The audio had just reached that point when Shi Mingqian urgently ordered someone to cut it off.
The entire banquet hall fell into dead silence.
Shi Sheng looked at the champagne tower beside her and casually pulled out one glass. In an instant, the whole tower collapsed into scattered shards.
The broken glass on the floor reflected her cold profile and her red lips as she took a sip of champagne.
The smiles on Shi Mingqian and his wife’s faces could no longer be maintained. Gritting their teeth, they could only send the guests away one by one.
In the blink of an eye, only four people were left in the villa.
Shi Mingqian’s expression darkened. “Are you trying to tear things apart with the Shi family?”
Shi Sheng showed no sign of retreat. “So what if I am?”
A trace of mockery flashed through Shi Mingqian’s eyes. In his view, this adopted daughter was merely stirring up trouble to secure her position in the Shi family.
He took a sip of tea, fully suppressing his earlier loss of composure.
“I’ll give you one more chance. We arranged an engagement between you and that Shen Luli before. He’s returning to the country tomorrow. Dress up properly and don’t embarrass the Shi family.”
Shi Sheng laughed. She had indeed known since childhood that she was betrothed to a young master of the Shen family.
She had always assumed it was the Shen family’s eldest son, Shen Shaowen. She never expected it to be Shen Luli the illegitimate son who had lived abroad for years, never accepted by the Shen family, and the subject of endless gossip in elite circles.
Shi Sheng understood perfectly. They just wanted to tie themselves more tightly to the Shen family.
In any case, she wasn’t going to marry him. It didn’t matter.
Still, Shi Mingqian and his wife thought far too highly of themselves.
Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, Shi Sheng smiled. “Sure. But Mr. Shi, I have an even better idea. Would you like to hear it?”
Her ready agreement noticeably eased Shi Mingqian’s expression. “Oh? Let’s hear it.”
The smile at the corner of her lips widened. “You see, although Mr. Shen is young and promising, by seniority he’s actually a generation above me. Why not let Madam Ye marry him directly?
“Mr. Shen would gain a daughter for free. A perfect match talent and beauty, well-suited in status!”
“By then, you and Mr. Shen would be relatives by marriage. Whatever you want, wouldn’t it just take a few whispered words from Madam Ye?”
The room fell into complete silence.
The three of them turned red, then pale, then green with anger.
Shi Mingqian’s gaze turned icy. He grabbed a cup at hand and hurled it at her.
Shi Sheng’s eyes sharpened. She kicked out, and the teacup along with the still-scalding tea inside flew without spilling a single drop, drenching Shi Yiyan, who had been watching the drama unfold.
“Ah !”
A shrill scream rang out.
She hadn’t found what she wanted today, and she had no interest in wasting more time. Shi Sheng turned and left without a trace of hesitation.
At the door, she suddenly stopped, removed the bracelet from her wrist, and casually tossed it to the floor. “Almost forgot. I’m returning this.”
Shi Mingqian looked at the bracelet on the ground, refracting colorful light under the lamps, then at his wailing daughter and emotionally collapsing wife. His face darkened.
He immediately pressed the emergency button at his side, ordering the entire villa sealed off.
Shi Sheng didn’t pause for a second as she walked out, the sharp click of her high heels echoing through the living room.
Click. Click.
No one knew from which step onward the villa’s security system silently collapsed. All electronic locks malfunctioned.
A voice came through the communicator in her earring. “All done. Our people are waiting at the entrance.”
Shi Sheng responded faintly.
Sensing something was wrong, Shi Mingqian hurried to call the bodyguards, only to find his phone completely dead.
No one noticed that after Shi Sheng left, a black Maybach slowly stopped near the villa.
Raindrops clung to the car window, reflecting the tall silhouette of a man inside. His distinct fingers toyed with a platinum lighter.
Click. Click.
His thumb flicked the lid open. The sound of flint striking echoed clearly in the quiet cabin.
A wisp of deep blue flame flared up, illuminating his sharply contoured profile like a sculpture.
In the firelight, one could clearly see a number engraved at the bottom of the lighter 0.
“Sir, the target has left. The other side noticed our movements. ‘Zero’s’ location has disappeared.”
A subordinate reported through the earpiece. The man let out a soft chuckle.
She runs fast.
Half an hour later, an inconspicuous black car stopped in front of a seemingly ordinary courtyard house.
It was far from the city center. More than a decade ago, this area had been considered countryside, though later development absorbed it into the urban district.
Because it was too remote, developers showed little interest, so the old courtyard houses were preserved. Most residents were elderly people unwilling to leave their longtime homes.
The car door opened, and Shi Sheng stepped out.
She glanced around, then waved her hand. The horn sounded once, and the car drove off without lingering.
The moment she stood still, the courtyard gate suddenly opened and a head popped out.
“Shengsheng! You’re finally here. I’ve been waiting for ages!”
He Qiuqiu grabbed Shi Sheng and pulled her inside, looking her up and down with concern.
“Everything went smoothly? They didn’t give you trouble?”
Shi Sheng snorted. “What could they possibly use against me? Besides, I’m not the same as I was when I was a child.”
He Qiuqiu paused, smoothing out her wrinkled sleeve. “True. Even if you don’t last long, your explosive power is enough. That family of three isn’t even worth a slap from you.”
Hearing that questionable compliment, Shi Sheng twitched her lips speechlessly.
He Qiuqiu finally relaxed, though she still looked annoyed. “It’s just a pity I didn’t find the files from eighteen years ago. Who knows where that couple hid them.”
Shi Sheng’s expression turned slightly cold. “Next time. I don’t believe there isn’t a single clue to be found.”
As they chatted, they reached the house. Shi Sheng first opened the outer wooden door, revealing a fully metallic inner door.
She placed her finger on it.
“Beep beep. Authentication successful. Door unlocked.”
As soon as the door opened a crack, a metallic tapping sound echoed from inside.
“Master Shengsheng, welcome home. The temperature today is 18 degrees Celsius, ultraviolet rays are weak, and air quality is excellent.”
Shi Sheng looked at the robotic dog’s tail wagging stiffly and turned to He Qiuqiu. “What random program did you add to it this time?”
He Qiuqiu grinned. “Isn’t it cute? Now it actually looks like a dog!”
The electronic dog, Fugui, wagged its not-so-flexible tail for a while. Seeing its master ignore it, it could only follow behind like a clingy shadow.
“Report to Master: the kitchen is simmering fragrant cordyceps flower pigeon soup, and many delicious dishes, all specially prepared by Qiuqiu for you.”
He Qiuqiu glared at Fugui through clenched teeth. “You talk too much. I’ll turn you mute in a minute!”
She and Shengsheng had known each other since childhood. Though Shengsheng appeared no different from others, her body was like a sieve she constantly needed nourishment. To suit Shengsheng’s taste, Qiuqiu had even studied cooking for over half a year.
Whenever she had time, she would prepare nourishing soups in advance.
Now that Fugui had blurted it out, the surprise was ruined!
Listening to the bickering between the girl and the dog, Shi Sheng’s lips curved ever so slightly, and her earlier bad mood dissipated a little.
Soon, the dining table was filled with dishes, every one of them her favorites.
She didn’t stand on ceremony first sipping a bowl of soup slowly before eating bit by bit.
During the meal, He Qiuqiu recalled something unusual and grew serious. “Someone’s investigating you.”
Shi Sheng raised an eyebrow. “Who?”
He Qiuqiu ground her teeth. “They withdrew too fast. I couldn’t trace them. But I added another layer of encryption to your information. I don’t believe anyone can crack it now.”
Shi Sheng nodded without saying much.
In the past, many had tried to dig into her identity, but none had succeeded.
With He Qiuqiu around, she never had to worry about such matters.
“Oh right have you heard of the Cimei Auction? It’s the biggest auction in Jiangcheng these past few years. Somehow they got my contact information and suddenly reached out, saying they want one of your works. The terms are up to us. I haven’t refused yet. It depends on what you think.”