After breakfast, Ling Yan went upstairs, changed into her formal dress, applied a light layer of makeup, and headed to the Xiao family banquet.
Sitting in the car, Ling Yan opened her laptop and began typing away.
“Butler Li, I’m planning to acquire several supermarkets. Take care of that for me. I also want to open a pharmacy, so get that arranged as soon as possible. I’ve already sent the address to your email.”
Now that Ling Yan had money, she had no intention of preparing everything bit by bit herself.
Wouldn’t it be much easier to directly acquire a supermarket and a pharmacy? That way, most of the things she needed would already be prepared, and when the time came, she could simply put everything into her space.
Butler Li assumed that the Young Lady was acquiring the supermarket and pharmacy to keep herself occupied and distract herself from the grief of her parents’ deaths.
“Yes, Young Lady. I’ll have everything arranged within a week.” After looking at the addresses, Butler Li estimated how long it would take to get everything settled.
Ling Yan trusted Butler Li’s abilities greatly. After all, her original parents had spared no expense when hiring him.
The car stopped in front of a luxurious mansion for inspection. When it was their turn, the doorman saw the license plate and immediately waved them through.
“Why didn’t that car have to be inspected?” one of the guests attending the banquet asked the doorman in confusion.
“That was the Ling family’s car. Mr. Xiao had already instructed us beforehand that vehicles belonging to the Ling family could enter without inspection.”
The doorman did not dare offend any of the guests, so he simply told them the truth.
“The Ling family only has one inexperienced little girl who just entered society. Is she really worth such courtesy from the Xiao family? The Xiao family is being far too cautious.”
Someone familiar with the Ling family’s circumstances clearly did not understand why the Xiao family was treating her with such respect.
“That’s exactly why the Xiao family’s business keeps growing. Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘Even a starving camel is bigger than a horse’? Although the Ling family now has only this one girl left, their assets are still greater than those of anyone else here.”
The guest who knew the inside story looked at the man as though he were an idiot.
The man who had been full of disdain just moments ago lowered his head and hurried into the banquet hall.
“Niece, Uncle Xiao is really happy that you could come today. There are plenty of young people at the banquet, so you should mingle with them and make some friends.”
Seeing Ling Yan enter, Xiao Shan warmly welcomed her.
“Uncle Xiao, today is your banquet, so there’s no need to entertain me specifically. You should go attend to your guests. I’ll sit over there and rest for a while.”
After saying that, Ling Yan walked over to a sofa in the corner and sat down.
Xiao Shan had originally wanted his son to accompany her and perhaps use the opportunity to build a relationship with her, but seeing how clearly she kept everyone at a distance, he abandoned the idea.
Although Ling Yan had earned herself the nickname of being a mere pretty face within high society, which prominent family did not have someone who appeared harmless while secretly being formidable?
Until he understood what she was truly capable of, Xiao Shan would not foolishly make assumptions.
Perhaps because she gave off an aura that warned strangers to stay away, no one without good sense approached her to strike up a conversation.
“Xiao Jue, are you really planning to approach Miss Ling? You should take a look at what kind of status you have. You’re nothing more than an illegitimate son who can never be acknowledged in public.”
Ling Yan had just come out of the restroom when she heard those words.
“Xiao Jue.”
Ling Yan murmured the name, a hint of amusement appearing on her face.
“So this is the upbringing of a prestigious family? All these people are ganging up on one child.”
Following the voices, Ling Yan walked over and saw four or five young men and women surrounding someone, arrogantly belittling him.
“Miss Ling, it’s not what you think. This illegitimate son was trying to use this opportunity to approach you. We simply didn’t want him to disturb you.”
One of the rich second-generation heirs explained with an ingratiating smile.
Ling Yan did not even spare him a glance. Instead, she walked straight over to the boy being bullied and lifted his chin with her index finger.
“Not bad-looking. Little brother, would you like to come home with Big Sis?”
Xiao Jue had a somewhat youthful, puppy-like appearance, looking nothing like the villain described in the novel who could destroy the apocalypse.
Seeing his appearance, Ling Yan even began to wonder whether she had transmigrated into the wrong novel. How could someone with such an innocent, boyish face possibly destroy the world?
“Miss Ling, he’s just an illegitimate son. How could someone like him possibly be worthy of you?”
The rich second-generation heir who had spoken earlier hurriedly interrupted when he heard that she wanted to take Xiao Jue home.
Ling Yan ignored him and asked Xiao Jue again whether he wanted to leave with her.
“Why did Big Sis choose me? And will you bring me back afterward?”
Xiao Jue stared steadily at her.
“Heh, that depends on whether you behave yourself. Big Sis has quite a bad temper.”
Ling Yan tossed the coin in her hand to him.
Xiao Jue caught the coin and looked at her blankly. Seeing his dazed expression amused Ling Yan, so she kindly offered him an explanation.
“It was this coin that chose you for me. Come on, I don’t like this place. I’m going home.”
Xiao Jue watched her retreating figure, tightened his grip around the coin in his hand, and followed after her.
Ling Yan returned to the banquet hall and went straight to Xiao Shan.
“Uncle Xiao, my parents passed away unexpectedly, and I need to go overseas to take care of their assets. So, I’d like your son to accompany me. Would that be all right with you?”
“Of course, of course! I’ll have someone come over right away.”
The smile on Xiao Shan’s face was practically impossible to conceal.
“No need. I’ve already brought him here.”
Ling Yan gestured toward the person behind her.
When Xiao Shan saw Xiao Jue, the smile on his face gradually disappeared.
“Miss Ling, did you make a mistake?”
“No, I didn’t. As far as I know, Xiao Jue is the son you had with your former wife, isn’t he? But there’s something I don’t understand. Why is the legitimate Young Master of the Xiao family secretly being called an illegitimate son, while the actual illegitimate son is the eldest son of the Xiao family?”
The moment her words fell, the entire area fell silent.
Xiao Shan looked at her with a fake smile.
“Miss Ling, there’s no need for you to meddle in my family’s affairs. You should worry about your own family instead.”
Ling Yan looked at him. Although he was furious, he did not dare openly vent his anger, which made her sneer in disdain.
She turned back to Xiao Jue and asked, “Little brother, do you want to break free from this family? Of course, all of your mother’s assets will be transferred to your name without a single cent missing.”
“Ling Yan, do you really think you’re still the lofty Young Lady of the Ling family? You’re nothing more than a pitiful girl whose parents are both dead now. Do you really think you can even hold on to your family’s company? How dare you make such empty claims here?”
Xiao Shan’s current wife pointed at her furiously.
“I hate it when people point their fingers at me. You might as well keep that finger.”
The moment her words fell, a heart-wrenching scream rang out.
“Ling Yan, you’ve gone too far! This is the Xiao family’s banquet, and it’s not your place to throw your weight around here. Someone, seize her!”
Xiao Shan was completely enraged by her.
When Xiao Jue saw the bodyguards surrounding her, he instinctively stepped in front of her.
Ling Yan raised an eyebrow as she looked at Xiao Jue standing before her.
“Don’t worry. They can’t do anything to me. In fact, they’ll have no choice but to obey me. Butler Li, show those documents to the Xiao Family Head.”
“I’d like to see what tricks you can pull.”
Xiao Shan roughly snatched the documents from Butler Li and began flipping through them.
However, the more pages he turned, the paler his face became.
“So, how is it, Xiao Family Head? Can you give my little brother his property now?”
Ling Yan was still in a good mood. She picked up a dessert from the table and ate it, even taking a piece for Xiao Jue.
“Miss Ling, you really are more capable than you appear. Don’t worry. I’ll return every bit of Xiao Jue’s property to him.”
Xiao Shan looked at her with a gloomy expression.
“Butler, bring the lawyer in and have the Xiao Family Head sign the documents.”
“Xiao Family Head, I’ll be leaving for America in the next couple of days, so I don’t have time to wait for you. But don’t worry, I’ve already calculated all of the Xiao family’s assets. You just need to sign here. If you find anything wrong, you’re welcome to come and find me.”
Ling Yan deliberately said it in a way that seemed designed to provoke him even further.
With a gloomy expression, Xiao Shan signed his name on all the documents brought by the lawyer. He then looked at her.
“Miss Ling, is this enough?”
“As for the agreement to sever his relationship with the family, whether my little brother signs it is up to him.”
Ling Yan ignored Xiao Shan and instead handed a sheet of paper to Xiao Jue.