Shen Shuhe knew the place.
Xishan was a restricted military zone. It didn’t even appear on navigation maps, and ordinary people couldn’t get anywhere near it. Layer upon layer of security guarded the area—so tightly that not even a mosquito could fly in.
In recent years, the Lu family had kept a low profile and rarely hosted events on such a grand scale. The fact that Lu Mingshu’s birthday banquet was being held at Xishan was proof enough of the treasured status she held within the Lu family.
The Shen family’s driver dropped Shen Shuhe off at the location indicated on the invitation.
Security at the entrance was exceptionally strict.
There were three checkpoints.
The first was an open checkpoint where guests’ identification and invitations were inspected.
The second was a concealed checkpoint that scanned guests’ irises.
The third consisted of a military patrol with trained dogs, inspecting every personal belonging. Mobile phones and all electronic devices had to be surrendered.
Only after passing all three checkpoints would an attendant escort guests into the villa compound.
The villa itself was an unassuming three-story building made of gray brick, appearing simple and understated from the outside.
Inside, however, it was brilliantly illuminated.
Crystal chandeliers scattered dazzling light throughout the grand ballroom, making it shine as brightly as daylight.
The hall was filled with distinguished guests.
The air was perfumed with luxury as elegantly dressed men and women mingled. Political leaders, business magnates, and senior military officers gathered in small groups, chatting and raising their glasses. Attendants moved gracefully through the crowd carrying trays of champagne, while the soft melody of a grand piano drifted through the room, creating the restrained opulence unique to high society.
Wearing a dark emerald qipao, Shen Shuhe stepped gracefully into the banquet hall.
The qipao was exquisitely embroidered with traditional Suzhou embroidery. Intricate patterns shimmered subtly beneath the lights, accentuating her slender yet curvaceous figure.
Its slit was perfectly tailored. As she walked, glimpses of her long, fair legs appeared and disappeared—not provocative in the slightest, but instead radiating elegance and noble refinement.
Her skin was as white as snow, made even more luminous against the deep green silk.
Her glossy black hair was gathered into a low bun, secured with a jade hairpin that highlighted the graceful curve of her swan-like neck.
“Who’s that?”
“I think she’s the Shen family’s daughter.”
“Which Shen family?”
“The one that manufactures medical equipment.”
“Never heard of them. She’s gorgeous, though.”
“I heard Zhou family’s young master dumped her at their engagement banquet yesterday…”
“That’s not the version I heard. I heard she dumped Zhou Jiayan at the engagement banquet because he was infertile.”
“I heard from Miss Jiang that Shen Shuhe had been desperately chasing Zhou Jiayan and forced him into the engagement. Of course he didn’t want to marry her, so he dumped her at the ceremony.”
…
Shen Shuhe paid no attention to the whispers surrounding her.
She merely lifted her eyes, calmly searching the crowd.
Her fingertips lightly traced the rim of her champagne glass.
She needed to find someone capable of breaking the Shen Group’s current deadlock.
A military representative could restart the procurement review of Shen Group’s medical equipment.
A major investor could replace the funding the Zhou family had withdrawn.
Or perhaps a high-ranking government official could suppress the media offensive launched by their competitors.
But…
Every one of those people was shrewd.
None of them would willingly involve themselves in such a mess.
Suddenly, she felt a sharp gaze fixed upon her.
She turned slightly.
A woman in a custom-made white evening gown was walking toward her.
The woman possessed delicate, innocent features and wore a perfectly measured smile.
Yet beneath that smile lurked unmistakable contempt.
Her voice was just as sweet and gentle as her appearance, like warm water mixed with honey.
But every word was deliberately slowed, pronounced with crystal clarity, carrying an unmistakable air of superiority.
“You must be Miss Shen. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Sensing the inexplicable hostility, Shen Shuhe inclined her head politely.
“That’s right. And you are…?”
Her voice was warm, her tone rising slightly at the end.
It was courteous without being overly familiar.
She met the woman’s gaze calmly, neither avoiding it nor displaying the same aggressiveness.
For a moment, the contrast between the two women was obvious.
Another woman in a black cocktail dress stepped forward, frowning at Shen Shuhe.
“What kind of country bumpkin are you? You don’t even recognize Miss Jiang?”
She looked Shen Shuhe up and down with open disdain.
“I honestly don’t know how you got your invitation. A place like this isn’t somewhere someone like you should be. If you don’t even know who Miss Jiang is, what makes you think you belong here?”
A third woman in a lavender gown stepped up as well.
“This is Jiang Wanqing, the eldest daughter of Jiang Bank. Are you pretending not to know her, or do you really not?”
She sneered at Shen Shuhe’s attire.
“And what exactly are you wearing? That dress looks ancient. I heard the Shen family is on the verge of bankruptcy. Don’t tell me you can’t even afford a proper evening gown anymore.”
The surrounding socialites burst into quiet laughter.
Shen Shuhe’s fingers paused briefly on her champagne glass, but she remained perfectly composed.
“It is rather old,” she replied calmly.
“It was one of my mother’s wedding dowry pieces. A Suzhou-embroidered qipao from the Republican era. You won’t find another like it on the market today.”
Only then did everyone take a closer look.
Until now, most people’s attention had been drawn to Shen Shuhe’s exceptionally beautiful face.
But upon closer inspection, they realized the emerald qipao wasn’t an ordinary dress.
It was a genuine antique.
Whispers immediately spread through the crowd.
“It really does look like an antique.”
“My grandmother has one similar in her collection. An auction house valued it at eight million yuan last year, and hers isn’t even in as good condition.”
“It may not be haute couture, but it’s a priceless piece of traditional craftsmanship. Look at those stitches. Only when the light shifts can you see the hidden gold-thread embroidery beneath the surface. Even the jade frog closures on the collar aren’t inlaid—they were carved from a single piece of old-pit jade into lotus seedpod shapes and secured with gold thread. That craftsmanship has long been lost.”
The expressions of the women who had mocked Shen Shuhe instantly changed.
Jiang Wanqing’s smile stiffened briefly before returning to its usual gentle warmth.
She casually brushed her fingertips over the diamond embellishments on her gown.
“So that’s the case. Miss Shen truly comes from a distinguished family.”
She paused before taking two slow steps forward.
Only half a step away from Shen Shuhe, she stopped.
Lifting her eyes, she spoke in a voice so soft that only Shen Shuhe could hear.
“Miss Shen, I only returned to the country recently, so I didn’t know anything about you and Zhou Jiayan.”
Her smile remained sweet.
“I never imagined that all I’d have to do was send him a single message, and he…”
She deliberately dragged out the final words before sighing regretfully.
“…decided not to marry you.”
Shen Shuhe’s expression changed.
“It was you.”
Jiang Wanqing smiled with an innocent sweetness.
“I really only sent him one message.”
“He told me he’d never loved you.”
“He said that as long as I was willing to give him a chance, he could give up everything else.”
She took two steps back, raising her voice just enough for those nearby to hear.
With an expression of complete innocence, she said,
“Miss Shen… you’re not going to blame me, are you?”
“After all, matters of the heart can’t be forced.”