Volume 1, Chapter 126: The Couple Watching the Spectacle

After all, it was a gathering for the younger crowd. Huo Lindong did not stay in the banquet hall for long; he had little affinity for crowded settings. Having spent his childhood under the blinding glare of the spotlight—an overexposed "fashion accessory" carried by his mother—he had rarely appeared in the public eye since striking out on his own. Sometimes, mystery is simply a prerequisite for freedom.

Chairman Tan was an old acquaintance of Huo Lindong. Knowing his temperament, he had arranged a private room well in advance. Inside the second-floor suite, a massive, one-way floor-to-ceiling window offered a clear, panoramic view of the clinking glasses and mingling guests below. This, truly, was the center of power.

Seated beside Huo Lindong were Chairman Tan and Chairman Chen—the former a real estate tycoon, the latter a manufacturing magnate—both of whom had been mentored by the elder Mr. Huo in their youth. To the outside world, the Tan, Chen, Chu, and Qin families all appeared close to the Huo family, but proximity to the Huo household’s main branch did not equate to access to the Ninth Master. The Ninth Master had always remained an independent entity within the Huo clan, uninvolved in any internal family strife. The Qin family had struggled to get close to Huo Lindong, but they were still far off the mark; after all, men like Tan and Chen had grown up at the same table as him. The bond forged through breaking bread and coming of age together was not something an outsider could easily replicate.

Downstairs, they drank alcohol; upstairs, they drank tea. Huo Lindong spoke little, mostly listening as Chairman Tan led the conversation and Chairman Chen chimed in. Before long, Huo Lindong’s aide stepped forward. The two chairmen immediately fell silent, turning to sip their tea. After the aide whispered something into Huo Lindong’s ear, he commanded, "Keep a close watch."

"Understood."

The aide took two steps back and withdrew. Moments later, bodyguards began to move in silence. Though Huo Lindong’s expression remained unchanged, both chairmen could sense a shift in the Ninth Master’s aura. A second later, Huo Lindong rose from his seat. Startled, the two chairmen exchanged a glance and quickly stood as well.

Huo Lindong stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, his face darkening. He pointed in a direction, and both chairmen looked. A waiter, holding a tray of drinks, wove through the banquet hall, walking straight toward Tan Jing and Ye Sheng. Tan Jing reached out to take two glasses of champagne, handing one to Ye Sheng. Huo Lindong’s eyes shifted.

—

Ye Sheng took the champagne but did not bring it to her lips.

Nearby, another waiter arrived with two glasses of a clear, white liquid. Ye Sheng set the champagne aside and stopped Tan Jing from drinking hers.

"Try the wine I brought for you." Ye Sheng handed a glass to Tan Jing. "Chardonnay. I picked this bottle out specifically for you at the vineyard."

The word "specifically" spoke volumes.

"You really do know my taste." Tan Jing laughed and took a sip, only to freeze. This wasn't wine at all—it was plain water.

Ye Sheng smiled lightly. "How is it?"

Having seen her fair share of high-society events, Tan Jing realized something was amiss. She offered a few practiced comments on the flavor before moving aside with Ye Sheng, keeping her composure.

"I’ve had the real wine sent to your room. Keep it for your drink with Chairman Chen."

Holding the glass of "wine," Tan Jing smiled at someone nearby who greeted her, her lips curving into a forced, insincere grin. "What’s going on?"

"Someone put something in the champagne."

Ye Sheng’s single sentence shocked Tan Jing. She quickly regained her composure, leaning in to whisper as if sharing a secret: "Who is trying to sabotage my party?"

"At first it was Qin Minshu, then it was me." Ye Sheng linked her arm with Tan Jing’s. "Sorry, sister, I need to borrow your event to deal with someone. I’m letting you know in advance. Don't worry, I’ll wait until the banquet is over before I make a move."

"..."

Tan Jing’s eyes sparkled. She actually wanted to say: the banquet isn't important, watching the drama is.

Having finished the necessary social pleasantries, Chairman Chen and Chen Shaowei had no objections. As Chen Shaowei led Tan Jing away to dance, sing, and cut the cake, Tan Jing whispered into her husband's ear, "What do I do? I'm a little excited."

"Take it easy, hold it in," Chen Shaowei reminded her. "If you alert the enemy, we won't get to see the show."

Tan Jing immediately reined herself in. She couldn't afford to miss out on the gossip that would sustain her for at least the next six months.

—

These small maneuvers flowed too smoothly to alert Qin Minshu. Today, she was uncharacteristically quiet, sitting in a corner, sipping her drink, her eyes fixed on Ye Sheng, waiting for her to make a fool of herself. But Ye Sheng seemed to have a high tolerance for alcohol; she just kept drinking.

Qin Minshu couldn't help but frown. Had the plan failed? Why wasn't there any reaction yet? She crossed her legs the other way, growing increasingly impatient; her brother, too, was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps the air conditioning was set too high, but her head felt heavy and foggy, and she couldn't catch her breath. Just as she stood up to go for a walk, her body went limp and she collapsed.

She fell abruptly into a pair of arms.

Qin Minshu instinctively looked up, her vision blurred. She shook her head violently and saw a half-familiar face leering at her.

"What’s wrong, Miss Qin? Are you drunk?"

It was Mr. Nian. Qin Minshu recognized him from the photos her mother had thrown at her earlier—a bald, pig-faced man! Qin Minshu shoved him away hard, but after taking two steps, she felt that something was wrong. It was… the effect of the drug. The wine intended for Ye Sheng—how had she been the one to drink it?

The lecherous hands reached for her again. Qin Minshu’s alarm bells rang, and she suddenly began to shriek, "Brother! Brother! ... Mingting, Mingting, save me!"

Her brother did not appear, but Huo Mingting heard the cry. He had seen Ye Sheng drinking too much and had asked the kitchen for a glass of hangover soup in a stemmed glass, intending to bring it to her. He had only taken a few steps when he heard Qin Minshu’s scream.

He turned back halfway, and with a sudden motion, splashed the hangover soup into Mr. Nian’s face, shattering the glass against his head.

The scene erupted into chaos. The banquet was effectively over; many had already left, leaving only the younger crowd, who were unwilling to go home, lingering on the dance floor to drink, chat, and start the next round of socializing. Qin Minshu’s scream and Huo Mingting’s outburst drew every eye in the room.

"Minshu!"

Huo Mingting caught her, noticing her unusually high body temperature. "What happened to you?"

"Mingting, save me—" Qin Minshu, shocked and terrified, burst into tears and pointed a shaking finger at Ye Sheng. "It’s her! Ye Sheng tampered with my drink!"

Huo Mingting snapped his head toward Ye Sheng.

The entire hall fell into a dead silence.