The Glory After Rebirth [重生之尊荣]

Chapter 578- 579

Chapter 578: Spin-Off – Ling Maomao, Ji Xiaocong, Birthday (I)

Ji Yanlai, when giving Ji Xiaocong the permission to stay in the capital city, had made it very clear that Ji Xiaocong must return to the island to continue his cultivation three months later.

Ji Xiaocong, not daring raise any objections, had had no choice but to agree.

"Brother Maomao, my fifteenth birthday is in a month, and it'll be another two years before I turn seventeen. I won't be able to come back here to visit you again until after my rite of passage."

Ji Xiaocong sounded very downcast. He did not want to return to the island. "My uncle is an old bachelor. He never feels the need for love life, which is why he can't understand me and keeps trying to have me stay on that island."

Ling Maomao tenderly looked at him. There was ardor in the depths of his eyes, but it was well concealed. "Clan Leader's doing this because he looks out for your best interests."

Then he added, "Your fifteenth birthday should be a grand occasion as well. Do you want to invite some guests over to celebrate it with you?"

Ji Xiaocong smiled, "If you think I should do that, I'll do it."

Ling Maomao, looking at his limpid, smiling eyes, adjusted his breathing before saying, "You may invite those you feel close to and celebrate your birthday by having an uproarious party in the Ling Mansion."

"All right. I'll do whatever you say," said Ji Xiaocong.

Looking at him, Ling Maomao added, "Can I go to the island to attend your rite of passage when you turn seventeen? Are there any taboos?"

Ji Xiaocong's eyes were sparkling for beaming, the scarlet mole in the middle of his forehead conspicuous and attractive. "There's no taboo. You may come. I want you to come."

Ling Maomao was secretly relieved. "I promise I'll be there."

In order to make sure Ji Xiaocong had fun on his fifteenth birthday, Ling Maomao specially called over his good friend and asked him how to make a fun party.

Yuwen Yi had just had his sixteenth birthday and was only one year Ji Xiaocong's senior, but unlike Ji Xiaocong who had been on an island all the year around, Yuwen Yi, as the eldest son of Yuwen Feng the Marquess Huaiwen, had grown into a poised youngster with a good sense of propriety, though only sixteen years old. Also, like other young members of the Yuwen family, he was very tall for his age – almost as tall as Ling Maomao, actually. Yuwen Yi was gregarious and had a lot of friends in the capital city. He had attended countless banquets of every description. Unlike Ling Maomao who always preferred to keep a low profile, he did know about a lot of things.

"How to make a party fun and lively depends on who the invitees are. Are they friends about your age, or relatives, or young nobles, or children of ordinary officials, or commoners? Different arrangements are supposed to be made according to their identities," said Yuwen Yi with the air of an expert.

Ling Maomao said, "Cong doesn't have any other friends in this city, so we plan to invite mainly the elders we feel close to."

"That's simple. Elders value the proprieties. All you have to do is make sure everything's done with due ceremonial. Where are you holding the party?" Yuwen Yi asked him.

"Right at home," replied Ling Maomao.

"That'd make it even easier. Just have somewhere with enough room cleaned and a banquet prepared according to the etiquette. If the guests are into opera, you may hire a troupe, which would make the party more uproarious," said Yuwen Yi.