift is nothing more than a material possession."

Grandma gave Sun Xue a level look as she spoke with a calm demeanor.

She was well aware of the Sun family's disapproval of Ann Lan and her family.

Both the palm and the back of the hand are flesh; she preferred not to take sides in these younger generation squabbles.

"Grandma, a birthday gift is a symbol of one's manners and upbringing."

"The Sun family might not miss a trifle, but if someone can't even muster a token of sincerity, that would be rather disappointing."

Sun Xue approached the elderly woman, her smile masking her earlier humiliation from Lin Chen's slap.

She was determined: no matter what birthday present Ann Lan presented, she would ensure that the couple was thoroughly embarrassed.

"Grandma, Mom mentioned you've been having trouble with your neck."

"I had someone purchase this shoulder and neck massage chair from overseas for you. If your neck feels stiff, just wear it and it will massage you automatically."

Ann Lan offered the gift box to her grandmother, speaking gently.

"Pfft!"

"A lousy massager?"

"Sister Ann Lan, let me take a wild guess – this gadget didn't cost more than twenty thousand yuan, did it?"

Sun Xue couldn't help but laugh upon seeing the massager Ann Lan brought out.

Then, another girl stepped forward, pointing at the sapphire necklace around the elderly woman's neck.

With a haughty air, she addressed Ann Lan, "See that necklace on Grandma's neck?"

"Sister Xue spent half a million yuan on that gift for Grandma."

"And the present for Grandpa's birthday? It's worth even more!"

A smug smile spread across Sun Xue's face.

She cast a scornful glance at Ann Lan and remarked, "Don't even try to defend yourself, Sister Ann Lan."

"Your massage device must be the least expensive gift Grandpa and Grandma got today."

"Has the Ann family really fallen on such hard times?"

As Sun Xue's comments grew increasingly excessive, the elderly man's brows furrowed with a hint of disapproval.

He spoke with gravitas, "Compared to all that gold and silver jewelry, Grandma treasures Lanlan's gift far more."

"In your eyes, it might seem worthless."

"But to Grandma, it's filled with Lanlan's heartfelt concern."

With the old man's words, Sun Xue and the others looked visibly uncomfortable, while Ann Lan was visibly moved.

Lin Chen, on the other hand, was quite taken aback.

It was his first encounter with a patriarch of a prominent family who didn't favor his own granddaughter but instead defended an outsider.

It's no wonder his mother-in-law, despite knowing the Suns' distasteful behavior, insisted on the visit to Grandma.

This elder, when she had something to say, she didn't hold back – she was someone you could truly reason with!

"Sister Ann Lan, isn't it time you presented Grandfather with his birthday gift?"

With Grandma having spoken up, Sun Xue couldn't harp on about the massage device and deftly shifted the conversation to Grandfather's birthday gift.

Grandfather wasn't like Grandmother; the more lavish the gift, the happier he was.

"Grandfather's birthday gift..."

Panic flickered in Ann Lan's eyes.

She was well aware of Grandfather's tastes.

She hadn't thought much about it before coming and had casually picked up some tea leaves, thinking it would be a suitable gesture.

After all, Grandfather wasn't fond of her.

But now, with the Ann's Group needing to secure a two-hundred-million loan from Grandfather, presenting him with just tea leaves could jeopardize the entire endeavor.

"Sister Ann Lan, you didn't forget to prepare a birthday gift for Grandfather, did you?"

Catching Ann Lan's hesitation, Sun Xue couldn't help but smirk.

She couldn't make much of a fuss about the massage device with Grandma's favoritism in play.

But now, if Ann Lan had failed to prepare a proper gift for Grandfather, or if the gift was too mundane, she wouldn't hold back her merciless criticism.

"I certainly did prepare one."

"It's just that the gift is still in the car; I forgot to bring it in."

Ann Lan bit her lip, buying herself some time.

Lin Chen, standing off to the side, saw through the madwoman's lies.

He instinctively thought Ann Lan was hesitant to reveal her gift, fearing ridicule from Sun Xue and the others.

He had clearly seen the box of tea leaves Ann Lan had prepared when they got out of the car.

"Honey, let me bring over the gift for you."

Lin Chen took Ann Lan's hand reassuringly, signaling her to stay calm.

Judging by the looks on Sun Xue and the others' faces, he surmised that Ann Lan's grandfather was no saint.

He had no intention of giving the Suns any satisfaction, but considering Ann Lan's distress and the generous gift her grandmother had given him, returning the favor with a piece of calligraphy didn't seem like a bad deal.

Ann Lan looked utterly bewildered at the calligraphy Lin Chen produced.

When had he managed to prepare a gift behind her back?

And it seemed even more commonplace than her tea leaves...

"Hahaha, this is just too funny."

"Sister Ann Lan, is this the grand gift you've prepared for Grandpa?"

"Uh... Brother Qiang, what are you standing around for? Quickly take Sister Ann Lan's gift."

"We'll 'personally' present it to Grandpa later!"

Sun Xue, clutching her stomach, burst into laughter before giving Sun Qiang her orders, deliberately biting down hard on the word "personally."

Clearly, she was intent on making Ann Lan and Lin Chen embarrass themselves in front of Grandpa.

"Lanlan, the birthday banquet is about to start. Grandma will take you and Chen over now."

Unable to watch Sun Xue's bullying any longer, Grandma took Ann Lan and Lin Chen by the hand and led them towards the nearby dining table.

As a woman, she felt it wasn't her place to comment on the gift situation.

Yet, she could still offer some indirect protection to Ann Lan and Lin Chen.

"Lanlan, don't take what just happened to heart."

"These kids have been utterly spoiled by their parents."

Grandma sighed with a sense of helplessness as they reached the dining table.

She was well aware of the Sun family's disdain for the Ann family over the years.

There were times she wanted to support the Ann family, but her husband and children vehemently disagreed.

Shortly after Grandma left, Ann Lan thought about the calligraphy Lin Chen had given her, and a sense of despair welled up in her eyes.

She was aware that Lin Chen had prepared a calligraphy and painting as a gift with the best of intentions.

Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't have been an issue.

But at this moment, she was desperate to win over her grandfather's favor to secure a loan of two hundred million yuan.

Yet, Lin Chen's well-meant gift had thrown a wrench into all her carefully laid plans.

"Lin Chen, could you please consult with me before taking any actions in the future?"

"First, you called an executive meeting without any notice, and now, you're giving gifts willy-nilly."

"If you keep this up, you're going to scare me and our child to death."

Ann Lan's gaze at Lin Chen was tinged with complexity.

"I promise, if it's something we can discuss, I'll definitely talk it over with you from now on."

"After all, a united front between husband and wife can conquer all, right?"

Lin Chen was puzzled by the reproach in Ann Lan's tone. What had he done wrong?

His actions were faultless, weren't they?

Why was she, the madwoman, blaming him?

A united front between husband and wife can conquer all?

Yeah, right!

If he truly believed that, he wouldn't have frightened her repeatedly!

With clenched teeth, Ann Lan seethed inwardly.

While they were talking, an elderly man with white hair, clad in a ceremonial birthday robe, made his way to the center of the room, surrounded by a throng of people.

Instantly, a swarm of guests surged forward with their flattery and lavish birthday tributes.

Ann Lan paused briefly before rising to join them.

The gift debacle meant she now had to salvage the situation with some well-chosen words of praise.

If she failed to secure the loan, she knew all too well that Chairman Qian would pull his investment without a second thought.

And without that funding, Ann's Group would be utterly ruined.