Lu Jingyan listened to the compliments from those around him with a cold expression, his indifferent and gloomy face revealing no emotion.
Hearing the CEOs around him constantly promoting their daughters, his expression instantly turned cold, and he took a sip of red wine.
Several CEOs noticed Lu Jingyan's cold expression and left awkwardly.
Zhao Zhilin and I stood outside the banquet hall chatting, glancing at the entrance every now and then, as if anticipating something.
Just then, a booming voice rang out, "Brother Lu, I'm here!" Chu Ningxuan smiled broadly, waving at the two of them as he shouted, "Look who I brought!"
She wore a light pink dress with a fitted V-neck that accentuated her slender waist and fuller chest. She paired it with simple beige heels, and her long, jet-black hair, which she often wore tied up, cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall.
Unlike her usual aloof and distant demeanor, Shi Wan today seemed to have returned to her innocent and romantic teenage years.
The girl standing behind Chu Ningxuan turned to the side and waved to Ji Meng, who came out of the hall.
Lu Jingyan stared intently at Shi Wan, who was greeting Ji Meng. One was beautiful and pure with fair skin, while the other was charming, sexy, and flamboyant, attracting many young men to turn around and admire her.
It's rare to see two types of beautiful women in the same frame in Kyoto, so it's no surprise that single people often try to strike up conversations with them.
However, not far from the two girls stood three powerful men, all coldly watching the men around them with unclear intentions.
Receiving cold stares from Lu Jingyan and Zhao Zhilin, those who were less timid naturally stood further away, their eyes occasionally glancing at Shi Wan.
The bolder ones walked over and greeted Ji Meng, but their eyes lingered on Shi Wan, trying their best to show her their gentlemanly and noble side.
"Who is this woman? Why is she brought by Young Master Chu, and why is she being protected by President Lu and the others as soon as she arrives?"
Anyone with eyes could see that Lu Jingyan's eyes hadn't left Shi Wan ever since she came in.
However, they only stared at each other without exchanging much words, which is why a few bold young men from prominent families came over to chat.
Unlike the lively scene outside, Ye Jiajia, who was being ignored in the banquet hall, suddenly frowned. She could handle Ji Meng on her own, after all, they had known each other since childhood and were fairly familiar with each other's temperament.
Ye Jiajia felt threatened by Shi Wan's sudden arrival and Lu Jingyan's attitude towards her.
In Kyoto, although the Ye family may not reach the level of the three major families in Kyoto, it is still considered a top-tier wealthy family. She was raised from childhood to be a daughter-in-law of a wealthy family.
From a young age, she had watched Lu Jingyan stand at the top and only ever thought that marrying into the Lu family was her goal. In terms of looks, family background, and ability, she was not bad in the capital. So when Shi Wan appeared, although she was shocked by Shi Wan's beautiful appearance, she naturally only despised this kind of woman who would do anything to climb up to a rich man with her beauty.
During the banquet, she assumed the other woman was merely a decorative object for some wealthy man to admire. Little did she know that the wealthy man admiring her was Lu Jingyan and his group, which amplified her sense of crisis.
His eyes were filled with anger, and the flesh in his palms seemed to be being pinched until it bled from his fingernails. Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, a slight smile appeared on his lips, and he whispered in Lin Yue's ear.
For upper-class banquets, it's nothing more than men gathering to discuss business dealings. Those who bring their wives are simply trying to find ways to benefit their companies through the interactions between women.
At this moment, the young ladies shifted their conversation from jewelry, bags, and fashion to the handsome men and beautiful women at the door. Their eyes held curiosity, amusement, sarcasm, and jealousy.
Ji Meng is part of their circle in Kyoto. Although they are away from home most of the year, they naturally know each other. Moreover, given the Ji family's status in Kyoto, there is no need for them to be enemies with her.
But Shi Wan was different. This unfamiliar and beautiful woman, who seemed to have no background, naturally made these young women and socialites feel a strange sense of crisis. They couldn't explain why, but it might be a kind of inexplicable hostility towards a stranger of the same sex who was more popular than themselves.
Such arrogance is commonplace in wealthy circles. When Mrs. Ji saw Shi Wan, she was overjoyed and immediately showered her with concern, even asking if Shi Wan had a boyfriend.
I wish I could settle my daughter's and my daughter's best friend's marriage today.
Seeing that things were getting out of hand, Ji Meng quickly pulled her mother, who loved playing matchmaker, away, changing the subject as she did so, "Mom! The host has been waiting for you for ages, and the guests are waiting for you to start the show!"
Mother Ji turned back and winked at Shi Wan, "Little Wan, wait for Auntie to introduce you to a few, just wait for me!"
Shi Wan couldn't help but chuckle at Lu's mother's little gestures. Thinking of Lu's mother, Ji's mother, Ji Meng, Chu Ningxuan, and Lu Jingyan, and how they had shown her such tender care, a feeling of joy welled up in her heart, and her smile softened and became gentle.
Looking at the girl's smiling face, Lu Jingyan couldn't help but narrow his eyes slightly, as if a smile suddenly spread across his face, his gaze lingering on her.
Seemingly sensing Lu Jingyan's gaze, Shi Wan did not flinch, but nodded naturally and generously at him.
Lu Jingyan was slightly taken aback. His burning gaze seemed to pierce through Shi Wan. He walked up to Shi Wan and bent down to remove the fallen leaves from her shoulder.
The man in front of her seemed to be deliberately lowering his head to Shi Wan's ear, "Xiao Wan, you have a beautiful smile." The man's warm breath brushed against Shi Wan's ear, and the faint scent of soap wafted over, making Shi Wan's ears turn even redder.
To onlookers who were unaware of the situation, their subtle actions appeared to be flirtatious behavior between lovers.
From the moment Lu Jingyan entered until now, Ye Jiajia's gaze had never left him. Knowing that it was inappropriate to make a scene at this time, Ye's mother walked to her daughter's side, looked at her daughter with reddened eyes, and gently shook her head as if to say, "Jiajia, don't worry, Mom is here."
Just then, someone called out, "Time to open the gifts!" The gifts from each family were presented by their servants, and they were mostly valuable jewelry or calligraphy by famous artists.
Ye Jiajia walked over to Shi Wan, who was resting on a chair in the corner, and unconsciously straightened her back. Her long, snow-white swan neck was on full display, and she looked like a noble swan as she approached Shi Wan's ear and whispered a reminder, "The Lu family's door is not one you can enter just by looking at someone."
After speaking, she smiled and nodded to passersby, making it seem as if the two were very close. Ye Jiajia wanted to show Shi Wan all the ladylike etiquette she had learned in etiquette class.
"Who are you...? Aren't you tired? This way of sitting can easily cause anterior pelvic tilt. When practicing sitting posture, you should place an A4 paper between your legs, hold a stick under your armpits, gently stroke your lower abdomen with both hands, and place a book or a light yoga block on your head."
Shi Wan looked at Ye Jiajia's deliberately elegant demeanor and uttered a soft remark.
Looking back on my daily etiquette training after I started practicing dance and even joined a dance troupe, I can't escape it.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com