Qin Yue did not enjoy socializing, especially among relatives in the family, but it was something she had to do.
Fortunately, in recent years, she had established her position in the company, gradually gained power, and reached the peak of her influence, finally no longer needing to tread carefully.
On the contrary, it was now the relatives who needed to be cautious around her, reading her expressions and guessing her thoughts. There was no other way to describe it—she was in complete control.
But today was different.
The fact that she had a girlfriend was truly unexpected, and Qin Yue was uncertain about how her relatives would react.
"Qin Yue, my dear," an older relative said, "It's been a while since we last met, and you've grown so beautiful."
Several relatives around her perked up at this.
The speaker was the oldest among the elder generation, so it was understandable for him to say such things. However, for someone in Qin Yue's position, being complimented on her looks could imply that she was merely a pretty face.
Qin Yue simply smiled lightly, "Thank you, Uncle."
Everyone around her secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Indeed, after starting a relationship, Qin Yue's personality had become a bit gentler, and she had begun to pay attention to how she was perceived in terms of appearance.
But the key point was about Qin Yue's girlfriend.
Although her little girlfriend had not yet met many of Qin Yue's relatives, the fact that she was a girl was already significant enough.
With so many relatives present, if they were to speak their minds, most would disapprove. The next generation of the Qin family was a woman, and on top of that, she had a girlfriend—this would surely be a source of ridicule.
But as the saying goes, Qin Yue was the head of the group, and for the sake of her and her family's future in the company, no one dared to voice their disapproval. After all, interests were certainly a bit more important than face.
Otherwise, they would have to find a way to express their opinions more tactfully...
While other relatives hesitated, the second uncle stepped forward.
"Qin Yue, I heard your choice of partner is quite unexpected. You've always been special since you were young, different from ordinary people, and that hasn't changed."
Qin Yue curled her lips slightly, "It's not that special, thank you, Second Uncle."
The others immediately felt uncomfortable, as if they had swallowed a fly.
Wow, so you're the first to flatter her and take a stand, huh? What are the rest of us supposed to do now?
"Yes, yes, it's quite good."
"Qin Yue being able to reach the position of company president is already a sign of her exceptional talent; that's very normal."
"We're in a new era now, and we need a spirit of innovation. I think Qin Yue embodies that well, leading by example and standing at the forefront of the times."
What to do? Of course, they had to echo him.
Qin Yue felt pleased and greeted everyone easily. Although she didn't understand why her relatives suddenly supported her, support was certainly better than opposition.
Of course, opposition had no practical effect; it would only create obstacles.
After chatting with her elder relatives for a while, Qin Yue left to help her parents prepare lunch.
The previously lively conversation quickly turned cold.
"What's wrong with you, Second Uncle? Why did you suddenly express support?" someone asked first. "Aren't you selling us out?"
"Yeah, who would have thought it would be you? Haven't you always planned to introduce your nephew to Qin Yue?"
The second uncle leisurely took a sip of tea, looking inscrutable. "You don't understand."
The others looked at him in confusion.
"In the past, Qin Yue had no flaws. If you tried to set her up, she would directly say she wasn't interested in relationships, and you would be at a loss," the second uncle said with a smile. "But now that she has a partner, that excuse can't be used anymore."
"So what?" someone still didn't get it. "She's dating a girl."
"Exactly, but I have more than just a nephew," the second uncle said. "I also have a niece."
The others suddenly realized.
Right, if they ignored the issue of face and only cared about interests, this was actually good news, as it meant they could introduce someone to Qin Yue in the future.
"Coincidentally, I also have a niece who just returned from abroad; she's quite impressive."
"I don't have a niece, but our Qin family has a family friend whose daughter is very good."
"Second Uncle, you're revealing your plans so early; aren't you afraid of being interrupted? Look, now everyone is interested."
The second uncle chuckled, "That depends on the younger generation's abilities; what we old folks say doesn't count."
But he thought to himself, what nonsense. Such a simple truth, and everyone would figure it out over the course of a meal; it would have been better to just say it and show off.
The relative who had been confused earlier, a bit slow-witted, spoke up, "Don't you care about that girl? She must be quite impressive to win Qin Yue's heart first."
The second uncle chuckled lightly, "It's not like I haven't looked into it; she's just a country girl with no background."
"Don't be so dismissive; she's from a town."
Bai Ningning's household registration was indeed from a suburban town, which, to those present, was basically equivalent to being a village girl.
"Young people, it's normal to be curious and like new things when they first experience them; once that excitement wears off, they'll calm down."
"That's right, Qin Yue is such a smart and mature girl; it won't be long before she has new choices."
"A country girl, the first meal at our home might just be her last."
"Be nice to her, let her have a good meal."
"Hahaha."
Everyone looked down on Bai Ningning; in their eyes, she was just a plaything for Qin Yue to try out.
Of course, as elders, they wouldn't make things difficult for a young girl. On the contrary, they would act very kindly.
The younger generation would teach her how to behave; they believed that the "heavenly beauties" they had chosen would easily make the little village girl cry and run back home.
...
"What are you doing?"
Bai Ningning put down her phone: "Just playing around because I'm bored. What about you? Didn't you have something to do?"
"I finished my work," Qin Yue said, "Come on, it's time to eat."
Bai Ningning quickly stood up: "Oh, it's time to eat? Good."
If you had said that earlier, the food lover has been waiting.
"Not so fast, just sit for a while when you get there and greet everyone," Qin Yue rubbed her little head, "Don't just think about eating."
She felt very relaxed; her relatives had already expressed their opinions, so there definitely wouldn't be any awkward situations later.
"Got it, I'll be there soon."
Bai Ningning picked up her phone; just before the screen went black, she opened NetEase Cloud Music, searched for a playlist, and found the one she wanted.
Let's save it for now; it's not time to listen to music yet.
"Let's go," Qin Yue extended her hand, "I'll take you there."
Bai Ningning held her hand; the president big sister and the beautiful, cool girl walked hand in hand to the banquet hall.