Gu Yijin, I'm Back

After Sheng Xia stepped out, she found that Sheng Mo had come downstairs as well.

Holding a wineglass, Sheng Mo chatted with guests amid the crowd. Quite a few people gathered around her, trying to catch her attention and win a smile from the beauty.

Come to think of it, Sheng Mo was an exceptionally beautiful woman. Unfortunately, she was too outstanding—so outstanding that many men were intimidated before they even approached.

Along with her accomplishments, people also knew her for being domineering, forceful, cold, ruthless, and putting profit above all else.

She was the kind of woman men found difficult to control. Most men would not choose someone like her as a partner, and naturally, they also knew they had no chance of winning Sheng Mo over.

There was a joke about Sheng Mo circulating among River City's elite.

"—Sheng Mo is more likely to marry money than a man."

Even so, men still came forward one after another to show themselves off, hoping to draw this woman's gaze.

The harder a woman was to obtain, the more men wanted to conquer her.

Surrounded by people at the center of the banquet, she held a wineglass with an indifferent gaze. Even the faint smile she wore out of courtesy—so slight it was nearly invisible—felt cold.

She swept her gaze around the crowd and met Shen Qingling's eyes.

She noticed that the young man had been secretly watching her too.

The moment he realized she had caught him looking, he quickly looked away, the tips of his ears tinged faintly red.

Sheng Mo had not expected him to be so easily embarrassed.

Come to think of it, she should have been the first woman he had ever touched, right? Thinking about it that way, his shyness did seem to have a reason.

Just as women could never forget their first man, men probably remembered the first woman they had been intimate with too.

She raised her glass and took a sip of Red Wine. Her red lips, whose color Shen Qingling had kissed away earlier, had already been touched up, leaving a faint, blurry mark on the rim.

Her gaze was intensely predatory, impossible to ignore.

"President Sheng, what are you looking at?"

"Looking at... my next target."

"President Sheng, you're still so concerned with work. Why not relax with everyone tonight?"

"You all enjoy yourselves. I still have something to do. Sorry."

Holding her glass, Sheng Mo walked toward Shen Qingling.

For some reason, Ruan Mingyi and Ye Qiao both grew a little nervous when they saw Sheng Mo.

Although Sheng Mo was only a few years older than them, her aura and accomplishments always made them feel like complete failures.

Compared to Sheng Mo, they were like useless rich second-generation heirs.

Though they really were.

"Your father didn't come today?"

Sheng Mo revealed a faint smile. Yet in Ruan Mingyi's eyes, it only felt terrifying.

A chill ran down Ruan Mingyi's back, because Sheng Mo was not someone who liked to smile.

She had never seen her wear such a gentle smile normally. Even toward her own younger sister, Sheng Xia, she always seemed indifferent.

Could she be planning to acquire my family's company!?

Nervously, Ruan Mingyi said, "President Sheng, my father... he's overseas discussing business and hasn't returned yet. Sorry."

"Don't be nervous. I was just asking." Sheng Mo shifted her gaze to Shen Qingling. "And this person beside you? I haven't seen him before."

With Sheng Mo pretending not to know Shen Qingling in front of everyone, it felt like they were playing some kind of game under the public eye.

Still, she only wanted to test what exactly the relationship was between Ruan Mingyi and this young man.

Ruan Mingyi explained, "He's my friend. I really couldn't find a male companion, so I had no choice but to invite him. Besides, Sheng Xia mocks me every time, and I didn't want her laughing at me again."

Ruan Mingyi was subtly tattling on her when Sheng Xia, who had just walked over, caught her red-handed.

Sheng Xia gritted her teeth. "Ruan Mingyi, you little—you're complaining to my sister while I'm gone!?"

Ruan Mingyi put on an innocent expression. "No, I was just stating the facts. Didn't you mock my friend before, saying he was a male escort from a club?"

Sheng Mo frowned as she looked at Sheng Xia. "How could you be so rude to a guest?"

What Sheng Mo thought was that Sheng Xia's words had insulted her by association. Her first kiss had gone to this young man—if he was a male escort, then what did that make her?

Unaware of the truth, Sheng Xia assumed Sheng Mo was reprimanding her to protect the Sheng Family's reputation. She pouted. "Sorry. I didn't mean it. I won't do it again."

The only person who could make Sheng Xia swallow her pride and apologize was Shen Qingling.

Because Shen Qingling had truly slapped her in the face with his ability.

Thinking of the way the young man had played the piano, she blinked and curiously asked Shen Qingling, "What's your name? I still don't know it."

Ruan Mingyi shot her an unhappy look. "Why are you so curious? It has nothing to do with you. He's the person I brought."

Sheng Xia snorted. "Can't I even ask? I heard him arguing with Fang Qingran earlier, saying he was still a college student. Ruan Mingyi, you're robbing the cradle. Have you no shame?"

Shen Qingling could not hold back his laughter.

Everyone looked at him.

It was the first time both sisters, Sheng Xia and Sheng Mo, had seen Shen Qingling smile like that, and they could not help looking at him a few more times.

Sheng Xia's Favorability +3.

Ruan Mingyi had already seen different sides of Shen Qingling, so she was not too surprised.

She lifted her chin. "Even robbing the cradle takes skill. Some people want to, but they don't get the chance."

Sheng Mo thought to herself that, by that logic, she was the one robbing the cradle. She had even taken a bite out of that tender grass already, putting her ahead of the rest.

Sheng Xia turned her head away. "Forget it. I won't be like you."

Sheng Xia's mouth was the toughest thing about her.

Seeing her alone, Sheng Mo asked, "Where's Gu Yijin?"

"He wasn't feeling well, so he went back first."

Shen Qingling lowered his eyes calmly, concealing the amusement in them.

It looked like Gu Yijin had been beaten by Sheng Xia. Otherwise, why would he go home without even daring to show his face?

Sheng Xia looked displeased.

Ruan Mingyi and Sheng Mo both assumed she was embarrassed over the earlier piano competition and did not think much of it.

Sheng Mo did not stay long before someone called her away. Having been left speechless by Ruan Mingyi, Sheng Xia stormed off in exasperation.

By the time the banquet ended, Ruan Mingyi was in an especially good mood.

Because she was happy today, Ruan Mingyi drank a little more than usual and was now pleasantly tipsy.

Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes held a slightly dazed look.

She poked Shen Qingling in the chest and giggled. "Shen Qingling, it's so great having you around."

"What part of it is great?"

"Everything. You're so handsome, and you're so amazing at piano. So many women are jealous of me."

"You let me finally vent the anger I've been bottling up for years. I finally got to hold my head high for once! Sheng Xia's face, hahaha, it was killing me."

"Is that the only reason?"

Ruan Mingyi froze, seeing the obvious disappointment in Shen Qingling's eyes.

Ye Qiao tugged at her arm. "Say something else..."

Ruan Mingyi was puzzled. "S-something else? What else is there?"

Shen Qingling stayed silent, while Ye Qiao covered her face, wishing she could sew Ruan Mingyi's mouth shut.

Just then, Wen Sulan suddenly appeared and called Shen Qingling away.

No one knew what Wen Sulan said to him, but Shen Qingling simply followed her onto the Gu Family's car and left.

Ruan Mingyi and Ye Qiao stood there, stunned.

What had happened?

Why had Shen Qingling left with someone from the Gu Family?

Ruan Mingyi sobered up a little, and she and Ye Qiao stared at each other.

Ye Qiao asked, "You didn't... provoke someone you shouldn't have, did you?"

Ruan Mingyi could barely speak clearly. "I-I don't know..."

Wei Qihe blinked. "Could Shen Qingling be the Gu Family's illegitimate son?"

Meanwhile, after returning to the Gu Family residence, Gu Yijin threw a fit at home. After raging helplessly for a while, he still had to think about what came next.

At that moment, voices came from the entrance. Holding a glass of water, Gu Yijin looked toward the door and saw that Gu Chenwang and the others had returned.

At the sight of that familiar figure behind Wen Sulan, Gu Yijin nearly lost his grip on the glass in his hand.

Shen Qingling slowly stepped out from behind Wen Sulan.

The two stared at each other.

Shen Qingling gave him a faint, ambiguous smile.

Gu Yijin, I'm back. It's time for you to return everything that belongs to me.

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