On the day of the celebration party at Beibei Restaurant, Du Xiaoruo walked out of the villa after getting ready.
Lele, dressed in a dark brown plaid suit and a neat gentleman's bow tie, thoughtfully opened the car door for his mother.
Du Xiaoruo, feeling playful, lifted her skirt and gave Lele an elegant princess bow before stepping into the car.
I wonder how many luxury cars they own. The car that picked them up today was a stretched Lincoln that Du Xiaoruo had never seen before, but it matched her retro and elegant champagne gold tassel dress very well.
Sitting in the car, Du Xiaoruo leaned back comfortably in the seat, looking relaxed. She recalled the past two days: haute couture dresses, jewelry, luxury cars, drivers, and butlers—a typical scene from a wealthy family novel. After enduring so much hardship with Qiao An, the good times were finally over.
Du Xiaoruo was so engrossed in the story she had imagined that she couldn't pull herself out.
Lele got on the bus and sat next to Du Xiaoruo.
He stared at Du Xiaoruo with wide eyes, his gaze filled with pride, then stretched out his delicate white hand and frantically sent heart emojis to her.
"Mom, you look like a goddess today."
Du Xiaoruo turned her head to look at Lele, who was dressed elegantly, and sincerely praised her.
"Lele, you look like a noble prince."
Lele, “Mom, you have a very elegant demeanor.”
The driver in front of me had a lot of black lines on his forehead. He looked like a normal person, but could he have some kind of serious illness?
The driver was unaware that this was homework assigned by Lele's Chinese tutor. To train Lele's language sense, parents were encouraged to use more written language when communicating with him.
At first, Du Xiaoruo felt very uncomfortable, feeling that speaking like this was like acting in a play, but after getting used to it a couple of times, she found it quite interesting.
The car arrived at the hotel where the victory celebration banquet was being held.
Because this season's viewership was exceptionally high, the show made money, and the sponsors were happy, so the celebration banquet was held in an exceptionally grand manner.
As soon as the car door opened, Du Xiaoruo was stunned by the sight before her.
She thought the celebration party would be like a small family dinner, with only the guests who participated in the second season attending. Unexpectedly, the scale was comparable to a celebrity awards ceremony.
Seeing the red carpet stretching from the car door all the way to the hotel entrance, Du Xiaoruo immediately pulled her head back. The fans waiting on both sides of the red carpet, however, had already spotted her and started shouting.
Xiaoruo, my wife, I love you!
[It's Xiaoruo and Lele! Lele, my dear son, Mommy's here~]
Everyone was excited at the celebration banquet, with all sorts of good-natured jokes going on and on. But for someone with social anxiety, this kind of scene was practically a torture chamber. Although Du Xiaoruo's social anxiety had actually improved a lot under Qiao An's influence, being suddenly thrust into such a large social event was still a particularly dangerous thing.
She now misses Joan more than ever before, that socially awkward man.
Unfortunately, Qiao An's company had a particularly important meeting today, and before leaving in the afternoon, he reminded Lele to protect Du Xiaoruo.
But now Lele is also in a real bind. Although Lele doesn't usually show the same level of social anxiety as Du Xiaoruo, he is still a very introverted child. He's fine with people he knows well, but he can't handle situations like this.
Du Xiaoruo and Lele discussed, "Why don't we go back? Anyway, participation in the celebration banquet is voluntary, and we won't be penalized if we don't attend."
Lele blinked her big, dark eyes and hesitated softly.
"But Xiao Tong is inside."
He hasn't chatted with Xiaotong for almost three days since Xiaotong blocked him. This is his last chance to add Xiaotong back on social media.
Du Xiaoruo took a deep breath. For Lele's love... no, friendship, she would go even if there were mountains of knives in front of her.
The two encouraged each other.
Lele, "Mom, you can do it!"
Du Xiaoruo: "Lele, you are the most optimistic and confident child. Bravely set off forward!"
The driver was completely speechless. He had always heard Secretary Jin speak ill of President Qiao at the company, calling him a complete oddball. Today, he finally saw for himself what it meant to be birds of a feather.
Just as Du Xiaoruo and the others had finally mustered their courage, Mu Hua's car arrived.
Mu Hua led Xiao Shu out of the car. Xiao Shu had been happily interacting with fans all the way. Mu Hua walked over and leaned in to ask,
"Xiaoruo, Mr. Ha isn't here? Do you need any help?"
Du Xiaoruo felt a little unhappy when she remembered Qiao An saying that Mu Hua was going to remarry. A second marriage is fine, but to plan to abandon Xiao Shu is really going too far.
Although she herself found it a bit unbelievable, when she thought of the crazy behavior of Kim Hee-jin's family, who were obsessed with love, she thought that if Mo-hwa was also obsessed with love, then anything was possible.
Once she accepted this premise, Du Xiaoruo didn't give Mu Hua a friendly look, coldly saying,
"No need, I can walk by myself."
Then, with an expression of heroic sacrifice, he walked onto the red carpet.
This left Mu Hua completely bewildered.
Du Xiaoruo walked the red carpet with a polite smile, but almost broke down as soon as she entered the hotel.
Today, guests from [Beibei Restaurant] only made up a tiny fraction of the attendees. The rest of the attendees included celebrities and internet influencers trying to ride the wave of popularity, directors and producers trying to salvage their careers, various media paparazzi, and sponsors from different companies.
Director Kang, like a graceful butterfly, held a glass of champagne and moved radiantly through the crowd.
Upon seeing Du Xiaoruo, he walked over with a broad smile.
"Xiaoruo, you're finally here. Director Liu is planning a sitcom and would like to invite you to play a cameo role. Also, Mr. Liu from Greenery would like you to be the spokesperson for their new gummy milk product. I'll help you with the introduction."
Du Xiaoruo looked like she had seen a ghost and waved her hands repeatedly.
"No, no, thank you, thank you. I... I don't want to act or do endorsements. Thank you, director, thank you."
Du Xiaoruo thought that she must look extremely disheveled right now, like a small animal that has always lived in a primeval forest and suddenly enters human society with a sense of unfamiliarity and fear.
She thought her social anxiety had improved a lot, but now, facing so many strangers, she still feels frustrated and uncomfortable.
Where's Lele?
Du Xiaoruo looked around and searched for a long time before finally spotting Lele, Xiaotong, and a few other children playing in a corner.
If she wanted to get to Lele's side, she would have to cross most of the banquet hall.
Now, everyone in the banquet hall seemed to want to rush up and talk to her. A huge roar began to sound in Du Xiaoruo's head, and her fingers began to tremble slightly.
Just then, an entertainment reporter spotted Du Xiaoruo. She was holding a microphone and walking towards them with a determined look in her eyes.
The microphone was handed to Du Xiaoruo.
"Xiaoruo, hello. I'm a reporter from Dafang Weekend. There have been rumors online that you and Qiao An are actually a couple in a contractual relationship. I'd like to ask what your opinion is on this matter?"
Du Xiaoruo stood alone in the crowd, watching the reporter's mouth open and close. Even though the reporter was standing right in front of her, she couldn't even hear what the reporter was saying.
She suddenly realized that the reason she thought her social anxiety was cured was because Joan was always by her side.
Seeing that Du Xiaoruo did not respond, the reporter continued to urge her.
"Xiaoruo, are you listening? What are your thoughts on the marriage of convenience?"
Seeing Du Xiaoruo's pale face and evasive eyes, the reporter thought he had dug up some juicy scoop and teased her half-jokingly and half-seriously,
"Why aren't you saying anything? The arranged marriage isn't actually happening, is it?"
Du Xiaoruo nervously pursed her lips. She wanted to say no, but when she opened her mouth, she found that her voice was hoarse. She looked around in frustration, wondering where Xia Qingye and the others were and why no one had come yet.
Just then, Du Xiaoruo's icy fingertips were enveloped in a warm, dry hand.
Qiao An held Du Xiaoruo's hand, her grey-blue eyes fixed on the reporter with a half-smile.
Has Dafang Weekend really fallen this low? They've started believing and spreading rumors?
The reporter, who had been so confident just moments before, became slightly embarrassed when Qiao An asked her a question, but her quick wit allowed her to maintain her composure.
"Mr. Qiao, I'm not spreading rumors. I'm just verifying with the person involved."
Qiao An waved her hand, easily dismissing the person, "Don't spread such unfounded rumors in the future. Jinse's legal team is ready to pursue legal action at any time."
The reporter smiled awkwardly and walked away.
Qiao An looked down at Du Xiaoruo, "Are you alright?"
Du Xiaoruo felt much better when he appeared. She looked up at Qiao An, whose hair was a little messy, probably because he had rushed over in a hurry.
"Why are you here? Weren't you supposed to be in a meeting?" Du Xiaoruo asked.
Qiao An squeezed her hand and comforted her, "I saw the live stream and it seemed like there were too many people. I was worried you wouldn't be comfortable with it."
A portly middle-aged man carrying a bag walked towards them, shaking his disheveled hair from afar.
"Oh dear, Mr. Qiao, I've visited your company several times but haven't run into you."
Qiao An shielded Du Xiaoruo behind her and greeted her with a smile, "I've been a bit busy lately and haven't been to the company often..."
Since Qiao An arrived, Du Xiaoruo has become much more at ease. She only needs to quietly follow behind Qiao An, listening to her exchange pleasantries with various officials.
"My wife is very grateful for your care."
"My son is ignorant and has caused you a lot of trouble."
"Okay, okay, let's add each other on social media so we can stay in touch later."
During the brief exchange of pleasantries, Qiao An would occasionally notice something delicious on the cold dining table and would feed Du Xiaoruo a little.
Du Xiaoruo secretly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling like a stranded fish returning to water and finally coming back to life.
As she ate the sweet and soft mousse cake, she looked up and saw the handsome and composed man beside her. She decided that she would stay in this house from now on.
The victory banquet was a scene of elegant attire and dazzling lights, a picture of grandeur and prosperity.
However, in the grand and magnificent manor of the Qiao family, it was as if the end of the world had come, with desolation and decay everywhere.
Since Zhang Yanshu left yesterday, Jin Xizhen has remained in the same position, sitting motionless in the living room for a whole day and night.
The housekeeper thought she might have died several times, but when he went to check, he found that she was still breathing.
This house is now like a ransacked hell. Zhang Yanshu smashed everything in the room to pieces. Jin Xizhen is like a living dead person, not eating, drinking, or moving. Qiao Qingchuan has been left unattended for the past few days and has started using drugs again. He locks himself in his room, puffing away and immersing himself in his own paradise, oblivious to the lives of those outside.
Even Qiao Qingmeng seems to have disappeared; she can't be found anywhere.
The servants already sensed that the family was doomed, and the impatient ones had already begun looking for the next domino to fall. Everyone knew that the last domino was about to fall.
A sharp screech of car brakes broke the silence of the resort.
The car came to a stop, and a tall, imposing young man stepped out. He was dressed in a black suit, wearing sunglasses, and was dressed like a bodyguard.
He walked straight up to Kim Hee-jin, opened the red velvet jewelry box in his hand, his face cold and expressionless, like a emotionless robot.
“This is what my wife asked me to bring to you. She asked me to pass on a message: this is the other ear. If you don’t turn yourself in today, you’ll receive Zhang Hongge’s thumbs-up tomorrow.”
After saying that, the bodyguard turned on his phone and played a recording, which sounded like a man's miserable howl from a distant place.
Actually, the recording was very blurry, and it was impossible to tell whose voice it was, but when Kim Hee-jin heard this wail, the last trace of color drained from her face.
Two lines of clear tears flowed from Kim Hee-jin's beautiful eyes.
The bodyguard handed her the phone.
The call was connected.
Kim Hee-jin stared blankly at the three numbers on the screen, her lips trembling as she spoke.
"I want to turn myself in."
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