The Banquet

Xu Feng was quick on the uptake. After stepping out, he even closed the door behind Shen Xiuyi, leaving only Luo Shiyi and Shen Xiuyi in the room.

Luo Shiyi's hair was slightly damp, her cheeks flushed. She shot Shen Xiuyi a reproachful look, then tightened the towel wrapped around her body, her expression tinged with annoyance. "Uncle, how could you barge into my room like that?"

Shen Xiuyi's gaze slowly shifted from her pale arms to her face. "I knocked for a long time earlier. Why didn't you answer?"

Luo Shiyi promptly feigned confusion. "You knocked earlier?"

Then, she put on a look of regret. "I was taking a shower and didn't hear anything." Her tone carried a hint of girlish shyness.

"My apologies. I thought something had happened to you," Shen Xiuyi admitted, recognizing his mistake.

"What could've possibly happened to me? Isn't this my home?" Luo Shiyi muttered softly, her lips pouting in a manner reminiscent of a young girl. "Now, would you please leave? I haven't even changed yet…"

Shen Xiuyi's gaze swept over Luo Shiyi one last time before he said, "Come out once you've changed."

"Yes, Uncle."

After seeing Shen Xiuyi out and locking the door behind him, Luo Shiyi finally let out a sigh of relief. She tossed the towel aside, revealing the half-wet dress she still had on underneath. "Good thing I'm quick-witted."

She had almost been caught.

But there was still one loose end—how was she going to explain the unlocked door to Shen Xiuyi's room?

Luo Shiyi felt a headache coming on. Shen Xiuyi's unexpected return had thrown her off guard.

Meanwhile, after leaving Luo Shiyi's room, Shen Xiuyi remained deep in thought, his brows furrowed.

"What's the matter, Fourth Master?" Xu Feng, who had been observing Shen Xiuyi's expression, asked cautiously.

Shen Xiuyi recalled that while he was speaking to Luo Shiyi earlier, the window in her room was open, and the curtains appeared to have been disturbed.

His eyes darkened slightly, but he shook his head. "It's nothing."

Xu Feng didn't press further. "Shall we wait downstairs?"

Shen Xiuyi nodded.

As Xu Feng walked ahead, he inadvertently glanced at the handle of his own room door as he passed by the staircase. His gaze froze, and he stared at the handle for a few seconds without moving.

"Fourth Master?" Xu Feng, who had already reached the bottom of the stairs, called out in confusion when he noticed Shen Xiuyi hadn't moved.

Shen Xiuyi slowly withdrew his gaze and descended the stairs as if nothing had happened.

After sitting in the living room for a while, Luo Shiyi finally came downstairs, now fully dressed.

She had long since composed herself. When it came to acting, she was a professional. As long as she wanted to, no one would be able to detect the slightest flaw in her demeanor.

"Uncle, why did you come back so suddenly?" Luo Shiyi had already scouted out his schedule and knew he was usually out during the day. She hadn't expected him to change his plans unexpectedly.

Shen Xiuyi looked up and scanned her face. When he noticed her unconsciously rubbing her wrist, a faint smile flickered in his eyes. "I came to take you to the venue earlier."

"Oh." Luo Shiyi answered obediently, her face showing no trace of concern, though her mind was busy deciphering Shen Xiuyi's motives.

"Take the clothes and jewelry we picked out earlier. It's time to leave." With that, he straightened his suit jacket and strode out ahead of her.

Luo Shiyi's gaze followed him briefly before unintentionally landing on the door to his room on the second floor. She pursed her lips and followed him.

At the hotel, Shen Xiuyi left Luo Shiyi in the lounge area, handing her a black card and its password before disappearing to who-knows-where.

Luo Shiyi had wanted to follow him but feared alerting him. Reluctantly, she stayed put, using the card he'd given her to explore the hotel. It wasn't until the evening that Shen Xiuyi returned to take her for hair and makeup.

The banquet was about to begin, and the hall was already filled with guests. Waiters carrying trays of champagne weaved through the crowd.

Despite her low-profile entrance, Luo Shiyi still caught the attention of some.

A spoiled young man nudged the man in the white suit beside him and winked, gesturing toward Luo Shiyi.

Initially uninterested, the man's eyes lit up the moment he caught sight of Luo Shiyi's face. Without hesitation, he made his way over to her.

"May I buy you a drink, beautiful?" he asked.

Luo Shiyi had been planning to find a quiet corner to wait for Shen Xiuyi, finish her task, and leave as quickly as possible. She was far from pleased when she was stopped. Looking up at the man blocking her path, she forced a polite smile. "Sorry, I don't drink."

She attempted to step around him.

The man, embarrassed by the rejection, stepped in front of her again. "Don't be in such a hurry, Miss."

Luo Shiyi's brows knitted together, her patience wearing thin. "Move."

Zhou Wei, noticing the commotion, recognized Luo Shiyi as Shen Xiuyi's niece and was about to step in to help. However, his sister Zhou Ying stopped him.

"Yingying? What's wrong?" he asked, puzzled. The person being harassed was Shen Xiuyi's niece. He didn't understand why his sister was stopping him.

The man bothering Luo Shiyi was the son of a nouveau riche from Nan City. The family had just made some money and were already acting as if they owned the world.

Though Zhou Wei was a playboy himself, he looked down on such tasteless behavior.

"Why are you in such a rush to help her? Have you forgotten how she treated you last time?" Zhou Ying's eyes held a glint of malice. She held her wine glass with an air of elegance, her red dress perfectly accentuating her figure. With her chestnut wavy hair, she was the epitome of a femme fatale, capturing the attention of everyone around her.

Zhou Ying reveled in the spotlight, but Luo Shiyi, that country bumpkin, had stolen her thunder the moment she walked in. She couldn't let that slide.

"But if Xiuyi finds out I didn't take care of his niece, he'll be upset," Zhou Wei hesitated.

"Xiuyi didn't ask us to look after her. Just pretend you didn't see anything," Zhou Ying urged.

Zhou Wei was swayed by his sister's words. Besides, after what Luo Shiyi had done to him last time, he was still a little bitter. So, he decided to follow his sister's advice and stood back to watch the show.

Though, given the girl's skills, she probably wouldn't come out worse for wear.

Zhou Wei thought back to the last time he'd been on the receiving end of Luo Shiyi's wrath and couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for Che Hong.

With so many people at the banquet, it looked like the little niece was about to make a scene. For some reason, Zhou Wei felt a thrill of anticipation.