Having such a heavy label pinned on her, even Jing Meng's expression shifted slightly. "What do you mean by that, Madam Pei? I have already explained the circumstances of that day."
Old Mrs. Pei let out a disdainful sneer. "But you were indeed Gong'er's fiancée before. Miss Jing, please have some self-respect; our Pei Family does not welcome someone like you."
Jing Meng tightened her fists in silence.
This was the Pei Family residence. She couldn't let a moment of impulse damage the relationship between Pei Shiyi and his mother, yet if she left like this, how could Pei Shiyi ever hold his head high in this house again?
Jenny watched Jing Meng's troubled face, a surge of pleasure bubbling up in her heart.
No one was going to take Pei Shiyi from her!
Just as the atmosphere grew heavy, a cold yet overbearing voice exploded in everyone's ears. "Mother, Mengmeng is my fiancée. She isn't going anywhere."
"Shiyi!" Old Mrs. Pei's voice sank instantly. Her sharp aura made those around her feel as if they couldn't breathe.
"Mother, Mengmeng is my future wife, and she is also Pei Cheng's future mother!"
Pei Shiyi's gaze was unwavering, his words deliberate and powerful.
It was the first time in many years that Old Mrs. Pei had seen Pei Shiyi so resolute regarding a woman. She began to reconsider her stance.
Seeing that Old Mrs. Pei actually intended to let Jing Meng off the hook, Jenny's expression soured. From an angle where the others couldn't see, she shot a vicious glare at Jing Meng.
Suddenly, she collided with Pei Shiyi's gaze a look so cold it felt like shards of ice. A primal fear took root in her heart, draining the strength from her body. Jenny nearly collapsed to the floor in fright, and because of this, she became much more subdued for a while.
Protected behind him, Jing Meng felt a complicated mix of emotions. Seeing the situation escalating, she considered taking a step back to avoid making things difficult for Pei Shiyi.
However, he simply grabbed her hand and led her toward the back garden. Away from the crowd, Jing Meng felt her mood lift. She looked at the man before her and said, "Thank you."
"Next time something like this happens, don't worry about me. I will bear whatever consequences follow." The sharp lines of Pei Shiyi's face softened slightly.
His tone was more serious than ever before so serious that Jing Meng looked away guiltily. "I need to use the restroom."
With that, she hurried away.
Pei Shiyi watched her retreating figure, the corners of his lips curving upward. Suddenly, he frowned and said coldly, "Who's there?"
"President Pei, the Old Master requests your presence." Seeing that he had been discovered, the butler bowed composedly to Pei Shiyi.
His face was full of kind smiles, but Pei Shiyi did not relax his guard. "What does my father want with me?"
"I am not entirely sure about that." Having delivered the message, the butler bowed again and walked back inside.
Pei Shiyi remained silent for a moment before heading toward Old Mr. Pei's study.
When he entered, the Old Master was standing with his back to him, clearly having waited for some time.
As soon as the door closed, he got straight to the point. "I heard you talked back to your mother in public for the sake of a woman?"
"Father, Jing Meng is my fiancée." Pei Shiyi understood his father's intent perfectly, but he had no intention of yielding.
The Old Master fell silent for a long time before switching topics. "If I made you choose between Pei Corporation and Jing Meng, which would it be?"
"That question is meaningless. Pei Corporation is already in my hands. To try and make a deal with me using my own things... Father, do you really think I'm that foolish?"
The implication was clear: he would not surrender the company, and he would not let go of Jing Meng.
The Old Master was not so dense as to miss the meaning. A dark flash crossed his eyes. "The guests outside have been waiting long enough. It's time to go out."
Pei Shiyi knew this attitude meant his father would no longer interfere in the matter. Feeling slightly relieved, he followed Old Mr. Pei back to the banquet.
By the time the two returned, all the guests had arrived. As the Old Master descended the stairs, every gaze turned toward him. After all, Old Mr. Pei was a legendary figure who had dominated the business world for decades; he was rarely seen in public.
The Old Master walked onto the prepared stage and took the microphone from the host. His majestic voice, amplified by the multimedia system, became even more impactful. "First, I would like to thank you all for taking the time to attend my banquet. I will ensure that everyone returns home tonight fully rewarded."
Being able to attend a gathering hosted by a prominent clan like the Pei Family was a mark of status for many, which was why so many people had done everything possible to secure an invitation.
"Not long ago, I obtained a certain treasure, but despite exhausting all methods, I have been unable to peek into its secrets. Therefore, I have used this occasion to invite you all here. Whoever can solve this puzzle may take this treasure home!"
The hall was silent for a moment before a buzz of excitement broke out. Anything called a "treasure" by Old Mr. Pei was bound to be a priceless gem!
"Everyone, I have prepared the treasure. Let's see which elite among you can take it away tonight!" As soon as he finished speaking, the puzzle was hung above the stage. It appeared to be a piece of somewhat yellowed paper.
However, one could vaguely discern that it was a robot design blueprint, one that was incredibly intricate and exquisite.
Seeing the guests begin to whisper, the Old Master explained, "As you can see, this is a very sophisticated design. Since this blueprint came into my hands, I have tried countless ways, yet I have been unable to actually build this robot. If anyone here can solve this problem, you may take the blueprint directly!"
As his voice fell, the crowd was filled with mixed emotions.
The blueprint was indeed exquisite, but solving a problem that even Old Mr. Pei couldn't fix was bound to be difficult.
Some began to regret not bringing their engineers with them today.
Jing Meng stared at the blueprint for a long time until a flash of inspiration struck her. "Old Master, I might have an answer. May I try?"
The moment Jing Meng spoke, the hall fell into a sudden silence. Every pair of eyes landed on her.
Jenny assumed she was just acting beyond her means and pretending to know more than she did. In her heart, she sneered, How overconfident.
The others didn't believe that Jing Meng could have truly seen through the mystery in just a few short minutes either.
Jing Meng ignored the surrounding stares and walked toward the design blueprint step by step. The confident smile on her face was so brilliant that people found it hard to look away.
Seeing the girl's overflow of confidence, the Old Master raised an eyebrow in surprise, and the look he gave Pei Shiyi became increasingly deep.
His Xiao Liu had good taste!
"Miss Jing, please tell us, what defect does this design have?"
Jing Meng couldn't help but feel a sense of goodwill toward this Elder who was willing to trust her. Under the gaze of the crowd, she picked up the paper. "This blueprint itself is actually a complete design."
"Miss Jing, I know you want to catch the Old Master's attention, and we can all understand that, but please don't pretend to understand what you don't. If the design were complete, how could it be impossible to manufacture? Are you questioning the strength of the Pei Family?"
Jenny paused for effect before adding suggestively, "Or are you questioning the Old Master's ability?"
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