Chapter 74

Last night, I went to a classmate's house for dinner, and we played Three Kingdoms Kill afterwards, playing until half past ten. I got home around eleven and only then finished coding!

The following is the main text:

Seo Yoo-ri gracefully walked up to the front stage under the spotlight, stopping beside Cha Seung-jai. Cha Seung-jai handed her the microphone, and the venue fell silent. "Thank you all for taking the time to attend my birthday party. Please enjoy the various delicacies here!" Seo Yoo-ri said with a slight bashfulness.

Lee Jong was secretly amused at the bottom of the stage. If someone else had said this, Lee Jong might have believed it, but with her, no way. Such formal words and that deceptive expression, if not for being so familiar with her, Lee Jong would have been fooled by this charming witch.

As soon as Seo Yoo-ri finished speaking, a waiter from the dark corner pushed out a five-tiered cake, taller than a person, adorned with various fruits. As it passed, the air was filled with the aroma of cream and fruit. Park Ji-yeon, standing next to Lee Jong, swallowed hard, her eyes fixed on the large cake.

Cha Seung-jai led the singing of "Happy Birthday," and everyone joined in, especially the artists from SidusHQ, who were particularly enthusiastic.

Jeon Ji-hyun also softly sang along from below, but there was a hint of jealousy in her eyes. Jeon Ji-hyun had signed with SidusHQ before she became famous, and Cha Seung-jai had worked hard for her, leading to her participation in several TV dramas, gradually gaining some fame. Later, Cha Seung-jai made a bold investment in the movie "My Sassy Girl," which many people initially doubted. However, "My Sassy Girl" not only saw a surge in box office sales but also made the director Kwak Jae-yong and the lead actors Cha Tae-hyun and Jeon Ji-hyun household names. It made Jeon Ji-hyun a sensation across Asia, earning her the title of the new sexy goddess and a flood of advertising contracts, most of which were for sassy roles. This also made Cha Seung-jai very wealthy. Unfortunately, Jeon Ji-hyun's contract was too long, and the profit-sharing ratio was unsatisfactory. Additionally, Cha Seung-jai's tight control over this cash cow caused her to miss out on many opportunities.

In contrast, Seo Yoo-ri, already known as a legendary idol, had several hit TV dramas after going solo, firmly establishing her position in the advertising industry. Even with the emergence of new stars and the resurgence of older ones, Seo Yoo-ri's annual endorsement contracts consistently ranked her among the top five female celebrities.

Moreover, Seo Yoo-ri signed a two-year contract with SidusHQ in 2006, giving her more flexibility in her choices. If better opportunities arose, Seo Yoo-ri could easily move to another company.

Therefore, Cha Seung-jai was particularly attentive to Seo Yoo-ri's birthday, even more so than to Jeon Ji-hyun, the top star.

Seo Yoo-ri looked at the large cake with delight. After all, it was her birthday, and everyone would enjoy such a setup.

Seo Yoo-ri closed her eyes, made a wish, and then gently blew out the candles. The moment of her charm captivated all the men present, even Lee Jong was somewhat mesmerized. She was truly beautiful.

Cha Seung-jai handed Seo Yoo-ri a knife, and she symbolically cut a slice before stepping down from the stage. The waiters then took over, cutting the cake and distributing it to everyone.

"Oppa Lee Jong, what gift did you buy for me? I heard from Hyo-ri-ssi that you spent a lot of money," Seo Yoo-ri said with a smile as she approached Lee Jong.

Lee Jong was somewhat uncomfortable with the differing gazes of the people around him, one pure and one greasy, like a goddess and a nobody together, which made everyone feel awkward. "Hehe, it's not anything expensive, just something that looked pretty."

"Hehe, Yoo-ri, this is my gift for you. Happy birthday!" A handsome man suddenly inserted himself between Seo Yoo-ri and Lee Jong, drawing the attention of many people. It was Song Seung-hyun.

Song Seung-hyun was a top-tier film and television star, and he had previously dated Seo Yoo-ri. Although they had broken up, they were still friends. When he saw Seo Yoo-ri talking to someone who looked like a mall employee, he thought the man was harassing her. Given Seo Yoo-ri's shy nature, she probably didn't know how to refuse. If Lee Jong knew Song Seung-hyun's thoughts, he would probably be furious, wondering if they had ever dated...

"Ah!" Seo Yoo-ri was even more at a loss when she saw Song Seung-hyun standing between them, fidgeting with her skirt. After all, one was her ex-boyfriend, and the other was the person she currently liked. She was so embarrassed she wanted to find a hole to hide in.

Song Seung-hyun, seeing Seo Yoo-ri's reaction, was even more convinced that his initial judgment was correct. "Sir, hello, is there anything else you need?" Song Seung-hyun handed the gift he bought to Seo Yoo-ri, a very elegant jewelry box.

Lee Hyo-ri and Lee Jin had been trying to suppress their laughter since they saw Song Seung-hyun approach. Seeing Seo Yoo-ri's shy expression and Lee Jong's helpless look, they were almost in tears from laughter.

Lee Jong was also helpless. What had he done to you to make you interfere like this?

Lee Hyo-ri, seeing that Seo Yoo-ri was at a loss, took the jewelry box from Song Seung-hyun. "Let me see what it is."

When the elegant jewelry box was opened, Lee Hyo-ri and Lee Jin let out an "Oh!" in surprise. Inside the box lay a pair of black pearl earrings, which, under the light, emitted a seductive glow. "Yoo-ri, what beautiful black pearl earrings!" Lee Hyo-ri exclaimed, wondering if Song Seung-hyun still had feelings for her.

At that moment, Kang Ji-hwan also approached. "Since everyone is giving gifts, I'll give mine too." He took out a jewelry box, which Lee Jin opened to reveal a beautiful amethyst bracelet.

Lee Hyo-ri looked at the two men and then at Lee Jong, thinking that he would be embarrassed today. The box he brought was so large; even if it contained Swarovski items, it seemed too big. It would be funny if it contained a birthday cake.

"Lee Jong, don't you have something to do? Leave the gift and go about your business," Lee Jin said, seeing the look in Lee Hyo-ri's eyes, trying to save Lee Jong from embarrassment.

"Is this gentleman named Lee Jong?" Song Seung-hyun felt that the name was familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before.

"Since you bought a gift for Yoo-ri, why don't you open it? Even a hat is a light but meaningful gift," Song Seung-hyun said, not remembering where he had heard the name. Maybe it was from an unknown actor.

Lee Jong was speechless. Even if he wanted to belittle someone, he didn't need to do it like this. "Yoo-ri, open it yourself. It's not a fancy item, but it's not bad. It cost me a lot of money."

Seo Yoo-ri actually cared a lot about Lee Jong's gift. Regardless of what it was or its value, as long as it was from Lee Jong, she would like it. Even if it was just a hat, she would cherish it.

Seo Yoo-ri slowly opened the gift box Lee Jong had brought. By this time, a crowd had gathered around. Kim Tae-yeon was also watching from the outside, paying attention to the situation. Park Ji-yeon was hesitant, torn between the newly acquainted uncle and the idol, Song Seung-hyun. Which side should she stand on?

After removing the large Swarovski packaging, a small Swarovski gift box was revealed, surrounded by protective foam. Seo Yoo-ri opened the box, and a yellow light instantly caught everyone's attention. After a moment, Seo Yoo-ri took out the item. "Wow, a crystal piano!" Lee Hyo-ri's eyes widened. The yellow crystal piano was crystal clear and extremely charming. All the women present, including Seo Yoo-ri, let out a gasp of admiration, her eyes shining with a unique light.

Now, the way people looked at Lee Jong was different. After all, such a large Swarovski crystal decoration wouldn't be cheap. Many people secretly admired Lee Jong, thinking he must have spent a lot to please the beauty.

Lee Hyo-ri found a small receipt at the bottom of the gift box, which read 14 million... Lee Hyo-ri chuckled. This was the real Lee Jong...

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