The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 195 - 196. Wen Family Xi Yao

Chapter 195: 196. Wen Family Xi Yao

In the bathroom, Shen Qinglan dried herself off and worried about the sleepwear in front of her, which had fabric so scant that it could barely qualify as clothing. This sleepwear was a New Year’s gift from Yu Xiaoxuan, who had a secretive smile on her face when she gave it to Shen Qinglan, insisting that Fu Hengyi would definitely like it.

After she left, Shen Qinglan opened the gift and glanced at it before storing the costly item, which Yu Xiaoxuan had specially purchased from abroad, at the bottom of her wardrobe. She had placed it quite securely, and Shen Qinglan had no idea how Fu Hengyi managed to find it.

The moment Shen Qinglan saw the sleepwear, she understood that Fu Hengyi had intentionally chosen this particular item for her.

"Qinglan, are you not finished bathing yet?" Fu Hengyi casually asked from outside.

"Almost ready. This sleepwear isn’t my size, help me get another piece," Shen Qinglan struggled hopelessly.

Shen Qinglan glanced at the sleepwear, then at the bath towel. Weighing the pros and cons of stepping out wrapped in the towel versus wearing the sleepwear, she concluded there wasn’t much difference.

Yet, upon further thought, considering the many intimate moments they had shared, what hadn’t he seen before? What was there to be shy about? It was just a piece of clothing with a bit less fabric. She picked up the sleepwear, slipped it on, and opened the bathroom door.

There Fu Hengyi was, reclining on the bed, head propped up by his elbow. His expression changed in an instant when he saw Shen Qinglan emerge, especially upon clearly seeing her attire.

Sitting up, his gaze clung to Shen Qinglan’s figure. Her already fair skin contrasted starkly with the black and white of the sleepwear, sending a strong visual stimulus to Fu Hengyi’s senses.

Shen Qinglan, who had prepared herself mentally, felt uncomfortable again under Fu Hengyi’s wolf-like gaze and lay down on the other side of the bed.

But before she could even pull the covers over herself, Fu Hengyi flipped over, towering above her. He gazed down at her intently, deep affection and tenderness in his voice, "Wife, you’re very beautiful tonight."

Meeting his gaze, Shen Qinglan’s beautiful eyes flickered. She took the initiative to wrap her arms around his neck, tilting her head up and moving closer to his ear, breath as fragrant as orchids, "Am I not always beautiful?" Her breath carried an enticing boldness, a striking contrast to her earlier shyness.

Her warm, ticklish breath on Fu Hengyi’s ear deepened the color in his eyes.

"Beautiful, always have been," Fu Hengyi replied, staring intensely. He was acutely aware of the changes in his body.

As Fu Hengyi leaned in, Shen Qinglan slightly turned her head away, dodging his kiss, causing him to look at her in confusion.

"Tonight, I’ll be on top," Shen Qinglan declared. Without waiting for Fu Hengyi’s response, she flipped over, trading places with him. Fu Hengyi lay on the bed, staring up at the woman whose striking black and white contrast seemed to be saying, "Come ravage me."

Shen Qinglan untied the band holding her hair, letting her locks spread out, some of it draping over her chest, making her skin appear even more porcelain.

Fu Hengyi’s breathing became heavy as Shen Qinglan slowly leaned down, her hair falling onto his face, bringing waves of tickling sensations.

His body warmth rising, Fu Hengyi looked at Shen Qinglan with unabashed desire. She smiled lightly and leaned down to press her lips to his.

Her kiss was soft and gentle, like feathers brushing across Fu Hengyi’s heart, stirring in him an insatiable itch. He wanted to turn over and take control, but Shen Qinglan’s hands firmly held him in place. Although he could easily break free from her hold, he didn’t want to, silently anticipating what would come next.

Shen Qinglan imitated Fu Hengyi’s earlier actions, prying apart his teeth, but he readily opened up for her.

One kiss, prolonged and passionate.

Shen Qinglan’s kiss landed on Fu Hengyi’s face, and then he felt a warm, moist sensation on his earlobe, warm and comforting.

His breathing grew heavier and heavier, yet Shen Qinglan did neither hurried nor delayed, a sly glint flashing in her eyes as she slowly rubbed her cheek against his.

At this moment, Fu Hengyi felt as if his body was about to explode. Seeing that Shen Qinglan was reluctant to proceed to the next step, he could no longer hold himself back, and with a roll, they switched positions once again.

"Enjoying yourself?" Fu Hengyi’s voice was deep, tinged with gritted teeth.

Shen Qinglan smiled happily and nodded, "Mm, very much."

Hearing this, Fu Hengyi was not angry. Instead, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, he looked deeply at Shen Qinglan, and said with profound meaning, "Next, I’ll make you even happier."

Finally, having taken control, Fu Hengyi reached out without hesitation, pulled off that crazy-making nightgown, and threw it on the ground. Then he grabbed Shen Qinglan’s hand and placed it on his nightgown, speaking lowly, "Help me take it off."

Shen Qinglan smiled slightly and swiftly removed the nightgown. Soon, the bedroom was filled with a thick, spring ambiance.

Much, much later, the bedroom finally quieted down. A satiated Fu Hengyi, looking at Shen Qinglan who had already fallen asleep, gently kissed her forehead before embracing her as he drifted into deep sleep. Before sleeping, he couldn’t help but think, next time he had some free time, he could take his wife to browse through lingerie stores.

**

On Saturday, after getting up, Shen Qinglan headed to the Fu Family. Tomorrow was the eightieth birthday of Old Sir Zhou Haoming, a good friend of both Old Sir Fu and Old Sir Shen. The Zhou Family was in Lin City, about four or five hours’ drive from Beijing. To avoid being late and to ensure the elders could attend with full energy, after discussion, both families decided to head to Lin City on Saturday, rest for the night, and then attend the birthday banquet.

Old Master Zhou, Old Sir Fu, and Old Sir Shen were brothers from the same trench, having shared life and death experiences. Their relationship was anything but shallow. If not for this, they wouldn’t bother traveling so far for the banquet, especially at their age, where such opportunities were diminishing.

Shen Qian and Fu Hengyi had both gone to the army and would head directly to Lin City from there tomorrow. Shen Junyu had an important company meeting and couldn’t leave until the evening; Shen Xitong was occupied with orchestra matters. So, eventually, it was Shen Qinglan and Chu Yunrong taking the two old men first.

Shen Qinglan was in charge of driving, with the two elders sitting in the back. Following her car was another vehicle with the security guards of the two elders.

"Qinglan, let mom drive next. You should rest a bit." After two hours of driving, Chu Yunrong suggested. Driving was tiring, and she was worried Shen Qinglan would be exhausted.

Shen Qinglan shook her head, "It’s not necessary. I can handle it." It was just four or five hours, nothing for her. She drove straight to Lin City. Shen Junyu had already booked the hotel in advance, so Shen Qinglan didn’t have to worry about these things.

After settling the two elders, Shen Qinglan then called Shen Junyu. She only sent a WeChat message to inform Fu Hengyi.

"Qinglan." Shen Qinglan heard someone calling her name and lifted her head to look for the source. The caller was a woman, with wavy, chestnut-colored long hair draped over her shoulders, wearing sunglasses that covered most of her face, dressed in an apricot trench coat, skinny jeans highlighting beautiful leg lines, and a pair of ten-centimeter heels.

A hint of doubt flashed in Shen Qinglan’s eyes. The woman removed her sunglasses and chuckled lightly, "Haven’t seen me for a few years, and you don’t recognize me anymore?"

"Wen Senior, long time no see," Shen Qinglan replied with a flicker of a smile in her eyes.

Wen Xiyao was sizing up her former junior. Over three years of being apart, she had become even more beautiful.

Meeting an acquaintance, Shen Qinglan, who had originally planned to return to her room, joined Wen Xiyao at a café and sat down. "Wen Senior, when did you come back?"

"I just got back a few days ago. What about you? You must be graduating soon, right?"

"Yeah, I’ll graduate in June." Shen Qinglan mentioned. Wen Xiyao was her senior by four years. When Shen Qinglan first entered school, Wen Xiyao was still a graduate student. Shen Qinglan had met her by chance, and soon after, Wen Xiyao went abroad. The two had lost contact over the years, and Shen Qinglan hadn’t expected to run into her here today.

Wen Xiyao had also not expected to encounter Shen Qinglan here. She had been abroad for many years, seldom returning to China and never setting foot in Beijing. Since she wasn’t in the country for long, she naturally was unaware of Shen Qinglan’s recent situation.

Noticing the ring on Shen Qinglan’s hand, Wen Xiyao was quite surprised, "You’re married?"

Shen Qinglan smiled, "Yes. I’ve been married for over half a year now."

"I always thought you were a staunch singleton. I didn’t expect you to marry so soon," Wen Xiyao sighed. Her impression of Shen Qinglan was still from years ago; she remembered her as a cool and reserved woman, sparse with words, yet not arrogant.

A touch of tenderness flickered in Shen Qinglan’s eyes, "I got married when I met the right person. Where are you working now, Senior Wen?"

"I just returned to the country and haven’t settled on anything yet. I came to Lin City to visit and coincidentally, a senior of mine is celebrating a birthday, so I decided to stay a couple more days."

A senior celebrating a birthday? Shen Qinglan’s eyes flickered slightly, "Do you also stay at this hotel, Senior Wen?"

"Yeah, otherwise I wouldn’t have bumped into you. I was actually planning to ask you out for a meal sometime later, but it’s such fate to meet you here like this." It really was fate, wasn’t it? Two people with no contact to speak of, meeting in a foreign land like this.

They chatted a bit more before heading back to the hotel together. Shen Qinglan was staying on the eighteenth floor, and Wen Xiyao was on the seventeenth.

"Qinglan, here’s my phone number. Let’s keep in touch when you have time," Wen Xiyao handed Shen Qinglan a business card as she spoke.

Shen Qinglan took it, glanced at it briefly—there was no title, just a name, mobile number, and an email.

"Sure, goodbye."

After saying goodbye to Wen Xiyao, Shen Qinglan put the business card casually into her bag and returned to her room.

Fu Hengyi had arrived at the hotel at midnight, coming straight after ending his training. Shen Qinglan hadn’t slept, waiting for him, "Go take a shower first. I’ve put your clothes in the bathroom."

Fu Hengyi was covered in sweat and didn’t embrace Shen Qinglan; he only pecked her on the lips, "Thanks, wife."

Shen Qinglan smiled, closed the room door, and soon the sound of water could be heard from the bathroom.

Shen Qinglan made an internal call to have Fu Hengyi’s clothes taken for dry cleaning.

Fu Hengyi always showered quickly; Shen Qinglan had barely finished her task when he came out, his hair still dripping wet. Shen Qinglan went back in to fetch him a towel.

Because they had to attend someone else’s birthday banquet the next day, that night, Fu Hengyi simply held Shen Qinglan as they slept, doing nothing else.

**

After breakfast the next day, Shen Qinglan was taken by Chu Yunrong to get styled. When Shen Qinglan and the others returned, they saw Shen Xitong and several others.

From the moment Shen Qinglan appeared, Fu Hengyi’s eyes had not moved away from her. Shen Qinglan was dressed in a light blue gown, with her hair pinned up to reveal her snow-white neck and alluring collarbones. She wore nothing around her neck but a pair of deep blue earrings that complemented her outfit. Her face was delicately made up with light makeup which softened her usual icy demeanor, giving off an aura of gentle grace.

Seeing Shen Qinglan dressed up like this, Fu Hengyi was full of admiration. He had never seen her so dressed up before. She was naturally beautiful, and even Fu Hengyi, who was used to seeing her without makeup, was deeply captivated by her.

Jealousy filled Shen Xitong’s eyes. She had always known Shen Qinglan was beautiful, but now, Shen Qinglan... She glanced at Fu Hengyi, who could not take his eyes off Shen Qinglan, and bit her lip.

"Sister, after all, we are just attending someone else’s birthday banquet. Isn’t your outfit a bit too..." She trailed off.

Shen Qinglan gave her a faint glance, her gaze pausing for a second on her clothes, with a meaningful look in her eyes.

In fact, today, Shen Xitong was dressed even more extravagantly than Shen Qinglan. To the uninformed, it might seem she was the one attending an important ceremony and that she was the main character. However, it was only because of Shen Qinglan’s presence that her opulence seemed less noticeable.

Shen Xitong had wanted to show her best side to Fu Hengyi, but now Shen Qinglan had stolen the spotlight, deepening Shen Xitong’s resentment.

"I don’t think there’s anything excessive about Lanlan’s attire," Shen Junyu said lightly, his eyes full of smiles as he looked at Shen Qinglan, "Lanlan looks very beautiful today."

Shen Xitong looked somewhat aggrievedly at Chu Yunrong, but this time, Chu Yunrong offered no consolation and instead said, "I also think Qinglan’s clothes are very pretty. It’s about time we left. We can’t be late to the birthday party."

A shadow crossed Shen Xitong’s eyes as she looked down and said nothing more. Only she knew what she was thinking as she followed the group out, remaining silent all the way to the banquet.

The birthday banquet was held at a five-star hotel in Lin City. The Zhou Family was also a prestigious clan in Lin City. Old Master Zhou had retired early from military service and held great prestige within the forces. Though none of his descendants served in the military, they had notable performances in the business and political spheres.

"Lanlan, this is your Grandpa Zhou. Do you remember him?" Old Sir Shen walked Shen Qinglan over to an elderly man, saying with a smile.

With a slight smile, Shen Qinglan greeted, "Grandpa Zhou, it’s been four years, yet you’re still in such hearty health."

Old Master Zhou laughed heartily, "I’m doing well, indeed. Shen brother, after all these years, your granddaughter has grown so strikingly beautiful. Does she have a boyfriend?"

Old Master Zhou saw Shen Qinglan beaming, and he wasn’t a man unaware of worldly affairs. He was well aware of Shen Qinglan’s reputation and, seeing his old friend’s outstanding granddaughter, naturally thought of his own descendants. If they could establish a marriage alliance with the Shen Family, that would be wonderful.

However, his words had barely fallen when they were overheard by Old Sir Fu, who came over and chuckled, "You old rascal, after so many years, you’re thinking of snatching away my granddaughter-in-law the moment you see her, as if I were dead."

"When did I try to snatch your granddaughter-in-law? I was just asking Shen brother..." He stopped mid-sentence, turning to look at Old Shen, "Shen brother, this..."

Old Sir Shen smiled and nodded, "Yes, Hengyi is indeed my grandson-in-law."

Old Master Zhou looked at Shen Qinglan with regret and expressed it was a pity. Old Sir Fu looked pleased and cast an approving glance at Fu Hengyi, who was conversing with others not far away. His grandson had done the most correct thing by marrying Shen Qinglan before many others had realized her value. Now, they could all be envious.

As the three elders talked, Shen Qinglan felt a bit awkward standing there, so she excused herself to find Fu Hengyi.

When Shen Qinglan had first entered the venue, many eyes had been drawn to her. Leng Qingqiu, the well-known young painter, was naturally recognized by many who had wanted to find an opportunity to approach her. However, she had always been with the three elders, and it was not appropriate to disturb her. Now that she was alone, people were eager to approach.

Surely enough, Qinglan had only walked halfway when her path was blocked by a figure. The man smiled like a true gentleman, "Miss Shen, hello, I am the General Manager of Hengtong. My name is Su Wei. I really admire your paintings. Here is my business card. May I get to know you?"

Qinglan glanced at him but did not reach out to take his business card. Su Wei wasn’t annoyed, knowing that beauties with a good family background, good looks, and talent had the right to be capricious.

"Miss Shen, I mean no harm, I just want to make friends with you. I’ve always been very interested in oil paintings, especially young painters like Miss Shen who have achieved so much at such a young age. I admire that."

After hearing the man’s words, Qinglan’s cool face showed no expression. Her gaze fell on the hand of the man in front of her holding the business card. Hmm, this man’s hand was whiter than Fu Hengyi’s, but it seemed to lack strength.

Qinglan hadn’t even opened her mouth to refuse when a hand appeared on her waist, followed by a familiar scent that lingered at the tip of her nose. She relaxed her body.

"Why has it taken you so long to come over? Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something first?" Fu Hengyi’s gentle and magnetic voice sounded in Qinglan’s ear. Qinglan nodded her head.

Since Fu Hengyi appeared, the man had not spoken again. His eyes had been fixed on Fu Hengyi’s hand on Qinglan’s waist the entire time. Seeing Qinglan’s lack of reaction, there was nothing he didn’t understand, and his face was rather awkward.

He glanced at Fu Hengyi, recognizing him as the man who came in with Qinglan. Although he did not know him, he must be no ordinary character. He gave a sheepish smile and made way for Qinglan and Fu Hengyi.

"Only a moment’s time has passed and you’ve already attracted a suitor. Should I keep you tied by my side at all times?" A bit further from the man, Fu Hengyi whispered in Qinglan’s ear, his words tinged with jealousy.

Qinglan chuckled, "You’ve got plenty of suitors too." With that, she tilted her chin slightly, signaling Fu Hengyi to notice the gazes of the women in the venue.

Fu Hengyi laughed, "Such colorful suitors. None are as lovely as the snow lotus."

"Then be careful. The snow lotus is too cold; don’t catch a chill."

"No worries, I’m very warm."

The couple whispered sweet nothings to each other, a sharp contrast for Shen Xitong, who overheard.

**

"I’m sorry, it wasn’t intentional. Are you alright?" Wen Xiyao exclaimed softly, apologizing to the man in front of her.

Shen Junyu looked at his suit, noting the dark stain on the chest emitting a strong alcohol smell.

"I’m sorry. I walked too hurriedly. Please take off your suit, and I’ll help you clean it," said Wen Xiyao, seeing that Shen Junyu hadn’t responded, assuming he was angry—and rightly so. If the roles were reversed and she had been splashed with wine for no reason, she would be angry too.

"Or you could tell me how much the suit costs, and I’ll compensate you." Although, looking at the man’s attire, he didn’t seem short on cash. But who knows? Sometimes the richer people are, the more they care. Perhaps this man was one of them.

"It’s okay, I’ll just clean it myself. Just be a bit more careful when you walk next time." Shen Junyu spoke gently. It was just a suit; he didn’t really care so much. However, dirtying one’s clothes at someone else’s birthday banquet was quite rude, and he couldn’t just run out and buy a new one now.

Shen Junyu was somewhat troubled.

Notice his expression, Wen Xiyao felt even more apologetic and suggested, "Um, why don’t you take off your jacket for now, and I can wash it a bit to let the alcohol smell dissipate?"

Shen Junyu shook his head in refusal, "No need, I’m fine." Although the woman before him was indeed beautiful, he just wasn’t in the mood to appreciate her.

Wen Xiyao stepped aside, making way for Shen Junyu, who promptly left. After walking a few steps, he took off his coat and hung it over his arm.

Wen Xiyao’s gaze lingered on Shen Junyu’s retreating figure. She remembered who he was – the eldest grandson of the Shen Family, Shen Junyu. No wonder he had looked so familiar.

Shen Junyu had also graduated from B University, three years ahead of her. During his time at school, he was an influential figure, and of course, Wen Xiyao would recognize him.

It had been a while since they’d seen each other, and Shen Junyu had been through the wringer in the business world since then, which naturally changed him. It was understandable that Wen Xiyao didn’t recognize him at first glance.

Wen Xiyao touched her chin, a trace of contemplation flickering across her eyes.

"Xi Yao."

The two words were called out with evocative tenderness, soft as water. Wen Xiyao shuddered violently, rubbing her arms – she could feel goosebumps rising.

Turning around, Wen Xiyao faced the newcomer, a hint of disgust crossing her eyes, "How come you’re here?"

The man gazed at Wen Xiyao with deep affection, "I came especially to find you. I asked Uncle Wen, and he said you’d come to Lin City, so I followed."

What the man didn’t mention was the trouble he went through to obtain an invitation to Old Master Zhou’s birthday banquet, but all that effort was insignificant. What mattered was that he had made it here, to see Wen Xiyao.

"I’ve told you before, stop following me." Wen Xiyao was irritated. The man was like a shadow, following her from home to abroad, then back again. No matter where she went, he would find her. She couldn’t shake him, and it was unbearably annoying.

Seeing Wen Xiyao upset, the man’s face showed uncertainty, "Xi Yao, please don’t be angry. I just wanted to see you. You can just ignore me."

"Du Nan, how many times must I say it before you understand? I don’t like you, and I will never like you. Not in the past, not now, not in the future."

Du Nan wasn’t the least bit angry. His eyes full of indulgence and tolerance, as if the person before him was merely a child throwing a tantrum. This wasn’t the first time Wen Xiyao had said these words, and he had long since grown used to them. To him, as long as Wen Xiyao wasn’t married, there was still a chance.

"Xi Yao, I know you don’t like me, but that’s alright. You don’t have anyone else you like right now, do you? I can wait, perhaps one day you will come to like me," Du Nan said earnestly.

Wen Xiyao clenched her fist, looking at the face before her. She really wanted to punch him. How could there be such a shameless man? She had rejected him so many times; any normal person would have given up by now. She had said everything that could be said, yet he acted as if he hadn’t heard her at all and just carried on as before.

As Wen Xiyao was contemplating how to get rid of the man before her, out of the corner of her eye she spotted someone approaching. Her eyes lit up, and she dashed over, grabbed Shen Junyu’s arm, and pulled him in front of Du Nan.

"Who says I don’t have a man I like? Here he is," Wen Xiyao pointed at Shen Junyu, addressing Du Nan.

Du Nan glanced at Shen Junyu, the smile fading from his face as he spoke earnestly to Wen Xiyao, "Xi Yao, you can dislike me, but you can’t joke about this, especially not jokes of this sort."

"I’m not joking. I’m serious. I like this man."

Du Nan had been following Wen Xiyao closely and knew most of the people she had associations with – if not all, then at least a majority. He hadn’t just never seen this man before, he hadn’t even heard of him.

"Xi Yao, we’ve known each other for so many years. Do you really think I wouldn’t know who you are acquainted with? You don’t even know this man; how can you talk about liking him?"

"I know him. Is it wrong for me to fall in love at first sight just five minutes ago?" Wen Xiyao rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed by Du Nan’s persistent pestering.

Shen Junyu, who had been dragged over by Wen Xiyao, was initially bewildered, but when he heard this, he couldn’t help but offer a smirk that was not quite a smile at Wen Xiyao.

"Pleas stop messing around, Xiyao," Du Nan said before turning to Shen Junyu, "I’m very sorry, sir. This is my girlfriend, and we just had a small spat. I apologize for dragging you into this."

"Who’s your girlfriend, and who’s throwing a tantrum? Du Nan, let me tell you, stop talking nonsense here," Wen Xiyao snapped back, irritated. Even after all this, Du Nan was still stubbornly playing dumb.

Her eyes darted around before she suddenly tiptoed, wrapped her arms around Shen Junyu’s neck, and kissed him on the lips, purposely lingering for a few seconds before letting go of Shen Junyu.

"Do you believe me now? I really do like him, and I’m going to pursue him," Wen Xiyao declared to Du Nan, intertwining her fingers with Shen Junyu’s and lifting their hands, waving them in front of Du Nan.

Du Nan’s eyes widened in shock. He looked pale as he glanced at Wen Xiyao and then at Shen Junyu, staggering away.

"Can you let go of me now?" Shen Junyu said coolly, his voice filled with a chill.

Wen Xiyao’s pretty face blushed as she quickly released Shen Junyu’s hand and looked down, "I’m sorry for what just happened." She was truly desperate; otherwise, she wouldn’t have done such a thing.

Shen Junyu’s expression was a bit cold as he regarded the woman before him, the warmth that once filled his eyes was now gone, "May I leave now?"

Wen Xiyao stammered, "I... I really was cornered. If there’s any compensation you want, just say it. As long as it’s within my power, I’ll consider it."

Shen Junyu scoffed, "Next time you want to flirt, try a different approach. Some men might like this kind of thing, but I’m definitely not the kind of man you think I am."

After finishing his words, Shen Junyu strode away.

Wen Xiyao stood there dumbfounded, staring in the direction where Shen Junyu had left, and gave the universal rude gesture. This jerk, what did he take her for, assuming she was hitting on him?

She felt aggrieved. It was her first kiss after all, and now it was gone. She wanted to cry.

It was funny when you think about it; because of Du Nan’s clingy behavior and her strict defenses, Wen Xiyao was 27 years old and had never had a boyfriend, let alone any intimate contact with a man.

After Shen Junyu left, he still looked a bit sulky. "Brother, what’s wrong?" Shen Qinglan asked, giving Shen Junyu a glance.

Shen Junyu’s expression stiffened as he shook his head, "Nothing. Where’s Hengyi?"

It was odd to Shen Junyu not to see Fu Hengyi around.

"He just ran into a friend here a moment ago and went out to have a word."

"Brother, so you are here! I’ve been looking for you for ages," Shen Xitong complained with a mix of annoyance and coquettishness.

Shen Junyu had been chatting with Shen Qinglan, and upon seeing her approach, the smile on his face faded a notch, "What is it?"

Shen Xitong wore a smile as she looked at Shen Junyu, just like a little sister who adored her elder brother. "Brother, a friend of mine really wants to meet you. Could you go over and say a few words to him?" Her finger pointed in a certain direction, where a young man was standing. Upon seeing Shen Xitong looking over, he raised his glass with a smile to signal her.

"Brother, this friend is the heir to a listed company and also a standout among the younger generation. Perhaps you’ll have opportunities for cooperation in the future. Would you please go over and greet him with me?" Shen Xitong’s face wore a smile, and her tone was pleading.

A hint of a smile vanished from the depths of Shen Junyu’s eyes. "Shen Xitong, if you can’t do something yourself, don’t agree to it so casually." This was a rejection.

A shadow crossed Shen Xitong’s eyes. She knew this would be the outcome, but her own dignity was at stake, and so she softened her voice. "Brother, we are after all in public, and I am a member of the Shen Family in the eyes of others. Can’t you give me a bit of face?"

The smile disappeared completely from Shen Junyu’s eyes, and his gaze turned cold as it landed on Shen Xitong. His face still held a smile, but at this moment, nobody would consider it warm, especially Shen Xitong. She felt she was facing an iceberg wrapped in magma, emanating a frightful aura.

Shen Qinglan stood to the side, naturally sensing the shift in Shen Junyu’s mood. She gently tugged at his sleeve. Shen Junyu turned to glance at her, the chill in his eyes eased slightly. When he looked back at Shen Xitong, his eyes were calm and detached. "Just this once, and not again."

Shen Xitong secretly breathed a sigh of relief. This man was the event’s biggest sponsor and one of her suitors. Although he couldn’t compare to Fu Hengyi, he was still considered a remarkable young talent. Shen Xitong didn’t want others to see her in an embarrassing situation.

Shen Junyu walked away with Shen Xitong. Shen Qinglan glanced around, not spotting anyone familiar. Bored, she wandered to the side and picked up a glass of champagne, sipping from time to time.

She could feel the glances of those around her landing on her in a subtle manner, but she didn’t care in the slightest. As long as those people didn’t come to disturb her, she was fine.

"Qinglan, you’re here too?" Wen Xiyao had just rid herself of a man who had come up to chat and sought a quiet refuge, only to find Shen Qinglan here.

She couldn’t fathom it; this was Old Master Zhou’s birthday banquet, not a matchmaking event. Were these men so deprived of a woman’s company that they pounced the moment they saw one?

She knew she was attractive, but it wasn’t to the extent that everyone would fall head over heels for her. Were they really that desperate?

Unbeknownst to Wen Xiyao, she was donned in a fiery red dress that evening, accentuated by exquisite makeup, which added an air of passionate seduction. Moreover, anyone who could attend this event held some status. Attractive and prestigious, she was naturally preferred by many men.

Shen Qinglan was not at all surprised to see Wen Xiyao; she had guessed she would be here, "Senior Wen."

Wen Xiyao held a glass of red wine, "Qinglan, don’t call me Senior Wen; it’s too formal. Just call me Sister Xiyao from now on."

Shen Qinglan readily nodded. Titles weren’t something she fusses over. Although she had only met this ’senior’ a few times and didn’t know her well, they did get along rather nicely.

"Qinglan, do you know Old Master Zhou?" Wen Xiyao was surprised to see Shen Qinglan here.

"The elders in my family are close friends with Grandpa Zhou. I came with them to wish the old gentleman a happy birthday," explained Shen Qinglan.

"I’m here for the same reason, actually. I’m not personally acquainted with Old Master Zhou, but my family has ties with him, and since I happened to be around, I represented my family."

The Wen Family of Hai City was based in the south, and Lin City to the north. The connection was likely not deep; the Wen Family wouldn’t have bothered if Wen Xiyao weren’t already there.

Speaking of the Wen Family, its influence in Hai City could match that of the Fu Family in Beijing. It was said that they had officials serving at court since the Qing Dynasty—a century-old family with a heritage unmatched by ordinary clans.