Chapter 7

Everyone in Wancheng knew that Li Rongyu, the eldest young master of the Li family, had been intelligent and gifted since childhood. At sixteen, he had gone abroad to study. After spending several years in Country A, he not only graduated from the business school of an Ivy League university with outstanding grades, but also founded his first financial venture capital firm on Wall Street. His judgment was precise, his moves decisive. Within just a few years, he had not only reaped enormous profits but also gained considerable influence in the international financial market. Li Rongyu's personal achievements alone were already exceptional. Yet no one could overlook the power behind the young Li Rongyu—he had been personally acknowledged by the old master of the Li family as the first-in-line heir among the youngest generation of Wancheng's Li family, as well as the sole heir of the Li family's younger generation.

Although Li Rongxiu was also a direct descendant of the Li family, he was lazy by nature and greedy for pleasure. His greatest achievement in the future would likely be serving as a shareholder in the Li Meihua Group, collecting dividends without holding any real power. Beneath the glow of fireflies and the brilliance of the moon, everyone understood which one to choose.

Unfortunately, Li Rongyu was cold on the outside and cold at heart. Aside from smiling warmly at his own family, he was always politely distant toward outsiders. Naturally, Shen Manyao, his younger brother's fiancée, was no exception. Though Madam Shen regretted this, she could only settle for Li Rongxiu as her son-in-law instead. She repeatedly urged Li Rongxiu to strive harder, study diligently, help his father manage the company, and share his burdens. Yet although Li Rongxiu had been utterly bewitched by Shen Manyao, he was stubborn by nature. No matter how Madam Shen and Shen Manyao tried to persuade him, their words went in one ear and out the other... This left Madam Shen somewhat dissatisfied, feeling that Li Rongxiu was unworthy of her daughter.

In short, judging by Madam Shen's words, even all the noble young ladies of Wancheng—or even the entire Empire—combined could not compare to one of Shen Manyao's fingernails. As Madam Shen put it, "Forget becoming a daughter-in-law of the Li family. Even if she were the Empress of the Empire, our Manyao could handle it." Faced with Madam Shen's self-praise and smugness, the other ladies might have been unconvinced, but they had to admit that Shen Manyao was indeed outstanding, whether in appearance or substance.

If that had been all, it would have been tolerable. What people found most unbearable was that while praising her own daughter, Madam Shen constantly mocked and picked apart the shortcomings of other families' daughters. That was simply intolerable. Thus, while the ladies held back their irritation and echoed Madam Shen's words, they secretly waited to see when Shen Manyao would stumble. Though they all thought their wish would never come true, now that it actually had—and in the form of such a jaw-dropping scandal—it was no wonder none of them felt any sympathy. They were all waiting to enjoy the show.

Since the Li family had already ordered the reporters out, these unrelated outsiders could not very well remain. The guests, with little devils hidden in their hearts, bit their handkerchiefs in regret that they could not watch the spectacle through to the end. At the same time, they stepped forward with reserved smiles and calm expressions, making all kinds of excuses to bid farewell to the hosts of the engagement ceremony before withdrawing gracefully and unhurriedly.

But before everyone had finished leaving, they saw Yao Pingting, dressed in a burgundy evening gown with her long hair swept into a high bun, lift her skirt and storm furiously toward Chi Junrui. She raised her hand and slapped him—

The crisp smack drew every guest's attention. Wancheng's eldest daughter of the Yao family, long famous for her "spoiled and fierce temperament," pointed at Chi Junrui's nose and declared, "I, Yao Pingting, have never cared to pick up someone else's secondhand goods. That goes for things and people alike. Chi Junrui, you actually dared to two-time me while dating me. You really don't know how the word 'death' is written. Our engagement... is canceled!"

Before her words had even finished, Yao Pingting furiously kicked hard beneath Chi Junrui's abdomen. The sharp toe of her shoe, sharp enough to pierce an ant's belly, slammed into the most important part of a man's body. The sudden agony made Chi Junrui instinctively clutch his crotch and howl as he doubled over.

Seeing Chi Junrui's pained expression, every man present—including Li Rongxiu—felt his backside tighten as they sucked in a breath. After kicking Chi Junrui, Yao Pingting, believing she had vented her anger, twisted her slender waist and walked back to the front of the red-carpeted stage. She reached out, lifted the chin of the still-dazed Shen Manyao, examined her critically for a moment, then clicked her tongue. "You're not even that much prettier than me. How dare you steal my man!"

At once, dark lines appeared across the Li brothers' foreheads when they heard that.

Meanwhile, Shen Manyao finally came back to her senses. She shrieked, "It's not like that!" Then, as she wished, she fainted.

Chapter Seven

Seeing Shen Manyao act so "delicate and fragile," so "unable to withstand a single blow," Yao Pingting planted her hands on her waist and thrust out her chest. Her slender, graceful neck lifted proudly, exposing her well-shaped chin. She looked down with cold eyes, curling her lips in a disdainful sneer. Her entire body radiated the mocking aura of, You've got the nerve to steal my man, so why don't you have the nerve to fight me for him? Her overbearing display was truly too much for the people present to watch. They all sighed, "The gossip magazines did not deceive us." This Miss Yao truly deserved the description "proud and fierce."

Although the Yao family and the Li family were both among Wancheng's wealthy elite, their businesses had never intersected. The Li family primarily operated department stores and real estate, while the Yao family was the Empire's leading shipbuilding company. Its luxury cruise ships and private yachts sold extremely well on the international market, and because the Yao family had made its fortune through gambling generations ago, its background was inevitably somewhat complicated. Ordinarily, the two families were merely nodding acquaintances. The Yaos had come today only because they were both prominent Wancheng families and could not easily refuse. They had never expected the Shen family's daughter to expose such a huge scandal at her engagement ceremony, dragging their own family into disgrace as well.

Even so, Yao Pingting's actions lacked proper decorum and were somewhat excessive. However, she was the only daughter of the Yao family's main branch in her generation. Spoiled and cherished since childhood, she was too beloved for Father Yao to bear rebuking her. Besides, today's matter concerned both the Yao family's honor and his daughter's lifelong future. It was hardly surprising that Yao Pingting had exploded. Secretly finding an excuse for his daughter, Yao Qilin, head of the Yao family, approached the Li family with an apologetic expression. "Brother Li, I am truly sorry. My daughter has been too presumptuous."

Upon hearing this, Li Bingheng, Li Rongxiu's father, naturally forced a smile and replied, "Not at all, not at all." Then, with a bitter look on his face, he said, "At a time like this, how could I dare blame Miss Yao? I only hope Brother Yao will not blame our Li family for its misfortune, which has instead damaged the Yao family's reputation."

Among the children of Wancheng's wealthy families, most marriages were business alliances. Before and after marriage, they each played around as they pleased, and it was common for them to appear in gossip tabloids. But a scandal like Shen Manyao and Chi Junrui's, erupting right at an engagement ceremony, was truly rare. The Li family had long been prepared for Li Rongxiu's earlier actions. Thus, although his behavior during today's ceremony had seemed panicked, confused, and disbelieving, everyone understood the situation. Presumably, neither the Shen family nor the Chi family had been completely unaware. Only the Yao family had truly known nothing at all. To use a popular phrase, they had been hit by a stray bullet while lying down.

Since that was the case, how could the Li family blame Yao Pingting for her earlier outburst?

Though Yao Qilin did not know as much as the Li, Shen, and Chi families, he had spent many years navigating the business world and was no fool. He did not believe this had been a mere accident. Given the Li family's reputation and methods in business, if they could not even control a small mishap at an engagement ceremony, their enormous family would have long since been devoured by ravenous wolves. How could they have stood firm for so many years, with the family business instead flourishing more and more?

Thus, the heads of the two families exchanged a few polite words, both understanding the other's meaning, and let the matter pass without further mention. Though the Yao family had lost all face in this matter and found itself in a very passive position, Yao Qilin was privately quite grateful to the Li family. There was no other reason: he truly doted on Yao Pingting. After years of careful selection, he had ultimately chosen Chi Junrui as his son-in-law, even though the Chi family's background was somewhat inferior to those of other wealthy families. Aside from believing that Chi Junrui was clever, capable, and talented in business, the most important reason was that Chi Junrui and Yao Pingting had a good relationship. They had fallen in love freely while studying abroad, dated for over four years without ever even arguing, and Chi Junrui had always acted obedient and deeply devoted before him—

At that thought, Yao Qilin's heart stirred. As his gaze flickered, he recalled that the information shown in the photographs clearly indicated that Chi Junrui and Shen Manyao's illicit affair had not been a momentary impulse of only a day or two. If that were the case, given Yao Qilin's status in both Wancheng's legitimate and underground circles, he should not have failed to receive even the slightest hint. Yet in truth, he had known absolutely nothing. That meant that during the years he had led the Yao family, he could no longer know every detail of everything that happened to the Yao family. Or perhaps... someone did not want Yao Qilin to know too much...

Though many thoughts had passed through his mind, to Yao Qilin they had been no more than a flash of clarity. It was enough to make him raise his guard over this matter, but not enough to require prolonged contemplation in public. Therefore, when Madam Li, Zhuang Meiru, smiled and praised Yao Pingting as straightforward, innocent, and charmingly naive, he could not help smiling as well and offering a few compliments about the Li family's children—

Most of his praise, however, was directed at the Li family's eldest grandson, Li Rongyu. As for the second son, Li Rongxiu... even with Yao Qilin's wit and eloquence, he could only offer vague compliments such as "naturally intelligent, handsome, filial, and clever." Aside from that, Li Rongxiu truly had nothing noteworthy to show in either academics or practical affairs.

While the elders of the Li family and the Yao family exchanged pleasantries, Li Rongxiu had no choice but to summon the Li family doctor and the engagement ceremony staff to carry the "fainted" Shen Manyao inside to rest.

Worried about her daughter's condition, Madam Shen, Sun Minqiu, also anxiously wanted to follow inside to care for her. Before leaving, she shamelessly grabbed Li Rongxiu's hand and kept explaining, "Rongxiu, don't worry. Manyao and that boy from the Chi family were only impulsive for a moment. It definitely cannot last. The one she truly likes is still you, and the one she wants to marry is still the Li family. I'll make the decision for you on this matter. I won't let Manyao act recklessly."

Madam Shen had the confidence to say such things only because she believed that throughout the past few years of Li Rongxiu and Shen Manyao's relationship, Li Rongxiu had always been the one at a disadvantage. Naturally, Madam Shen knew exactly how obsessed the Li family's boy was with her daughter. Thus, despite what had happened, she believed Li Rongxiu would not simply let go. As long as she properly persuaded her daughter to lower herself and soothe Li Rongxiu, things would work out. Men, after all, responded to softness rather than force. Once Li Rongxiu relented, he could go back and make a fuss with the Li family. Given how favored Li Rongxiu was at home, even if the Li family was angry, they certainly would not persist for long.

After all, among wealthy families like theirs, whose children had not had several romantic relationships before marriage? Besides, her daughter was so outstanding. Could she possibly not be good enough for some useless playboy from the Li family...

Madam Shen's calculations were sound, but unfortunately, she had never truly understood Li Rongxiu. In his previous life, when Shen Manyao broke off the engagement, Li Rongxiu did not yet know that she and Chi Junrui had secretly pledged themselves to each other and that she was no longer a virgin. Yet merely because of his emotional fastidiousness, he had refused to lower himself and accept her again. His difficulties with the Chi family over the following decade had only been because he felt Shen Manyao and Chi Junrui had joined forces to make a fool of him, and he could not swallow that insult.

Li Rongxiu had been so decisive in his previous life. In this life, Shen Manyao's reputation was already ruined, and she could no longer maintain her elegant, gentle, aloof goddess image before the public. Even for the sake of the Li family's reputation, Li Rongxiu would never accept Shen Manyao again.

But before the Li brothers could speak, Yao Pingting, standing nearby, could no longer tolerate Madam Shen's shameless words. She had always been blunt and clear about right and wrong. Seeing Madam Shen indulge in such wishful thinking, she could not help mocking her. "I truly admire the Shen family's methods of raising daughters. As the saying goes, one daughter draws suitors from several families—your goods really are in demand. Unfortunately, no matter how well a family with bad morals disguises itself, some traits are inherited. I heard that more than ten years ago, one of your Shen family's grandaunts caused a scandal by becoming pregnant out of wedlock right before her wedding. I never expected the same thing to happen again over a decade later. Even if your Shen family thinks itself a rare commodity, you cannot treat everyone else as fools—you daughter is already carrying another man's child, yet instead of discussing matters with the child's father, you came here to pester the Li family. Could it be that the Chi family's fortune is not as great as the Li family's, so you cannot bear to give up the Li family's golden nest? If that is the case, why did your daughter steal my man?"