Jiang Wenxi lowered her eyes, noticing the undisguised annoyance on the girl’s face, a hint of understanding flashing in her eyes. Fu Siya’s eyes were full of innocent naiveté, and when she spoke of business games and family schemes, her tone was full of rejection, showing no trace of the ambition or cunning of a wealthy family’s children. With such a personality, she probably wouldn’t be pushed into the position of managing the Fu family business.
Jiang Wenxi’s mind raced, and she had already made up her mind—the future power of the Fu family would most likely fall into the hands of her steady and composed older brother, Fu Yunzhe, whose eyes held a sharp edge. She wondered if Fu Siya’s personality would be bound by an arranged marriage.
The two walked and talked, and soon arrived at the door of a private room in a detached building.
Fu Siya skillfully pushed open the heavy ebony door, turning back to smile at Jiang Wenxi, “It’s all familiar faces inside, don’t be shy.” With that, she led Jiang Wenxi inside.
The private room was much dimmer than outside, the warm yellow light creating a languid and luxurious atmosphere. A group of men and women of similar age sat scattered on the sofas, holding wine glasses and chatting quietly. Jiang Wenxi glanced around; the central leather sofa was empty, clearly reserved for Fu Siya, the hostess; on either side sat a young man.
The man on the left wore a well-tailored white shirt, sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing his sleek wrists. He wore gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes gentle, and a faint smile playing on his lips—he looked like a refined young gentleman from a scholarly family.
The man on the right was the complete opposite. He leaned back on the sofa, the top two buttons of his red shirt undone, revealing his delicate collarbone. His brows were arrogant, a cynical smile playing on his lips, and an unlit cigar dangled between his fingers. He exuded an air of untamed debauchery. A beautiful woman sat beside him.
Without a doubt, these two were among the most prominent young masters in Shanghai’s elite circles.
The noise in the private room abruptly ceased at the sound of the door opening. All eyes turned to Jiang Wenxi beside Fu Siya, filled with curiosity, inquiry, and a subtle, almost imperceptible scrutiny.
“Alright, alright, everyone, stop for a second!” Fu Siya’s clear voice broke the silence in the private room. She raised her chin, her tone full of excitement, “Let me introduce you to a new friend for today!”
As soon as she finished speaking, a sharp-eyed maid quickly stepped forward, silently turning off the deafening music and brightening the previously dim warm lighting.
The room instantly fell silent; you could hear a pin drop. All eyes were fixed on Jiang Wenxi beside Fu Siya, filled with curiosity, inquiry, and the scrutiny typical of the elite circles.
Fu Siya proudly tightened her grip on Jiang Wenxi’s arm, her voice clear and resonant: “This is the owner of No. 1 Tan Palace, Miss Jiang Wenxi! She’s been living abroad, but she might be settling down here permanently. She’s a good friend I just met today, and I brought her along to introduce her to everyone!”
These words were like a bombshell dropped into a calm lake.
In Shanghai’s elite circles, what does “Tan Palace No. 1” mean? It’s a priceless, ultra-luxury mansion, a symbol of wealth and status. Anyone who can acquire this villa needs no introduction. These words instantly elevated Jiang Wenxi’s status to parity with them, or even higher.
Sure enough, upon hearing the words “Tan Palace No. 1,” everyone gasped, their composure shattered, replaced by incredulous shock.
“My god, Tan Palace No. 1?! Isn’t that the legendary top-tier mansion that’s been on the market for years without anyone daring to make a move?”
“It was actually acquired by such a young girl? That’s astonishing!”
“No wonder Siya is so attentive to her; her background is probably stronger than many of us here!”
Whispers rose and fell, and their gazes towards Jiang Wenxi now held a hint of awe.
Just then, the man leaning against the right side of the sofa, with his arrogant and unruly expression, stood up first. He casually placed the cigar between his fingers in the crystal ashtray. His black shirt accentuated his tall and straight figure, and his leisurely gait carried an undeniable aura as he walked straight towards Jiang Wenxi.
“Hello, Miss Jiang.”
The man who approached first spoke with a slightly cynical tone. He nodded slightly to Jiang Wenxi, a smug smile playing on his lips. “My name is Ma Yun, the second young master of the Ma Group. Welcome back to the country.”
Jiang Wenxi raised her eyes, her gaze calmly sweeping over his arrogant face, and nodded slightly. “Thank you, Second Young Master Ma.” As
soon as she finished speaking, the gentle and refined man on the other sofa also slowly rose. He walked slowly, his demeanor composed. As he approached, a perfectly timed smile played on his lips, his tone gentle and soothing: “Hello, Miss Jiang. It seems we have some connection; I also share the surname Jiang, but my surname is the Yangtze River.”
He gave a slight bow, introducing himself: “Jiang Xunye, welcome back to the country.”
“Thank you, Young Master Jiang.” Jiang Wenxi maintained her usual nonchalant air, though a faint hint of understanding flickered in her eyes.
From Jiang Xunye’s tone and posture, one could tell he was undoubtedly the eldest son of a family, on whom much hope was placed. The composure and sense of propriety in his words and actions were unmatched by any member of a collateral branch. Such a person, from birth, bore the heavy responsibility of continuing the family’s glory.
A few seconds of silence filled the private room. Apart from Ma Yun and Jiang Xunye, everyone else remained seated, their eyes flickering, but no one stepped forward to introduce themselves. Jiang Wenxi glanced at their seats; they were all in the corners furthest from the center, clearly not considered part of the upper class in this circle. She didn’t bother asking any more questions.
At that moment, Fu Siya smiled and pulled Jiang Wenxi’s wrist, leading her directly to the center of the sofa, then sitting intimately next to her. “Come on, Wenxi, sit here!”
Jiang Xunye naturally sat down to Jiang Wenxi’s right, his posture humble yet measured.
Fu Siya seemed to suddenly remember something, clapping her hands and excitedly saying to Ma Yun and Jiang Xunye, “Oh, right, I almost forgot to mention! Wenxi is from the same school as us!”
Upon hearing this, Ma Yun and Jiang Xunye’s gazes immediately fell on Jiang Wenxi, a mixture of surprise and expectation.
Jiang Wenxi met their gazes and said calmly, “Yes, I study finance.”
Upon hearing this, the two exchanged a smile, their surprise vanishing and replaced by understanding.