For the Lin family’s birthday banquet, Shen Xiying had originally planned to mention it to Shang Ruzhou.
To go there together with him.
But on the day itself, when Shen Xiying woke up, the spot beside her bed was already empty.
After getting herself ready, she asked the household staff and learned that Shang Ruzhou had already gone to the company.
Perhaps he had never even considered going with her.
Shen Xiying let out a sigh, ate a bit of breakfast, and then headed to Fuying.
When the time was about right, the driver took her to the banquet venue.
The venue was also located in one of Jianglin City’s most luxurious districts, exuding an air of extravagance.
Several people stood at the entrance verifying invitations.
Shen Xiying had her invitation checked before walking in.
The interior was decorated with exceptional refinement—warm-toned hues, with diamonds dangling from the lights.
The entire banquet hall sparkled brilliantly.
Shen Xiying glanced at it for two seconds, then looked away.
At the center of the venue, Lin Muyi stood together with her group of close friends.
Lin Muyi had hired a famous international makeup artist to do her makeup and styling.
The group of friends around her all looked at her with extreme envy.
Their envy spilled out in their words: “Yiyi, your parents are so good to you.”
“You look so beautiful today, absolutely stunning!”
“Today you’re simply the center of attention—no one could possibly be prettier than—”
Before she could finish, the girl speaking spotted Shen Xiying walking in through the door.
Then heading straight toward a corner off to the side.
Her words came to an abrupt halt.
She even doubted her own eyes and blinked.
How strange.
Why was it that Shen Xiying’s face had no makeup at all, yet the impact it gave was so overwhelming?
The overall impression she gave was exceptionally fresh and sweet, like a babbling clear stream flowing through a crevice in the mountains.
Lin Muyi had put on such exquisite makeup, yet standing before Shen Xiying, it somehow felt inferior—even a bit cheap.
Shen Xiying was too beautiful.
Too beautiful to be ignored.
The girl didn’t know how to finish her interrupted sentence for a moment.
Until Lin Muyi glanced at her and asked with noticeable displeasure, “What are you looking at?”
The girl snapped back to her senses and said with a smile, “Yiyi, you’re the most beautiful—no one is prettier than you.”
Only then did Lin Muyi withdraw her gaze with satisfaction.
Shen Xiying sat alone in the corner, casually picking up some pastries to eat.
Very mediocre.
This birthday banquet was also very mediocre.
The Lin family was at least a bit wealthier than the Shen family, yet surprisingly, they’d thrown such a shabby birthday party.
For every one of Shen Xiying’s birthday banquets, Shen Jieyu would book an entire private island to celebrate with her.
At her eighteenth birthday banquet, he’d even bought her an entire island as her coming-of-age gift.
Every bit of money Shen Jieyu and Xu Wan earned was lavished on her.
Shen Xiying sat in the corner, idly sipping some juice, about to wander around and see if there was anything interesting.
Suddenly, she felt a dark shadow fall over her.
The light from her phone was blocked.
She looked up.
It was Lin Muyi.
Shen Xiying glanced at her and said in a flat tone, “You’re blocking my light.”
Perhaps because Shen Xiying’s tone was exceptionally cold, with not a trace of envy or admiration on her face.
Lin Muyi’s chest tightened, and she blurted out directly, “Shen Xiying, do you have no manners at all? Do you believe I can have the Lin family terminate our cooperation?”
Shen Xiying took a slow sip of her juice and shot her a glance. “I negotiated the cooperation with your father, not with you.”
“What right do you have to terminate it?”
She hadn’t even wanted to come to this birthday banquet.
Coming at all was already doing them a favor—truly ungrateful.
“You—!”
Lin Muyi was furious.
Old grudges and new grievances piled up together, making her eyes turn red.
When had she ever been treated like this?
The Shen family was nothing but a minor clan—it was only because Shen Xiying had latched onto Shang Ruzhou.
And besides, today she had come alone.
Shang Ruzhou hadn’t even shown up.
What right did Shen Xiying have to act like this at her birthday banquet?
Burning with rage, Lin Muyi grabbed a glass of red wine from a nearby server’s tray and splashed it at Shen Xiying.
Shen Xiying dodged in time, but her collar and clothes were still unavoidably splashed.
“Shen Xiying, you deserve every bit of—”
Before she could finish.
Shen Xiying stood up and splashed an entire glass of juice across her face.
Lin Muyi was completely stunned by the splash.
Her makeup, her dress!
Lin Muyi burst into tears and raised her hand to slap Shen Xiying across the face.
Shen Xiying’s expression turned icy cold in an instant.
She had been about to fight back directly.
But from the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the entrance—someone had arrived, and many people were walking over to greet them.
Such a grand reception—who else could it be but Shang Ruzhou?
Shen Xiying’s raised hand paused for a moment, then the next second, she grabbed Lin Muyi’s wrist.
And shoved it hard toward her own shoulder.
Then she stumbled backward uncontrollably, knocking over the red wine, juice glasses, and pastry display behind her.
A crisp, jarring crash rang out.
She collapsed onto the ground.
Everyone in the banquet hall was waiting at the entrance for Shang Ruzhou to arrive.
Even Lin Quan, upon hearing that Shang Ruzhou was coming today, had already been waiting at the door.
When Shang Ruzhou’s car pulled up, he smiled and stepped forward, ushering the man into the banquet hall.
Then they heard a loud crash from inside the banquet hall.
Everyone’s attention was drawn to the noise in the corner.
Someone sharp-eyed in the crowd blurted out instinctively, “Why is Miss Shen… sitting on the floor?”
Lin Quan froze, cold sweat instantly breaking out on his forehead.
He instinctively glanced at Shang Ruzhou’s expression beside him.
Shang Ruzhou’s face was calm, revealing neither joy nor anger.
But Lin Quan could still keenly sense that the air around Shang Ruzhou had turned cold.
Shang Ruzhou walked straight over to the corner.
Shen Xiying had been pushed to the ground, the hem of her dress stained with dirt.
Red wine dripped down her delicate neck, and even her hair was damp, strands clinging to the side of her face.
Her eyes were slightly moist, and her lashes were wet with droplets.
Her hands braced against the floor, her wrists slightly red.
She looked utterly disheveled and pitiful—yet even so, she was breathtakingly beautiful.
Standing nearby, Lin Muyi was completely stunned.
After a moment, she snapped out of it and looked at Lin Quan, her voice trembling with tears as she said, “Dad, I didn’t push her—she fell on her own!”
“And she splashed juice all over my face! This is supposed to be my birthday party…”
Before Lin Muyi could finish her tearful words,
Lin Quan raised his hand and slapped her across the face.
“Shut up!”
The slap carried tremendous force.
Lin Muyi’s head was knocked to the side, and she stared at Lin Quan in disbelief.
“Dad…”
Before she could finish,
she saw Lin Quan, a fawning smile on his face, bowing to apologize to Shang Ruzhou.
Shen Xiying sat on the ground and glanced at Lin Muyi. Her face was swollen.
How stupid. Serves her right.
Shen Xiying withdrew her gaze with satisfaction.
Then she lowered her head.
Forcing a few glistening tears to well up, she looked up at Shang Ruzhou, her voice trembling as she spoke in a pitiful tone, “Husband.”