Chapter 97 Blood Relations

The Rong family acted swiftly, quickly sending out invitations to Rong Lan's birthday banquet to various people in high society whom they knew or had worked with, including entrepreneurs.

Bai Yujin received one, and Yan Yu also received an invitation from the Rong family.

In previous years, Yan Yu would have given him face and let it pass, but this year he didn't have that mind. His mind was filled with negativity and sadness over the fact that Shen Jin had left him, and every night when he went to sleep, he seemed to dream of that person gradually moving away.

He firmly believed he would see Chen Jin again, but deep down he feared that their last parting was forever...

“No, since someone is with him, they won’t let anything happen to him easily,” Yan Yu shook his head, interrupting his own thought, which only made him afraid and feel utterly powerless. “I’ll definitely see him again…”

Bai Yujin sent him that video about Shen Jin, and he watched it over and over again. He knew that he had met someone who was kind to him and had taken him away from the city.

However, Yan Yu checked all the flights during that period, but he couldn't find the name Shen Jin. Even if he did find it, it wasn't a single person, which left him helpless and unable to figure out where Shen Jin had gone.

Therefore, Yan Yu deduced that the person who took Shen Jin away must have a certain status and position. So, who could it be?

In the end, Shen Jin was just an orphan. How could he know those people?

Yan Yu couldn't understand it and went to find Shen Lian many times, hoping she could provide some help. But she knew nothing and it was a waste of breath to talk to her.

"The Rong family's birthday banquet..." Yan Yu held the invitation, gently stroking it with his fingertips, then chuckled and shrugged, "What does it have to do with me? I'm not going this time. Find someone to represent me."

Yan Cheng stood before him, his face grim, his eyes narrowed, and he asked coldly, "What did you say?"

Unlike Yan Yu, Yan Cheng cared about fame, fortune, status, the position of his company and family, and so-called face. Therefore, he always avoided high society occasions.

Therefore, now that Yan Yu says he won't go, how could he possibly agree?

“I said I’m not going this time, or you can go. It’s not like I haven’t been before.” Yan Yu didn’t look at his expression and said to himself, “It’s too far from here, I don’t have time to go.”

"You don't have time? You have the nerve to say you don't have time?" Yan Cheng looked at him in disbelief, slamming his hand hard on the table, his face grim. "Your so-called lack of time is nothing more than wanting to find that Chen Jin! Are you crazy?!"

By this time, Yan Yu had gotten used to his father's various scoldings and had long since become accustomed to them, so he didn't take it seriously at this moment. He simply said in a deep voice, "I'm already over twenty years old. I know how to handle my own affairs. You don't need to interfere like this."

"You bastard! You think you're all grown up now?" Yan Cheng restrained himself from throwing another punch and asked angrily, "Don't you like men? Isn't Xie Li good enough? Our two families will have a matchmaking event if you get engaged to him. Don't tell me you don't know how much profit is involved!"

“I understand.” Yan Yu met his gaze without flinching. “It’s just that I have no feelings for him anymore, that’s all. I don’t want to have anything to do with him anymore. We’ve completely broken up, and I hope you can understand that.”

Veins bulged on Yan Cheng's forehead, and his eyes seemed to be burning with fire. He questioned with great restraint, "Do you know what you're saying?!"

“I know what I’m talking about,” Yan Yu looked at him, his eyes very clear, and told him word by word, “I also know what I’m doing, so you don’t need to interfere in my love life anymore.”

"You, you, you!" Yan Cheng stared at him through gritted teeth, pointing at his face and stammering for a while, "You bastard!"

Yan Yu was already used to these insults and didn't take them too seriously. He just rubbed his temples wearily and said indifferently, "In short, I won't be going to the Rong family's birthday party this time, that's all."

After saying this, Yan Yu got up and left, ignoring the furious Yan Cheng behind him. Now, all he wanted to do was do what he liked, and as for the rest, so be it.

He wanted to find Shen Jin, no matter what, he had to find him, that was all.

The moment Yan Yu pushed open the door, he paused slightly. He saw Xie Li standing not far in front of him, looking at him hesitantly, avoiding his gaze.

Yan Yu paused, this was the first time he had seen Xie Li since their falling out.

Now that things have come to this, Yan Yu found himself speechless upon seeing Xie Li again. So he simply turned his head, put his hands in his pockets, and walked away, ignoring Xie Li's presence.

Xie Li's gaze turned cold, a hint of icy glint flashing across his eyes. He softly called out behind him, "A-Yu..."

Yan Yu ignored him and continued walking forward, while Xie Li followed.

Yan Yu thought that perhaps he had something to say to him, so when they reached a quiet, deserted place, he stopped and coldly asked, "Where else do you think you're going with me?"

Xie Li gritted his teeth, but now he could only pretend to be weak and pitiful. He called out to him softly again, and said with some self-reproach, "I know I was wrong. Please don't be angry anymore, okay? I was just momentarily blinded by greed. I know I was wrong..."

Although Xie Li now harbors more resentment towards Yan Yu and is somewhat unwilling to accept it, he also knows that continuing to treat Yan Yu like a stranger will not help him, since the more he does that, the harder it will be to get close to him.

"I don't want to see you right now, get out." Yan Yu said expressionlessly, his eyes staring blankly ahead, without the slightest emotional fluctuation.

The person he once treated like a precious treasure is now nothing to him.

"A-Yu..." Xie Li called out again, and before Yan Yu could speak again, he quickly said, "For the sake of our years of friendship, please don't be so heartless, okay? I've been reflecting on this lately, and I know it's my fault..."

Before he could finish his prepared lines, Yan Yu sneered, cutting him off. He turned to look at him and asked with a hint of sarcasm, "Is it your problem?"

Xie Li pursed his lips: "I...I know what I did back then..."

"So what are you trying to say?" Yan Yu sneered coldly. "At this point, anything you say is just nonsense and won't change anything. We've already become what we are now. Even if you think you're wrong, what can you do? Shen Jin still hasn't been found."

Yan Yu knew that he also had many, many mistakes, so she couldn't wait to find Shen Jin, to apologize to him, and to have a chance to repent...

"But..." Xie Li gritted her teeth, trying to say something more, "I..."

“No buts,” Yan Yu said firmly, “My hatred for you will not disappear until the ashes are found.”

After saying that, he left without looking back, leaving Xie Li standing there blankly, his face pale.

The Luo family naturally received an invitation as well, which Rong Lan himself delivered. He knew that Shen Jin was at the Luo family, so he came to check on him. For some reason, Shen Jin took a liking to him as soon as he saw him and kept pulling him along, talking about things that were completely different from what he was doing.

At the same time, Shen Jin excitedly asked him, "By the way, when can I meet your mother? You mean the one I talked to on the phone? I haven't met her yet, and I'm so upset."

Luo Zheng frowned after hearing this, looked at Shen Jin, then at Rong Lan, and after pondering for a while, asked him, "How is your mother's health? Is she feeling any better?"

“It’s alright, just get some rest,” Rong Lan smiled, knowing what he meant. “She’ll be at my birthday party, that’s the easiest time to see her, no need for all that trouble. Anyone who’s there with an invitation will see it, so…”

Rong Lan's gaze fell on Shen Jin, and she suddenly smiled: "So if you want to see her, come to my nineteenth birthday party. That way you can see her up close... Maybe it will be of some help to you."

"Really?" Shen Jin was so excited she almost jumped up. Her eyes sparkled as she grabbed his hand and asked joyfully, "I...I really can?! It's about seeing her?"

Seeing him laughing so happily, Rong Lan couldn't help but laugh along. There were always moments when he felt that he and Shen Jin were almost related by blood... But was that even possible?

Rong Lan didn't let herself think too much for the time being, and nodded with a smile: "Yeah, that's fine. It will be easy to see her then. If you want to talk to her, you can too. Although my mom doesn't usually like to meet people, she is still quite kind and easy to get along with."

"Okay, okay! I'll definitely go!" Shen Jin said with a smile. After saying that, he seemed to remember something and looked at Luo Zheng beside him, asking uncertainly, "Will...will you take me with you?"

"..." Luo Zheng smiled helplessly and teased, "Silly, of course I'll take you there, and I'll dress you up to look really handsome, okay?"

"Um, okay..." Shen Jin felt a little embarrassed by what he was being told, but the thought of seeing that person made him smile from the bottom of his heart.

When Luo Zheng returned to the hall, she found Luo Ya sitting in deep thought, staring blankly at Shen Jin's face, seemingly lost in thought. She asked softly, "What's wrong, sister?"

His words startled Loya, who quickly put the report she was holding into her bag and forced a smile: "It's alright, I think they really should meet with them..."