All eyes turned toward Du Yao, who was standing at the back.
Suddenly finding himself the center of attention, Du Yao grew nervous and flustered, forcing an awkward smile. "N-nothing, really."
Sang Ning’s tone was icy. "Oh? I thought you had something to say to me."
Everyone present knew exactly what kind of man Du Yao was.
It wasn’t hard to guess—the scoundrel had been leering at women again, unable to control himself.
This banquet was attended by high society, not Du Yao’s debauched party friends from nightclubs. These people valued their reputations, and their gazes turned disdainful at his behavior.
Old Master Chen’s expression darkened instantly. He glared at Du Yao and said sternly, "Du Yao, come greet Old Master Nan and President Nan."
The Chen family had already suffered enough humiliation by acknowledging him as a son-in-law. Now, in such a setting, he couldn’t even pretend to behave, dragging the Chen name through the mud.
Du Yao forced another smile and stepped forward to greet them. "Grandfather Nan, Uncle Nan, Auntie Nan."
Old Master Nan frowned slightly. In such a formal setting, he didn’t want to make a scene, so he merely nodded in acknowledgment.
Du Yao didn’t dare look at Nan Sangning again.
Sang Ning coldly averted her gaze.
The matter was brushed aside—lightly, but not forgotten. The shrewd guests were experts at smoothing over awkward situations.
Later, Du Yao was dragged outside the banquet hall by his parents and scolded harshly, leaving him thoroughly humiliated.
"You’re truly useless. Nan Sangning only needed a few words to make you suffer like this, and you still think she’s some naive little flower?" Chen Zhihan sneered, kicking him while he was down.
Furious, Du Yao suddenly grabbed her by the throat. "Shut your damn mouth! Stop mocking me, you bitch!"
Chen Zhihan gasped for air, clawing at his fingers as she glared at him. "You only dare to take your anger out on me? Look at yourself—who got you into this mess? If you’ve got the guts, go vent your rage on Nan Sangning!"
Du Yao’s eyes flickered uncertainly, his bravado wavering.
He had just been reprimanded by his family and warned not to cause any more trouble. He could run wild outside all he wanted, but he didn’t dare defy his father.
"So you’re just going to swallow your anger? If you trust me, I’ll help you deal with her. I’ll pave the way—guarantee she’ll be docile and willing to marry you," Chen Zhihan said, her eyes gleaming with malice.
Du Yao gritted his teeth, his expression twisting with greed and desire.
The birthday banquet officially began, with guests mingling, toasting, and chatting merrily.
Sang Ning was still in her rotation internship phase, so the Nan family’s business affairs were handled by Old Master Nan and Nan Zhenming. Meanwhile, Nan Siya clung to Chen Zheng, lost in their sweet romance. Left with little to do, Sang Ning decided to take a short break in the lounge area.
Her feet ached from the high heels.
She pulled out her phone from her small bag and saw a message from He Siyu:
[Have you eaten?]
She typed back: [A little.]
She hadn’t eaten much—that disgusting, lecherous stare had turned her stomach.
[Was the banquet food bad? I’ll pick you up later for a proper meal.]
She started typing: No need—
"Excuse me, miss, would you like a drink?" A server approached, holding a tray.
Tonight’s banquet wasn’t a seated dinner but a buffet-style event, allowing guests to move freely and socialize. Servers circulated with trays of assorted drinks, offering them to attendees.
Feeling slightly nauseous, Sang Ning asked, "Do you have lemon water?"
"Yes, this one." The server handed her a glass from the tray.
Sang Ning accepted it and politely said, "Thank you."
"Oh, no problem."
The server quickly walked away.
Holding the glass, Sang Ning frowned slightly. Something about that server had felt off.
When she thanked her, the woman’s eyes had flickered with unease.
Sang Ning turned to watch the server leave. The banquet hall was crowded, but the uniform made the woman easy to spot.
The server hurried through the crowd, not stopping to offer drinks to anyone else.
A cold glint flashed in Sang Ning’s eyes.
She knew exactly who was behind this.
Again and again—did they really think she was an easy target?
Lowering her gaze, she raised the glass to her lips and took a sip.
Ten minutes later, she leaned back against the sofa, her eyelids drooping as if she were losing consciousness.
A server rushed over. "Miss? Miss, are you feeling unwell?"
Sang Ning pressed a hand to her forehead, her brows furrowed. "Yes."
"Let me take you upstairs to rest. The hotel has a doctor on call if you need medical attention."
The server helped Sang Ning to her feet, supporting most of her weight as she guided her out of the banquet hall.
They headed straight for the elevators, swiping a keycard to access the upper floors.
The Boyuan Hotel was one of Jing City’s most prestigious five-star establishments, its lobby grand and opulent. The elevators were glass-walled, offering a clear view of the surroundings.
At that moment, a group of men in suits walked in through the revolving doors, deep in discussion.
"Having Young President Pei join us for this meeting is truly an honor!" General Manager Wang said with a hearty laugh.
Pei Songhan nodded slightly. "You flatter me, General Manager Wang."
He was here for a business dinner to discuss a deal.
As they chatted, they approached the glass elevators. His gaze flicked upward—and then froze.
Inside one of the ascending elevators, he spotted a familiar figure.
Nan Sangning?
She looked unwell, leaning heavily against a female server who was practically holding her up.
His brows furrowed. Had she drunk too much?
Unlikely. He’d heard she was interning at the Nan Group—who would dare pressure her to drink?
Even if she had, she should be heading home, not upstairs to a hotel room.
Something felt wrong.
"Young President Pei?" General Manager Wang noticed his distraction.
Pei Songhan watched as the elevator stopped at the top floor—the 32nd. Without hesitation, he strode forward and pressed the call button for another elevator.
When the doors opened, he stepped inside and turned to General Manager Wang. "Apologies, I have a personal matter to attend to. I’ll join you shortly."
Then he pressed the button for the 32nd floor.
Meanwhile, back in the banquet hall—
Chen Zhihan strolled leisurely to the spot where Nan Sangning had been sitting. Her assistant swiftly picked up the half-finished glass of lemon water from the table.
"Was the server reliable?" Chen Zhihan asked.
"Don’t worry, Miss. The Boyuan Hotel is owned by the Du family. With Young Master Du’s direct orders, who would dare disobey?" the assistant whispered.
Chen Zhihan smirked. That worthless Du Yao was finally good for something.
Her gaze lingered on the glass, venomous satisfaction in her eyes. Nan Sangning, you deserve everything that’s coming to you today.
Suddenly, a phone rang.
She turned and saw a phone lying on the sofa—Nan Sangning’s phone.
Picking it up, she saw the caller ID flashing on the screen:
"Strawberry Cake"
