The Birthday Party Invitation

The manager jumped up from the couch, "Perfect! You're here too!"

Xu Anyi looked away from Xia Yiwei and smiled at the manager, nodding as she sat down in the empty chair across from the two of them.

"As you guys know, the pictures will be released tomorrow along with the new spring collection. I heard from the photographer and our design department that the photos came out really well," the manager explained happily.

"I know you two are busy so I won't keep you for long," he said as he stood up and walked over to his desk, picking up two envelopes, "The checks for this shoot are inside."

Xu Anyi stood up and took the envelope from the manager with both hands, "Thank you."

The manager nodded and then handed the check to Xia Yiwei, who took it and then grabbed onto her bag and stood up, "I have somewhere else to get to, so I'll be leaving. I'll see you soon then, manager Xi."

The manager nodded and Xia Yiwei walked out of the room.

Xu Anyi had nothing much to say to the manager either so she also stood up, "Thank you, Manager Xi. I'll get going as well then."

She walked out of the room and over to the elevator, where Xia Yiwei was also waiting for the elevator. She turned around and looked at her when she walked over, and Xia Yiwei looked around to make sure no one was around before she smirked and held up the elevator in her hand.

"There's $3000 in here," she bragged as she carelessly threw the envelope into her bag, "You probably don't get paid as much, do you?"

The shoot was about three hours, so Xu Anyi got paid $300 for the shoot since she was still a beginner, and that was already very generous since most beginners were paid far from that and Design was a big brand.

The elevator arrived and Xu Anyi walked in, ignoring her. Xia Yiwei stepped in as well and crossed her arms together, looking at her as the door shut, "It's not like I care. $3000 is nothing for me. I only do it because I like to. . ."

She sighed, "My fiance is just so supportive, he supports me in anything I do. Money doesn't even matter, wouldn't you think?"

"Oh!" She put one hand over her mouth, "I forgot that you are completely broke right now, so money must be very important to you, right?"

Xu Anyi pretended like she was air as she watched the number on the elevator move. When it finally hit one, the doors slid open and she stepped forward to leave, but Xia Yiwei suddenly grabbed onto her arm and pulled her back.

She watched as Xia Yiwei slowly pulled out an exquisitely-designed red envelope from her bag.

She then reached out and grabbed onto Xu Anyi's hand, placing the envelope into her hand with a friendly yet sharp smile, "My birthday party is on April 3rd. You should come."

She smiled proudly as she straightened her back and folded her arms together, raising her voice slightly, "It's going to be held on the balcony of the Xin Hotel."

The Xin Hotel was the best five-star hotel in all of City A, and Xu Anyi couldn't help but think that Xia Yiwei was really willing to spend money if she booked the entire balcony just for her birthday party.

Or, in other words, she was quite. . . stupid.

Xu Anyi looked at the envelope and then lifted it up, waving it carelessly, "I'm not sure if I'll have time, but I will try to make it."

She smiled fakely, and then threw the envelope into her bag before walking straight past Xia Yiwei and out the front door.

Xia Yiwei's expression darkened as she watched her leave, and she clenched her fists together. She had given Xu Anyi the invitation just to show off and make her feel bad, but it seemed like Xu Anyi had no reaction to it at all.

It made Xia Yiwei's heart itch with anger as it made her feel like she was the clown.

*helemon's note: Yes, Xia Yiwei, thank you for being smart for once. You are the clown.

She crossed her arms together and raised an eyebrow. Well, maybe if Xu Anyi did end up going to her birthday party, it wouldn't be a bad thing either. There was no harm without comparison.

If Xu Anyi showed up in her cheap clothes, it would only make her look better. And, she could take the opportunity to humiliate her in front of all her guests.

Xia Yiwei grinned as she began to hope that Xu Anyi would show up.

—

Xu Anyi entered a taxi and looked at the envelope in her hand. She smiled brightly and embraced the small envelope with her arms like it was some treasure.

From the front, the driver looked at her like she was crazy, but she didn't care as she gave the driver the address to a nearby bank and then opened the envelope, pulling out the check with sparkling eyes.

She held onto the check carefully as the car came to a stop in front of a bank, and she got off the car and walked into the large building.

There weren't a lot of people in the bank but she had to wait in line before she reached the front counter.

"Hello, I would like to check my bank account. . . I haven't opened or used it in five years," Xu Anyi said.

The worker working at the front desk took another look at her when she said that, obviously confused at why someone would not use a bank account for so long, "What is your name?"

"Xu Anyi. The account should also be under this name." She looked through her bag and pulled out her purse, "Here is my ID."

The worker took a look at it and began typing into the computer. After a few seconds, the worker paused and furrowed her eyebrows together, "I'm sorry, but I can't find any account under this name."

Xu Anyi frowned as she tried to think back, because she was having a hard time remembering things from five years ago as well, "No. . . I'm sure I had an account under my name. Could you maybe help me look through the history?"

She was 21 already, so she definitely had a bank account back then, and if she remembered correctly, there might even be quite some money inside.

The worker looked back at the screen and continued to type into the system. About a minute passed before the worker finally looked up again, "I found an account with the name 'Xu Anyi' in it from five years ago-"

Xu Anyi's eyes lit up as she leaned forward excitedly.

"-but your ownership has been removed already, and I think the account has been closed since about five years ago."

Xu Anyi froze as she slowly drew her eyebrows together in confusion, "What? Can I take a look at it?"

The worker looked at her screen and then hesitantly turned it around so Xu Anyi could see. She looked at the account number on the screen and recognized it to be her account from five years ago, but like the worker had said, the account had been closed five years ago and there were no funds in it when it was closed.

The worker looked at the screen and then seemed to realize something as she added, "Oh, and it says that this was a joint account, and the other owner was the one who closed it."

She scrolled through the screen and stopped halfway through the page, "Here. It says the other owner was. . . Lu Yuzhe."