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To save time, Li Xue had a quick bite to eat before spending over an hour getting ready. She had intended to attend the event quietly, but the exquisite gown and jewelry prepared for her by Chen Li were simply too lavish, leaving her no choice but to embrace a more ostentatious appearance.
As she turned in front of the mirror, she couldn't help but express her surprise at her reflection. The gown was a light gold embroidered dress that cascaded down to her ankles, cinching at the waist to accentuate her graceful curves. Her hair was styled into an elegant updo, adorned with a diamond-studded hairpin, while large pearl earrings dangled from her earlobes, highlighting her fair skin and enhancing her beauty.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she shook her head in disbelief. What a pity it was to waste such beautiful attire and jewelry on a dull banquet.
Grabbing her handbag, Li Xue made her way downstairs to wait for the driver sent by Chen Li. After a short while, a black Mercedes pulled up in front of her. The window rolled down to reveal the face of a middle-aged man.
"Miss Li, I'm your driver," he said respectfully as he looked at Li Xue. "Mr. Chen has an urgent matter and cannot pick you up personally. She will message you later."
"Alright," Li Xue nodded and got into the car.
The vehicle slowly started moving and exited the neighborhood. As Li Xue gazed out at the scenery, a thought struck her, and she turned to ask the driver, "How long have you been working with Mr. Chen?"
"I've been with Mr. Chen for five years," the driver replied.
"Five years?" Li Xue raised an eyebrow. "Then you must know quite a bit about her affairs?"
"Yes," the driver nodded. "I know everything about Mr. Chen."
Li Xue pondered for a few seconds before asking, "Do you know about Mr. Chen's marriage status with Mr. Gu?"
The driver's hand on the steering wheel paused momentarily. After a brief silence, he quietly replied, "I do know."
Li Xue narrowed her eyes at this response. She stared at the driver and slowly asked, "Do you think Mr. Chen truly loves Mr. Gu?"
Once again, the driver fell silent for a while before finally saying, "I believe Mr. Chen genuinely loves Mr. Gu."
Li Xue raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Why do you say that?"
"Because I've never seen Mr. Chen treat any man as well as she does Mr. Gu," the driver explained. "And I've never seen Mr. Gu be as gentle and considerate toward any woman as he is with Mr. Chen."
Li Xue's eyes flickered at the driver's words. She hadn't expected him to say that. She had thought that Chen Li and Jing Shen's marriage was unhappy, but from the driver's tone, it seemed they were quite in love. Perhaps Chen Li wasn't as miserable as she had imagined.
As these thoughts swirled in her mind, her emotions became complicated. The car continued to drive forward, and twenty minutes later, they arrived at Xinsheng Hotel. Li Xue got out of the car and thanked the driver.
"You're welcome," the driver replied. "Miss Li, I'll wait for you here."
"Okay." Li Xue nodded and turned to enter the hotel.
She walked to the entrance of the banquet hall, took out her invitation, and handed it to the attendant at the door. After checking the invitation, the attendant smiled and said, "Miss Li, please come in."
"Thank you." Li Xue nodded and stepped into the banquet hall.
The hall was lavishly decorated, with dazzling lights and a flurry of elegantly dressed guests mingling and toasting each other. Li Xue scanned the room but didn't see Chen Li; she guessed she was still busy socializing. Not wanting to push through the crowd, she opted for a quiet corner to sit down.
Taking out her phone, she called Chen Li. After a few rings, it connected.
"Xue, have you arrived?" Chen Li's voice came through.
"Yes," Li Xue replied. "I'm already in the banquet hall."
"Great," Chen Li said. "Just grab something to eat for now; I'll come find you once I'm done."
"Alright." Li Xue hung up the phone and settled back on the sofa. She opened her handbag and pulled out a small cake, slowly beginning to eat.
After a few bites, she suddenly sensed an unfamiliar male presence approaching. Looking up, she saw a man in his forties standing before her, smiling broadly. He wore an expensive suit, had slicked-back hair, dark skin, and a greasy smile on his face.
"You must be... Miss Li, right?" The man looked at Li Xue with a smile.
"I am," Li Xue nodded, watching him warily. "Who are you?"
"My surname is Liu," the man replied. "I am the owner of Dream Entertainment."
Dream Entertainment?
Li Xue thought for a moment; she seemed to recall it as a fairly large entertainment company.
"Hello, Manager Liu," Li Xue said politely, nodding her head.
"Oh, no need to be so formal," Manager Liu said with a grin. "Miss Li, you look stunning today, absolutely breathtaking."
Li Xue smiled faintly. "Thank you for the compliment."
"I wonder if I might have the honor of becoming friends with you?" Manager Liu said, extending his hand to shake hers.
Li Xue's expression darkened instantly.
She pulled her hand back forcefully and replied coldly, "Sorry, I'm not interested in making friends."
"Don't be so cold," Manager Liu said, grabbing her hand again. "I just want to be friends."
Li Xue was thoroughly angered.
Just as she was about to explode, a cold voice came from behind her.
"Let her go."
Both Li Xue and Manager Liu turned to see a tall figure approaching.
The man was dressed in a black suit, his tall and slender frame accentuated by sharp features that were both handsome and aloof. His demeanor was cold and distant.
He stepped beside Li Xue, looking down at Manager Liu with an icy glare. "Get lost."
Manager Liu clearly did not recognize this man but was taken aback by his imposing presence.
He hesitated for a moment before awkwardly asking, "Who are you?"
The man ignored him and turned to Li Xue, speaking softly, "Are you okay?"
Li Xue stared at him in surprise.
She had never seen this man before, yet strangely, he felt familiar to her.
"I'm fine," Li Xue finally responded, shaking her head.
The man nodded and glanced at the cake in her hand. "Don't eat too many sweets."
"..." Li Xue glanced down at the cake in her hand and said softly, "I like sweet food."
The man smiled at her words but said nothing more.
Manager Liu, who had been ignored by both of them, felt a surge of anger and embarrassment.
"Hey!" he glared at the man, furious. "Who do you think you are? How dare you act so arrogantly! Do you know who I am?"
The man turned to look at him, his gaze icy.
He reached out and grabbed Manager Liu's wrist, twisting it sharply.
"Ah—" Manager Liu cried out in pain, his face turning pale.
"Don't let me see you again," the man said coldly. "Next time, it won't just be your hand that gets broken."
With that, he pushed Manager Liu away.
Manager Liu clutched his injured wrist, shooting a resentful glare at him before stumbling away from the scene.
The man turned back to Li Xue, his expression softening.
"Thank you," Li Xue said quietly as she looked at him.
"You're welcome," the man replied with a faint smile. "My name is Jing Shen."
Li Xue's pupils dilated in shock upon hearing his name. Jing Shen...
So he was Jing Shen!
She had investigated Chen Li's husband before and was aware of Jing Shen, but she had never seen him in person until now. She never expected to meet him in such a manner.
"Hello," Li Xue said. "Thank you for earlier."
"No need to mention it," Jing Shen replied with a calm smile. "You are Lily's cousin, which makes you my cousin as well."
Li Xue nodded slightly, not saying anything further.
Gu Jingchen studied her with deep eyes. He had seen photos of Li Xue before, but pictures could never capture the essence of a person. Now that he saw her in person, he realized she was even more beautiful than in the photos.
Not only was she physically attractive, but there was also a unique aura about her—elegant and distant, as if she were above the mundane world.
This aura was unlike anything he had ever seen in any woman before. He felt his heart stir.
"Li Xue," he suddenly spoke, his deep voice laced with temptation. "May I call you that?"
Li Xue furrowed her brow at his words. She wasn't used to being addressed so intimately by a man, especially one she had just met.
"Mr. Gu," she replied distantly, "we don't seem to know each other well."
Jing Shen smiled slightly at her response. "I apologize if I was too forward. I just thought that since you already know Lily, we could consider ourselves friends."
Li Xue pressed her lips together, choosing not to respond further. Jing Shen watched her, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes. He hadn't expected her to be so sensitive about it, but he found it appealing.
"Li Xue," Jing Shen said gently, looking at her, "can I reach out to you for a chat often in the future?"
Once again, Li Xue frowned. She truly wasn't accustomed to him calling her that. Yet, as she gazed into his eyes, she found it hard to refuse.
"Okay," she replied softly.
Jing Shen's lips curled into a satisfied smile as he looked at her.
"Li Xue," he leaned closer, whispering, "you look beautiful tonight."
Suddenly, Li Xue's heart raced wildly. She lifted her gaze to meet his handsome face so close to hers and felt his warm breath brush against her skin, causing her cheeks to flush.
"Th-thank you," she stammered.
"You're welcome," Jing Shen chuckled lightly as he stepped back. He glanced toward the center of the banquet hall and said, "The party is about to start; shall we head over?"
Li Xue nodded and stood up.
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