Chapter 18

As night deepened, the first half of the banquet gradually drew to a close.

The event was divided into two parts. The first half allowed guests to network and socialize, while the second half would be hosted by the Zhou Group.

It was only then that Yun Yin realized the banquet was actually a celebration of the 70th birthday of Zhou Jun, the chairman of the Zhou Group and Zhou Wenze’s grandfather.

Despite his advanced age, Old Master Zhou still firmly held the reins of power, remaining the ultimate authority within the Zhou Group.

This was a crucial reason why Zhou Wenze was so eager to secure the Capital Suburb Project. Not only would it solidify his position on the Board of Directors, but it would also earn him Zhou Jun’s approval.

After all, Zhou Wenze wasn’t the only heir to the Zhou Group.

The novel Business Sea of Ups and Downs didn’t just depict the commercial rivalry between the protagonist and his antagonist; it also focused on how the protagonist, through various schemes, successfully secured his position as the Zhou Group’s heir among his brothers.

With this in mind, Yun Yin lifted her gaze to Zhou Wenze, who was currently addressing the crowd.

“Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend this banquet. On behalf of—”

Suddenly, a woman burst into the hall, dragging an eighteen or nineteen-year-old boy with her.

Zhou Wenze’s speech was interrupted, and all eyes turned to the mother and son.

Upon closer inspection, the boy’s features bore a striking resemblance to Zhou Wenze’s.

Nearby, Zhou Tianyuan, Zhou Wenze’s father, turned ashen-faced at the sight of the newcomers. Even Old Master Zhou, standing beside him, looked deeply displeased.

Under the intense scrutiny of the crowd, the woman shoved the boy toward Zhou Jun and Zhou Tianyuan. “Go on, call him ‘Grandfather.'”

The implication was clear to everyone.

This was Zhou Tianyuan’s illegitimate son.

Illegitimate children were hardly uncommon in this social circle, but no family had ever aired such a scandal so publicly—it was utterly disgraceful.

And to have it happen during Old Master Zhou’s seventieth birthday celebration made it even more humiliating.

Zhou Jun had three sons. Zhou Tianyuan, his second son, was of mediocre talent and unfit for any significant responsibility, content to drift through a nominal position within the Zhou Group.

Unlike his father, Zhou Wenze was ambitious and resourceful.

But now…

Zhou Tianyuan’s face was livid as he glared at the mother and son, barely suppressing his anger. “Who told you to come here?”

The woman appeared frail and timid. Hearing this, she glanced nervously at the crowd and said in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, “I only wanted Wenxuan to be recognized as a member of the Zhou family.”

She pulled a document from her bag and extended it toward Old Master Zhou. “This is a paternity test.”

Yun Yin scanned the whispering crowd, their expressions a fascinating mix of shock and intrigue.

Old Master Zhou, seated at the head of the table, maintained a grim expression. He raised his eyes to the mother and son standing before him, his gaze unreadable. “If he is a child of the Zhou family, we will not abandon him. Wenze, take them home for now.”

Zhou Wenze, who had been so confident earlier, now stood with his fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tight with barely suppressed fury. “Yes, Grandfather.”

Before he could move, a woman suddenly rushed forward and slapped Zhou Tianyuan across the face.

Slap! The force of the blow snapped Zhou Tianyuan’s head to the side. Clutching his stinging cheek, he abandoned all composure and roared, “Chen Rong, what the hell is wrong with you?!”

Chen Rong was Zhou Tianyuan’s wife and Zhou Wenze’s mother.

Hearing this, Chen Rong erupted into hysterical laughter. “You ask me what’s wrong? I should be asking you, Zhou Tianyuan, what’s the story with this illegitimate child?!”

Her neatly styled hair had come undone, cascading down her back. Her laughter ceased abruptly, her voice turning icy. “I absolutely refuse to let some stray cat or dog into this house!”

Everyone present was stunned by Chen Rong’s slap.

The mother and son turned to Old Master Zhou in panic.

Enduring the subtle scrutiny of the onlookers, Old Master Zhou knew he couldn’t let this continue. “Wenze,” he barked, “take them downstairs now!”

Even Zhou Wenze now felt the sting of his grandfather’s anger.

Zhou Wenze glanced at the pair before him, his gaze lingering on the boy who bore a striking resemblance to him. His carefully maintained composure finally shattered, his expression turning ugly like a spilled palette of paint. “Follow me,” he snapped.

The woman knew that prolonging the confrontation would only lead to trouble. She grabbed the boy and followed Zhou Wenze, muttering, “Wenxuan, call him ‘Brother.'”

The boy lowered his head and mumbled softly, “Bro…ther…”

“Shut up!” Zhou Wenze stopped abruptly and finally turned around to scold them.

Yun Yin watched this scene and couldn’t help but laugh.

As she laughed, she suddenly realized that this wasn’t how the story was supposed to unfold.

Zhou Tianyuan did have an illegitimate son, but he wasn’t supposed to appear until much later in the plot.

This illegitimate son wasn’t as innocent as he seemed. He had been playing the fool all along, waiting for the right moment to strike and cause the male lead considerable trouble later on.

So why was he appearing so early?

Someone must be pulling the strings.

As if struck by a sudden thought, Yun Yin slowly turned to look at the man beside her.

Pei Yu also turned to meet her gaze. “What’s wrong?” he whispered.

“Nothing,” Yun Yin replied, shaking her head. This wasn’t the time to discuss it.

“The banquet concludes here today. Thank you all for attending, and please forgive any shortcomings in our hospitality,” Zhou Jun announced, surveying the now-quiet hall.

The guests murmured their understanding. After all, the Zhou Family was hardly in the mood to continue after the day’s events.

Having enjoyed the spectacle, Pei Yu and Yun Yin returned to Cloud-Veiled Lake together.

By the time they arrived back at Cloud-Veiled Lake from the banquet, it was already ten o’clock at night.

Yun Yin had woken up late that morning and, despite the evening’s excitement, felt surprisingly awake. The spectacle she had witnessed only served to keep her alert.

Pei Yu hadn’t lied. It truly had been quite a show.

Recalling the events of the banquet, Yun Yin turned to Pei Yu with a suspicious look. “Did you orchestrate this?”

She couldn’t believe that a pair of unidentified mother and child could have been allowed into the banquet hall, with its tight security, without someone’s deliberate intervention. Someone must have been pulling strings behind the scenes.

“Didn’t you find the drama entertaining?” Pei Yu leaned back on the sofa, his expression languid, neither confirming nor denying her accusation.

Yun Yin rested her chin in her hand, pondering for a moment before slowly nodding. “It was quite entertaining.”

The memory of Zhou Wenze’s face, as colorful as a spilled palette, still made her chuckle. She didn’t notice Pei Yu inching closer.

“A’Yin, aren’t you going to explain this to me?” Pei Yu casually took Yun Yin’s hand, recalling the scene he had witnessed earlier. He gently squeezed her fingers, his voice low and husky. “Didn’t you promise I was your only suitor?”

The moment he spoke, Yun Yin knew exactly who he was referring to.

A second bloom of the plum blossom.

Had he seen her talking to Zhou Wenze again?

She remained still, letting him play with her fingers as she immediately clarified, “I’m not close to him.”

Pei Yu lowered his gaze, his voice steady as ever. “Then A’Yin should remember what she said.”

He still didn’t believe her. Yun Yin felt a pang of helplessness.

“Pei Yu,” she said, turning her hand to grasp his, her eyes clear and earnest. “There’s only you for me.”

Whether in the past or present, Pei Yu was the only one she had ever loved.

She remembered the promise she had made:

I will never betray you.

Pei Yu stared deeply into her eyes. After a long moment, he whispered, “I believe you.”

He knew she harbored many secrets he couldn’t fathom.

But it didn’t matter. One day, he would uncover them all.

Yun Yin’s expression softened with relief. As long as Pei Yu trusted her, nothing else mattered.

After spending time with Pei Yu, Yun Yin had gained a new understanding of him. She no longer judged him solely based on the so-called “plot settings.”

After all, the storyline was gradually deviating from its original course.

She knew that her actions had already revealed much to Pei Yu. He might even have discerned her intentions. But as long as he didn’t press the issue, she would pretend he hadn’t noticed.

“President Pei certainly has his share of admirers,” Yun Yin remarked.

The mention of this reminded her of Cheng Wenwen, who had originally fallen head over heels for Pei Yu. Unfortunately, Pei Yu was utterly clueless about romance, leaving Cheng Wenwen devastated. “Love turned to resentment,” and she switched her affections to Zhou Wenze.

Zhou Wenze, never one to turn down anything of value, had easily charmed Cheng Wenwen with a few sweet words.

As if struck by a sudden thought, Yun Yin changed the subject and looked at Pei Yu with amusement. “Are there many others pursuing you?”

“Why don’t you consider yourself, A’Yin?” Pei Yu leaned closer, his sharp gaze sweeping across her face. “Zhou Wenze, Wang Li, Chen Shen… Besides these three, who else am I unaware of?”

Yun Yin was speechless.

She knew Zhou Wenze, but who were these Wang Li and Chen Shen?

Her mind raced, frantically searching her memories until she finally recalled their identities.

They were suitors from the original owner’s past.

After the Yun Family hinted at a marriage alliance, many sought to wed the original owner. However, she rejected them all, choosing only Zhou Wenze.

Even after her rejection, some persisted, and these two had been particularly persistent.

But how did Pei Yu know about them?

Yun Yin’s eyes darted around, and a mischievous smile curled her lips. “Are you jealous?”

“What do you think, A’Yin?” Pei Yu’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The grip on her wrist tightened, and Yun Yin suddenly found herself intrigued. “How am I supposed to know if you don’t tell me?”

“You said you don’t like others touching your things,” Pei Yu’s gaze deepened. “Similarly, I don’t like others touching mine.”

“Is that so?” Yun Yin drawled, feigning ignorance. “So, you are jealous?”

The conversation had circled back to where it began.

Pei Yu fell silent, and the room grew quiet, save for the gentle patter of rain against the window.

Suddenly, he gripped her wrist, tugged sharply, and pulled her into his arms.

Yun Yin froze momentarily, but didn’t push him away. She tilted her head back and gazed up at him with a dazed expression, as if she didn’t mind his closeness.

Perhaps, to put it another way, she had grown accustomed to it.

Pei Yu’s lips curved into a faint smile, his eyes darkening. Holding her close, he subtly tightened his embrace, silently closing the distance between them. “If A’Yin says so, then so it is.”

They stood barely half a meter apart, close enough for her to clearly see Pei Yu’s sharp, defined features and the surprisingly long eyelashes that were usually overlooked, each strand distinct.

As he spoke, their breaths mingled, and Yun Yin’s ears flushed.

“A’Yin has a mole here,” Pei Yu murmured, his voice low and husky, tinged with an inexplicable tenderness.

On the delicate tip of her nose sat a pale mole, so faint it could easily be missed.

Yun Yin shifted her gaze uncomfortably, trying to avoid Pei Yu’s burning, piercing stare. She mumbled an awkward “Mhm.”

The original owner of this body looked almost identical to her before she transmigrated into the novel, though the original owner appeared slightly healthier. However, she wasn’t sure if the original owner had also had this small mole.

“Really?” Pei Yu raised his hand and gently touched the mole. “I don’t think I noticed it before.”

His touch drew them closer again. Yun Yin wanted to retreat, but Pei Yu’s embrace held her firmly, leaving her no room to escape.

“You probably just didn’t notice it,” Yun Yin said, pressing her lips together. The air around her seemed to thin, her breathing quickened, and her cheeks flushed slightly. “Pei Yu, I want to sleep now.”

Pei Yu chuckled softly. “Didn’t you just say you weren’t tired?”

“I’m tired now,” Yun Yin insisted stubbornly.

Yet an inexplicable sensation was spreading through her chest.

This time, Pei Yu didn’t press her. He released her and whispered, “Go to sleep then.”

Hearing this, Yun Yin practically leaped out of his embrace, hastily mumbled “Good night,” and fled upstairs as if escaping a pursuer.