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Yao Nian first met Shen Du at her graduation banquet.
On the day she received her acceptance letter, Yao Zhandong generously booked the best hotel in Huaibei City. The extravagance was such that one would think he intended to invite even the village dogs to sit at a table.
Sitting at the main table, Yao Nian looked helplessly at the giant banner hanging on the wall. It read in bold white letters on a red background: "Celebrating My Beloved Daughter Yao Nian's Academic Success." For over a decade, he had hardly paid her any attention, yet now he seemed eager to bask in the glory of her achievements.
She twitched her lips and silently buried her face in her bowl. Although it was called a graduation banquet, eighty percent of the attendees were strangers to Yao Nian; most were Yao Zhandong's business associates. Watching him proudly navigate through the crowd, exchanging toasts and laughter, one might mistakenly believe that it was he who had been accepted into university.
"Nian Nian," Yao Zhandong called as he returned to her side, reeking of alcohol. "There are still some friends in the private room; you should join me for a toast."
At that moment, Yao Nian was focused on peeling shrimp, and she frowned in displeasure at his request. "You go ahead; I don’t know them."
Yao Zhandong poured orange juice from a bottle into her wine glass with an authoritative tone. "Listen, these are very important friends of your father's. As a younger generation, it's polite for you to greet them."
He must have had too much to drink; while pouring, he spilled several drops onto her white dress, leaving yellowish stains.
Yao Nian actually detested such occasions; gatherings at their age were dull and tedious. Besides forcing a smile and nodding along, she felt there was little else she could do. With so many eyes upon her, she didn’t want to embarrass him publicly and reluctantly stood up with her glass.
As soon as the door to the private room swung open and Yao Zhandong stepped inside, the entire table erupted in cheers. "Mr. Yao, you finally made it! We’ve been waiting for you!"
When Yao Zhandong reached the table, a bright young face suddenly peeked out from behind him, momentarily silencing the raucous chatter around the table. The girl wore a neat high ponytail, and her exquisite features were unobstructed; her skin had the porcelain quality unique to girls of her age, and there was a hint of confusion in her dark, shiny eyes.
Yao Zhandong beamed at everyone’s reaction and proudly draped his arm over Yao Nian's shoulder. "Let me introduce my daughter, Yao Nian."
After a brief pause, everyone quickly reacted with enthusiasm. "Wow, Mr. Yao! Your daughter looks just like your wife!"
"You little rascal," Yao Zhandong laughed heartily, "are you saying I'm ugly in a roundabout way? It's hard to believe; with looks like that, you should just graduate and become a star right away!"
He nudged Yao Nian with his elbow and shot her a knowing glance.
Yao Nian scanned the room, holding a tall glass filled with orange segments, and forced a signature fake smile. "Hello, uncles."
As everyone raised their glasses and praised her, she felt her facial muscles nearly freeze from the effort of smiling. Yao Zhandong showed no signs of leaving; instead, he enthusiastically cleared two seats for them to sit down.
With a silent sigh, Yao Nian inwardly cursed Yao Zhandong for his untrustworthiness.
Just as they settled in, a pair of hands crossed her line of sight, placing clean utensils in front of her.
It was a man's hand—long fingers with perfectly shaped knuckles.
She lifted her gaze slightly and unexpectedly met a pair of clear, warm eyes.
"Thank you," she said softly.
The man smiled gently in response.
Like attracts like; people tend to gather in groups.
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