Chapter 52 Engagement Banquet (Part Two) As her gaze swept over those almost side-by-side…

Zhou Xubai tightened his grip on her hand slightly, his warm palm firmly enveloping her slightly cool fingertips, conveying an undeniable sense of support. His gaze remained gentle on her profile, his voice low and steady, like the most reliable anchor, trying to steady her momentarily wavering mind: "It's alright." His tone was resolute, carrying a comforting power: "I'm here for you."

He turned slightly to shield her from some of her gaze, and continued in a low but clear voice, "Don't overthink it. Just follow the banquet's agenda, keep smiling, greet people, and leave the rest to me."

His voice seemed to possess a magical power, subtly dispelling some of the sudden panic in her heart. Lin Yuwei took a deep breath, and with the strength from Zhou Xubai's hand, slowly raised her head, her elegant and poised smile returning. However, beneath that smile lay a forced smile that only Zhou Xubai could sense.

From the moment Gu Qingyan stepped into the banquet hall, his deep eyes, like a hawk locking onto its target, pierced through the clinking glasses of the crowd, remaining fixed on that swaying white figure, never wavering. His gaze was complex and melancholic, intertwined with unspeakable pain and obsession.

The toasting ceremony began as scheduled.

Since Lin Yulan was still recovering and should not move around too much, Zhou's mother considerately stayed at the main table to eat and chat with her. Zhou's father, with a smile on his face, personally accompanied the newlyweds, going from table to table to offer toasts, showing both respect and support for the young couple.

Soon, the three arrived at the table where the Qi family, a family with long-standing friendship, were seated.

Zhou Xubai, with an impeccable, gentle smile on his face, raised his glass first and spoke in a clear voice, "Uncle Qi, Aunt Qi, Xueqing, thank you for coming." His gaze seemingly casually swept over Gu Qingyan beside Qi Xueqing, carrying a hint of scrutiny, but his tone remained calm and proper: "President Gu, I didn't expect you to grace us with your presence. It's a pleasant surprise. Welcome. And you and Xueqing, what's this...?" He cleverly posed the question, probing the relationship between the two.

Gu Qingyan's lips tightened slightly. He raised his glass in return, his voice devoid of emotion, yet carrying a hint of aloofness and coldness: "President Zhou, you're too kind. I am, after all, a client and important partner of Shiguang. It's only natural that I should come and share in the joy of your big day." He deftly deflected the issue, completely avoiding the question of his relationship with Qi Xueqing, responding only as a business partner, clearly drawing a clear line between them.

At this moment, Zhou's father walked up to his old friend Qi's father with a smile and laughed loudly, "I'll be staying for a while this time. After the banquet, we two old brothers must get together properly, go hiking and fishing, we can't miss any of it!" Qi's father was beaming, clearly in a very good mood: "Of course! I've been waiting for you to say that!"

Mr. Zhou turned his gaze to Qi Xueqing and praised, "Xueqing is getting more and more beautiful as she grows up. I heard she's now the editor-in-chief of the Mingchuan Daily? She's truly young and promising, a force to be reckoned with!" His tone was warm, with the teasing of an elder: "Looks like Xueqing is also getting married soon? This future son-in-law is indeed a handsome and talented man. When the time comes, it will be my turn to drink your wedding wine!"

Enjoying the envious glances from those around him, Mr. Qi waved his hand modestly, saying, "Oh dear, it's the children's own business. How can anyone say for sure? Let them be!"

Mr. Zhou smiled and nodded in agreement, then gestured to Zhou Xubai and Lin Yuwei: "Come on, Xubai, Weiwei, quickly toast Uncle Qi."

Lin Yuwei subconsciously looked up at Zhou's father's voice. When her gaze swept over Qi Xueqing and Gu Qingyan, who were standing almost side by side and looked particularly well-matched, the color drained from her face instantly. Her fingertips trembled violently, and the clear champagne in her glass rippled slightly. Almost by instinct, she forcibly suppressed the shock and pain churning in her heart, quickly lowered her eyes, and her thick eyelashes trembled like butterfly wings.

When she looked up again, Lin Yuwei had already quickly put on that appropriate and beautiful mask, her smile flawless, her voice soft and gentle: "Thank you for your presence, Uncle Qi." After toasting, she almost couldn't wait to follow Zhou Xubai to the next table of guests, her movements slightly hurried.

The next table of guests was positioned directly behind Gu Qingyan, inevitably requiring Lin Yuwei to pass by him. She deliberately turned slightly to the side, seemingly focusing all her attention on the path ahead and on Zhou Xubai, her gaze never wavering, perfectly avoiding any contact with that burning gaze. She forcefully suppressed her momentary lapse in composure, so quickly it seemed like merely an illusion to an observer.

However, her deliberately calm demeanor and her complete aloofness, treating him as if he were invisible, stung Gu Qingyan more than any intense reaction. It was like a bucket of ice-cold water poured down on the faint flame in his heart that refused to be extinguished, leaving only a bone-chilling cold and dying wisps of smoke.

Gu Qingyan's jawline tightened into a cold, hard arc, and his fingers holding the wine glass trembled slightly. Qi Xueqing, who was standing to the side, took in all his subtle reactions. A barely perceptible smile curved her lips as she leaned in and whispered very softly in his ear, "Don't rush, wait a little longer. The more she deliberately ignores you, the more it proves that she cares about you."

After toasting and thanking all the guests, the wave of socializing temporarily came to an end. Lin Yuwei went to the restroom to touch up her makeup. Her makeup in the mirror was still very exquisite, so she took out her lipstick from her handbag and carefully outlined her lips. The newly added bright red color was eye-catching, as if it had strengthened her armor. She put the lipstick back in her bag, washed her hands, and prepared to leave. Just then, an elegant figure appeared in the mirror. Qi Xueqing walked in slowly and stood calmly in front of the sink next to her. She also took out her exquisite lipstick and carefully touched up her makeup.

"A very grand engagement banquet, the Zhou family really put in a lot of effort." Qi Xueqing's gaze fell on Lin Yuwei's face through the mirror. Her tone was calm, but it contained a hidden sharpness: "Brother Xubai is really impeccable, isn't he? Handsome, considerate, thoughtful, and from a good family, he is the marriage partner that every girl dreams of."

Lin Yuwei turned off the tap, the sound of running water abruptly ceasing. She pulled out a tissue and slowly and meticulously dried her fingers one by one. Then, she looked up, meeting Qi Xueqing's probing gaze through the mirror, a cold smile curving her lips: "Of course, meeting Xu Bai is my good fortune. However, our union has nothing to do with those so-called 'hard conditions' you just listed. Speaking of which, according to the standards you, Editor-in-Chief Qi, wouldn't President Gu be a better fit for your requirements? Rich, handsome, and exceptionally capable, he must also be very 'considerate'." She steered the conversation back to Qi Xueqing, with a hint of retaliation.

Qi Xueqing hadn't expected such a direct and sharp rebuttal, even bringing up Gu Qingyan again without any hesitation, and her expression clearly froze for a moment. She quickly adjusted herself, turned around, and leaned elegantly against the sink, her gaze becoming more aggressive as she tried to regain the initiative: "Sharp-tongued. I just feel that you don't look like you're immersed in happiness; there's a forced look in your eyes, more like you're putting on a perfect performance that you have to act out."

Lin Yuwei turned around to face Qi Xueqing directly. She straightened her back, her eyes sharp as knives, not backing down at all: "Editor-in-Chief Qi is probably suffering from an occupational hazard, used to digging into and imagining other people's stories. But please don't bring your set of speculations and judgments into my private life. Whether I am happy or not, and what I am like, I don't need to prove it to outsiders, much less need you to stamp and determine it."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable, cold strength: "As for the performance? I think the 'tacit understanding' between Miss Qi and President Gu just now was more like a carefully choreographed, attention-grabbing act. But I'll say it again, you two are a perfect match, and I sincerely wish you all the best." She deliberately emphasized the word "sincerely," which sounded more like sarcasm.

Lin Yuwei's words were like cold stones, striking precisely at Qi Xueqing's intentions, leaving her speechless and unable to find a more effective point of attack. Lin Yuwei didn't give her a chance to organize her thoughts, deftly picking up her handbag, her tone distant and polite: "If there's nothing else, please excuse me, Xu Bai is still waiting for me."

After saying that, she didn't look at Qi Xueqing's reaction anymore, and walked out of the bathroom with steady and resolute steps, leaving Qi Xueqing alone in front of the mirror, her face turning red and blue.

****

Lin Yulan sat upright at the main table, smiling as she responded to Zhou's mother's conversation about gardening, but her mind had already wandered far away. Her sharp gaze was subtly fixed on Gu Qingyan not far away, taking in his undisguised, melancholic gaze fixed on her daughter. Gu Qingyan's overly focused, almost obsessive gaze on Lin Yuwei set off alarm bells in her heart, fearing that this man who had caused her daughter so much pain in the past might cause trouble tonight and ruin this marriage that she had so gladly wanted.

She found a moment to gracefully turn to Zhou's mother and said with a smile, "Mother-in-law, please sit down. It's rare for me to see so many relatives and friends, so I need to catch up with them so they won't say that this old woman is putting on airs." Zhou's mother naturally smiled and nodded.

Lin Yulan, holding a glass of champagne, first exchanged pleasantries with several familiar relatives for a while, laughing and chatting, but her eyes remained fixed on Gu Qingyan's movements. Finally, she gracefully turned and walked towards the young man standing alone in the corner, exuding an aura of coldness that kept strangers at bay.

"Qingyan, it's been a long time." Her voice was gentle, and she began with the usual small talk: "How is your mother doing lately? It's been quite a few years since we last saw each other."

Gu Qingyan withdrew his gaze from the distance and turned it to Lin Yulan. The melancholy in his eyes instantly turned into a cold politeness. He nodded slightly and said in a distant and indifferent tone, "Thanks to Mrs. Lin, she is doing well."