The two large banquet halls on the sixteenth floor, one to the south and one to the north, saw two men stepping out from the elevator and heading towards the northern hall.
Yin Shuyao regretfully withdrew her gaze, pinching the tasseled golden handbag studded with rhinestones with her fingers. It turns out they were not guests attending Old Mrs. Qin's birthday banquet.
What a pity, she originally wanted to find an opportunity to get acquainted, but now the chance was gone.
The banquet had not yet started, and the invited guests were arriving one after another, filling the hall with elegance and opulence, glasses clinking amidst cheerful conversations.
It wasn't yet time for Shen Jianian to make her appearance. She found a quiet corner, laid down her cello case in front of her, relaxed her body, and sank into the soft leather sofa.
The smooth leather pressed against the skin on her calf, bringing a slight coolness.
Yin Shuyao buzzed around her like a bee, her endless words of advice carrying a less than pleasant tone: "My parents will be arriving soon, so stay sharp. Watch for my signals and don't rashly approach President Qin and annoy him. The opportunity only comes once; if you miss it, it will be hard to find again. If you want to seize Lingyue Group from the Pei Family, getting close to President Qin is something that will happen sooner or later."
Only the last sentence found its way into Shen Jianian's heart.
At the entrance of the banquet hall, a dignified and elegant woman entered arm in arm with a middle-aged man dressed in a suit, his face stern. Yin Shuyao noticed them and brightened up, leaving Shen Jianian. She fluttered over to the two like a butterfly: "Dad, Mom, how's Grandma?"
Yin Shuyao's grandma had fallen and been hospitalized, with Yin Chengde and Hu Yuzhi going to visit her, instructing the sisters to go to the banquet hall first to avoid being disrespectful if they couldn't return in time.
Hu Yuzhi released her husband's arm and patted her daughter's exposed shoulder: "We took her for a check-up, and the doctor said she hadn't hurt her bones. But at her age, she needs a few days of rest in the hospital."
Yin Shuyao breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good."
"Why are you alone? Where's Jianian?" Yin Chengde's voice was deep, carrying a hint of hesitation as he both hoped to see Shen Jianian and didn't want her to come, his conflicted emotions showing a tumultuous expression on his dignified face.
Yin Shuyao pointed in a direction, pursing her red lips with a hint of disdain: "Over there."
Yin Chengde saw Shen Jianian, a girl of about twenty, with a beauty as fresh and striking as a pure white gardenia among green leaves, her eyes slightly lowered, quietly gazing at the cello in front of her.
"Should we reconsider? She's still young, and President Qin—" Yin Chengde felt a pang of reluctance, as she was his only niece. With his sister gone, as her uncle, he should be responsible for her well-being. His sister, Yin Tongshu, had helped him a lot when she was alive.
If it weren't for his sister and brother-in-law's support, he wouldn't have been able to establish himself in Yicheng and have his current status.
Before he could finish, his elbow was pinched by his wife beside him.
Hu Yuzhi's almond-shaped eyes were shaded with light khaki eyeshadow, softening some of her severe demeanor. She leaned closer to her husband, lowering her voice: "Don't become soft-hearted at this crucial moment. Whether President Qin is interested in Jianian is uncertain."
Yin Chengde frowned. That Qin Zhongtian was notorious in the circle for being a womanizer; Shen Jianian, with her striking beauty, how could he not be interested?
"Remember our family's business. Ever since the Shen Family fell, we've had no backing. We've faced pressure from all sides for a month straight. If we don't find a way out, we're bound to fail soon." Hu Yuzhi, seeing her husband's indecisiveness, didn't mind reminding him of reality, "Do you want to return to the days of relying on others' whims and seeking favors everywhere?"
Her words hit the mark, sending a shiver down Yin Chengde, who slightly repressed his reluctance with the remaining bit of conscience, prompting him to speak: "Even if we have to take this step, we should talk to Jianian first in case she disagrees."
"She won't disagree!" Yin Shuyao immediately stopped him, afraid her father would consult Shen Jianian's wishes, "She wants to help us through tough times too, hoping the Yin Family becomes bigger and stronger so that one day she can use our influence to reclaim Lingyue Group. I've talked to her about this, Dad, don't worry needlessly."
As the conversation ended, Yin Shuyao exchanged a glance with her mother, one only they understood.
Yin Chengde wasn't a brainless enterprise owner; he asked skeptically: "Have you talked to Jianian about President Qin's situation? Does she know that President Qin has a wife and children?"
Yin Shuyao was unexpectedly stumped by her father's persistent questioning.
Fortunately, Hu Yuzhi was quick-witted and immediately picked up the conversation: "President Qin's wife has stomach cancer, it's in the late stage, and she's bedridden in the hospital, unable to attend tonight's banquet. Should President Qin take a liking to Jianian, once his wife passes, he might marry her as the primary wife. It's not as bad as you think."
Is it really not so bad? President Qin's son is four years older than Jianian, and his daughter is a college freshman.
"Enough talk, President Qin and Grandma are here. Let's hurry over and greet them." Hu Yuzhi changed her expression within a second, donning a courteous smile, and took her husband's arm to go over.
The golden doors of the banquet hall were simultaneously opened by the two waiters at the entrance, and all the guests inside uniformly turned their gaze toward them. Qin Zhongtian, past his fifties, was dressed in an iron-gray suit, his belt pulling tight over his five-month-pregnant-like beer belly, slightly bent over, assisting an elderly lady dressed in a maroon qipao, a small string of sandalwood Buddha beads around her neck, in slowly walking forward.
The Qin Family dealt in hotel business, with several branded hotels proliferating across the country this year. At the beginning of the year, they had expanded into overseas markets, building Chinese-style garden hotels in countries like the UK, USA, and France, highly sought after by foreigners.
Yin Chengde and Hu Yuzhi reacted quickly but were still a step behind others, as a crowd gathered around President Qin and Grandma to exchange greetings.
Their birthday congratulations came in various forms.
Their purpose was the same—curry favor with President Qin.
He was Yicheng's leading entrepreneur; even a hint of his wealth was enough for the small fry present to live without worry for a year.
Hu Yuzhi was skillful, finding a gap to approach the day's main focus, Old Mrs. Qin, her smile ever more courteous and gentle, impeccable: "Hello, Madam. I'm not sure if you remember me; we last met at the Purple Tune Tea House for tea. I brought my niece today to wish you a happy birthday. She also plays the cello, though she's far from comparing to you. Upon hearing today was your birthday, she pleaded to come to perform a piece for you, hoping to bring you joy, even if just for a moment."
Hu Yuzhi was adept at socializing, easily making Old Mrs. Qin beam with pleasure.
"As I age, I particularly reminisce about the days of playing the cello. Now, with shaky hands, I can't play anymore, but appreciating young people's talents is nice too." The elderly lady, flattered, displayed a kindly smile, her gaze landing on the poised and elegant girl next to Hu Yuzhi, assessing her briefly, "This young lady is your niece? She's very pretty."
"Madam, this is my daughter, Shuyao." Hu Yuzhi took the chance to introduce her daughter, "Shuyao, this is Grandma Qin I've mentioned to you."
Yin Shuyao had been trained at home, handling the situation expertly, politely bowing: "Hello, Grandma. My mom mentioned last week that she met a compassionate and amazing lady, and it must be you. She said you were a world-renowned cellist when younger, and have done so much charity work later in life, helping countless disabled children. You're truly great."
"Not at all," Grandma Qin waved her hand, with a string of Buddha beads hanging from her wrist that jingled as they bumped together, "Just doing my part, hardly a real philanthropist."
As Yin Shuyao joked, she gave Shen Jianian a pre-coordinated gesture from afar.
It was Shen Jianian's turn to step onto the stage.
Thinking about her being in the spotlight before so many people tonight did evoke a bit of jealousy. But then considering that what awaited Shen Jianian afterward would be a dark and miserable life, Yin Shuyao felt a bit delighted.
Shen Jianian retrieved her cello and picked up the bow, the hem of her skirt adorned with shimmering stars grazing the ground, her high heels clicking crisply on the gleaming floor as she walked steadily and gracefully.
All eyes in the room were drawn.
After a moment of consideration, Grandma Qin sincerely praised: "Yuzhi, when did you get such a charming niece? Her looks are even more outstanding than Shuyao's."
Yin Shuyao gritted her teeth, her face tense yet she couldn't say anything, her fingers clenching involuntarily at her sides.
Among the crowd enchanted by Shen Jianian's presence, she searched for Qin Zhongtian's figure. As expected, the stout man cocked his thick brows, his lustful eyes opening wide, a gleam shooting through his gaze.
A vivid portrayal of the idiom "eyes brighten with delight."
Yin Shuyao didn't need to guess President Qin's thoughts, as she instantly confirmed that he had taken an interest in Shen Jianian, just like a wild leopard eyeing a delicious prey, contemplating how to capture and devour it.