I can support you.

As they were talking, a small commotion suddenly erupted at the banquet hall's entrance. Everyone looked in the direction of the noise and saw Chu Luofu, dressed in a white fishtail dress, walking in with a tall man on her arm. She had long, curly hair like seaweed and delicate makeup, and her appearance immediately attracted considerable attention.

But when her eyes swept over Xue Pianpian and Ning Youran, the smile on her face froze almost imperceptibly - she had thought that after returning from studying abroad, she would definitely be the focus of the night, but she did not expect that two girls with equally beautiful temperament and appearance would suddenly appear.

Chu Luofu quickly adjusted her expression, walked forward with her skirt lifted, and first hugged Chu Tiancheng affectionately, then looked at Shen Mobai and the other three, her gaze lingering on Ning Youran the longest:

"This lady looks unfamiliar. Is she a friend of my cousin?"

Shen Mobai smiled slightly.

"Hello, cousin! Congratulations on your return from your studies. Let me introduce you: These are my mother's two newly adopted goddaughters—Ning Youran and Xue Pianpian. Actually, they're also your cousins!"

"Goddaughter?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Chu Luofu's eyes, and then she quickly smiled.

"Aunt is so lucky. My two cousins ​​are so beautiful."

She said polite words, but she was secretly muttering in her heart - her aunt suddenly adopted two goddaughters and brought them to such occasions. She was afraid that she would no longer be her favorite baby in the future.

At this time, the people who had been discussing the matter came over. One of them, a noble lady in a pink dress, asked Xue Pianpian curiously:

"Doctor Xue, did you really cure Mr. Shen's heart disease? I heard from my father before that many famous expert doctors were helpless against Mr. Shen's illness."

Just as Xue Pianpian was about to speak, Shen Haoteng spoke first:

"Of course, my sister is a miracle doctor! If anyone feels unwell in the future, just come to my sister and I'll help you through the back door."

This made everyone laugh, and the atmosphere instantly became much more relaxed.

Ning Youran stood quietly beside Shen Mobai, occasionally responding to greetings from others, her tone soft but measured.

Several young men wanted to come forward and talk to her, but when they saw Shen Mobai staying by her side all the time, exuding an aura of "keep away from strangers", they all withdrew their steps in disappointment.

Chu Luofu looked at Xue Pianpian who was surrounded by the crowd, then glanced at Ning Youran who had a cool aura. She walked to the corner with her wine glass and whispered to the female companion beside her:

"Check the background of these two women. I want to see where they come from."

The female companion nodded in agreement.

At this time, Xue Pianpian was surrounded by several ladies asking about health preservation methods, while Ning Youran stood quietly beside her. Shen Mobai and Shen Haoteng were also protecting her. The four siblings were always the most eye-catching presence in the banquet hall.

Ever since that quick meeting yesterday, Chu Jiangyuan felt as if he was captivated by Ning Youran's dewy eyes, and they were always on his mind.

In his forty-five years of life, he had become accustomed to fawning and flattering faces, and was tired of the deliberately maintained dignity of the lady at home. He had never felt so obsessed.

That graceful figure was like a hook soaked in honey, making his heart itch. But when he thought of his nephew Chu Tianfeng's political future which was at a critical juncture, he had to suppress the restlessness in his heart and warned himself not to act rashly.

But this restraint was only superficial after all. The determination in his heart to obtain her was like a seed buried in the soil, growing wildly with this forbearance - Chu Jiangyuan would never let go of such a stunning beauty. He was just waiting for a foolproof opportunity.

Speaking of his wife, Chu Jiangyuan was even more impatient.

The original marriage was just an exchange of family interests. She had been acting like a lady from a noble family from the beginning, speaking and doing things in a rigid manner without any interest at all.

In terms of appearance, she was at best above average. In the past, he could treat her with cold respect. But ever since he saw Ning Youran's bright and charming appearance, he felt uncomfortable all over when he looked at his wife's dull face. Even saying one more word seemed like torture.

Today is the welcome dinner for my niece Chu Luofu who has returned from studying abroad. My nephew Tiancheng specially invited many young friends to join in the fun.

Chu Jiangyuan had no interest in the playfulness of these youngsters, so he simply sought some quiet time and slept until he woke up naturally in his own guest room on the third floor.

He slowly got up and washed up. He heard faint laughter from downstairs. He was too lazy to go downstairs to socialize, so he casually ate some snacks prepared by the servants. He was thinking of calling a few old friends to go out and play cards for fun. As soon as he stepped down the stairs, his eyes were suddenly caught by the figure in the middle of the hall.

It’s Ning Youran.

She just stood there like that. Her haze blue crow's-foot dress was not particularly eye-catching, but she had a dazzling brilliance of her own, and the hustle and bustle around her seemed to have become her backdrop.

Chu Jiangyuan's footsteps paused instantly, his brain went blank for a second or two, and then an uncontrollable ecstasy exploded from the bottom of his heart, spreading through his blood to every part of his body.

He could hardly suppress the smile on his face - it was true that "after searching high and low for something, it finally came to him without any effort"!

He was tossing and turning last night, wondering how to find out her whereabouts without making anyone aware of her, but he didn't expect that God would send her right under his nose.

He suppressed his turbulent emotions, fearing that his overly anxious expression would be noticed by others.

He turned around calmly and walked briskly back to the guest room on the third floor. The moment he closed the door, the restraint on his face disappeared, replaced by a sinister look of determination to win.

He immediately took out his cell phone and called his assistant Wu Zhi, his tone filled with uncontrollable excitement:

"Wu Zhi, quickly find a way to get here. I'm in the guest room on the third floor."

Wu Zhi on the other end of the phone agreed immediately, and within ten minutes he appeared quietly in the guest room.

Chu Jiangyuan signaled him to close the door, lowered his voice and revealed his thoughts:

"The woman downstairs wearing a haze blue fishtail skirt is called Ning Youran. I want her to stay here tonight.

Think of a way to lure her to the third floor without anyone noticing, and without letting anyone else notice, especially Tiancheng, there must be no mistakes."

Wu Zhi had been with Chu Jiangyuan for many years and understood his thoughts best. He immediately stepped forward and offered advice in a low voice:

"Second Master, how about I go downstairs and pretend to accidentally spill some wine, staining her skirt, and then use the excuse that there are spare clean clothes in the guest room on the third floor to lure her upstairs?"

Chu Jiangyuan frowned:

"That's too deliberate. What if she doesn't respond?"

Wu Zhi thought about it again:

"Or maybe she could just tell her that Miss Love has something on the third floor for her to pick up. After all, today is Miss Love's dinner party, and she wouldn't be able to refuse..."

The two of them put their heads together, talking to each other, and a detailed plan quietly took shape in the closed guest room, and every word revealed malicious calculations.

As Wu Zhi finished speaking, Chu Jiangyuan tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, a calculating look flashing in his eyes:

"Love's side is indeed a good excuse, but it needs to be done more naturally.

First, go talk to the woman next to Luo Fu and indirectly mention, "Miss Ning is so charming, it would be great if Luo Fu had a friend like her to support her." Then, go ahead and mention that Luo Fu left a gift on the third floor for a friend and would like Miss Ning to help her decide if it's suitable. After all, she just accepted my sister as her godmother, so she's half family, so this shouldn't sound out of place.

Wu Zhi's eyes lit up:

"Second Master, you're brilliant! This way, you can borrow Miss Luo Fu's name while also giving Miss Ning enough face. She probably won't refuse."

"besides,"

Chu Jiangyuan added,

"Go downstairs and keep an eye on them. When Ning Youran comes up, find a way to lure Shen Mobai away. Make sure Ning Youran has a few minutes to be alone."

He knew very well that Shen Mobai's powerful aura of "keep away from strangers" was the biggest obstacle, and he had to clear this obstacle first.

Wu Zhi nodded repeatedly and asked:

"What if Miss Ning brings Dr. Xue up with her?"

"Don't worry about Xue Pianpian."

Chu Jiangyuan raised his lips to a sinister smile,

She's surrounded by a group of ladies asking about her health, so how could she have the time to follow you? Even if she did follow you, just stand outside and guard the door, and don't let anyone get close."

The two of them checked the details again to ensure that every link was seamless.

Wu Zhi straightened his clothes, opened the door as if nothing had happened, quietly slipped down the stairs, and went straight to Chu Luofu's female companion.