Shortly afterward, the garden banquet began to wind down.
Guests left the outdoor area in small groups, drifting back toward the main building.
The reception hall had already been rearranged.
Under the chandelier light, seating was arranged with deliberate spacing, every angle carefully planned—like a staged set.
Yet no one sat immediately after entering.
They were waiting for something no one had spoken aloud.
And without exception—
their attention settled on the same person.
Lu Nian’an.
Only after she took her seat, with Xia Jiuwei beside her, did the rest of the room gradually follow.
Once seated, Lu Nian’an’s gaze slowly moved across the hall.
She didn’t relax.
Lu Zhiyuan’s information was still lingering in her thoughts.
As expected, she quickly picked out several unfamiliar faces.
Their positions were scattered, but not random—they formed a subtle pattern.
She recognized them.
Key domestic representatives of the Incheon Group.
Names she had seen before in briefing documents.
They shouldn’t have been there.
Her brows tightened slightly.
Then a hand lightly tapped the back of hers.
Barely there.
But enough to interrupt the thought forming in her mind.
When all guests were finally seated,
the stage lights brightened slightly.
Her father stepped forward.
“It is an honor to have you all here.”
His tone was steady, formal in just the right way.
“Before the cake ceremony begins, I won’t take much of your time.”
He gave a faint smile.
“So—let’s begin tonight’s tradition.”
At his signal, the doors opened again.
Staff members pushed a massive cake into the hall.
It was nearly the height of an adult.
Layers of white cream stacked neatly, excessive yet immaculate under the lights.
Xia Jiuwei’s eyes lit up.
“Wow…”
She murmured under her breath.
Lu Nian’an turned slightly.
Caught that expression—the slight parting of her lips, the unguarded surprise.
She paused, then gave a faint smile.
“The rules remain the same as previous years,” the butler announced.
“Ten tables will be selected.”
“Each table will send one representative to take part in the cake-cutting activity.”
“Protective clothing has been prepared to avoid staining.”
A lottery box was brought out.
Numbers were drawn one by one.
“23, 13, 2, 35, 29…”
Xia Jiuwei lowered her eyes to their table number.
“Nine.”
She froze for a beat.
Then suddenly—
she lunged sideways into the person beside her.
“We got it!!”
Lu Nian’an was pulled into her embrace.
Her body stiffened slightly.
But she didn’t push her away.
She only looked at her, faintly helpless.
A few people glanced over.
Xia Jiuwei realized what she had done a moment later.
She stiffened.
Then slowly let go.
She glanced at Lu Nian’an.
No reproach—only quiet acceptance.
She let it go.
A brief silence passed through the hall.
Then, as if nothing had happened,
people looked away.
“What was I just looking at?”
Someone muttered, already turning back to normal conversation.
Soon after, Xia Jiuwei was taken to change into protective clothing as table nine’s representative.
The so-called cake-cutting wasn’t really a ceremony.
It was a game.
Ten participants stood around the giant cake, each holding a thin, flexible plastic blade.
At their feet were empty plates.
The rules were simple:
No hands. Only soft blades.
Simple in theory.
Chaotic in practice.
At the start, most people hesitated.
Xia Jiuwei didn’t.
She struck straight at the top of the cake.
Clean, decisive.
With a sharp motion, she gathered a large portion of cream into one mass.
Then—
she threw it.
plap.
A thick lump landed neatly on her plate.
For a second, the crowd went still.
Then everything broke loose.
Others quickly followed her lead.
But they were too slow.
Too cautious.
Bad angles, weak control.
Cream fell to the floor or scattered midair.
The scene descended into chaos.
As time passed, the cake shrank rapidly.
Until finally—
nothing was left unclaimed.
All eyes shifted toward one direction.
Xia Jiuwei.
And the overwhelming portion on her plate.
A middle-aged man moved first.
He swung his blade.
The moment it reached forward—
crack.
It snapped cleanly in half.
The plastic blade broke mid-motion.
Xia Jiuwei stood still.
Her blade remained in the same position as before.
A subtle stir moved through the crowd.
After that, no one approached her again.
She won without question.
A small silver ring was presented as the prize.
When the cake ceremony ended,
the lights in the hall dimmed slightly.
The noise followed.
Her father stepped back onto the stage.
He adjusted his cuffs, scanning the room.
“Ladies and gentlemen.”
“Before the final segment of tonight…”
He paused, deliberate.
“I have an announcement to make.”
Silence fell in an instant.
Eyes shifted.
He raised a hand.
“Nian’an.”
All eyes turned toward her.
Lu Nian’an didn’t move right away.
She didn’t move, sitting there in calm stillness.
Then she stood.
Step by step, she walked toward the stage.
Across from her, another young man also stepped forward.
Tall, composed, perfectly dressed.
A textbook image of success.
Im Byung-woo, eldest son of the Incheon Group.
They stood side by side.
Close, but not interacting.
A quiet tension spread through the room.
Whispers began.
Her father spoke again.
“I hereby announce—”
“The Lu Group and Incheon Group will enter a strategic partnership.”
A pause.
His gaze landed on his daughter.
“And further—form a marriage alliance.”
The room went silent.
“Now—”
He gestured slightly.
“Please give your speeches.”
He did not step back.
He remained where he was.
Watching her.
Not pushing.
But pressuring.
A silent ultimatum.
Accept it—means submission.
Refuse—means open conflict.
Lu Nian’an took the microphone. She didn’t hesitate.
Her gaze moved briefly across the crowd.
She saw Xia Jiuwei watching her.
A silent exchange.
Then she spoke.
“Lu Group.”
“You’ve crossed the line.”
Her expression remained unreadable.
No fluctuation.
The room froze.
She said nothing more.
She placed the microphone back.
Turned.
Walked down the stage.
Straight toward Xia Jiuwei.
Took her hand.
And left.
A ripple spread immediately.
Whispers rose.
The Incheon heir’s expression cracked for the first time.
Her father said nothing.
His face darkened, but remained controlled.
After they left,
silence lingered.
Then—
like something had snapped,
people began looking at each other.
Some stood.
Some spoke.
They shouldn’t have been here.
Within minutes,
the reception hall lost its structure entirely.
The carefully staged banquet began to unravel.