"Your Uncle Qiao's other son," said Han’s father. "He's an outside child, never formally acknowledged. But he’s a fine young man, much better than Qiao Wenxing, just lacking in background."
Han Yanyan feigned ignorance as she flipped through the materials. Liu Chengyu's educational background and career achievements were all laid bare, matching perfectly with the information in her mind. She nodded, "Not bad at all, seems like he’s quite ambitious."
Her father lightly tapped his fingers on the table. "Your Uncle Qiao has completely lost faith in Qiao Wenxing, so he has finally acknowledged this son. There's a banquet the day after tomorrow, and your Uncle Qiao hopes you can attend."
Han Yanyan lifted her gaze to look at her father.
Her father continued, "Both your Uncle Qiao and I hope you young folks can get acquainted."
The name of the banquet didn’t matter much. What was important was the matchmaking arranged by their fathers.
As she walked into the grand residence, she immediately felt the unfriendly gazes directed at her. Qiao Wenxing's broken engagement had thrust Han Yanyan into the spotlight of entertainment news.
Ditching her fur coat, Han Yanyan wore a backless evening gown, her high heels clicking gracefully against the floor as she linked her arm with her father's, exuding elegance and confidence, completely unfazed by the stares.
The digital voice in her mind provided useful information. It allowed Han Yanyan to grasp background details about those present and helped her receive every aspect of “Han Yanyan” from the task world.
For instance, as she stood there, she instinctively knew how to pose and the proper words to say, befitting the identity of a socialite.
Just as she smiled and engaged with a passerby, she looked up to see Liu Chengyu approaching, following her father. The two fathers had known each other for years, having watched each other's children grow up, forming a deep familial bond.
Uncle Qiao smiled kindly at Han Yanyan and introduced Liu Chengyu. "Yanyan, this is Chengyu. He’s one year older and has been studying abroad, just returned."
Liu Chengyu reached out his hand toward Han Yanyan. "Hello, I’m Qiao Chengyu."
With a smile, Han Yanyan shook his hand. "Han Yanyan."
It was as if they had never met before.
The two fathers, engrossed in their talks, left Liu Chengyu briefly to care for Han Yanyan. Uncle Qiao’s parting words were warm: “Take good care of Yanyan.”
Liu Chengyu nodded. Once their fathers were gone, he turned to Han Yanyan. Beneath the luxurious crystal chandelier, her confident demeanor overshadowed the other socialites, dazzling all around her.
Liu Chengyu had only seen her in newspapers and entertainment magazines. The last time they met, he had so many worries that he couldn't truly appreciate her. Now, standing shoulder to shoulder with her under the crystal light, they felt the weight of curious and mistrustful stares together, surrounded by fashion and chatter. He knew that Han Yanyan would mark a turning point in his life.
"You got your own surname back?" Han Yanyan teased, her lips curving upward.
"It's just a ploy," Liu Chengyu replied. He signaled a waiter to bring a drink to Han Yanyan as they walked toward a quieter area.
"What do you mean?" Han Yanyan asked.
"On the surface, he acknowledged me, but in reality, I'm just a means to apply pressure on him," Liu Chengyu explained. "He just wants to force that person to return."
"Return? Where did he go? I’ve been out having fun; is there anything I need to catch up on?" Han Yanyan asked.
Liu Chengyu's expression turned serious. "He ran away from home."
Han Yanyan struggled to swallow her red wine without spitting it out. Liu Chengyu stood protectively beside her, shielding her from prying eyes, gently patting her back until she steadied herself.
The deep V back of her gown highlighted her alluring figure, sleek skin, and prominent shoulder blades, stirring intrigue from the men around.
Liu Chengyu retracted his hand and inquired, "What's your plan from here?"
Han Yanyan touched her chest and waved her hand. "Let’s not talk about that. What do you mean, ran away from home? It sounds like something a high schooler would do."
Liu Chengyu replied coldly, "He returned home and confronted my father about ending the engagement with you. The conversation broke down. My father lost his temper and refused.
Qiao’s mother was furious too; she tried to offer that woman five million to leave. In front of Qiao’s mother, the woman tore up the check and slapped her. Just then, that person arrived and saw the whole thing, which created tension between them and his mother.
Qiao’s mother made it clear: either he stays with her, or he stays with the other woman. He chose the other woman, left with her, and immediately announced the end of his engagement with you. Now Qiao’s mother is in the hospital recovering from the rage..."
Han Yanyan groaned, "I can't believe that in this day and age, there are still grown men with such a juvenile mindset in love."
Her helpless expression was amusing enough to elicit a smile from Liu Chengyu. The previously serious and cold young man seemed somewhat relaxed, a hint of warmth in his demeanor. However, that moment was brief; he quickly returned to his usual composure, saying, "If life is too smooth and perfect, it’s unavoidable to be naive."
Han Yanyan, with her sparkling eyes, shot him a sideways glance.
"What’s wrong?" Liu Chengyu asked, slightly taken aback.
"You look so handsome when you smile. Why do you always look so serious?" Han Yanyan raised an eyebrow, her lips curling to the side.
This time, Liu Chengyu’s expression genuinely stiffened.
"What are your plans?" he asked, his tone grave and serious, as if discussing critical business matters.
"Plans…," Han Yanyan lifted her chin slightly. "Since your father plans to use you for a show, we should give him a real performance and turn the fake into reality."
"What's the specific plan?" Liu Chengyu pressed further.
Han Yanyan rolled her eyes—did he really think they were discussing a business proposal?
"The specifics? Well, you’re supposed to court me," she said, a teasing look on her face.
For a moment, Liu Chengyu seemed at a loss.
"I'm the esteemed daughter of the Han family! You think you can just say you want to marry me and I’ll just agree?" Han Yanyan threw him a glare, gracefully lifted her skirt, and turned to walk away, offering him a perfect view of her back. "I'll be waiting for you—"
With that, she swayed her hips toward a few familiar socialites.
If people could be likened to flowers, Liu Chengyu thought Han Yanyan must be a full, blooming peony, bursting with vitality and grace.
For some reason, he felt warmth creep into his ears and heart.
"Yanyan, did you really break off your engagement with Wenxing?"
"I heard he ran away from home for that woman, wanting to sever ties with his parents, which is why the Qiao family has acknowledged the outside child."
"Yanyan, Uncle Qiao is being so warm; he can’t possibly be looking to match you and Chengyu… right?"
The familiar socialites surrounded Han Yanyan, clamoring for more gossip to feed their burning curiosity.
These were all good friends of Han Yanyan, but there were also those who were less fond of her, leading to some discordant voices.
"It could very well be true," someone joked. "Think about it; in ancient times, in some poor villages, if an older brother died, the younger one would marry the sister-in-law, right?"
Everyone's gaze shifted. Earlier, they had been secretly watching Han Yanyan and Liu Chengyu, speculating on this possibility, but that voice had been a bit too harsh.
Han Yanyan’s full lips curved slightly, and she replied, "If it's Qiao Chengyu, I wouldn't mind at all."
Her friends gasped, "Wow… Yanyan, you…"
With a nonchalant shrug, Han Yanyan continued, "I grew up in diapers with Wenxing, so our feelings aren't anything special. Brotherly love is often stronger than romantic love. Marrying either him or Qiao Chengyu would be about the same. But honestly, I’m quite tired of Wenxing. If it were Qiao Chengyu, it wouldn't be too bad."
Han Yanyan raised a finger. "First, he’s handsome and has a great figure."
The crowd followed her gaze to Liu Chengyu, realizing she spoke the truth. After seeing so many men in the social circle acting frivolously, Liu Chengyu's serious demeanor was indeed refreshing.
Han Yanyan raised a second finger. "Then, he's excellent—his past accomplishments qualify him as elite, right? It's not just empty praise; it’s solid achievement."
Everyone nodded. Since Liu Chengyu entered the circle, they had all learned about his background. Meanwhile, Qiao Wenxing had been hyped as a “gifted youth” by the media, but everyone in their circle knew how things really stood. In their circle, if a man didn’t do drugs, gamble, or engage in reckless affairs, he could wear the “elite” mantle.
"And most importantly," Han Yanyan raised a third finger, "it doesn’t matter who I marry, as long as that person is the heir of the Qiao family, I’m all in."
Everyone held their breath. In light of this third point, the first two were mere trifles! The Han family and the Qiao family were both major tycoons. The prospect of these two powerful families joining forces ignited excitement. Some felt envious, while others harbored jealousy.
A naysayer was still unwilling to relent. "How are you so sure he can be the heir? You know how much Uncle Qiao favors Wenxing. And Qiao Chengyu’s mother was just a woman on the outside; Uncle Qiao doesn’t think much of her. Otherwise, why would he have denied recognizing him for so many years? I heard he was made to carry his mother’s surname, Liu. My advice? Don’t get too serious with Qiao Chengyu; what if Uncle Qiao calls Wenxing back?"
To her surprise, Han Yanyan laughed loudly, "Whether he comes back or not doesn’t matter. After all, whoever marries me will be the heir of the Qiao family."
As soon as she said this, the room fell silent for a moment. Then everyone turned their eyes away to look elsewhere, deliberately changing the topic. You compliment my dress, I compliment your earrings.
Han Yanyan waved over a waiter, who quickly took her empty glass and offered her a new drink. Sipping her wine with a smile, she enjoyed the sight of others’ envy and the sour face of the naysayer.
Ah, if one could choose to be reborn, having a wealthy father would be bliss.
From a distance, Han Yanyan spotted Liu Chengyu and raised her glass for a silent toast. Amidst the glamorous ambiance, it felt like a vacation.
Within a few days, the Qiao family’s recently acknowledged second son began pursuing the only daughter of the Han family.
In the world of wealthy families, marriage woes, sibling rivalries, and gossip from the entertainment pages surged like a tide.