Almost everyone present knew the Leighton sisters, and they approached to greet them. The sisters responded politely, keeping up with the etiquette while scanning the courtyard for something.
Soon, Michelle spotted their target, pointing towards Leo. “Sis, Leo is over there!” Irene nodded, taking her sister’s hand, and they walked towards Leo.
The Leighton sisters had two missions today at the Godwin family. Firstly, representing the Leighton family to wish Old Mr. Godwin a happy birthday. Secondly, delivering the unopened bronze ancient painting to Leo and convincing him to participate in the race against Mark Lynch.
The appearance of the Leighton family’s twin sisters caught Truda’s attention. The Leighton family’s overall strength was slightly superior to the Godwin family’s, so it made sense for them to send the twins to wish Old Mr. Godwin a happy birthday.
Truda’s eldest son, Paul, had a peculiar glint in his eyes. “Mom, Irene and her sister are coming our way.”
Truda pretended to nod conservatively, thinking that the twin sisters were coming to greet her.
“Paul, when they come over, make sure to seize the opportunity,” Truda hinted to Paul in a low voice. If Paul could marry one of the twin sisters, it would significantly elevate Truda’s family’s status in Old Mr. Godwin’s eyes.
Paul nodded, trying to conceal any signs of greed in his eyes. As the twin sisters approached, Paul greeted them with what he believed was a gentle and refined smile. He began, “Miss Irene, Miss Michelle, I am…”
Paul’s words were cut short as he noticed that the twin sisters’ attention was not on him at all. They bypassed him and went directly to Leo, Madame Godwin’s “boyfriend”.
This left Paul feeling extremely embarrassed, standing still for a moment, unsure of what to do.
When the twin sisters approached, Leo directly asked, “Did you bring that ancient painting?”
“Of course,” Michelle nodded, pointing to two men in suits not far away wearing sunglasses. These two men sat on a bench in the courtyard, a rectangular rosewood box across their knees. Both had their hands placed on the box with an impeccable expression.
Leo nodded, thinking that Old Mr. Godwin would come out soon. He said, “Let them wait for now. After we finish presenting the birthday tribute to Old Mr. Godwin, I’ll go and figure out how to open it.”
The twin sisters had no objections to this. After witnessing Leo’s conversation with the Leighton family’s twin sisters, Truda, initially astonished, found her expression turning unpleasant.
Just now, she had said that Leo was a guy with no background, and now she felt like she had been slapped in the face.
As the guests engaged in small groups of conversation, a man’s voice loudly announced, “Esteemed guests, the old birthday star is here!”
Upon hearing this, the guests stopped their conversations and turned their gaze toward the front door of the mansion.
Accompanied by Herbert and Marsh, Old Mr. Godwin, dressed in a sharp suit, walked out of the mansion, looking spirited. Behind Herbert and Marsh, there was another elderly man. Judging by the way he walked out with Old Mr. Godwin, his relationship with Old Godwin seemed quite good.
Seeing the elderly man clearly, Leo was surprised for a moment because he recognized him. It was Dr. Lee.
Dr. Lee, though practicing medicine in Langstel, had ancestral roots in Jingbei. After inheriting the mantle of traditional Chinese medicine from his forebears, he cured many ailments afflicting the high-ranking officials of Jingbei. It could be said that many prestigious families here owed Dr. Lee a favor, making the Jones family well-regarded in the elite circles of Jingbei.
Leo could tell from the gleam in Blair’s eyes when she looked at Dr. Lee that there must be a connection between them.
Observing the festive scene with many people arriving, Old Godwin was delighted. He gracefully bowed to the crowd and said, “Thank you all for coming to celebrate with us.”
Old Godwin, a figure who had made a mark in both business and politics, looked like a kind and amiable elder when he smiled. Yet, his powerful aura gave off an extraordinary feeling.
Guests expressed their birthday wishes to Old Godwin one after another.
“Wishing the birthday star longevity as endless as the sea and brilliance like the sun and moon!”
“Wishing Old Mr. Godwin to remain sturdy like Mount Tai, with boundless blessings year after year!”
…
Listening to the birthday wishes, Old Godwin’s smile deepened, and he repeatedly bowed to the guests, saying, “Everyone, please take a seat and enjoy the celebration!”
Herbert and Marsh quickly approached, ushering the guests to their seats.
After everyone was seated, the emcee, holding a microphone, exclaimed, “Next, let’s bring out the birthday cake!”
Amidst the enthusiastic applause, a lady pushed a cake cart onto the red carpet.
When the birthday cake arrived in front of Old Godwin, the emcee loudly declared, “Let’s have Old Mr. Godwin make a wish.”
Old Godwin waved his hand with a smile and said generously, “In this lifetime, I have fulfilled my duties. I won’t make a wish. Let’s all share the cake.”
Taking the cake knife from the emcee, Old Godwin made a symbolic cut on the large cake.
Herbert and Marsh, accompanying him, also took cake knives from the lady and started cutting the cake. Servants then assisted in delivering the cake to the guests’ tables.
The attendees were influential figures from both political and business circles in Jingbei, so the cake was placed on the tables symbolically. No one wanted to immediately indulge in cake to maintain their decorum.
The emcee skillfully continued, “Next, let the Godwin family’s younger generation present a birthday gift to Mr. Godwin!”
Herbert, accompanied by his wife Truda and his son and daughter, and Marsh, accompanied by his wife Edwina, along with other second-generation members of the Godwin family, approached Mr. Godwin. While offering birthday wishes, they presented carefully prepared gifts.
Seated in the main chair, Old Godwin, listening to the blessings of his descendants, was already joyous.
Once the direct and collateral lines of the Godwin family’s second generation completed their offerings, it was time for the third generation, the grandchildren.
The emcee announced, “Next, let the grandchildren of the Godwin family wish Mr. Godwin a happy birthday!”
Paul, as the eldest grandson, stepped forward first and said, “Grandpa, I wish you perpetual stability like the moon, a rising sun, and longevity akin to the mountains, unwavering and enduring.”
Old Godwin nodded with a beaming smile. In a large family with prosperous offspring and filial grandchildren, enjoying family harmony was indeed a blessed thing.