The Xu family's old residence is located in Luoshun District, on the western outskirts of Beijing. It was originally the villa of a high-ranking official of the Qing Dynasty, comprising five courtyards. After Old Master Xu came to Beijing for work, he lived in this old residence. Later, as the Xu family multiplied and prospered, the old residence became the residence of the direct descendants of the Xu family.
The Xu family's old residence had been thoroughly cleaned a few days ago and was now newly decorated. For Xu Qingya's birthday banquet, the Xu family had specially invited the best Chinese and Western chefs and a professional service team from Beijing hotels, who were now busy preparing in a tense but orderly manner.
Many guests arrived at the Xu family early. The parking lot in front of the old residence, covering over a thousand square meters, was filled with a dazzling array of luxury cars. Ferraris, BMWs, Mercedes-Benzes, Lamborghinis, and even Bentleys and Maseratis were on display, making it resemble a luxury car exhibition.
"Mr. Li, long time no see! Where have you been making your fortune lately?"
"Haha, Director Chen, my business is small, where would I get rich? Director Chen, if you have any good deals, you must give me a call!"
"Young Master He, I heard you bought a new yacht a few days ago! Take me to see it sometime!"
"Get lost! Stop messing with me! You've bought a private jet, do you think you can stand my little boat?"
...
Many guests arrived but didn't rush inside. Instead, they chatted and exchanged pleasantries in the plaza outside, trying to build rapport.
Just then, a flashy yellow Lamborghini sped up, executing a beautiful drift and parking in its spot. The wing-shaped doors slowly rose, and a young man in a white Versace casual suit stepped out. A woman in an elegant evening gown and an expensive Swarovski crystal necklace stepped out from the passenger side, gracefully walking to the young man's side and taking his arm, clinging to him.
Anyone who frequently watches television would recognize the woman in the evening gown as Qu Yi, the female lead in the recently popular idol drama "Youth Without Invincibility." However, unlike her innocent, bare-faced appearance on television, Qu Yi today wore heavy makeup, and coupled with her glittering gold gown, she possessed a more mature charm, but also a hint of worldliness that couldn't be concealed.
A pale-faced young man who was chatting with someone at the entrance of the old house suddenly brightened up and quickly went to greet her. Before he even arrived, a fawning smile appeared on his face:
"Third Brother! You've arrived?"
The young man in Versace smiled slightly and said casually:
"Haohan, you're here quite early! Why haven't I seen you at Jinzun lately? Is it because my place isn't high-class enough for you?"
Haohan quickly replied with a forced smile:
"Oh dear! Third Brother, you're wronging me! I've been in Qionghai for a while! My old man has been keeping a close eye on me. I only returned to Beijing yesterday."
The young man in Versace was named Fan Zijian, twenty-three years old, a direct descendant of the third generation of the Fan family, and the cousin of Fan Zihong, who had recently pestered Xu Qingya to go to Rongcheng. However, his father, Fan Zhengtao, was the eldest son of the second generation of the Fan family, Fan Zihong's uncle, and held the powerful position of a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Executive Vice Minister of the Organization Department of the Central Committee—a high-ranking official with real power. Like Fan Zihong, Fan Zijian didn't pursue a political career, but he was far more successful. He was well-known among Beijing's elite circles, adept at social maneuvering and smooth-talking. Fan Zijian owned the Golden Goblet Club, a high-end, members-only private club that attracted many officials and playboys from across the city.
In recent years, the Fan family's power had reached its zenith, subtly rivaling the Fang family. Other prominent families, including the Han, Liu, and Xu families, paled in comparison. Therefore, Fan Zijian's club was always packed with guests, raking in profits daily, and he himself became increasingly arrogant and self-satisfied.
Another young man named Yu Haohan also came from a prominent family in Beijing. The Yu family is one of the major political families in China, but its power is significantly weaker than that of the Fang and Fan families. Moreover, the Yu family has always been subservient to the Fan family, so Yu Haohan diligently curries favor with Fan Zijian. Although he is twenty-five years old, he addresses Fan Zijian as "Third Brother" with perfect fluency, a position Fan Zijian takes for granted.
Yu Haohan used to follow Fan Zijian around constantly, making him one of his most loyal followers. While the Yu family is not as powerful as the Fan family, it is still a political family, so Fan Zijian is happy to have such a follower, as it aligns with the family's strategy.
Yu Haohan's father, Yu Xingye, was recently transferred to the Qionghai Naval Base as deputy commander, so Yu Haohan went with him to Qionghai Province. Accustomed to a life of leisure in Beijing, Yu Haohan found life in Qionghai filled with anxiety under his father's watchful eye, making each day feel like an eternity. Therefore, he seized the opportunity and eagerly returned to Beijing.
Fan Zijian patted Yu Haohan on the shoulder, saying with a touch of warmth,
"Haohan, now that you're back, have some fun! That godforsaken place in Qionghai must have been driving you crazy! Come to my club tonight. A few new celebrities have arrived recently. If you see one you like, just tell me!"
Yu Haohan's eyes lit up at the mention of it. He secretly glanced enviously at the folk performers next to Fan Zijian, but didn't dare look too closely, quickly averting his gaze and happily saying,
"Okay! Third Brother, I'll definitely be there tonight!"
As they were talking, suddenly their eyes lit up. A stunningly beautiful young woman appeared at the entrance of the Xu family's old house, standing there gracefully, looking around. This girl was none other than Liu Xinyao.
Today, Liu Xinyao was wearing a light pink Gucci dress, paired with a sparkling Swarovski crystal necklace and white Versace diamond-encrusted high-heeled sandals. Combined with her breathtakingly beautiful face, she exuded a graceful yet noble aura, making one's breath quicken and heart race.
Fan Zijian and Yu Haohan swallowed hard in unison, then walked over with beaming smiles.
"Xinyao, long time no see!" Fan Zijian wore a charming smile, his eyes lingering on Liu Xinyao's stunning face, completely oblivious to his female companion, Qu Yi, beside him. Qu Yi didn't dare speak, only clinging to Fan Zijian's arm, also secretly observing the elegant girl before her, her eyes filled with envy and jealousy.
"Young Master Fan, hello!" Liu Xinyao's red lips parted slightly, responding indifferently, but her gaze was fixed on the distance, clearly her mind elsewhere.
Yu Haohan leaned closer, his eyes involuntarily landing on Liu Xinyao's ample bosom. He smiled and said,
"Xinyao! It's been over half a year, and you've gotten even more beautiful!"
Liu Xinyao frowned slightly, her lips twitching, and she nodded casually, which was her greeting. If her greeting to Fan Zijian was merely a polite gesture out of respect for the Fan family, then Liu Xinyao was essentially ignoring Yu Haohan.
Liu Xinyao's cold attitude didn't embarrass Yu Haohan; his expression didn't even change, and he maintained his warm smile. Because Liu Xinyao's coldness, like her beauty, was well-known in Beijing's elite circles.
"That's just her nature, and it's not just me, Yu Haohan, who's like this," Yu Haohan thought with a self-deceptive air.
Undeterred, Yu Haohan thought for a moment, about to try and get closer to Liu Xinyao again, when suddenly Liu Xinyao's eyes changed slightly. She then gracefully walked down the stone steps in front of the old house, leaving Fan Zijian and the others behind.
Fan Zijian and Yu Haohan turned to look and almost had their eyes pop out. A dilapidated taxi pulled up and stopped in front of the parking lot. Compared to the rows of luxury cars in the parking lot, which resembled a lavish car show, the taxi looked incredibly out of place, like an ugly duckling among a flock of swans.
Liu Xinyao's target was clearly that "ugly duckling."
A young man in his early twenties, carrying a simple gift box, climbed out of the taxi. He was wearing a Jack & Jones casual outfit, but on his feet were Adidas sneakers.
This outfit wasn't unusual on the street; while not a big brand, it was at least of average quality. However, at such a formal birthday banquet, the young man's attire appeared extremely shabby. Look at everyone in the square and the house—everyone was decked out in international designer brands. Even the waitresses serving guests in the courtyard wore exquisite cheongsams from time-honored Beijing brands, far more valuable than the young man's clothes.
The taxi sped away, and the parking lot returned to its "harmony."
This young man was Chen Yang, who had come to the banquet. As soon as he got out of the car, he saw Liu Xinyao approaching and gave him a gentle smile:
"Xinyao!"
Liu Xinyao nodded slightly and said calmly:
"My cousin asked me to come and pick you up."
Liu Xinyao's impression of Chen Yang had improved considerably these past few days, especially after his insightful discussion of the Northeast Asian situation in the living room during his last visit. However, none of this could offset the negative impact of Chen Yang's "womanizing" reputation.
Especially since Xu Qingya's parents had invited Chen Yang to their birthday party, Liu Xinyao was quite surprised. The scene of their passionate encounter at the Sanya Hotel was still vivid in her mind. The fact that Chen Yang, in his drunken stupor, had unconsciously called out "Qingya" left Liu Xinyao feeling uneasy. She had wanted to warn Xu Qingya several times to be careful about Chen Yang's ulterior motives, but didn't know how to bring it up.
Unexpectedly, this time, Xu Qingya was very considerate, worried that Chen Yang would feel out of place among the high society people. Considering that Chen Yang and Liu Xinyao were classmates, she specifically asked Liu Xinyao to greet him and spend more time with him during the party so he wouldn't feel neglected.
Xu Qingya's request was reasonable, and Liu Xinyao couldn't refuse. She could only greet Chen Yang with a slightly annoyed feeling.
After saying that, Liu Xinyao turned and walked ahead. Chen Yang, used to her attitude, smiled faintly and quickly followed.
Fan Zijian and Yu Haohan exchanged a glance, stepped forward, and asked with smiles:
"Xinyao, this gentleman looks unfamiliar! Won't you introduce him to us?"