“Ah Shi, where are you going?”

Lin Qianshi had just accompanied his grandfather downstairs when he noticed Gu Xicao surrounded by a crowd. Despite being in the center of attention, her demeanor remained calm and composed, her every movement exuding elegance. Lin Qianshi couldn’t help but feel the urge to walk over to her.

Grandpa Lin, however, called out to him.

Lin Qianshi stopped in his tracks and said to his concerned grandfather, “It’s nothing, I just saw a friend and wanted to say hello.”

Grandpa Lin smiled. “It’s just a greeting; it won’t hurt to wait a while. For now, say a few words to everyone. Although this birthday banquet is just a pretext, you’ve been abroad all these years, and the family hasn’t had a chance to celebrate your birthday properly. This time, we’ve made up for it. I even had someone prepare a big cake for you.”

“Alright, Grandpa.”

Lin Qianshi reluctantly withdrew his gaze from Gu Xicao and followed Grandpa Lin to the center of the lawn.

Family members, friends, and business partners all gathered around.

“Finally, the eldest young master of the Lin family makes an appearance,” Ma Qi said excitedly, craning her neck. “Let’s go see what the eldest young master looks like.”

Ma Chunya, being older and less inclined to jostle with the crowd, waved her off. “Go ahead if you want to. I’ll stay here.”

Ma Qi sighed regretfully and looked around. Realizing that Gu Xicao was the only one her age nearby, she said, “Master, why don’t we go together?”

“Me?” Gu Xicao pointed at herself, surprised.

“Of course! Let’s go. They don’t like crowds, but we do. What’s the point of just standing here?” Ma Qi, naturally outgoing, grabbed Gu Xicao and started walking toward the crowd. Along the way, she enthusiastically introduced Lin Qianshi to her.

“This Lin family’s eldest young master was super popular here even before studying abroad. He was a top student, started trading stocks as a teenager, and made a lot of money. My mom used to gush about him, wishing I could pursue him. But I know my place. Men like him—highly educated, smart, and capable—have very high standards. In fact, he’s never been rumored to have a girlfriend all these years.”

Gu Xicao hadn’t known such detailed information before and listened with interest. “Why doesn’t he have a girlfriend? At his age, 24, it’s a bit unusual.”

After all, most men with decent conditions start feeling restless in their youth. Very few remain single their entire lives.

“I don’t know. But I heard someone say the eldest young master might be… you know, into men.”

Ma Qi lowered her voice mysteriously, sharing the gossip with Gu Xicao.

Gu Xicao’s lips twitched in response.

Just then, Lin Qianshi, standing beside Grandpa Lin, cut the first slice of cake. The people around them broke into applause.

The clapping drew Gu Xicao’s attention. She looked over to see Lin Qianshi in a black and gray pinstriped suit. Tall and lean with well-defined muscles, his tailored suit accentuated his strikingly cool and refined demeanor.

He truly looked like a highly educated intellectual.

“Grandpa, this first piece is for you. May you have blessings as vast as the East Sea,” Lin Qianshi said, handing the slice of cake to Grandpa Lin.

Grandpa Lin beamed with delight. “Good, good. You’re such a thoughtful grandson.”

Zhao Ruyu, however, couldn’t bring herself to feel happy seeing how warmly the old man treated Lin Qianshi. She forced a smile and said, “Ah Shi, why don’t you give the second piece to the young ladies here? Girls love sweets, after all.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Xueli and the other ladies’ eyes lit up with anticipation.

Lin Qianshi hesitated briefly, glancing around. Grandpa Lin chuckled and said, “Ah Shi, are you feeling shy? At your age? That won’t do.”

“Exactly, big brother. If you’re too shy, I can help you out. Just give it to Sister Xueli,” Lin Hexu said casually. He was dressed in a wine-red suit today, looking particularly dashing and speaking in a carefree tone.

Wang Xueli bit her lip, looking at Lin Qianshi with expectation.

Ma Qi whispered to Gu Xicao, “I heard there’s a marriage arrangement between the Wang and Lin families. People used to say it was between Xueli and Lin Hexu, but now it seems like it’s with the eldest young master instead.”

Gu Xicao took a sip of champagne and quietly asked, “An arranged marriage?”

“Not exactly. It’s more like Grandpa Wang and Grandpa Lin were close friends, and their bond led to this arrangement,” Ma Qi explained, clearly well-versed in the gossip of their circle.

Just as she was eagerly sharing, the surrounding area suddenly fell silent. Ma Qi’s heart skipped a beat—had her gossiping been too loud? She was anxiously wondering when Lin Qianshi’s voice rang out: “Miss Gu, do you like strawberry cake?”

Ma Qi looked up to see Lin Qianshi addressing none other than Gu Xicao, holding a slice of cake. She looked at him, then at Gu Xicao, repeating the motion twice. Her expression shifted from surprise to sudden realization.

“Th-thank you,” Gu Xicao stammered. She hadn’t planned to accept, but seeing the murderous looks from Wang Xueli’s group, she changed her mind and took the cake.

“You’re welcome. It’s my honor to have you here today. Please make yourself at home,” Lin Qianshi said warmly.

With a slight nod, he turned to distribute more cake.

The five-tiered cake was mostly handled by the servers after Lin Qianshi cut the first few pieces.

Ma Qi wasn’t interested in the cake; she stared at Gu Xicao, wide-eyed, and grabbed her hand. “You… you know the eldest young master?”

“We’ve interacted a few times before,” Gu Xicao replied nonchalantly, eating her cake. “Ma Qi, you’re too excited.”

“No, you’re too calm! Did you see how Lin Qianshi looked at you?” Ma Qi said suspiciously, lowering her voice. “Are you two… dating?”

Cough, cough!

Gu Xicao nearly choked on her cake upon hearing this.

Ma Qi hurriedly handed her a glass of juice. “Are you okay? Did I guess right?”

After taking a few sips, Gu Xicao finally suppressed her cough and gave Ma Qi an exasperated look. “Ma Qi, you’re overthinking. He and I are just—”

“This must be Miss Gu. You look so young.”

Before Gu Xicao could finish, Lin Qianshi approached with Grandpa Lin. The latter had only glanced at her earlier but now scrutinized her closely, realizing she seemed unfamiliar. “Which family are you from? I don’t believe we’ve met.”

“Grandpa, Miss Gu is a fortune-telling master whom Uncle specifically invited,” Lin Qianshi explained with a smile. “Miss Gu, my apologies. Grandpa insisted on meeting you.”

He shot Gu Xicao a look, silently pleading for her cooperation.

Understanding his intent, Gu Xicao smiled politely. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Lin.”

“Big Brother, aren’t you usually not superstitious? How come you know a fortune-teller?” Lin Hexu approached to join in, placing a hand on Lin Qianshi’s shoulder as he curiously looked at Gu Xicao. “And this so-called master doesn’t even look like one. Aren’t masters supposed to be old, with long beards, and dressed in Taoist robes?”

“Don’t speak recklessly, Second Brother. Although I don’t believe in these things, Miss Gu has always had a good reputation,” Lin Qianshi frowned and scolded Lin Hexu.

Lin Hexu raised his eyebrows, his face full of intrigue. “Really? Master, why don’t you show us something and let us witness your skills?”

“Hexu, don’t mess around. This is a banquet; what’s the point of fortune-telling here?”

Grandpa Lin shook his head helplessly and reprimanded Lin Hexu.

Lin Hexu grinned cheekily. “Grandpa, it’s all for fun. Besides, I’m not asking for free entertainment. If Master Gu’s prediction is accurate, I’ll donate 100,000 yuan to the orphanage. How about that?”

“An orphanage?” Gu Xicao looked puzzled.

Grandpa Lin explained, “Qianshi plans to donate all the gifts and red envelopes he receives today to the orphanage. That child, I must say, has impeccable character.”

“Eldest Young Master Lin truly has a kind heart,” Ma Qi remarked, impressed. “I’ll donate an additional 10,000 myself.”

She pulled out her checkbook from her handbag, quickly wrote a check, and handed it to Lin Qianshi.

Lin Qianshi smiled as he accepted the check. “In that case, on behalf of the children at the orphanage, I sincerely thank you.”

Seeing this, Gu Xicao’s eyes flickered, and an idea formed in her mind. She turned to Lin Hexu. “Second young master Lin, are you serious about the donation you just mentioned?”

“Of course! In front of Grandpa and my elder brother, how could I joke about such a thing?”

Lin Hexu, ever straightforward, took off his wristwatch without hesitation. “This Rolex alone is worth over 100,000 yuan. If Master Gu’s prediction is accurate, I’ll donate it to the orphanage too.”

Father Lin and Zhao Ruyu had been paying attention to the situation here for a while. They saw Gu Xicao and Lin Hexu talking, and suddenly walking towards the villa.

The two hurriedly nodded to the friends and relatives they were greeting, then rushed over.

Zhao Ruyu grabbed Lin Hexu’s arm and said, “Son, what are you doing? Why aren’t you greeting the guests and are instead going inside?”

Although this banquet had been arranged to help Lin Qianshi find a partner, Zhao Ruyu had her own little plans. Even though her son was still in university, finding a good fiancée was not a bad idea.

She didn’t believe that her son was inferior to Lin Qianshi.

Why should Lin Qianshi inherit the Lin family’s wealth?

“Mom, we’re just going inside to wait for a call,” Lin Hexu replied, pointing at Gu Xicao. “She said that today trouble will come knocking on my door, and this call is the trouble.”

“Trouble?!” Hearing these words, Zhao Ruyu’s face turned sour.

She looked at Gu Xicao and said, “Miss, please don’t say such things. It’s such a wonderful day, and speaking of such things is really unlucky.”

“You’ll see if I’m just talking nonsense,” Gu Xicao replied indifferently to Zhao Ruyu’s anger, then looked at the phone in the living room and then at Lin Hexu. “That phone call will come soon, just wait.”

“You’re really confident, Master. You really think someone will call in five minutes to give me bad news?” Lin Hexu felt somewhat amused, leaning back on the sofa. “Our Lin family is so big and powerful—what bad news could scare me?”

Ma Qi also thought Gu Xicao’s statement was a bit exaggerated.

The Lin family’s wealth was worth hundreds of billions. Though Lin Hexu, as the second young master, didn’t have as much as the first, his assets and money were far beyond what ordinary people could imagine.

For someone like him, even losing several million in stocks would just be a blink of an eye.

“You’ll know soon enough,” Gu Xicao casually set down the cake and asked a server to bring a cup of tea.