Chapter 87

As Ye Yunjian's voice rang out, the woman in the crowd turned around as if by telepathy, her pale lips curving slightly, and she nodded almost imperceptibly as a greeting. Lu Shangyi seemed more beautiful today than ever before.

Even though her facial features haven't changed much, she's still captivating.

In the dazzling, bright light that poured down like milk, her skin seemed even whiter, her hair even blacker, and her delicate, deep features even more three-dimensional. Every cell in her body exuded a fatal allure.

Lu Shangyi was understatedly beautiful tonight, breathtakingly beautiful; just one more glance and it felt like one's soul was about to float away.

Qiao Yu nodded involuntarily, but fortunately, she realized her mistake just before speaking and managed to shut her mouth, preventing any major disaster. However, even though she realized her mistake in time, Ye Yunjian easily saw through her thoughts.

Children are not good at hiding their thoughts; whatever their emotions are, they are always written on their faces, and parents can guess their thoughts almost perfectly easily.

Just like now, it's obvious that the other party has been seduced by Lu Shangyi.

With her slightly widened almond-shaped eyes gazing at people with a dreamy look, Ye Yunjian had no doubt that if there were no other unimportant people around, Qiao Yu would definitely pounce on him with drool in her eyes. Young people these days are all obsessed with looks, and Qiao Yu was no exception.

Although Lu Shangyi was low-key tonight, she was indeed radiant.

It wasn't a change in appearance, but rather an aura emanating from within, as if from the soul and bones, that made people involuntarily captivated by her and willingly fall at her feet.

Ye Yunjian was a little puzzled. Could Lu Shenghui's accident have such a big impact on Lu Shangyi?

However, upon reflection, it seemed there was a clue. Back then, Lu Shangyi was full of vigor and ambition, while Lu Shenghui could only live in her shadow. But after Lu Shangyi's accident, the siblings' positions and circumstances reversed. Lu Shenghui became the successful child in other people's families, while Lu Shangyi remained unknown, and for the first few years, there was no news of her at all.

If she didn't occasionally show her face, almost everyone would suspect that she had been secretly killed by Lu Shenghui.

Now that the obstacle that had been suppressing Lu Shangyi's brilliance has been removed, the woman, who was already radiant, should naturally revert to her original dazzling appearance... no, even more so than before. So many years have passed, and the woman has matured completely; both her looks and her demeanor are now top-tier.

This sharp and assertive demeanor, compared to her previous humble and dignified manner, certainly possesses a more captivating power.

Even so, Ye Yunjian approached the distracted girl, took her hand and placed it on his arm, smiling tenderly, "Let's go."

Where to?

“Go over and say hello,” Ye Yunjian said with a smile. “Didn’t you really want to talk to her?”

Qiao Yu was speechless. Had they been found out? She cleared her throat and chuckled awkwardly, "Actually, there's no rush." ​​There were so many people surrounding Lu Shangyi right now. Even if they went over, they wouldn't be able to say much. So it was better to wait until Lu Shangyi had a little more free time before going.

Clearly, Ye Yunjian hadn't considered all that. She had been in a high position for many years and always did whatever she pleased, and no one dared to stop her.

The moment someone of Ye Yunjian's status appeared, people would instinctively make way for her, afraid of blocking her path. Now, as she strode aggressively toward Lu Shangyi, those around her hurriedly retreated to the side, ready to watch the show. It's said that two tigers cannot share one mountain; how could the established power to which Ye Yunjian belonged allow such an uncertain figure as Lu Shangyi to threaten their interests?

The current balance of power is entirely beneficial to Ye Yunjian.

Everyone knew that the changes in the Lu family would cause some conflicts, but no one expected the show to start so quickly.

Everyone quickly lowered their voices, their eyes involuntarily following Ye Yunjian's movements until Lu Shangyi's calm, composed face came into view. The two were about to face each other, and the onlookers were even more nervous than the two people involved themselves.

The outcome of their reactions today will determine the future situation in the capital, and will also affect which side each party chooses and how they weigh their interests.

Lu Shangyi watched Ye Yunjian approach quietly. His deep eyes first glanced at Qiao Yu before he spoke first, "Good evening."

Her gentle and polite demeanor caused Ye Yunjian to involuntarily raise an eyebrow, remaining silent for a moment. Qiao Yu, after observing Lu Shangyi for a long time and noticing Ye Yunjian's unusual behavior, instantly turned her head away, her eyes filled with doubt.

Faced with her silent question, Ye Yunjian blinked irritably, "Busy?"

"It's alright, just chatting with everyone." Lu Shangyi smiled more, her slender fingers holding the invitation in a gesture of invitation. She politely asked, "Would you like to sit down over there?"

"Sitting down for a while" was just an excuse; the real purpose was to get rid of the small talk and flattery. Ye Yunjian, not wanting to waste time with unnecessary pleasantries, readily agreed, "Okay."

The onlookers were somewhat bewildered by the polite couple, exchanging glances and seeing a hint of suspicion in each other's eyes. However, Ye Yunjian exuded an aura of "I'm not someone to be trifled with," so most people didn't dare approach her easily, much less go up to her and ask about her plans.

Thanks to Ye Yunjian, the three of them were able to get the front-row seats arranged by the organizers. Being both in the front and in the center ensured the best view and highlighted their status.

Qiao Yu never expected to be so lucky...

Caught between Lu Shangyi and Ye Yunjian.

Her lips twitched uncontrollably twice, and she immediately felt the deep malice emanating from the organizer's staff.

As she sat down, Qiao Yu, almost unconsciously, glanced at the nameplates next to Lu Shangyi and Ye Yunjian. Two names she knew all too well were written on them: Bai Yiyu and Song Wanzi. The six Chinese characters were written in neat and precise regular script, making them perfectly clear.

Qiao Yu's vision went black for a moment. "?"

Clearly, Lu Shangyi and Ye Yunjian had also noticed the two familiar faces. They glanced at the trembling Qiao Yu with half-smiles, kindly refraining from further intimidation. There was no need to intimidate her anyway; once Bai Yiyu and Song Wanzi arrived, even if she wanted to feel at ease, she would likely be powerless to do so.

Because Qiao Yu was sandwiched between the two men, they moved forward slightly and chatted casually through her as if no one else was around.

Although Lu Shangyi posed a great threat to Ye Yunjian tonight, Ye Yunjian was not afraid of her. The Ye family had developed under her leadership for so many years and was no longer the fragmented entity it once was. No matter how well Lu Shangyi hid herself and how many tricks she had up her sleeve abroad, it was a pipe dream to shake her foundation in a short period of time.

"If you have time, please give my regards to Lu Shenghui," Ye Yunjian said first. "I am very sorry to hear this news."

She spoke of regret, but her tone revealed no trace of remorse; her indifferent manner was utterly cold. Lu Shangyi smiled, "Then I'll thank President Ye on his behalf."

"No need to thank me." Ye Yunjian, who had been speaking lightly just a moment ago, suddenly changed his demeanor. On the surface, he seemed concerned, but it was more like he was testing the waters as he slowly and deliberately asked, "Have things been settled at home?"

Lu Shangyi's deep eyes narrowed slightly, but he remained calm and composed. "Not yet."

She suddenly glanced at Qiao Yu's face and said, "It's a little unexpected."

Ye Yunjian paused for a moment, then looked at Qiao Yu. After a while, she guessed the reason and smiled meaningfully, "That's a bit troublesome."

Jiang Mei's feelings for Qiao Yu were obvious to everyone, not to mention that she had previously expressed her feelings in public with a seemingly impulsive and sincere passion. With such a devoted young woman standing between Lu Shangyi and Qiao Yu... even Lu Shangyi dared not make any rash moves.

Ye Yunjian suddenly developed a liking for Jiang Mei.

With Jiang Mei keeping things in check, even if Lu Shangyi were to become a universally adored flower today, she wouldn't be able to make a ripple. Thinking this, Ye Yunjian's smile deepened. Although Qiao Yu was constantly keeping an eye on the two of them out of the corner of her eye, she was still quite puzzled by Ye Yunjian's expression.

Lu Shangyi merely moved her lips slightly in response, without making any further movements. This action made Ye Yunjian's thoughts become slightly more cautious.

It's better to be safe than sorry; we must always be wary that Lu Shangyi may have a backup plan.

The fact that the two hadn't clashed yet was causing some disappointment. Ye Yunjian's thoughts were always hard to fathom. Over the years, she had maintained her position and always acted as she pleased. Her current attitude left them unsure whether she harbored any hostility towards Lu Shangyi, which made them anxious.

Once Lu Shangyi takes power, she will definitely make an example of someone, especially families who used to have a good relationship with Lu Shenghui.

Most of the people present had worked with Lu Shenghui before.

If Ye Yunjian didn't want to deal with Lu Shangyi, and even wanted to join forces with her... just thinking about it made them tremble with fear. With Ye Yunjian around, those people from the Lu family probably wouldn't be able to control Lu Shangyi so easily.

As soon as Song Wanzi arrived, she noticed that the atmosphere was a bit subtle. She casually touched her newly styled long, wavy hair, and then swept her beautiful, electrifying eyes across the crowd. With her signature glamorous and charming smile, a large group of men and women stared at her in a daze, as if they had lost their souls.

She randomly selected a young, lucky girl, and walked over gracefully in her high heels, speaking softly and slowly, "Hello."

The other person instinctively held their breath and stared blankly at her, 'Y-hello.'

"Have you met Qiao Yu?" Tilting her head, Song Wanzi added, "She's Qiao Jinghuai's daughter, the one who differentiated into EGA at her coming-of-age ceremony."

"Did she come today?"

The other person used the last vestiges of their rationality to think for a moment, "It seems she's here." He frowned, confirming that he had seen her that evening, "but she arrived with President Ye."

Song Wanzi's smile deepened. "Thank you."

She had already walked far away, and the man was still in a daze. It wasn't until a soft murmur beside her brought her back to her senses that abruptly ended her reverie, "Ye Yunjian, Lu Shangyi, Song Wanzi, Qiao Yu, and Bai Yiyu, who hasn't arrived yet—all these prominent families are here..."

That's right. Although Qiao Jinghuai and his wife didn't come in person, everyone could see how much they doted on their daughter.

Let alone Qiao Yu wanting to be close to someone else, even if she wanted the stars in the sky, the couple would pluck them down for her!

Qiao Yu didn't know how much misunderstanding others had about her parents, but she knew that if she asked her mother for the stars in the sky, her mother would definitely say without hesitation: "You look like a gorilla to me."

Song Wanzi found the three people without much effort, and blinked in surprise, "You're here too."

Lu Shangyi looked up. "Yeah, I just arrived."

Staring at Song Wanzi, who was heavily made up and particularly eye-catching, Lu Shangyi relaxed her posture a little. Song Wanzi glanced at her seat, lifted her skirt and sat down next to Lu Shangyi, but after sitting for a while, she moved her chair to sit to Qiao Yu's right and in front of her, "Why is this little kid coming to a charity gala instead of studying properly?"

Are you confident that you will get into Peking University with the highest score?

Qiao Yu suddenly felt a headache coming on, and shook her head listlessly. She sincerely said, "Jiang Mei is better than me."

Song Wanzi immediately glanced at Lu Shangyi. How could she possibly shower him with compliments?

But Lu Shangyi's expression did improve considerably, and she even offered a seemingly insincere reassurance to Song Wanzi, "With my guidance, it's not impossible for you to surpass her if you work hard for a few months."

"How can that be? Genes are ingrained in our bones; some things can't be achieved through effort alone."

The two of them were exchanging barbs, and Ye Yunjian's eyelids were practically twitching from listening. He interrupted them, displeased, "Lu Shangyi has tutored you. If you still can't get first place, then it's the problem between the two of you."

Lu Shangyi: "?"

Qiao Yu: "???"

Song Wanzi laughed out loud without giving any face, "President Ye is right. Shang Yi is a genius who is one in a million, and President Qiao and Mrs. Qiao are also quite intelligent, so if you can't even compare to Jiang Mei..."

She smiled gently, "There is indeed a problem."

Qiao Yu: "..." Jiang Mei is the female lead, how can they be the same?

She was suffering terribly; she suddenly felt that her life was more bitter than a bitter gourd.

She felt trapped by Ye Yunjian, yet she couldn't refute him. Perhaps because her expression was too mournful, Ye Yunjian changed his posture and spoke in a reluctant tone, "However..." She tapped her thigh lightly with her fingertips twice, "If I have free time, I can also help tutor you."

Upon hearing this, Song Wanzi immediately replied, "You can come to me too."

Bai Yiyu had just arrived. Although she didn't know what the group was talking about, she couldn't miss it, so she casually chimed in, "Me too."

Qiao Yu turned around, "?"

Author's Note: Today's update is late, but it's here.