Chapter 121 - 120: Bonus - 3

Chapter 121: Chapter 120: Bonus Chapter 3

The commotion was making quite a scene. Even in the vast banquet hall, it drew the attention of most of the guests, especially the parents of the young ladies involved.

"Zhiyi!"

A middle-aged woman in a qipao and a full set of jade jewelry rushed over from a distance. She hugged her disheveled daughter, her heart aching, and asked anxiously, "What’s going on? How could something like this happen at President Liang’s banquet!"

Shen Zhiyi threw herself into Mrs. Shen’s arms. She stopped wailing, but her sniffling and hiccuping sobs made her look even more aggrieved.

"Tell me what happened. I will make sure you get justice!" As Mrs. Shen spoke, she scanned her surroundings with a grim expression, as if searching for the villain who had bullied her daughter.

At that moment, the other four young ladies righteously stepped forward.

"Aunt Shen, it was President Huo’s date who pushed Zhiyi down."

"That’s right. We saw that she didn’t know how to crack crab legs, so we came over with the best of intentions to offer our help. But who would have thought she’d just start cursing us out for no reason. Zhiyi couldn’t stand for it and went to confront her, and that’s when she got pushed over."

Gu Qingyin was stunned. ’They’re just going to make things up right in front of me? Are they really that brazen?’

Mrs. Shen followed their gaze to Gu Qingyin, glaring viciously. "I don’t care who it is, someone is going to answer for this today! Our Zhiyi has never been wronged like this in her entire life!"

The eyes of the surrounding crowd also fell on Gu Qingyin. Their faces remained neutral, but their eyes held a faint disdain. ’She hasn’t even married into the Huo Family yet and she’s already started throwing her weight around. Isn’t she afraid of earning Huo Xingye’s disgust?’

’Is she genuinely confident, or is she just a simple-minded fool?’

"Now that they’ve had their say, shouldn’t you listen to my side of the story?" Gu Qingyin said with a half-smile. "Turning black into white, spouting complete nonsense... Today, I’ve finally seen the true colors of these so-called high-society young ladies."

Gu Qingyin pursed her lips in disdain. "And with this kind of behavior, you dream of marrying into the Huo Family? That’s something that can only happen in your dreams, that’s for sure."

The young ladies tried to argue, but Gu Qingyin quickly raised a hand to stop them. "I have no interest in plumbing the depths of your stupidity." She tilted her head back and pointed upward. "Let’s just check the security footage."

The young ladies looked up to see a dark camera aimed directly at them. The small red light below it was blinking, silently announcing to everyone that it was, and had been, fully operational.

Instantly, the young ladies’ faces went pale.

’How could there be a security camera here?!’

If Gu Qingyin could have heard their thoughts, she would have replied with a grin: ’Of course there is. I specifically picked this auspicious spot myself! I even adjusted the angle to make sure the footage would be crystal clear and thoroughly entertaining!’

Seeing this, Mrs. Shen understood everything. They would have to swallow this loss, whether they liked it or not.

Meanwhile, Huo Xingye had just finished greeting a few senior figures in a private room. When he came out, he saw a crowd gathered by the beverage station. His heart sank, and he strode over.

As he drew near, he heard a man in the crowd pontificating, "Regarding this matter, out of respect for President Huo, we of the Shen family will let it go. But I must offer a word of warning: being the lady of a wealthy family is not so easy. If you don’t belong in a certain circle, you won’t have an easy time, even if you manage to force your way in."

Huo Xingye’s gaze turned cold. He pushed his way through the crowd. His eyes swept over Gu Qingyin, and only after confirming she was completely unscathed, just as she was when he left her, did he look over at the others with a sense of relief.

"You give me too much credit, Mr. Shen," Huo Xingye said. "My face isn’t worth that much. Let’s handle this by the book."

The man addressed as Mr. Shen’s expression changed abruptly, but he did his best to maintain a smile. "President Huo, let’s just drop the matter. We don’t intend to pursue it..."

"I refuse." Huo Xingye looked at him, his gaze indifferent. "Pull up the security footage. Project it onto the main screen. If it really is our fault, you can name your price for compensation."

The oblivious onlookers heard this with undisguised envy. An opportunity to make a demand of Huo Xingye was incredibly rare! If they played their cards right, their family’s status could soar!

They completely failed to notice that the smile on Mr. Shen’s face was about to shatter, or that Mrs. Shen and Shen Zhiyi’s faces had turned deathly pale.

It wasn’t just them; the four other young ladies were also panicking. They subconsciously searched the crowd for their own support—their parents.

Their parents were indeed in the crowd and had been for some time. But they hadn’t shown themselves. They didn’t even dare to move to the front, terrified of being seen.

This was not the time for them to make an appearance.

Since Huo Xingye had spoken, President Liang, as the host of the party, naturally sent someone to speak with the hotel manager and retrieve the security footage.

There would be a short wait. Gu Qingyin, tired of standing, pulled a nearby chair over and sat down.

Huo Xingye walked over to her and asked softly, "I hear the seafood is good tonight. Did you get any?"

Gu Qingyin glanced at the crab legs on the floor and pouted. "I almost did."

Huo Xingye glanced back as well, and when he turned to look at the three members of the Shen family, his gaze was even colder than before.

He turned and went to the catering area. He picked out two crab legs and started cracking them himself. After he was done, he wiped his hands clean, thoughtfully prepared a small dish of dipping sauce, and then carried the plate back.

President Liang, who was standing nearby, was quick on the uptake. He dragged a chair over and placed it right next to Gu Qingyin.

Huo Xingye thanked him politely, sat down, and held the plate steady. "Here, eat."

Gu Qingyin, of course, didn’t stand on ceremony. She took a bite and even offered a critique. "Too much vinegar. It’s overpowering the natural sweetness of the crab."

"Is that so?" It was Huo Xingye’s first time mixing the sauce; he had just gone by feel. He nodded as if taking her lesson to heart. "I’ll use less next time."

The onlookers exchanged glances, unable to conceal their astonishment.

’Is this the same Huo Xingye who was famously uninterested in women, who was usually as approachable as the ice-cold King of Hell? He’s spoiling her rotten!’

The three Shens and the four young ladies, however, were even more horrified. ’Who could have imagined that Huo Xingye would find a girlfriend from an ordinary background and still spoil her to this degree? It makes no sense!’

The more Shen Zhiyi watched, the more jealous she became. She couldn’t stop herself from blurting out, "My dad was right! Being the lady of a wealthy family isn’t so easy!"

Gu Qingyin swallowed the piece of crab meat in her mouth and smirked. "Is that so? I think it’s quite easy. Perhaps... the reason you find it difficult is because that particular lady’s husband isn’t capable enough."

Gu Qingyin unhurriedly picked up another piece of crab meat. "Don’t always blame your circumstances. Sometimes, you should try a little self-reflection."

Shen Zhiyi was left speechless.

Because Gu Qingyin was right. Given the Huo Family’s status, there was absolutely no need for so-called "spousal diplomacy." As the matriarch of the Huo Family, a woman could do whatever she pleased without having to consider anyone else’s opinion.

That circle of wealthy wives that others were desperate to join? The Huo Family looked down on it entirely.

To put it bluntly, they weren’t even in the same league.

Mr. Shen’s face flushed red with anger and shame. If Huo Xingye had been the one to say it, that would have been one thing. But for the words to come from Gu Qingyin...

’What right did a woman from an ordinary family have to look down on him?!’

Just then, the hotel manager ran over, holding a USB drive. He stopped in front of President Liang, panting as he said, "The security footage you requested is all right here."