The Li Family was a century-old aristocratic clan in Lan City. Mr. and Mrs. Li’s twenty-fifth wedding anniversary celebration was being held at the city’s largest and most luxurious hotel.
Mr. and Mrs. Li had always shared a deep affection, renowned throughout Lan City as a devoted couple.
As one might imagine, the Li Family’s anniversary banquet would be attended by countless members of high society, promising a lively and bustling atmosphere.
Chu Yang disliked such formal occasions, finding them utterly boring. “It’s just a wedding anniversary,” he thought. “Just a bunch of people drinking, eating cold food, and making small talk. It’s so dull. I’d rather be out with my friends, tearing up the streets in our sports cars, or hitting the bars and dancing the night away.”
Of course, he didn’t tell his parents he didn’t want to go. Instead, he claimed he wasn’t feeling well. Father and Mother Chu, concerned for his health, told him to stay home and rest.
Ever since Chu Yi had been found, Chu Yang had felt a subtle sense of unease, fearing he might be abandoned by his parents. Fortunately, his parents didn’t seem to care for Chu Yi, and thankfully, Chu Yi had been sent to live with the terrifying Shen Jin.
Chu Yang was engrossed in a video game, planning to slip out and meet his friends for drinks once his parents left for the banquet. But then the butler came to inform him that Chu Yi and Shen Jin would also be attending.
Chu Yang’s eyes lit up. Chu Yi was actually attending the banquet? Shen Jin had agreed to bring him to such an event?
But he quickly realized the truth: Shen Jin was only bringing Chu Yi to maintain appearances.
Chu Yi had been living with the Shen Family for some time. Chu Yang was desperate to see what he looked like now. He’d heard that the twisted Shen Jin wasn’t treating him well, and he couldn’t wait to see how much Chu Yi had been tormented.
He was also eager to see what Shen Jin looked like himself. Was he short and squat, with a beer belly and a receding hairline?
So he told his parents he wanted to join them at the banquet.
Mother Chu was surprised. “Yangyang, aren’t you feeling unwell?”
“I rested for a bit, and now I’m fine,” Chu Yang said, acting cute. “Mom, can I come with you? Please?”
“Of course, of course.” Mother Chu was delighted to have Chu Yang join them, but still worried. “Are you really feeling better?”
Chu Yang smiled radiantly. “With Mom and Dad here, I don’t feel unwell at all.”
His sunny smile revealed a pair of small tiger teeth, making him look incredibly cute. His adorable grin melted the hearts of everyone who saw it.
Seeing that smile, Father Chu and Mother Chu would have gladly plucked the stars and moon from the sky for their son.
And so, the family of three, dressed in lavish attire, set off for the hotel.
Mr. and Mrs. Li’s wedding anniversary was a grand and lavish affair. Nearly everyone from Lan City’s upper crust attended, and the Li Family had booked the entire hotel days in advance.
Countless luxury cars lined the hotel entrance.
Chu Yang entered the banquet with his parents.
Father and Mother Chu first took Chu Yang around to greet their business partners and collaborators, exchanging pleasantries and making polite promises of mutual support and future collaboration.
After making the rounds with his parents, Chu Yang finally had some free time to find Chu Yi and watch him make a fool of himself. He also wanted to see what Shen Jin was like—the man everyone seemed so terrified of.
He’d confirmed earlier that Chu Yi and Shen Jin were present.
But this hotel was enormous. The banquet extended not only inside but also into the hotel’s gardens, and the crowd was vast. Finding one person in such a sprawling venue was proving difficult.
Frustrated by the fruitless search, Chu Yang was about to give up when he was suddenly captivated by a figure standing before him.
The man was tall and incredibly handsome, with a perfect physique. His impeccably tailored suit exuded an air of restrained elegance, and his every gesture radiated mature charm.
Chu Yang stared, his eyes glued to the man. He was simply too handsome.
From childhood, Chu Yang had attended countless banquets with his parents, where he had met many people. But he had never seen the young man before. He must be a newcomer, probably around twenty-four or twenty-five years old.
Only people of high status in Lan City were invited to the Li Family’s banquet. Coupled with the man’s custom-made suit, it was clear he came from a powerful background.
For a moment, Chu Yang forgot about his plan to mock Chu Yi and wanted to get to know the man.
Through the reflective glass, Chu Yang checked his appearance, making sure his clothes were neat, his hair was in place, and his overall image was impeccable. He was confident in his looks; many people had pursued him since childhood.
Usually, others pursued him, and he rarely took the initiative. But this man was simply too handsome. His height, physique, and features perfectly matched his aesthetic preferences.
Chu Yang walked over, intending to strike up a conversation and ask for the man’s contact information. He was confident that his charm would win the man over.
As he got closer, Chu Yang realized the man was even more handsome. Though his expression was stern, his face was sharply defined, and Chu Yang swallowed hard.
He had never seen such a handsome man. He vowed to himself that he would win this man over.
But there was someone else with the man.
Chu Yang recognized the man speaking to him. He had some dealings with the Chu Family, and Chu Yang always addressed him as Uncle Wang whenever they met.
This was the perfect opportunity to get to know the man through Uncle Wang.
Chu Yang stepped forward, greeting them warmly with his signature smile. “Uncle Wang.”
Uncle Wang smiled at Chu Yang and exchanged a few pleasantries.
As they talked, Chu Yang’s gaze remained fixed on the man beside Uncle Wang. The older man chuckled and introduced Chu Yang. “Chu Yang, this is…”
“President Wang, there you are! I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Our company still needs your support.” Before he could finish, someone interrupted their conversation.
President Wang chuckled. “President Chen, you flatter me. It’s our company that needs your care.”
President Wang turned to the young man beside him, nodded in greeting, and then excused himself.
Now Chu Yang and the man were alone.
Chu Yang smiled. “Hello, my father is Chu Chengxu, and my name is Chu Yang.”
The Chu Family was a prominent and influential clan in Lan City, ranking among the city’s elite. Chu Yang had introduced himself by mentioning his father’s name, but to his surprise, the man’s expression remained unchanged, as if he hadn’t heard a word.
As soon as Chu Yang finished introducing himself, the man coldly turned and walked away, as if he hadn’t seen him or heard a word he said.
Chu Yang: ???
No one had ever dared to ignore him so completely. Furious and flustered, Chu Yang called out, “Hey, you!”
Shen Jin turned to look at him, and Chu Yang suddenly fell silent.
He saw the man’s gaze—fierce and terrifying, making him afraid to approach. Naturally, Chu Yang didn’t dare chase after him. He fumed, ‘Did this man even hear me? I’m Chu Chengxu’s son!’
Feeling stifled by the blatant disregard, Chu Yang seethed. ‘What a jerk! He’s got the looks, but his eyesight must be terrible.’
He turned away in anger, but caught a figure flitting past in his peripheral vision. He stopped to look—it was Chu Yi. In that quiet corner, he was indeed alone.
Chu Yang sneered. ‘Just as I thought. Chu Yi is also unwelcome in the Shen Family. Shen Jin brought him to the banquet, but he still left him to fend for himself.’
‘He shouldn’t have come in the first place. How could he be so shameless? Doesn’t he feel embarrassed?’
As Chu Yi was eating, he sensed someone standing before him. He assumed it was Shen Jin, but when he looked up, it was Chu Yang.
Chu Yi had no particular feelings toward the Chu Family, nor did he care much for its members. He had met them only a few times, barely enough to be considered acquaintances. In his mind, they were less familiar than even Shen Jin.
So when he saw Chu Yang, Chu Yi simply nodded, offered a brief greeting, and returned to his meal. Uncle Wen was right—the desserts and ice cream at the banquet were delicious. Chu Yi had already tried several kinds of sweets and planned to grab some ice cream after finishing his current dessert.
Seeing him eating alone in such a lonely corner further solidified Chu Yang’s suspicions. Chu Yi must be having a miserable time at Shen Jin’s house. The butler had even mentioned that the Shen Family’s maids looked down on Chu Yi.
Someone unwanted by both the Chu Family and the Shen Family had nothing left to lose.
Chu Yang poured the wine from his glass into Chu Yi’s plate.
“What are you doing?” Chu Yi demanded angrily.
The food on the plate was soaked in champagne, a waste of such delicious food!
Chu Yang feigned surprise, exclaiming, “Oh, I’m so sorry! My hand slipped. I didn’t mean to do it.”
Chu Yi suddenly stood up, startling Chu Yang. But Chu Yang quickly realized he was simply standing up. “What proof do you have that I did it on purpose?”
Chu Yi pursed his lips, controlling his breathing, and blinked. “You did it on purpose.”
He looked so easy to bully. During his time at the Chu Family, Chu Yang had taken full advantage of this.
“How are things at the Shen Family?” Chu Yang asked. “How has that pervert Shen Jin not kicked you out yet?”
Chu Yang leaned closer, lowering his voice. “How does it feel living with such a repulsive, ugly man? You should be thanking us, Chu Yi. Otherwise, you’d be nothing now, unable to even afford school.”
A noblewoman approached, calling out Chu Yang’s name.
It was Chu Yang’s mother.
When Mother Chu saw Chu Yi, she rolled her eyes, as if she had never cared for this son and felt nothing for him.
“What are you doing here?” she asked Chu Yang. “I’ll take you to meet President Zhou.” For a moment, she didn’t recognize the person standing before her as Chu Yi.
Chu Yang leaned in, wrapping his arm around his mother’s. “I saw Chu Yi and wanted to say hello, but he didn’t seem to welcome me.”
Mother Chu glared at Chu Yi before comforting Chu Yang. “You’re too kindhearted. Don’t waste your energy on someone who doesn’t matter. Let’s go.” She truly disliked Chu Yi, who was always on the verge of tears.
Chu Yang smiled. “Understood, Mom.”
This reassured Chu Yang even more. Since his mother despised Chu Yi from the bottom of her heart, Chu Yi was no longer a threat.
Chu Yang walked a few steps with his mother, arm in arm, when they heard Chu Yi’s voice behind them.
“Mr. Shen.”
Not only did Chu Yang hear it, but Mother Chu did too.
Could it be Shen Jin?
The mother and son exchanged glances before turning around in unison.
