Celia winked at Auntie Zhou and added, "Make sure to invite Rosalie, Ethan Sun, and Chloe Zhao."
Mrs. Fu immediately caught on. "Absolutely!"
Just the mention of those three made Fu Yingying clench her fists with determination. "Cici, you're so clever! I can't wait to see their faces when they see the new me!"
When Nathaniel Fu returned home, he heard laughter coming from the upstairs room. For the past two days, Fu Yingying had been wearing a mask, and no one had updated him on anything.
Wasn't she supposed to be heartbroken after a breakup? She'd been crying her eyes out just a few days ago—why was she giggling now like nothing happened?
Knock, knock. Nathaniel raised his hand and tapped on the door.
"Come in."
He pushed the door open and found three women huddled together on the bed, whispering and smiling mischievously.
"What's going on here? Why all the giggles?"
Mrs. Fu waved him off casually. "We're planning Yingying's birthday party."
"A birthday party?" Nathaniel raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Why not? Just for fun. This is a ladies' matter—no need for you to get involved." Mrs. Fu chuckled. "I'm planning a grand celebration and inviting every notable family in town."
Nathaniel stared at the three of them. He could sense that something was being deliberately kept from him. His eyes landed on Celia. "This was your idea, wasn't it?"
She looked exactly like a strategist pulling strings behind the scenes.
Celia didn't deny it. "Yes. Mr. Fu, don't ask too many questions. Just make sure you're free on the day of the party—I promise you it'll be a show worth watching."
"A show?"
Her eyes sparkled with mischief, like a cunning little fox. Nathaniel stopped asking and let them continue plotting.
At this point, he felt like he'd been kicked out of his own group chat. Still, he gave Celia one last look and changed the subject. "It's late. Time for bed."
Celia stiffened at the word "bed." Without missing a beat, she dived into Fu Yingying's bed. "I'm sleeping with Yingying tonight."
Mrs. Fu nodded approvingly. "Yes, we'll all stay with Yingying."
Fu Yingying chimed in with a cheeky grin, "Uncle, we're going to sleep now. Kindly close the door behind you. Thanks!"
Nathaniel's expression darkened. "…"
Later that night, just as Celia was drifting off to sleep, her phone vibrated with a message.
It was from Nathaniel.
Nathaniel:"I wonder how long you think you can hide."
Celia blushed and didn't reply.
The Fu family's little princess' birthday party quickly became the talk of the town. Invitations were sent out, including to Rosalie, Chloe Zhao, and Ethan Sun.
Chloe Zhao squealed with excitement. "Wow! The Fu family's little princess! They say she's been spoiled since birth—loved by everyone in the family."
Ethan nodded in agreement. "If we can get in her good graces, that could really help us down the line. We should bring a decent gift."
Rosalie had already prepared hers. She had created a custom perfume as a present for the birthday girl.
Madam Song had privately revealed the secret about the birthmark on the little princess's face, but Rosalie had told no one. She was confident that her fragrance formula could fix the issue. If she succeeded, she'd become the little princess's benefactor and regain favor in the eyes of the Fu family.
This time, Rosalie was determined to win back everything she had lost—even if it meant using this birthday to outshine Madam Fu.
Thinking about her private meeting with Nathaniel two nights ago sent a thrill through her.
Later, she noticed Celia's office was empty.
"I heard Celia took the day off today," Rosalie muttered, puzzled. "What could she be up to?"
Chloe Zhao shrugged casually. "Maybe she found out we're going to the princess's birthday and got scared to show her face."