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After getting her hair done and makeup applied, Qiao Nuo was picked up by a company car. She and her colleague headed to Dingsheng Hotel, where the Ji Family's banquet was being held, a property under the Jin Family's ownership.
To her surprise, there were several reporters waiting at the entrance when they arrived.
As far as Qiao Nuo knew, the Ji Family preferred to keep a low profile, so she wondered why there would be journalists here.
Upon seeing Qiao Nuo step out of the car, the reporters, who had been half-asleep, immediately perked up and raised their equipment to take photos!
Capturing an intriguing figure like her was a golden opportunity; they certainly wouldn't have to worry about selling magazines or newspapers tomorrow!
Qiao Nuo was still unaccustomed to life in the spotlight. She and her superior, Sun Wen, did not linger and quickly made their way inside.
Sun Wen also looked surprised. "Why are there so many reporters? The Ji Family might not be pleased about this." Sun Wen had been with the company for a long time and preferred to focus on her own work, indifferent to who was in charge.
When Qiao Nuo returned to work at the company, although she didn’t receive much help, no one actively tried to undermine her either.
Of course, once they learned that Qiao Nuo was the Young Mistress of the Jin Family, their attitude towards her improved somewhat.
Qiao Nuo didn't mind this; everyone has their own scale of judgment regarding who to treat well or poorly based on potential benefits—it's quite normal.
"I guess there are always a few who want outsiders to think they have a good relationship with the Ji Family, so they brought in reporters..." Qiao Nuo recalled hearing her father mention such things before.
She always felt that this world was somewhat distant from hers; all she wanted was to excel in her studies and become an architect in the future. However, life often unfolds in unexpected ways.
As the two were about to walk through the lobby toward the banquet hall on the second floor, they heard a commotion outside.
They instinctively looked out to see who could attract such attention from the reporters.
Through the large floor-to-ceiling windows of Dingsheng Hotel's lobby, Qiao Nuo caught sight of a stunning couple standing on the red carpet outside.
The man wore a black suit with a bow tie, one hand casually tucked into his trousers while the other rested on the slender waist of the woman beside him, posing for the photographers outside the door.
The woman was dressed in a white backless gown, her necklace worn backward, with a long pendant hanging down her back, accentuating her delicate figure. Just from her back view, Qiao Nuo could tell she must be a beauty.
Interestingly, both she and Qiao Nuo had coincidentally chosen backless dresses for the occasion. Although the colors differed, they were equally eye-catching.
"Is that... Yan San Shao and... Ruan Shengyu?" Sun Wen, who had been in the industry for a long time, naturally recognized the low-key and reserved Yan Beiting. As for Ruan Shengyu, anyone who followed entertainment news would know her.
Upon hearing Sun Wen's words, Qiao Nuo focused her gaze and realized it was indeed Yan Beiting and Ruan Shengyu!
After being photographed by reporters outside, although they were asked several questions, security quickly intervened to block them.
Yan Beiting and Ruan Shengyu smiled as they entered Ding Sheng.
Once inside, Ruan Shengyu paused, raising her hand to adjust Yan Beiting's slightly askew bow tie. Yan Beiting responded with a gentle smile.
Their actions seemed reminiscent of a couple.
The reporters outside were going wild. Ruan Shengyu, who had never been involved in any scandals since entering the entertainment industry, was now publicly appearing alongside a wealthy nobleman. Was this... a public declaration?
As Qiao Nuo walked down the staircase, her heart skipped a beat.
With Ruan Shengyu and Yan Beiting making such a high-profile appearance, what would Jin Chengyan do?
Qiao Nuo found herself worrying about Jin Chengyan at that moment. She felt almost invincible in her concern.
Perhaps sensing Qiao Nuo's gaze, Yan Beiting looked up and their eyes met.
Yan Beiting was inherently a charming man, his gaze softer than Jin Chengyan's. Even now, as he looked at Qiao Nuo, there was a hint of a smile on his lips.
Ruan Shengyu also noticed Yan Beiting's expression. Following his gaze, she turned to see Qiao Nuo.
In that moment, the three pairs of eyes met in the air, and Qiao Nuo caught a glimpse of the hostility in Ruan Shengyu's eyes.
It was Qiao Nuo who first withdrew her gaze. Turning to Sun Wen beside her, she said, "Let's go inside!" She didn't want to confront Yan Beiting and Ruan Shengyu directly.
As she watched Qiao Nuo's retreating figure, Ruan Shengyu stepped in front of Yan Beiting.
"Yan San, this was originally our affair among the three of us, but now Qiao Nuo has joined in. Don’t you think this is poetic justice?" Ruan Shengyu spoke with an alluring smile on her face.
The reporters outside captured this scene, making it seem as though Ruan Shengyu was whispering sweet nothings to Yan Beiting.
Yan Beiting wrapped his arm around Ruan Shengyu's waist, his expression tender. Leaning close to her ear, he said, "If you had gotten together with A Yan earlier, we wouldn't have so much trouble!"
His tone was cold, and the grip around her waist was firm. Ruan Shengyu closed her eyes.
Ah, Yan Beiting had never been gentle with her.
When she opened her eyes again, her face still wore a smile.
The two walked hand in hand into the banquet hall, leaving the reporters with a puzzled view of their backs.
*
Qiao Nuo and Sun Wen entered the banquet hall, which was already bustling with activity.
Today, the Ji Family did not invite many people. Qiao Nuo noticed that those who were able to come were among the top families in Qin Cheng. The few faces she recognized were all prominent figures active on the financial rankings!
As for Jin's Architecture, or rather Qiao Nuo herself, it was only because of the Jin Family's influence that she could be here.
“Qiao Nuo, just being here today is already quite a privilege for us. As for the contract, we only need to show our intentions. Even if Jin prepares to collaborate with the Ji Family, it might not end up in our hands. There are so many companies under Jin, so…” Sun Wen had already given Qiao Nuo a heads-up to prevent her from feeling disappointed.
Qiao Nuo nodded. In fact, she had prepared herself when she reviewed the Ji Family's information earlier.
So, coming here today was just to make an appearance!
If she could successfully obtain the contract, that would be like having a cheat code!
However, Qiao Nuo soon spotted a familiar figure in the crowd!
Jin Chengyan.
She recalled that Jin Chengyan had called her in the afternoon saying he needed to see her, but she had told him she was busy. Now, standing beside Jin Chengyan was Alice.
Alice was not dressed in her usual business suit but wore an evening gown, clearly brought along by Jin Chengyan as his female companion.
Jin Chengyan was chatting with the man who had dropped Qiao Nuo off earlier—Ji Nuan Yang.
They knew each other!
It was unlikely they didn’t; Jin Chengyan belonged to Qin Cheng’s top elite, and if Ji Nuan Yang wanted to do business in Qin Cheng, he clearly needed to maintain a good relationship with Jin Chengyan.
However, seeing the slightly insincere smile on Jin Chengyan's face made Qiao Nuo feel that he and Ji Nuan Yang were not as friendly as they appeared.
Of course, the level of friendship between Ji Nuan Yang and Jin Chengyan was not something Qiao Nuo was concerned about.
She immediately thought of Yan Beiting and Ruan Shengyu, whom she had seen outside earlier.
Were they also here for the banquet?
What would Jin Chengyan think if he saw Ruan Shengyu and Yan Beiting standing together?
Should she go over and ask Jin Chengyan to leave? She didn't want him to witness such an unpleasant scene.
However, it was already too late.
After a brief gasp from the people inside the banquet hall, all eyes turned toward the entrance, including those of Jin Chengyan and Ji Nuan Yang.
It was Yan San Shao and Ruan Shengyu appearing at the same time!
Yan San Shao!
He hadn't shown his face in Qin Cheng for six years. Even though she had heard he returned recently, he had kept a low profile and hadn’t attended any social gatherings. It was harder than climbing to the heavens to catch a glimpse of him!
Yet here he was at the banquet hosted by the Ji Family in C City!
And he was accompanied by Ruan Shengyu, the hottest star in Qin Cheng's entertainment industry.
One was a hot topic within the circle, and the other was a sensation in Qin Cheng. The appearance of these two together was bound to attract attention.
At that moment, Qiao Nuo turned her gaze toward Jin Chengyan, going against the flow of everyone's attention.
Indeed, just as Qiao Nuo had imagined, Jin Chengyan's expression had turned rigid. Even from a distance, she could feel the chill emanating from him.
She clearly noticed that the hand gripping the goblet had turned pale.
What amused Qiao Nuo even more was that while Jin Chengyan had noticed Ruan Shengyu, he had completely overlooked her presence, which she had maintained for quite some time.
In his eyes, there was only ever Ruan Shengyu!
"Oops..." A girl in a pale yellow dress, holding a blue cocktail, brushed past Qiao Nuo and accidentally bumped into her. To prevent the liquid from spilling onto Qiao Nuo's dress, she tilted the glass toward herself.
A splash of blue liquid landed on her.
It was also because of her loud "oops" that a small portion of the crowd shifted their attention to Qiao Nuo.
Oh, isn't that Jin Shao's wife?
She actually didn't come with Jin Shao!
The woman beside Jin Shao must be his secretary, right?
Isn't that Ruan Shengyu still Jin Shao's rumored girlfriend?
What on earth was Jin Shao thinking when he drove Yan San out of Qin Cheng?
Truly... the dynamics in this circle are chaotic!
Under the gaze of the crowd, Qiao Nuo felt an immense pressure.
She could only ask the little girl who had bumped into her, "Miss, are you okay?" Qiao Nuo immediately took out a tissue from her handbag to help her wipe off the mess.
The little girl stuck out her tongue at Qiao Nuo and said, "Sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you."
"I'm fine, but your dress..." Qiao Nuo looked at the stain on the little girl's skirt, which was quite unsightly.
This little girl must be from a well-off family; she wondered how her elders would react if they found out.
Just then, a man walked over and said with a hint of reproach, "Careless! You bumped into Mrs. Jin. What if something happens?"
Following the voice, Qiao Nuo saw a somewhat serious face.
It was Ji Nuan Yang.
He was scolding the little girl who had bumped into Qiao Nuo, but there was also a hint of indulgence in his eyes.
"I'm okay, but her dress is dirty..." Qiao Nuo quickly explained to Ji Nuan Yang, only then realizing he referred to her as "Mrs. Jin."
Meanwhile, Jin Chengyan was already walking toward them.
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