Chapter 48 Perhaps, his letting go was the best thing for Wen Yuwei...
The awards banquet was held on the night of the exhibition.
The apartment of Shen Jinhuai was brightly lit.
Wen Yu stood in front of the dressing mirror, looking at herself in the mirror.
The girl in the mirror was wearing a smoky gray off-shoulder dress, the delicate pearlescent fabric outlining Wen Yu's slender yet graceful figure.
The dress was designed and made by Shen Jinhuai for Wen Yu in advance. It was understated and elegant, making Wen Yu's already fair skin look even more radiant.
"Our Xiaoyu is so beautiful."
Shen Jinhuai was dressed in a custom-made black suit today, with an upright posture and a refined temperament.
He gently kissed Wen Yu on the top of her head: "You're sure to be the center of attention tonight. I'm already starting to get jealous."
Wen Yu was taken aback. After realizing what Shen Jinhuai meant, she embarrassedly punched his chest, but her heart was beating faster involuntarily.
Tonight is not only the moment when "Chasing the Light" will face its final judgment, but it is also very likely the moment when Zhou Yingchen will launch his attack.
Zhou Shiye's words, "Be careful of my brother," were like a thorn, constantly pricking Wen Yu's nerves.
"nervous?"
A deep, familiar voice reached Wen Yu's ears, and she nodded honestly, "A little."
Shen Jinhuai held Wen Yu's hand tightly.
The man's palm was warm and dry, carrying a reassuring strength: "Remember, no matter what happens, you just need to be yourself, say what you want to say, and do what you want to do. Don't worry about anything else."
"Um."
Wen Yu took a deep breath, and the restlessness in her heart strangely subsided a lot.
A moment later, Wen Yu took Shen Jinhuai's hand and smiled slightly: "Let's go."
The dinner was held in the exhibition hall on the top floor of the city art museum.
Inside, art world celebrities, collectors, critics, and various media outlets gathered together, exchanging toasts and enjoying the elegant atmosphere.
Shen Jinhuai and Wen Yu entered the venue, immediately attracting a lot of attention.
Wen Yu quickly spotted Zhou Yingchen in the crowd.
He stood alone by the window a short distance away, holding a glass of champagne, his gaze piercing through the crowd to meet Wen Yu's eyes.
The next moment, Zhou Yingchen's gaze toward Wen Yu was blocked by Shen Jinhuai's tall and imposing figure.
In the shadow behind a huge Roman column, Zhou Shiye leaned against the column, holding a glass of whiskey in his hand.
He watched Wen Yu from afar.
Standing beside Shen Jinhuai, her profile was soft and focused, and under the dazzling lights, she was as beautiful as a painting.
Zhou Shiye's heart tightened.
A suffocating pain spread.
Zhou Shiye tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass in one gulp. The spicy liquid burned his throat, but he couldn't suppress the complex and indescribable emotions surging in his heart.
Zhou Shiye knew what his brother was going to do, and he also knew the potential harm and trouble that Wen Yu might suffer.
What should he do?
Would Wen Yu allow him to protect her?
Zhou Shiye gripped the empty wine glass tightly, his knuckles turning white.
Then, amidst a commotion among the crowd, a giant image appeared on the screen: Wen Yu's "Chasing the Light".
The images are full of emotion, and the powerful emotional force and unique visual language they contain are extremely impactful even through the screen.
Wen Yu held her breath, staring at her work on the screen, her palms sweating.
Shen Jinhuai placed his hand on Wen Yu's hand, and the warm, familiar body temperature was transmitted to her.
"Now I announce that the winner of the Gold Award at this year's Young Artists Exhibition is,"
The host deliberately dragged out the tone, whetting everyone's appetite.
The spotlight swept over the several popular nominees one by one, and finally settled on Wen Yu.
Wen Yu, artwork titled "Chasing the Light"
A round of enthusiastic applause erupted around her, and Wen Yu was momentarily dazed.
Shen Jinhuai turned his head and whispered in Wen Yu's ear, "See, I told you, you can do it."
Shen Jinhuai patted Wen Yu on the shoulder.
Wen Yu took a deep breath and, under everyone's gaze, lifted her skirt and walked step by step onto the stage.
The spotlight followed Wen Yu; her steps were unsteady, yet exceptionally firm.
As she received the weighty trophy and certificate from the presenter, Wen Yu stood in front of the microphone, looking at the countless faces below the stage.
She saw Shen Jinhuai's encouraging gaze, Zhou Yingchen's narrowed eyes, and Zhou Shiye's face, hidden in the shadows behind the pillar, his expression obscured.
Wen Yu steadied herself and spoke in a clear voice: "Thank you to the organizing committee, thank you to the judges for their recognition. Thank you to my alma mater, my mentors, and all my friends who have always supported me... For me, 'Chasing the Light' is more than just a painting; it's a record of my journey over a period of time. Thank you to everyone who has given me strength and light..."
At this point, Wen Yu's gaze fell on Shen Jinhuai, and she looked him in the eye: "I especially thank my husband, Mr. Shen Jinhuai."
Applause erupted again from the audience.
All eyes were on Wen Yu and Shen Jinhuai, the perfect couple.
At that moment, a tall figure walked straight onto the stage.
It was Zhou Yingchen.
The man, holding a document, approached Wen Yu and instantly attracted everyone's attention.
Wen Yu's heart sank, and her fingers tightened around the trophy.
Then, Shen Jinhuai, who was a step behind and also went on stage, grabbed his palm.
In the distance, Zhou Shiye, who was in the shadows, stood up straight.
He wanted to rush out, but he didn't dare, his nails digging deep into his palms.
On stage, Zhou Yingchen ignored the probing gazes and looked at Wen Yu, speaking calmly: "On this occasion, I represent the Zhou Group to fulfill the last wish of my late grandfather, Zhou Hancheng."
Zhou Yingchen slowly opened the document and continued, "Wen Yu, this is what your grandfather prepared for you personally before he passed away. It represents five percent of the shares in the Zhou Group. He instructed that when you come of age, are mature, and have achieved something in your own field of life, this will be the day he gives it to you."
"Today, you won the gold medal with your own strength and proved yourself. Now, it's time."
Before Zhou Yingchen could finish speaking, the entire audience erupted in uproar.
Five percent of the Zhou Group's shares? What an astonishing symbol of wealth and status that is!
All the cameras were pointed at Wen Yu, trying to capture every single expression on her face.
Wen Yu looked at the document handed to her, met Zhou Yingchen's indifferent and cold gaze, and understood what Zhou Shiye's reminder meant.
If Zhou Yingchen offered her something like this in this situation and she refused, she would naturally be accused by everyone of being pretentious and having a deep mind.
If she doesn't refuse, she'll be forever entangled with the Zhou family.
Wen Yu felt increasingly panicked.
The temperature of the palm that could be held grew hotter and hotter.
Wen Yu turned her head and saw Shen Jinhuai, who was holding her palm, nodding slightly at her.
"Just be yourself, say what you want to say, and do what you want to do. Don't worry about anything else."
Just before she was about to leave, Shen Jinhuai's words echoed in Wen Yu's ears.
Somehow, all the tension and anxiety from before subsided at this moment.
“Mr. Zhou, thank you for your kindness, Mr. Zhou and the Zhou family. However, I cannot accept this gift.”
Wen Yu took a deep breath, her tense tone conveying a polite distance: "And I think Grandpa Zhou will respect my choice."
Before Wen Yu could finish speaking, the entire banquet hall fell silent.
Everyone was stunned by Wen Yu's decisive and straightforward rejection.
Five percent of the Zhou Group's shares represent a level of wealth and status that many people dream of but can never attain even after several lifetimes of hard work.
She just rejected it so casually?
Under the spotlight, Wen Yu stood tall and straight, with clear eyes, exuding a calm and decisiveness beyond her years.
A crack appeared on Zhou Yingchen's calm and composed face.
He had anticipated that Wen Yu would resist in private, and even prepared a response to her private rejection. But Zhou Yingchen never expected that Wen Yu would refuse so directly and without mercy in such a grand setting, in front of all the celebrities and media.
This was tantamount to slapping the head of the Zhou Group in the face in public.
Zhou Yingchen tightened his grip on the document, his eyes surging with unbelievable anger.
But his long-cultivated composure allowed the man to barely maintain a facade of calm, though his voice was even colder than before: "Xiaoyu, this is Grandpa's gift. He loved you the most when he was alive, and this is the guarantee he left for you."
Upon hearing this, Wen Yu tugged at the corners of her mouth, her smile faint: "President Zhou, I appreciate Grandpa Zhou's kindness. But I want to earn my own life and my own security through my own hard work, rather than relying on a share of stock that I have never put in any effort for."
"Well said."
Someone in the audience gave a low cheer, breaking the tense atmosphere.
Then, scattered applause began, gradually growing into a continuous burst.
There was approval of Wen Yu's choice, but even more so, admiration for her courage.
In this arena of fame and fortune, there are far too few young people who can soberly resist enormous temptations.
Shen Jinhuai stood to the side, looking at the girl who was shining under the spotlight, his eyes filled with pride.
This is his girl.
Zhou Yingchen's face darkened completely.
But he knew that if the stalemate continued, it would only make the Zhou family and him, Zhou Ying, a laughing stock.
Zhou Yingshen gripped the document in his hand tightly again, his deep voice carrying an barely suppressed chill: "Since this is your choice,"
"I respect that."
The man gave Wen Yu a deep look, his eyes filled with complex and unreadable emotions.
A moment later, Zhou Yingchen turned around and strode out of the banquet hall amidst the varied gazes of the crowd.
The host, a seasoned veteran, quickly stepped in to smooth things over, skillfully steer the conversation back to the art itself, and announced that the dinner would now proceed to a free discussion session.
The music started playing again, quickly dispelling the sudden awkwardness.
Wen Yu held the trophy and certificate, and Shen Jinhuai put his arm around her waist as they walked off the stage together.
"Xiaoyu, that's great."
Shen Jinhuai whispered in Wen Yu's ear, his tone full of certainty.
Wen Yu leaned against Shen Jinhuai, belatedly feeling a wave of exhaustion.
But what follows is the relief of being relieved of a heavy burden.
Wen Yu looked up at Shen Jinhuai, her eyes sparkling: "I think I really don't care anymore."
"Um,"
Shen Jinhuai placed a kiss on Wen Yu's forehead: "You are free."
From this moment on, Wen Yu not only gained recognition in art, but also truly severed the ropes that the Zhou family had tried to bind her with everything.
A few minutes later, in the car outside the banquet hall.
Wen Yu leaned back in her chair, clutching the heavy gold medal trophy tightly in her arms, and her tense shoulders and neck relaxed.
The dim light inside the car outlined the soft contours of her profile, and in the girl's clear eyes was a serene tranquility.
Are you tired?
Shen Jinhuai reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind Wen Yu's ear: "Going home?"
Wen Yu nodded: "It seems... a major battle was fought."
It's not just a competition, but a direct confrontation with the past and the Zhou family's invisible control.
"Xiaoyu won, and she won beautifully."
Shen Jinhuai held Wen Yu's hand, their fingertips intertwining: "After tonight, everyone will know that the name Wen Yu represents yourself, undeniable talent, not anyone's appendage."
Upon hearing this, Wen Yu grasped Shen Jinhuai's warm, dry hand in return, her heart clear and free: "Actually, when I was standing on the stage, I was quite scared at first, especially Zhou Yingchen's eyes, which made me feel like I dared not refuse."
Wen Yu said in a very soft voice, "But I still refused, and at that moment, it felt like I finally let go of something I had been carrying for a long time."
The burden of blank memories has vanished.
Wen Yu leaned against Shen Jinhuai, feeling a joy she had never experienced before.
"Yes, things will only get better from now on."
Shen Jinhuai gazed at the girl in his arms, his heart filled with tenderness.
His girl finally broke free from her thick cocoon and flew towards her own sky with fully grown wings.
In another car not far away, Zhou Shiye witnessed the entire scene.
Recalling Wen Yu's resolute rejection on stage, and looking at the car in the distance, Wen Yu took the initiative to kiss Shen Jinhuai, while Zhou Shiye gripped the steering wheel tightly.
Logically, he should be happy to see his brother's plan fail.
Seeing Shen Jinhuai being kissed by Wen Yu, he must have been furious.
But why did he feel more relieved than anything else?
Relieved that Wen Yu had abandoned him and Zhou Yingchen without hesitation, she realized even more that he, too, should make a change.
Zhou Shiye had always believed that Shen Jinhuai was the one separating him from Wen Yu.
But now he realized that what separated them was Wen Yu, who had already flown to a vast sky he could never reach.
All of Wen Yu's madness and obsession were always just constraints.
It's a complete joke.
Perhaps he was wrong from the very beginning.
That's ridiculously wrong.
After an unknown amount of time, Zhou Shiye picked up his phone.
On the screen in my hand is Wen Yu's bright, unblemished smile as she turned back in the sunlight when she first came to the Zhou family a few years ago.
Zhou Shiye stretched out his finger and stroked the girl's smile on the screen. After a long while, the man closed his eyes and pressed the delete key with trembling fingertips.
Perhaps, his letting go is the only gift Wen Yu is willing to accept.
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