As the butler announced in a melodious voice, "Please welcome Miss—", the hall fell silent instantly, and everyone's eyes turned to the area behind the screen.
The footsteps were light and delicate, accompanied by the soft tinkling of jade pendants.
A slender figure gracefully stepped out.
She wore a light blue, traditional-style long dress, the hem embroidered with delicate orchids, which swayed gently with her steps, like a stream flowing silently under the moonlight.
Her long, jet-black hair was loosely tied into a bun, with a few playful strands falling onto her fair and delicate neck, adding a touch of effortless languid charm.
Her face was exquisitely beautiful, with a gentle and graceful air about her from the Jiangnan water towns. Her temperament was aloof and cool, like a secluded orchid blooming quietly in a valley, standing alone in the world.
The person who came was none other than Liu Qingyou, the second young lady of the Liu family.
She moved gracefully and unhurriedly to the center of the hall, and gave a slight curtsy to the matriarch in the main seat.
Then, she raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping across the room, passing over faces that were either amazed or greedy, before finally landing squarely on Qin Xiao.
A faint, gentle smile curved her lips almost imperceptibly upwards, and she nodded very slightly, like a gentle breeze across the water, as if to greet him.
That glance, that smile, though so subtle, seemed to instantly sweep through the entire hall like a spring breeze, making all the flowers pale in comparison.
A brief silence fell over the hall, followed by an even louder, buzzing discussion.
"My God! This is the second young lady of the Liu family? The rumors were indeed true!"
"So beautiful! Her aura... she's like a fairy who stepped out of a painting!"
"If I could marry a woman like that, I'd be willing to give up ten years of my life!"
Standing not far in front of Qin Xiao, the two young rich kids who had been secretly competing over the screen incident were now staring wide-eyed.
Upon noticing Liu Qingyou's seemingly casual gaze and smile, the two of them almost simultaneously straightened their backs and tidied their appearance.
One of the young men, with his slicked-back hair and flashy suit, immediately plastered a self-deluded, infatuated smile on his face and even secretly winked at Liu Qingyou.
"See? Miss Liu is looking at me! She must be interested in me!"
The man next to him, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and designer clothes, who looked more refined, immediately pushed up his glasses, his eyes behind the lenses filled with disdain and arrogance.
"Ha, you're clearly smiling at me! Why don't you take a piss and look at yourself in the mirror to see what kind of person you are?"
"Who are you calling immoral?" the slick-haired playboy snapped.
"I'm talking to you! What are you going to do about it?" The man with the gold-rimmed glasses stood his ground.
The two glared at each other, unable to exchange a word, and then, forgetting the occasion, they started fighting!
All notions of gentlemanly conduct and family dignity were thrown to the winds. Like street thugs, they rolled and tore at each other on the gleaming marble floor, their necks locked tightly together, their faces turning a deep purplish-red.
The surrounding guests were stunned; no one had expected such a scene to unfold.
The guards of the Liu residence reacted swiftly, immediately stepping forward and forcibly separating the two men who were rolling around on the ground. Ignoring their continued filthy curses, they dragged them out of the hall, one on each side, without any hesitation.
The matriarch, seated at the head of the table, furrowed her brow almost imperceptibly, clearly displeased with the sudden farce, but the kind smile on her face did not disappear.
She simply waved her hand gently, indicating that it was nothing to worry about.
Two maids immediately stepped forward and deftly erected a light gauze screen painted with an elegant landscape painting in front of Liu Qingyou.
The peerless figure was obscured, leaving only a hazy, indistinct outline, which only added to the mystery and intrigue.
"Hehe, young people are energetic, that's a good thing."
Old Madam Liu's voice rang out again, this time with an undeniable authority that silenced the noise in the room.
"However, having this enthusiasm alone is far from enough to become a son-in-law of the Liu family."
She paused, her gaze slowly sweeping over the excited young faces in the room, before dropping a bombshell that was enough to drive everyone wild.
"Today, whoever wins the approval of my Liu family and becomes the ideal husband of my daughter Qingyou, my Liu family will not only waive a single penny of betrothal gifts."
Her voice was clear and powerful, and every word struck a chord in everyone's hearts.
"She will also receive a dowry of 30 million yuan!"
Whoosh—!
The crowd erupted into chaos as if a bomb had been dropped on them!
Thirty million! And in cash!
This move is simply outrageous! Many people gasped in shock, their eyes widening in disbelief.
However, this is not the end.
Seeing the shocked expressions on everyone's faces, Old Madam Liu nodded in satisfaction and continued, "In addition, there is the most prosperous antique street in the capital, 15 percent of the shares in the Liu family's businesses, and three brand-new top-of-the-line luxury cars!"
If 30 million in cash is only shocking, then adding the incalculable value of shares and luxury cars makes it utterly insane!
The Liu family's businesses on the antique street are like a hen that lays golden eggs every day, bringing in a fortune! Their potential value far exceeds thirty million in cash!
The atmosphere in the entire hall was instantly ignited to its peak, and the air seemed to become scorching hot.
Countless young talents had a burning desire in their eyes, their breathing became heavy and rapid, and they were all eager to try and show off their skills.
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