No matter who he was compared to, he was never her top priority.
Shen Wenta hated this feeling. From a young age, he knew he had to establish his own uniqueness.
This was what the elders in his family had told him: if you cannot be the one and only, it means you will be replaced.
Being passed over time and time again made him feel uncontrollably disappointed and lost.
Shen Wenta leaned against the wall with one leg slightly bent, his body weight resting entirely on his left shoulder. With lowered eyes, he coldly accused her, completely unaware of how off his tone sounded.
"...Eh, have I really never chosen you?" Shen Yi was also a bit surprised.
Counting back over the past seven or eight years.
Compared to her other older brothers, Shen Yi had always habitually rejected him.
This actually had a lot to do with their personalities. Shen Wenta always had a slightly more domineering attitude than the others, and she would often end up arguing with him after just a few words.
It was an unavoidable part of life; she hadn't expected him to feel so wronged.
"Even though I didn't choose you for the opening dance this time," Shen Yi's expression flickered briefly, "you have to know that there will eventually be a time when I pick you."
Shen Wenta: "For example?"
"You really talk too much, brother!" Shen Yi stood up from the armrest of the sofa and smoothed out her skirt.
"Let's meet at the banquet."
It would only be a little while anyway.
She hung up the phone.
The moment the screen went dark, she could imagine Shen Wenta's expression on the other end.
He was probably leaning against the wall, staring at the ended call screen with an expression of anger, anxiety, and utter helplessness toward her.
Serves him right.
She thought.
Who told him not to answer her calls earlier?
[You only have until the third day, Xiaoyi.]
Just before boarding the ship earlier, the first thing transmitted into her mind was the system's cold notification sound.
Three days' time.
This meant that a situation would only arise on the third day; until then, it was safe.
...
At eight o'clock in the evening, Shen Yi stood at the entrance of the banquet hall with Sui Ning at the agreed time. For the first time, she truly understood the weight of the phrase a gathering of celebrities and elites.
There were three banquet halls on the ship alone.
The first banquet hall was centrally located on the main deck. It was the largest and most core venue, and it was said that only a few top-tier families and political dignitaries could enter.
The second banquet hall was on the starboard side. It was slightly smaller in scale, but those who could enter were all pivotal figures in their respective fields.
The third banquet hall was on the port side. It was relatively relaxed, with a higher concentration of young people, and the atmosphere wasn't as solemn.
Tonight's ball was being held in the third banquet hall.
As this was the first banquet, naturally, no one would miss any opportunity to show off or test the waters.
Languages from all over the world drifted into her ears, and occasionally, she could even hear minority languages. There were also many translators in black suits standing nearby, following important guests to interpret for them.
Rather than a ball, it felt more appropriate to say she had stumbled into a massive social networking and negotiation venue for the ultra-privileged.
Shen Yi held a glass of champagne, her gaze searching through the crowd for Shen Wenta's figure.
Not far away, a middle-aged man greeted them from a distance. Seeing this, Sui Ning also raised his glass and smiled in response. He wasn't here to play; he had business to discuss. Before leaving, he didn't forget to whisper to Shen Yi, telling her not to run around, not to eat things randomly, and to ignore anyone who tried to strike up a conversation with her.
It was exactly like an old father instructing his daughter.
Shen Yi nodded absentmindedly, but she did spot a few familiar faces.
More precisely, they were acquaintances of her grandfather.
Shen Yi had met them a few times before. Her gaze swept past these people, and she began to look around the crowd, observing the place.
Soon, she caught sight of an unexpected figure.
Song Guanyan.
For a private banquet of this caliber, the invitees were naturally those at the top of the pyramid in various fields. It was perfectly normal for Song Guanyan's name to appear on the guest list.
Standing beside him was Lu Mingyuan.
The Lu and Song families had always maintained a good relationship, and their businesses were intricately intertwined. It wasn't surprising that they would be chatting together.
As the younger generation, Lu Mingyuan stood by to keep them company. He wore his suit neatly, but his expression looked exceptionally haggard.
Seeing these two jinxes at the same time in such a place gave Shen Yi a bit of a stomachache.
This banquet was basically a trap anyway; the organizer's motives were unclear, and the guests' intentions were complicated.
And now, seeing these two annoying people, her heart sank.
Shen Yi pretended not to see them, turning sideways to hide in the crowd while pondering: What was the main purpose of this banquet?
If she were the organizer, gathering celebrities from all walks of life across the country, the purpose would naturally be for profit.
The exchange of resources and the building of connections.
Therefore, she always felt that if an accident was truly destined to happen, the organizer was definitely involved.
With nothing else to do, Shen Yi simply went to chat with some of the foreigners for a while.
Sui Ning had brought a translator with him, so although communication was a bit troublesome, she could still gather some basic information here and there.
She intermittently heard some rumors about the organizer, their family history, and industry distribution. Most of it was public information, nothing special.
She politely declined a few people who wanted to chat, holding her champagne, ready to leave the area.
But at that moment, she was suddenly called out to.
"Yiyi."
Shen Yi's footsteps paused.
Very few people called her that.
She instinctively turned her head.
Song Guanyan.
She had been wandering around various places just now and wasn't actually very conspicuous.
How did he spot her?
Shen Yi ignored him and continued walking forward.
"Xiaoyi, why are you here?"
Song Guanyan quickly caught up, asking Shen Yi with some joy, but she ignored him.
His pace was faster than usual, and when he spoke, his voice trembled slightly. He stared closely at Shen Yi. "You've grown up."
Wasn't that nonsense?
Everyone grows up.
"Yiyi, you really look like your mother."
He examined her bit by bit, his gaze carrying a complex mix of nostalgia and guilt.
The complicated look made her feel a bit nauseous.
Shen Yi: "You're disgusting. Why are you bringing up my mother?"
She felt a bit uncomfortable and looked at him expressionlessly.
"Yiyi," Song Guanyan didn't mind her cold words. He asked in a low voice, "I've actually always wondered what you looked like grown up. I had someone take some photos of you before, but they were discovered. I asked Lu Mingyuan to show me what you looked like from your class photos, but I never had the chance to see you again."
He kept chattering on.
"I want to know..." Song Guanyan's voice was a bit strained, "Are they... good to you?"
"If you ever suffer any grievances, you can always come home, Xiaoyi. Your name was actually Muyun at first..." He wanted to say more to her, so every word sounded like careful flattery.
"I don't need your concern," Shen Yi interrupted him.
It was hard for her to speak to this person in a friendly tone. "Just take good care of my younger brother."
"I don't need a father's love anymore. Your belated guilt is absolutely sickening."
Back when she was at the age where she needed care the most, he had chosen another girl, pouring all his fatherly love, attention, and companionship onto her. Shen Yi had given up on him long ago.
Song Guanyan clenched his fingers tightly, crumpling the fabric of his suit in his grasp. He spoke with desperate urgency, "I know, it is all my fault."
"But Yiyi, I will change."
