"Please show your invitation." Outside the Yun Family Mansion, a servant in a tailcoat wore a soothing smile and said softly.
"Okay." Lin ngyao nodded, took out the small handbag she had prepared earlier, and reached inside to retrieve the invitation. But then, the smile on Lin ngyao’s face froze.
Anyone at the door dealing with important guests wouldn’t lack sharp observation skills. Noticing Lin ngyao’s hand stuck inside her bag without taking anything out and her stiff smile, the servant imdiately understood what was happening.
"Did you forget to bring your invitation? Without it, we can’t let you in. Perhaps you can ask soone to bring it over, and once it’s here, I can let you and the gentleman inside. anwhile, I’ll have to trouble you to wait on the side." Although the servant guessed Lin ngyao had no invitation, he remained polite, giving Lin ngyao face without embarrassing her.
"Okay." Lin ngyao gave the servant a grateful smile and stepped aside to make way for the people behind.
Xu Ke tightened his grip on Lin ngyao’s hand and with his other hand reached into his pocket to fetch the invitation to take Lin ngyao inside. The invitation Xu Jie received was different from the one sent to the Lin Family. The Lin Family’s invitation was personal, but Xu Jie’s allowed for one companion. The importance of tonight’s banquet to Lin ngyao was self-evident. How could Xu Ke let Lin ngyao be left outside?
Just as Xu Ke’s hand touched the pink invitation, a discordant female voice with a sharp tone sounded behind them, "Oh, isn’t this the famous beauty of Luocheng, Lin ngyao? What? Have you fallen so low now? You dare co without an invitation, huh? Who are you planning to leech off? Or are you standing here on purpose to catch soone’s eye, hoping to snag a rich man and dump the useless one at ho?"
Originally, Lin ngyao’s inability to produce an invitation and standing with her male companion on the hillside was already conspicuous enough. Now, with the woman’s loud voice, it further drew everyone’s eyes to Lin ngyao. Those who previously only peeked due to courtesy now openly looked towards Xu Ke and Lin ngyao.
Their gazes upon the two first showed surprise, then disdain.
Lin ngyao’s situation had been evident since Grandfather Lin passed away. Grandmother Lin didn’t care about showing her dislike for this granddaughter in front of outsiders. Thus, no one thought Grandmother Lin would give her the Yun Family’s invitation, only assuming the woman’s words were true—that Lin ngyao was here to catch a wealthy man to rid of the family burden. Hence, the look towards Lin ngyao carried undeniable disdain.
As for Xu Ke beside Lin ngyao, he was unrecognizable to everyone. They just assud Lin ngyao had found a not yet famous or already debuted star to boost her presence. In the true upper class and social elite’s eyes, stars are no different from actors. Therefore, people only glanced at Xu Ke, shocked by his appearance but with a mixed look in their eyes, causing Xu Ke to frown in displeasure. Of course, his biggest displeasure was from the unknown woman openly targeting Lin ngyao.
"Watch your mouth, and don’t project your filthy thoughts onto ." Lin ngyao said coldly.
"Do you still think you’re the eldest daughter of the Lin Family? How dare you talk to like that. Believe it or not, just a word from can ensure you can’t possibly get out of this unscathed." The woman stepped up to Lin ngyao as she spoke, with naked mockery and schadenfreude on her face, causing Lin ngyao to bite down hard to suppress the anger in her heart.
"You can try." Xu Ke wrapped his arm around Lin ngyao’s shoulder, looking down at the opponent and the chubby middle-aged man with diterranean hair who was looking lecherously at Lin ngyao while holding her waist.
"Mind your eyes if you want to keep them intact in your sockets." Xu Ke gazed at the man with coldness and a killing intent, speaking icily.
"Do you know who I am? How dare you speak to in this tone!" The man was initially startled, but upon failing to recollect any mory of such a figure in Luocheng, his fear turned to arrogance, though his short and fat stature diluted it.
"You’re not worthy of knowing your na."
"Xu Ke, let it be." Lin ngyao quietly tugged at Xu Ke’s sleeve, whispering.
She was moved by Xu Ke’s protective stance before her, but the man’s background wasn’t simple. He was Zhou Tao’s second uncle, Zhou Bo, in the Zhou Family, who, although having no real power, had a great relationship with Zhou Tao. Zhou Tao was known for being extrely protective, and combined with the Zhou Family’s current status as a rising first-class family, even the Lin Family dared not directly oppose them, let alone Xu Ke’s newly established company.
No one could face Xu Ke’s eyes and remain unaffected. Under his gaze filled with killing intent and aura, the two beca guilty, but Lin ngyao’s worried look made them quickly shake off that feeling, turning their guilt into anger instead.
"A tongue as boastful as yours shouldn’t worry about biting itself. Saying I’m unworthy of you knowing my na—this is the best joke I’ve heard all year. Even boasting requires one to know their limits." The man scoffed through his nose, looking at Xu Ke as if he were a clown.
"You look unfamiliar. Is this your first ti at such a banquet? Do you think the person you’re clinging onto is that impressive? To be honest, she’s nothing but a paper tiger. You look decent; if you need, I can introduce you to so real rich won. They’re far more generous than Lin ngyao if you please them."
The woman, looking at Xu Ke’s handso face, couldn’t help but feel a surge of jealousy. As if spellbound, her words ca out without thinking.
Why should Lin ngyao overshadow her in every aspect back in school, still find such a handso man as a companion after marrying a good-for-nothing, while she herself endured an old man’s advances? It wasn’t fair! The jealousy in the woman’s heart surged like lava.
The Lin Family feared embarrassnt, so Xu Ke rarely appeared in public with Lin ngyao over the past three years, let alone at such grand events. With Xu Ke’s clothing and spirit greatly improved, even Lin ngchen couldn’t recognize him when they t daily. How could this woman, who barely knew Lin ngyao, possibly recognize him?
They only thought Xu Ke was a social climber, leading to the above exchange.
"Hu Xue, stop it now."
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