Lu Cheng exchanged a few indifferent pleasantries with several prominent guests who proactively approached him, then slipped away from everyone's sight, quietly heading towards the exclusive VIP lounge already reserved for him on one side of the banquet hall.
As soon as he stepped into the lounge, several other equally eye-catching figures, with a tacit understanding, quickly ended their perfunctory conversations with others and walked towards the same direction.
The first to arrive was Mu Wanrou.
She had chosen a luxurious and elegant purple mermaid gown for the evening, its silky fabric, like top-grade silk, tightly embracing her mature and alluring figure.
Every gesture she made exuded the calm demeanor of a high-ranking individual who had naturally come into power after taking charge of her family, as well as the unique, fatal charm of a mature beautiful woman, capable of captivating any man.
She entered the lounge and saw Lu Cheng casually seated on the sofa, then very naturally sat down beside him, her soft body subtly pressing close.
Her voice, in front of Lu Cheng, always carried a heartfelt tenderness and a hint of a little woman's coquettishness that only appeared when she was with him:
"Brother Cheng... you're finally here."
"I thought you were really going to stand me up tonight; I was so bored!"
Lu Cheng listened to Mu Wanrou's somewhat playful complaints and chuckled softly.
He reached out and gently brushed a strand of her hair, which had fallen across her smooth cheek, behind her ear.
His warm fingertips inadvertently touched her sensitive earlobe, causing her to shiver almost imperceptibly, and her eyes instantly became hazy.
He lowered his head, leaned close to her ear, and praised her softly with his magnetic voice, capable of intoxicating any woman:
"Tonight's Mu Family Head is very beautiful."
"Purple, indeed, has a lot of charm."
Mu Wanrou's pretty face instantly flushed crimson from his sudden intimate gesture, her heart pounding like a startled deer, but her eyes were filled with the sweet bliss of happiness and satisfaction.
And not far away, the Dragon King Xiao Zhan, suppressing his anger, watched the entire scene of Mu Wanrou entering Lu Cheng's lounge!
His heart felt as if it was being fiercely squeezed by an invisible hand, and then ruthlessly pierced by countless red-hot steel needles!
Wanrou... No! I don't believe it!
That scoundrel must have forced you!
I will definitely rescue you!
The champagne glass in his hand, unable to withstand the immense force he couldn't control, finally gave way with a crisp 'crack'!
Fine cracks spread rapidly like a spiderweb, and the next second, the entire glass shattered completely!
Ye Shuying, sitting beside him, a hint of helplessness and... a hint of sympathy that even she hadn't noticed, flashed across her cool face.
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Gu Qingcheng wore a champagne-colored off-the-shoulder gown, her dark hair meticulously styled into a bun, revealing her smooth and elegant swan neck and sexy collarbones. She exuded a serene and gentle maternal glow unique to expectant mothers, yet without losing the cool nobility of an ice goddess.
Her gaze swept across the banquet hall and quickly landed precisely on a small, somewhat anxious figure in an inconspicuous corner—Xia Qinghe.
Xia Qinghe wore the light blue cocktail dress that Lu Cheng had specially chosen for her earlier, like a little white rabbit who had stumbled into a lavish banquet, trying her best to shrink into the shadows of the corner, not wanting to attract anyone's attention.
However, her pure and lovely appearance and slightly innocent demeanor made her particularly eye-catching among the gorgeously dressed and exquisitely made-up guests.
Gu Qingcheng recognized at a glance that this pure and cute-looking girl was the protagonist of the so-called photo of Lu Cheng "keeping a college student" that Lin Fan had shown her back then!
Haha.
Gu Qingcheng's lips curved into a meaningful smile, tinged with a hint of playfulness.
Since she was already pregnant and other women were going to benefit anyway, why not... win over this little white rabbit?
She elegantly waved towards Xia Qinghe, signaling her to come over as well.
Xia Qinghe was first stunned to see Gu Qingcheng, the ice-cold CEO, calling her, then her face showed a flattered and bewildered expression.
She was a little nervous, even a little scared, but she immediately lifted her skirt and took small, quick steps, like a startled little rabbit, obediently walking over.
"Gu... Sister Gu..." Xia Qinghe said, her voice as faint as a mosquito's, with an undeniable hint of timidity and nervousness, as she stood before Gu Qingcheng.
Gu Qingcheng took Xia Qinghe's cold little hand, a gentle and friendly smile on her face, like a truly caring older sister from next door.
In reality, her eyes held a subtle scrutiny and a kind of... understanding that only those in the same boat could comprehend.
"Come on, little sister, don't stand here alone."
"Come with me... to see Lu Cheng."
With that, she led the still bewildered and nervous Xia Qinghe towards the VIP lounge where Lu Cheng was.
When they entered the lounge, Lu Cheng and Mu Wanrou were speaking intimately in low voices, the atmosphere ambiguous and warm.
Seeing Gu Qingcheng enter, accompanied by the pure, innocent, and pitiful-looking Xia Qinghe, a smile flashed in Lu Cheng's eyes, and he thought to himself, 'This girl is up to her tricks again.'
As for Mu Wanrou, she seemed to have anticipated such a "sisters meeting" scene; she merely glanced indifferently at Xia Qinghe, saying nothing more, and maintained a polite smile on her face.
Gu Qingcheng walked naturally to Lu Cheng's side, releasing Xia Qinghe's hand.
Then, she extended her slender arm and gently linked it with Lu Cheng's other arm, pressing her body tightly against him.
Her voice carried the unique laziness of pregnancy and a subtle hint of showing off, along with a touch of... deliberate targeting and jealousy that only Lu Cheng could discern.
"Hmph! You finally decided to show up?"
"I thought you were once again entangled by some new 'good sister' you met tonight, and had forgotten all about me and the baby!"
That posture of a "main wife" powerfully asserting her sovereignty was self-evident.
Upon hearing the words "the baby," an almost simultaneous, undeniable trace of surprise and envy flashed in the eyes of Mu Wanrou and the newly arrived Xia Qinghe... Lu Cheng's face still held that calm, composed, and effortlessly at-ease smile.
He had one arm gently around Mu Wanrou's soft waist, the other intimately linked with Gu Qingcheng, and his gaze swept over Xia Qinghe, who stood beside them, flustered and blushing from nervousness.
But at this moment, if anyone could peer into his true thoughts, they would likely be astonished.
These women together are even more headache-inducing than battling those clueless Sons of Destiny!
Each one is a better actress than the last!
Why can't this system be a little more considerate and give me some kind of 'Asura Field Perfect Response Guide' golden finger?
If this keeps up, let alone controlling the whole situation, my kidneys... might just give out prematurely!
This sweet burden is a bit too heavy!
Meanwhile, in the central area of the banquet hall.
Luo Qingyan, quietly seated at the medical community's representative table, also took everything in.
She was still dressed in a simple and elegant moon-white cheongsam, standing out among the bejeweled and flamboyant ladies and socialites like a snow lotus untainted by the mundane, independent and ethereal, a unique and beautiful sight in herself.
When she saw Mu Wanrou, Gu Qingcheng, and even that pure and innocent-looking young girl Xia Qinghe, one after another, like moths drawn to a flame, proactively walking into Lu Cheng's lounge.
How could she not understand just how many outstanding women surrounded this man?
Even at the entrance of the lounge, there were many elaborately dressed socialites, attempting to find an opportunity to curry favor with Lu Cheng.
Luo Qingyan's eyes, usually as calm and clear as autumn water, couldn't help but flash with an extremely complex and hard-to-decipher emotion—
There was loss, anger, but also... more of an "I see" realization, and a faint hint of sourness that even she herself hadn't noticed.
This man... was indeed full of fatal temptation.
But then, she couldn't help but recall Lu Cheng's strength, his tenderness... Perhaps... she... should also... be a little more proactive?
As soon as this thought emerged, it caused her cool cheeks to uncontrollably flush slightly.
The end.