Miss Li’s face instantly turned ugly, as if she had been slapped in public.
She bit her lip, forced a smile, and said, “Congratulations,” but did not leave immediately. Her eyes still lingered on Wen Yan with unwillingness.
Li Yanzhou seemed too tired to engage with her any longer. He tilted his head slightly and whispered to Wen Yan, “I’m going to the restroom. Wait here for me, and don’t wander off.”
His voice was low, carrying a tone of reassurance and caution. After speaking, he glanced at Miss Li again, the warning in his eyes unmistakable, before finally releasing Wen Yan’s hand and turning to walk toward the restroom.
As soon as Li Yanzhou left, Miss Li dropped all pretense. The forced smile on her face vanished completely, replaced by undisguised jealousy and contempt.
She took a step forward, almost pressing against Wen Yan, and lowered her voice, though it was loud enough for the nearby eavesdroppers to hear clearly.
“Miss Wen, oh no, Mrs. Li.” She deliberately emphasized the last three words, dripping with sarcasm.
“What clever tactics you have, quietly winning over Brother Yanzhou. I wonder… if you used some special methods?”
Her words carried an insinuation as her gaze swept over Wen Yan’s figure and face.
The smile on Wen Yan’s face faded slightly, but she maintained basic courtesy, her voice calm:
“You’re joking, Miss Li. Marriage is a matter between two people and two families.”
“Family?” Miss Li sneered, her eyes growing even more malicious.
“What does your family… do? It doesn’t seem like an impressive background, does it? Can you truly match the Li family in status?”
“Brother Yanzhou is just infatuated with you for the moment. Do you really think you’ll remain Mrs. Li for long? I doubt Grandpa Li even knows who you are.”
She grew more agitated as she spoke, her voice unconsciously rising, drawing more sidelong glances.
“I’ve known Brother Yanzhou since we were children. My father and Uncle Li discussed collaborations before, and even now, our families have many partnerships. And you? What are you? Relying on a bit of looks to squeeze into our circle—do you even deserve it?”
The whispers around them grew louder. Wen Yan could feel countless gazes piercing her like needles.
Her back remained straight, but her fingertips curled slightly.
“Miss Li, whether Grandpa Li knows me or not seems to have nothing to do with you. As for whether I deserve it or not…” She paused slightly, raised her eyes, and met Miss Li’s almost blazing gaze, saying word by word:
“Right now, the one married to Li Yanzhou is me.”
“You—!” Miss Li’s face instantly flushed crimson, her eyes blazing with fury, her rationality completely burned away.
She abruptly grabbed a glass of red wine nearby and, without a second thought, flung it viciously at the gown Wen Yan was wearing.
The red liquid traced a glaring arc through the air.
“Ah—!” Several short gasps of shock erupted around them.
Everything happened too quickly. Wen Yan had no time to dodge. The cold liquid, mixed with the astringent aroma of grapes, instantly soaked through the front of her gown, spreading into a messy, dark stain.
The expensive, smooth satin became sticky and ugly. Red wine dripped down the hem of her dress, forming a small, shocking puddle of red at her feet.
Wen Yan stood frozen in place, her mind blank for a few seconds.
She could feel the cold, sticky liquid clinging to her skin, smell the heavy scent of alcohol, and sense the complex gazes directed at her from all directions.
A sense of humiliation, like a cold tide, instantly overwhelmed her.
The composure, grace, and elegance she had meticulously maintained crumbled and vanished completely under that glass of red wine.
Her cheeks burned hot, her eyes uncontrollably grew warm, and everything before her began to blur and sway.
She bit her lower lip hard to keep the fragile tears from spilling out on the spot, but her slightly trembling shoulders and reddened eyes betrayed her inner embarrassment and breakdown.
This corner of the banquet hall suddenly fell into an eerie silence.
Everyone’s gaze was fixed on the disheveled Wen Yan and the young Miss Li, who still held an empty wine glass in her hand, her face twisted with a hint of malicious satisfaction.
Just then, a figure parted the crowd and rushed over.
It was Li Yanzhou.
He had clearly witnessed what had just happened, his expression colder and gloomier than ever before, his eyes swirling with an intimidating chill.
He didn’t even spare Miss Li a second glance, heading straight for Wen Yan.
“Wen Yan!” he called her name, his voice carrying a barely noticeable urgency.
His gaze quickly swept over the glaring mess on her chest, noticing her slightly reddened eyes and the stubborn look of holding back tears. His brow furrowed tightly.
He reached out as if to touch her but hesitated, mindful of the red wine covering her. His hand paused mid-air before finally hovering protectively at her side. His voice was low as he asked, “Are you alright?”
His presence acted like a barrier, temporarily shielding her from some of the suffocating stares.
Wen Yan raised her misty eyes to look at him, her lips moving as if to say something, but her throat felt too choked to speak.
“It was her…” she managed to utter two words, her voice trembling slightly as she pointed a finger at the pale-faced Miss Li.
Only then did Li Yanzhou slowly turn his head to look at Miss Li, his gaze icy and devoid of any warmth.
Miss Li involuntarily took half a step back under his stare, the empty glass in her hand falling to the ground with a loud crash, shattering into pieces.
“Miss Li,” Li Yanzhou spoke, his voice terrifyingly calm, “the value of this dress will be communicated to you later by my assistant for compensation.”
He paused, his gaze sharp as a blade, and announced clearly, word by word:
“Additionally, from this moment onward, all cooperative projects between the Li Group and the Li family will be terminated. My lawyers will follow up on the subsequent contract dissolution and settlement matters.”
As his words fell, the entire room was stunned.
Terminating all cooperation! This was directly cutting off the Li family’s financial lifeline! For the sake of a wife he had just publicly acknowledged, Li Yanzhou had taken such drastic measures!
Miss Li’s face instantly turned as pale as paper, her body swaying as she struggled to stay upright.
She opened her mouth, wanting to explain, to beg for mercy, but under Li Yanzhou’s unyielding, icy gaze, not a single word came out—only endless fear and regret remained.
Li Yanzhou no longer looked at her, turning back to Wen Yan instead.
His eyes softened considerably when they met her teary gaze, and he said in a steady voice, “Let’s go, we’re going home.”
The words “going home” carried an indescribable sense of comfort at that moment.
Wen Yan instinctively nodded, ready to follow him.
But the moment she moved, the sticky sensation of the spilled red wine beneath her feet and the damp, heavy weight of her gown reminded her of her current disheveled state.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, how could she walk out with dignity, covered in such a mess?
Her steps faltered, her eyes filled with helplessness and embarrassment.
Li Yanzhou immediately noticed her hesitation.
His gaze darkened, and without a moment’s hesitation, he bent down, one arm sliding beneath her knees and the other wrapping around her back. With a firm motion, he lifted her steadily into his arms.
Wen Yan gasped in surprise, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck.
The sudden lift and the close proximity made her momentarily forget the humiliation and awkwardness she had just endured, leaving only astonishment and a strange sense of security.
Holding her, Li Yanzhou ignored all the focused stares around them and strode confidently toward the exit of the banquet hall.
His chest was broad and solid, his embrace strong and warm, shielding her from the mess behind them, the prying eyes, and everything that felt suffocating.
Wen Yan turned her face slightly toward his chest, her nose filled with his familiar, crisp scent. Unable to hold back any longer, a few warm tears quietly slipped down, soaking into the expensive fabric of his suit before disappearing without a trace.
Li Yanzhou carried her, walking briskly down the long corridor.
The lines of his profile were tense, his jaw sharp and stern, and his arms holding her were as steady as a rock.
That night, Mrs. Li’s first public appearance ended in a way no one had anticipated.
Li Yanzhou’s declaration of “terminate everything” and his decisive “princess carry” exit sent a clear message to Xijing’s top business circle:
His wife was not to be underestimated or humiliated by anyone.
The cost would far exceed anyone’s imagination.