She Made a Comeback as a Renowned Doctor

Chapter 736: Chapter 736: The Banquet at Hongmen

Lily Armstrong tugged at the corner of her mouth, her smile stiff.

Alexander Knox’s gaze drifted from her face to the dress Aria Richardson was holding, his eyes darkening slightly.

Lily Armstrong felt a little nervous under Alexander Knox’s scrutiny, unconsciously pressing her nails into her fingers.

Aria Richardson tossed the dress back onto the gift box coldly, "I’ll take the dress, thank you for your kindness, Miss Armstrong. Is there anything else you need?"

Lily Armstrong maintained her strained smile, "Nothing else."

"Alright." Aria Richardson stood up, "It’s getting late, Nanny Thompson, see the guests out."

With that, Aria Richardson didn’t spare them another glance and went straight upstairs.

Alexander Knox glanced at Lily Armstrong beside him and left.

Aria Richardson returned to her room and casually tossed the dress aside, Isla Sue walked in, looked at the dress, and picked it up to examine.

Isla Sue’s expression darkened several shades, "Did Alexander Knox and Lily Armstrong send this dress?"

"Yes."

Isla Sue snorted heavily.

"How down-and-out must the Richardson family’s eldest daughter be to not only wear a dress sent by others but one that’s so cheap it wouldn’t be picked up off the street?" Isla Sue said indignantly, throwing the dress onto the floor, "If you want to attend that opening party, I’ll take you to buy something nice tomorrow."

Wearing this dress to the banquet would be a joke.

Aria Richardson picked up the dress and threw it back onto the sofa, "No, I’ll wear this one."

Isla Sue’s eyes widened, almost doubting her own hearing, "Are you crazy?"

"Mom, don’t worry, I have my plans."

Isla Sue didn’t understand.

The servant gently knocked on the door, "Madam, Miss."

Isla Sue, "What is it?"

The servant came in holding a delicate gift box, speaking to Aria Richardson, "Miss, this was sent to you by President Knox."

Isla Sue raised an eyebrow, "What’s this now?"

Isla Sue opened it for Aria Richardson, finding a silver-white long gown with an off-the-shoulder design, a row of precious gems encrusted along the shoulder, a cinched waistline, and a long mermaid tail skirt. The design was simple yet elegant, understated yet luxurious.

Isla Sue looked more closely, "Isn’t this a high-end custom by that trending designer? This dress is worth no less than seven figures."

Aria Richardson glanced at it, "Send it back to him, I don’t want it."

"This?" The servant looked at Isla Sue, troubled.

Isla Sue put the dress back in the gift box, "Right, send it back to him. Although our Richardson Family isn’t as wealthy as the Knox Family, we can still afford a dress."

The servant nodded and took the gift box out.

Isla Sue sat next to Aria Richardson, speaking with some concern, "Perhaps it’s better not to go tomorrow night. I always feel they’re up to no good."

"I know. Why would they so kindly invite me? It’s just a trap, but don’t worry, Mom, I have a plan."

Isla Sue, "Be careful. Villains have no limits."

Aria Richardson sighed, leaning over to rest on Isla Sue’s shoulder, "Yes, I know."

Isla Sue sighed helplessly and with heartache, "If we had refused that one billion from the Knox Family from the beginning, you wouldn’t have been engaged to Alexander Knox, and perhaps the whole situation wouldn’t have become so complicated.

Mom originally thought Alexander Knox was someone you could rely on for life, but unexpectedly, life is unpredictable, and now I really don’t know how to end this."

Aria Richardson’s eyes darkened, glancing at the dress, "Don’t worry, Mom, there will be a way."

Isla Sue nodded.

...

At night, a light rain began to fall in River City.

The mountain path was slippery, and Thomas Hughes couldn’t leave, so he had to stay with them for the night. Old Man Ortiz arranged rooms for them. Since there were only three rooms, Hope Williams shared one with Waylon Lewis, while Liam Cloud and Thomas Hughes shared another.

After dinner, the rain outside grew heavier, falling thickly, with occasional claps of thunder.

There was no signal here, so they couldn’t use their phones, and Waylon Lewis couldn’t work. Liam Cloud was similarly bored.

Seeing them with nothing to do, Old Man Ortiz slowly returned to his room, coming back with a wooden box he placed on their table.

Liam Cloud raised an eyebrow, "Old Man Ortiz, what’s this?"

"Mahjong, there’s four of you, go ahead and play." Old Ortiz said.

Liam Cloud raised an eyebrow, straightening up and opening the box, which was filled with mahjong tiles.

"You actually have mahjong here, Old Man?"

Old Man Ortiz chuckled, walking back to his recliner and sitting down, speaking slowly, "My wife used to love playing, and since she passed, I’ve always kept it with me."

At the mention of Old Man Ortiz’s sad past, everyone was silent for a moment.

Old Man Ortiz, however, chuckled with relief, "My wife has been gone for many years, it’s long past. Don’t be so serious; young people, enjoy yourselves."

Hope Williams pursed her lips, "Thank you, Master Cloud."

Liam Cloud sat on a chair, counting the mahjong tiles. Although they looked old, they were well-preserved.

Liam Cloud raised an eyebrow, glancing at the others, "Four are missing three. Will you three join?"

Hope Williams looked at him, "I’ve never played before."

"Simple, you’ll learn after a few rounds." Liam Cloud then looked at Waylon Lewis and Thomas Hughes, "What about you two?"

Thomas Hughes nodded, "I know a little."

Waylon Lewis, "Same here." noveldrama

Hope Williams looked at Waylon Lewis, "You know how to play?"

"I’ve watched, never played. Mom’s biggest hobby is playing this."

Hope Williams blinked, "Is just watching enough?"

Waylon Lewis nodded, "It’s enough."

Liam Cloud lazily smiled, "Enough talk, let’s begin."

After all, it was the only way to kill time now, so everyone played.

Hope Williams curved her lips, "Want to bet on something?"

Since playing mahjong involves winning and losing, betting money seemed boring.

Liam Cloud laughed, "Old Man Ortiz suggested that we should get up to make our own breakfast tomorrow, so the loser will have to prepare breakfast tomorrow morning."

Though the stakes were a bit childish, since it was just to pass time, no one objected.

Hope Williams nodded, "Then let’s start."

Hope Williams really had never played before, and even struggled with arranging the tiles, so Waylon Lewis paused to help her organize them and explained the basic rules and gameplay.

Hope Williams seemed to understand, looking eager to try.

However, in the first round, even with Waylon Lewis helping her, Hope Williams still played disastrously.

In the second round, she played more smoothly than the first, but she still managed to scatter a winning hand, handing it over to Liam Cloud.

Liam Cloud, sitting next to her, couldn’t have been happier and directly declared victory.

Liam Cloud laid his tiles on the table, grinning, barely holding back laughter.

Thomas Hughes looked a bit helpless, "Mrs. Williams, were you deliberately feeding him? Master Cloud has won two rounds already."

She wasn’t playing right, helping someone else win.

Hope Williams glanced at the tiles Liam Cloud laid out, "Did you win that quickly? Alright, I’ll be careful next time."

Waylon Lewis glanced at Liam Cloud and Thomas Hughes, then looked back at Hope Williams, "It’s okay, keep going."