“Shen Lanyin! What is wrong with you? I have warned you many times. You must be home before ten o’clock at night!”
“Look at what time it is now!”
Faced with the harsh scolding of her mother, Xu Qingru, Shen Lanyin was long since accustomed to it and turned a deaf ear.
She kicked off her high heels, tossed her handbag casually onto the table, and walked straight into the bathroom.
When she came out after showering, Xu Qingru had not left yet.
She sat upright on the sofa in Shen Lanyin’s bedroom, her expression as cold as dripping ice.
“Did Young Master Huaixu bring you back?”
Shen Lanyin nodded, casually pouring herself a glass of water. Before she could take a sip, it was snatched away from her hand.
“Splash!”
Icy water droplets rolled down her cheeks, dampening the carpet.
Shen Lanyin curved her lips. “If you throw another tantrum…” She wiped her face with unconcerned ease. “Believe it or not, I will sleep with Shen Huaixu tomorrow?”
Hearing this, Xu Qingru trembled with rage. “Why don’t you just go die?” She raised her hand and struck Shen Lanyin fiercely across the face.
“I shouldn’t have given birth to you in the first place! You are the biggest stain in my life!”
Shen Lanyin tilted her head, a burning, stinging sensation throbbing on her face.
“When I was a senior in high school, didn’t you almost wipe out this stain in your life?”
She licked the blood from the corner of her lip. “Strike while the iron is hot, and sleep with people early. Tomorrow is too late, let us do it today.”
With that, she walked toward the door. Xu Qingru stood frozen in place, shrieking hysterically, “You dare!”
Shen Lanyin rested her hand on the doorknob and asked coldly in return, “Why would I not dare?”
After a brief pause, she added, “The one with a blood relation to Shen Huaixu is Shen Qingrou. He and I are not real siblings.”
Shen Lanyin had been rebellious since childhood. Weighing ninety-six pounds, ninety pounds of it was sheer defiance, and the remaining six pounds went to her generous curves.
The more people forbade her to do something, the more determined she was to do it.
Xu Qingru had beaten her and scolded her, yet she still could not change Shen Lanyin’s temper, and now she felt utterly helpless.
Suppressing her raging fury, Xu Qingru spoke up before Shen Lanyin could walk out the door. “That Koenigsegg you had your eye on last time, you can get the keys tomorrow.”
Shen Lanyin remained unmoved. She opened the door, and just as one foot stepped outside, Xu Qingru added, “Plus a villa in Jin Yuan!”
Xu Qingru grabbed her arm tightly from behind.
Shen Lanyin turned around at a leisurely pace. “One should never pick a fight with money. I am tired. You can leave now.”
She walked over to the bed, pulled back the covers, and lay down. “When you leave, please turn off the lights, sugar mommy.”
Xu Qingru’s chest heaved violently. She let out a heavy sigh, turned off the lights one by one, and retreated out the bedroom door.
This daughter of hers was not only the biggest stain in her life, but also her ultimate nemesis.
Every time she dealt with Shen Lanyin, she ended up infuriated and out of pocket, never winning a single round.
Fortunately, heaven had mercy on her, blessing her with a well-behaved and clever younger daughter, Qingrou.
Recalling the incident from years back, she felt a twinge of guilt toward her eldest daughter, Lanyin.
Yet, if she could turn back time, she would still make the exact same choice!
Because…
Shen Lanyin deserved to die in the first place!
The next morning, in the Shen family dining room.
The slap mark on Shen Lanyin’s face had faded significantly. Although she had applied a layer of makeup, it was still faintly visible up close.
Sitting beside her, Shen Huaixu lowered his voice and asked, “What happened?”
Shen Lanyin glanced at Xu Qingru, who looked tense, and replied indifferently, “Nothing. I was swatting a mosquito and accidentally hurt myself.”
Following her gaze to Xu Qingru, Shen Huaixu understood the situation in his heart and chose not to press further.
“Huaixu, tomorrow is Old Master Lu’s eightieth birthday banquet.”
Sitting at the head of the table, Shen Zhaochuan put down the financial newspaper in his hand. “Take Lanyin and Qingrou with you.”
Shen Huaixu answered warmly, “Yes, Father.”
Shen Lanyin’s red lips parted slightly, but before the rejection could escape, Xu Qingru shot her a look that silenced her instantly.
Fine. For the sake of the luxury car and the villa, she would reluctantly be obedient this once.
Seeing Shen Lanyin nod in agreement, Xu Qingru finally let out a sigh of relief.
“Zhaochuan, Old Master Lu’s youngest grandson just returned from studying abroad. Lanyin is also at the age where she should consider marriage. This banquet will be a good opportunity for them to meet.”
Shen Lanyin’s shocking remark last night about wanting to sleep with Shen Huaixu had sounded a major alarm for Xu Qingru.
She was genuinely terrified that Shen Lanyin might someday act on a whim and commit an unfilial, scandalous act, ruining her marriage and Qingrou’s future life.
Right now, her only goal was to marry Shen Lanyin off as quickly as possible and unload this hot potato.
Unaware of Xu Qingru’s inner thoughts, Shen Zhaochuan laughed heartily and sighed, “Time really flies!”
“I remember when Lanyin first came to the Shen family, she was just a tiny little thing. In the blink of an eye, she is a grown young woman ready for marriage.”
“Uncle, once Brother’s marriage is settled, it will not be too late to consider mine.”
With a detached expression, Shen Lanyin stood up and said, “I am finished eating. Please excuse me.”
“I am done too,” Shen Huaixu said, following right behind her. “Yinyin, wait for me.”
The harmonious family atmosphere was shattered, leaving cold shards of glass scattered everywhere.
However, Shen Lanyin did not care. She had always been an outsider in this house.
Aside from Shen Huaixu, no one truly cared about her happiness or peace of mind.
After Shen Lanyin and Shen Huaixu left, Shen Qingrou beamed with a radiant smile. “Father, Sister has always had this kind of personality since she was a child, cold on the outside but warm on the inside.”
She coaxed him with a soft, spoiled tone, “Please do not be angry with her. I will apologize to you on Sister’s behalf.”
Shen Zhaochuan’s expression softened slightly. “Qingrou, if only your sister were half as sensible as you.”
“Indeed, Qingrou has been well-behaved like an angel since she was little,” Xu Qingru chimed in eagerly.
“Unlike Lanyin, who was rebellious like a little demon from a young age.”
“Now that she is grown up, she has become even more disrespectful of elders and completely lawless. Today I must teach her a proper lesson!”
Shen Zhaochuan waved a hand dismissively. “Forget it. Tomorrow they are all attending Old Master Lu’s birthday banquet. We can talk about it later.”
The blue sky was washed clean, a gentle sea breeze blew, and golden sunlight blanketed the deep blue ocean.
Amidst the intertwining light and shadow, a white ultra-luxury yacht cruised leisurely.
It left behind graceful trails, resembling gentle brushstrokes sketching breathtaking landscape paintings across the sea.
In the lavish and magnificent first-floor lobby, massive crystal chandeliers gleamed like brilliant stars, illuminating the entire banquet hall.
On the snow-white tablecloths, exquisite silver tableware glistened, and various delicacies emitted enticing aromas.
Men in tailored suits either sat at tables or gathered in a corner of the lobby, holding wine glasses and chatting animatedly.
Jeweled women gathered in groups of two or three, whispering softly with charming, graceful smiles.
When Shen Lanyin entered arm-in-arm with Shen Huaixu, the handsome man and stunning woman instantly captured everyone’s attention.
It was not that people were superficial; both Shen siblings possessed breathtakingly gorgeous faces, further enhanced by the aura of a top-tier elite family, making them the center of attention wherever they went.
Especially Shen Lanyin, whose appearance was extraordinarily seductive and sharp, beautiful to the point of carrying an aggressive edge.
Her fox-like eyes seemed capable of capturing souls, bewitching enough to nearly induce suffocation, yet prompting a subconscious step backward.
Shen Qingrou stood alone, glaring with hostility at Shen Lanyin’s slender silhouette, her heart filled with thick, unyielding resentment and jealousy.
She could never wrap her head around it. Clearly, she was Shen Huaixu’s biological half-sister.
Yet Shen Huaixu was always cold and distant toward her, while pampering Shen Lanyin, an outsider, like a treasure in the palm of his hand.
And clearly, she was also very pretty, but whenever she and Shen Lanyin appeared together, everyone’s eyes would always land on Shen Lanyin first.
When people mentioned her, they would only add dismissively, “Oh, Shen Qingrou? Isn’t she Shen Lanyin’s younger sister?”
If only she would just drop dead!
Such malicious thoughts flashed through Shen Qingrou’s mind over and over again.
Sharply sensing this poisonous gaze, Shen Lanyin abruptly turned her head back and mouthed silently.
Shen Qingrou read Shen Lanyin’s lip-sync: “If you dislike me, you can just go die!”
Her face instantly turned deathly pale, and she hurriedly averted her gaze.
The host of this birthday banquet, Old Master Lu, Lu Huaijin, had three lifelong loves: beauties, fine wine, and good food.
At eighty years old, he dressed with trendy flair. Bursting out from a crowd of beauties, he was full of high spirits and vigorous health.
“Comparison really kills people. Both of you siblings must have been masterpieces sculpted by Goddess Nüwa.”
Old Master Lu grasped Shen Huaixu’s hand and sighed deeply. “Unlike my own children, who look like mud splatters casually flung by Nüwa.”
A gentle smile hung on Shen Huaixu’s face. “Old Master Lu flatters us. Your household certainly holds an absolute advantage in terms of quantity.”
Old Master Lu was stunned for a moment before bursting into hearty laughter.
Being an absolute aficionado of good looks, hand aesthetics, and pleasant voices, the more he looked at the Shen siblings, the more he liked them.
He pulled Shen Huaixu along to chat about everything from the global economy to major-power politics.
Chatting incessantly without end.
Shen Lanyin found these hypocritical social pleasantries deeply tedious, and her patience quickly wore thin.
After politely excusing herself to Old Master Lu, she stepped out of the banquet hall to catch some fresh air.
As expected of a top-three Forbes billionaire, Old Master Lu lived up to his name.
This yacht, named Aeolus and designed by a top Italian team, far exceeded expectations in its level of extravagant luxury.
The exterior design was filled with futuristic tech appeal, spanning a total length of 168 meters, equivalent to the size of two standard football fields.
It featured five independent decks, each equipped with separate entertainment facilities: a cinema, KTV, gym, spa center.
The helicopter pad and giant swimming pool were located on the topmost deck.
The stern was even equipped with a micro-yacht and a mini-submarine, making it resemble a floating marine castle.
On the top deck, Shen Lanyin leaned back against the railing, removing the sunglasses that covered most of her face, and chuckled teasingly:
“Old Master Lu never grows old at heart. He really knows how to play.”
Shen Huaixu had just finished socializing in the first-floor banquet hall. Recalling the scene of Old Master Lu surrounded by beauties, his tone remained calm:
“He has one foot in the grave already. If he doesn’t live it up now, he will only be down in the netherworld flirting with female ghosts.”
“True. I should learn from Old Master Lu as well, live long, play long.”
Shen Lanyin smiled brilliantly. “As long as one always has money, even at eighty years old, I can still flirt with twenty-year-old hunks.”
Hearing this, Shen Huaixu shook his head helplessly. “Yinyin, with a personality like yours, I am afraid very few people could handle you.”
“If they cannot handle it, it just means they are useless,” Shen Lanyin shrugged. “You cannot blame me for being too formidable.”
Given Shen Lanyin’s uninhibited, anything-goes temperament, Shen Huaixu knew that if they continued this conversation, it would only grow increasingly explicit.
He raised his wrist to check his watch and changed the subject: “Let’s go. There is a dance party on the second floor.”
Shen Lanyin shook her head. “Brother, you go ahead. I’ll stay out here a little longer.”
“Then come down early. Your head will hurt if you let the sea breeze blow on you for too long.”
After Shen Huaixu left, Shen Lanyin strolled unhurriedly toward the edge of the giant swimming pool.
A massive, formidable great white shark was swimming leisurely back and forth in the water.
Just as she was watching intently, the sound of heavy panting suddenly drifted over from a nearby corner, occasionally interspersed with seductive, moaning sounds.
Shen Lanyin frowned slightly. Spring had not even arrived yet, yet these wild cats were already going into heat.
Having zero interest in watching a live-action passionate drama, she was just about to turn and leave when she heard her own name.