Chapter 26: Oriental Beauty

Chapter 26: Oriental Beauty

The banquet was held in a secluded private manor, its entrance guarded by meticulous inspectors checking each invitation with hawk-like scrutiny.

Each invitation strictly limited the number of accompanying guests and entourage members, and Xu Youyou noticed the inspectors counting people in line—out loud and on their fingers. She couldn't help but think, You can clearly see how many there are... Are Americans really this bad at math?

Fortunately, their car passed the inspection smoothly and rolled into the manor without a hitch.

Xu Youyou quickly understood what Assistant Liu meant when he warned her to be prepared. The car had barely come to a stop in front of the grand building when a tall blonde girl in a black high-slit gown came jogging over, the hem of her dress gathered in her hands.

"Lu! You're finally here!"

The moment Lu Jingyao stepped out of the car, she practically lunged at him.

Wow, someone's bold, Xu Youyou thought.

But before the girl could throw herself into his arms, Lu Jingyao subtly stepped aside and quickly walked around the car to open the door for Xu Youyou.

As he extended a hand, Xu Youyou noticed the blonde girl's stunned expression not far away. Internally chanting this is just acting, stay in character, she gracefully placed her hand in his and stepped out.

The girl's expression turned icy.

"Lu, is she your girlfriend?" she asked with thinly veiled hostility.

"She's my lover," Lu Jingyao replied smoothly, switching to English. "Her name is Xu Youyou."

Xu Youyou choked on air.

She shot him a look, but Lu Jingyao gave her a subtle warning glance. Taking a breath, she smiled sweetly and linked arms with him, leaning in close to play the part.

The blonde glared daggers at Xu Youyou, then stepped forward with a sneer. "So what if you're his lover now? You're not married. Even if you were, it wouldn't mean much."

Seriously? Bold and shameless. Xu Youyou couldn't tell whether to admire the girl's courage or question her sense of morality.

Lu Jingyao's expression hardened briefly with disgust, though he masked it quickly.

"Miss Xirel," he said coolly, "we Chinese value loyalty in our relationships. I would never betray my partner."

Xu Youyou gave him a soft, emotional look—like a devoted lover moved by his words. She nearly gave herself an award for the performance.

Xirel didn't buy it. She stared at them both, fuming. If someone didn't know better, they might think she was the wronged party in this love triangle.

"What's her family background?" she snapped. "Can she even compare to me? My father promised that if you marry me, the entire Xirel family fortune will belong to our children one day!"

Xu Youyou raised her brows. Okay, rich girl. Generous dowry—I'll give you that.

Ordinary men might have jumped at the offer, but Lu Jingyao's frown deepened. "I don't need to rely on a woman's fortune."

Before Xirel could respond, a tall man in his sixties appeared behind her. Dressed in a sharply tailored suit, his aura was anything but gentle—more like a predator in disguise.

"Anna, don't be rude to our guests," the man said firmly.

When his gaze landed on Xu Youyou, his eyes lit up. With a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, he asked, "And who is this Eastern beauty? A friend of Lu's?"

Lu Jingyao nodded. "Mr. Frank Xirel, may I introduce Xu Youyou."

"Just call me Frank," the older man said warmly. "You two—such a golden couple! Truly a match made in heaven. Please, come inside. Many are waiting to greet you."

Frank personally led them into the banquet hall. Though he appeared courteous, Xu Youyou felt his gaze linger on her too long. A smiling tiger, she thought warily. She didn't dare let her guard down.

Throughout the walk, Lu Jingyao kept up the act of being madly in love. But the second no one was looking, he subtly pulled away from her.

Xu Youyou, having lived two lifetimes, didn't miss the shift. She finally snapped.

"Mr. Lu," she said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes, "am I so distasteful that you can't even bear to stand next to me?"

Lu Jingyao's expression faltered. "Miss Xu, I simply want to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings."

Xu Youyou laughed in disbelief. "Misunderstandings? You mean like mistaking you for a charming romantic hero, when in reality you're just a desperate man who couldn't find a proper date and had to bribe a random passerby?"

Lu Jingyao's face flushed red, as if someone had just kicked over a paint bucket.

Indeed, it was true that Assistant Liu had scrambled all week without finding anyone suitable. But hearing it said out loud like that…

Xu Youyou continued coldly, "I only agreed to play this little part for the necklace. Don't worry, Mr. Lu—I'm very clear this is all an act."

Any trace of admiration Lu Jingyao had for her vanished. Gritting his teeth, he replied, "Don't worry. I can tell the difference between fiction and reality."

Seeing him fume gave Xu Youyou a small sense of triumph. In her previous life, she would've hurled the necklace at his face and stormed off.

But not now.

She'd learned to keep her eyes on the prize—and right now, the prize was financial stability.

Lu Jingyao might have some emotional issues, but he also had deep pockets. Of the 600 million yuan currently in her account, 500 million had come from him.

He could insult her a little, sure. But unless he started charging interest, she could take it.

Meanwhile, in a quiet lounge next to the banquet hall, Anna Xirel clutched her father's sleeve tightly.

"Dad! Don't you admire Lu too? Didn't you say opening the Chinese market was crucial? The Lu family could help us so much! Why didn't you back me up out there?"

Frank chuckled. "Sweetheart, even the most promising alliance falls apart if the other side isn't interested."

Anna stomped her foot, furious. "I don't care! I've never been denied anything I wanted! And I want Lu. Even if it's not for the company, I'll get him for myself."

Frank smiled indulgently. "Of course you will. Our little princess always gets what she wants."

But even as he said it, his thoughts wandered—not to his daughter's love life, but to Xu Youyou, the elegant girl with porcelain skin and sharp eyes.

A beauty like that… was dangerous. And tempting.