There was no such friend abroad who worked for a pharmaceutical company.
It was all just a professional scammer arranged in advance by Xia Liuyue.
Come to think of it, it was Meng Xiang's appearance that gave her the inspiration.
Tang Yinyao, thinking herself clever and socially adept, had solved the laboratory's urgent problem.
Little did she know, this time she was about to take a fall.
...
The next evening.
Xia Liuyue and Mrs. Du set off together from the Du family's old residence to attend Old Master Zhao's birthday banquet at the Zhao family.
The Zhao family were also prominent figures in Haishi, controlling most of the local maritime resources. Unfortunately, the younger generations were useless, each worse than the last.
However, Old Master Zhao still commanded respect, and everyone showed face by attending his seventieth birthday celebration.
Xia Liuyue had just received five percent of the Du family's shares, still warm in her hands.
Mrs. Du had also treated her well, so naturally, she had to give all the face that was due.
Inside the Bentley, Mrs. Du held her hand and spoke earnestly:
"Xiao Yue, Mom knows that Jiashu has a terrible temper and a difficult personality."
"It's hard for you to put up with him, but please give him some chances. What couple doesn't have their bumps and clashes?"
"Jiashu's father and I also had an arranged marriage. For the first two or three years, we couldn't stand each other, but later, somehow, we gradually became each other's best friends and family."
Xia Liuyue could of course tell that Mrs. Du still hoped for a reconciliation between her and Du Jiashu.
She smiled perfunctorily and said, "Hmm, we'll see."
Mrs. Du liked her very much and patted the back of her hand again, saying,
"Alright, I won't say more. When Jiashu arrives later, don't let others see any cracks in the facade."
The cooperation between the Xia and Du corporations was at a critical juncture.
Beyond feelings, the most important thing was company stability. News of marital discord couldn't get out.
It would affect both families' stock prices.
Xia Liuyue understood perfectly and nodded.
Du Jiashu was heading to the Zhao family from the company. When their car arrived, the tall, slender man in a dark blue suit jacket was already waiting at the entrance.
People came over to ask who Young Master Du was waiting for.
Du Jiashu answered with a smile each time, "Waiting for my mother and my wife."
Eliciting envious looks from those around.
Thus, it was under these circumstances that Xia Liuyue, having just stepped out of the car, saw Du Jiashu extend his hand towards her with a nod.
"Darling, let's go in."
Meeting the concerned and scrutinizing gazes of everyone, Xia Liuyue acted naturally, smiling brightly as she placed her hand in his.
She turned her head slightly towards Mrs. Du and said,
"Mom, I'll go in with Jiashu first then."
Mrs. Du smiled with satisfaction. "Good, you two go ahead on your own. Don't worry about me."
Watching the young couple's retreating figures, she had only taken a few steps when she ran into ladies from other families.
They all cast envious looks her way.
"Mrs. Du, your son and daughter-in-law seem so close."
"Exactly, exactly. There were even rumors before that Young Master Du had a secret crush on Tang Yinyao. I think that's all nonsense."
Mrs. Du maintained an elegant, polite smile and nodded gently.
"Xiao Yue and Jiashu have always been very close. We don't pay any mind to the baseless talk from outsiders."
"As for Tang Yinyao, just look—the Tang family couldn't even get an invitation to the birthday banquet today. It's just that our Jiashu is sentimental and, for old times' sake, used to let her tag along."
"Who would have thought some people have ulterior motives and deliberately spread such rumors."
The 'some people' in Mrs. Du's words clearly referred to 'Tang Yinyao.'
Everyone present was shrewd.
They could naturally grasp her meaning and chimed in with criticism:
"That's right! The Tang family went bankrupt ages ago. What face do they have left?"
"It's only because Tang Yinyao is still a young girl that we can't be bothered to lower ourselves."
"Absolutely! She should check if her family's loans are even paid off yet."
"Shh—" Suddenly, one lady alertly noticed something and said, "Keep your voices down. Tang Yinyao has latched onto that one from the Yan family. He's here."
They lowered their voices:
"I heard Yan Hechuan lost his eyesight? He's here tonight too."
"Of course he'd come, given Old Master Zhao's status."
As they spoke.
The ladies saw the door of a low-key grey sports car open at the entrance.
The first thing to emerge was a pair of exquisitely crafted, custom Italian black leather pointed-toe shoes, followed by perfectly tailored grey suit trousers.
His slender neck was wrapped in a black dress shirt, topped with a neatly knotted blue checkered tie, lending a somewhat austere and aloof air.
Over it was a light grey waistcoat and a sleek, well-draped black suit jacket.
His features were refined, with naturally upturned, narrow phoenix eyes.
His gloomy, ash-grey eyes were as still as an ancient well, his entire person exuding the aloofness and rigidity of one in a high position.
Yan Hechuan was the center of attention the moment he appeared.
The ladies first sighed over his good looks, then brought up the pity that he was 'blind.'
A double meaning.
First, that he had lost his sight, and second, how could he have taken a liking to Tang Yinyao.
Following behind Yan Hechuan were Assistant Chen and the bright-eyed, peach-blossom-eyed Meng Xiang. They moved forward, led by a waiter from the entrance.
He could faintly hear the discussion from the people around him.
It seemed to mention 'Du Jiashu.'
A flicker of displeasure crossed Yan Hechuan's brow. Previously, he hadn't had any particular opinion of Du Jiashu.
But after parting at the hospital yesterday, Yueyue hadn't come to see him that night.
And today, there had been no word from her at all.
Yan Hechuan couldn't help but suspect, was it her good 'brother' Du Jiashu pestering her?!
He already had a wife, yet insisted on hovering around his fiancée. Yan Hechuan's fist clenched slightly. Once inside the banquet hall,
he planned to seek out Du Jiashu.
To advise him to keep his distance from his own fiancée, or else he shouldn't blame him for being impolite.
The Du family had some influence, but not to the extent that he couldn't touch them.
...
Inside the banquet hall, Xia Liuyue's smile was about to freeze on her face.
First, they greeted Old Master Zhao. The old master was extremely amiable, chatting with them for a few moments as if discussing family matters.
Then he praised the young couple for being so close, a model within their social circle.
After all, among other arranged marriage couples, they were either playing around outside or having one illegitimate child after another, with endless drama.
Xia Liuyue and Du Jiashu really did seem like the picture of respectability to outsiders.
Provided they weren't aware of Du Jiashu's entanglement with Tang Yinyao, and the lost child.
After greeting Old Master Zhao, they were met with wave after wave of well-wishers.
The wealthy circle in Haishi was small; most were related by blood or marriage, connected through family ties.
Those people were all relatives of the Du family and Du Jiashu's kin.
So Xia Liuyue could only keep up the fake smile.
Finally, after seeing off the last group, she decisively shook off Du Jiashu's hand, her voice turning cold.
"Enough. Holding on so tight, aren't you disgusted?"
