Lin Yu did not rush up to argue with Meng Zhen. After all, today was his grandfather’s birthday banquet, and the reputation of the Lin Group was more important than anything else. If any trouble arose because of Meng Zhen, they would definitely be ridiculed by everyone.

With this thought in mind, Lin Yu’s expression grew even colder. He strode over to Xu Xuero, reached out to straighten the slightly tilted diamond crown on her head, and spoke in an extremely doting tone, “Xuero, the emcee will invite you to play 《Vanessa’s Smile》 on stage later. Don’t be nervous, I’ll be watching you from below.”

Xu Xuero deliberately showed a hint of emotion on her delicate face. She blinked and said softly, “I knew Ah Yu treats me the best. I will do my best not to disappoint those who care for and love me.”

Lin Yu and Xu Xuero had been childhood friends who grew up together. He knew very well how frail Xu Xuero’s constitution was. There was one time when she suddenly fainted during a class at school. Fortunately, the teacher promptly called for an ambulance, which saved Xu Xuero’s life.

She worked hard to live and to be kind to those around her. Such a gentle and kind person was completely different from a scheming person like Meng Zhen. He was determined to protect Xu Xuero and keep her from getting hurt.

———pr

This translation is by Pocketrobbin at S h a n g h a i f a n t a s y . c o m

Meng Zhen slowly finished the glass of wine, her slightly reddened almond-shaped eyes scanning the banquet hall.

According to her dream, the elder who controlled the lifeblood of the country’s economy had the surname Gu. He rarely appeared in the public eye and would not have attended the birthday banquet if it weren’t for his close friendship with Old Master Lin.

She looked around for quite a while before finally spotting the elder. He was dressed in a simple gray coat, sitting grandly in a chair and conversing with Old Master Lin beside him.

Many people eagerly approached the two elders to pay their respects, but they paid little attention to the younger guests, continuing to drink and chat amongst themselves.

Even so, the number of people flocking to them only continued to increase.

Meng Zhen had no intention of joining the crowd. She chose a spot with the clearest view, where she could comfortably take in everything happening on the stage.

Xu Xueruo looked at Meng Zhen from a distance, feeling as though invisible thorns were stabbing her heart. The bitter taste of jealousy was truly uncomfortable.

She quickly walked up to Meng Zhen, pretending to be ashamed as she said, “Zhenzhen, it’s all my fault. If it weren’t for me, Mom and Dad would have announced your identity long ago and wouldn’t have dragged this matter out. You’re the daughter of the Xu Group, and originally, it should have been you on stage to wish Old Master Lin a happy birthday. Alas, I’m really sorry.”

Meng Zhen raised an eyebrow and her bright eyes stared directly at Xu Xuero, instantly seeing through the other party’s intent to show off.

Her rosy lips curled slightly, and Meng Zhen suddenly took a step forward. She was a few centimeters taller than Xu Xuero, and now she leaned close to her ear, whispering lowly, “I’ve already seen that post from Affiliated High School. I was even thinking of showing it to Mom and Dad.”

Meng Zhen had known for a long time that Xu Xuero’s emotional resilience wasn’t strong. On ordinary days, she would shed tears at the slightest criticism from classmates, desperately trying to salvage her reputation. In Xu Xuero’s eyes, she was the true daughter of the Xu Group. Her every move must be in line with her status and she must not lose face.

Upon hearing Meng Zhen’s words, Xu Xuero’s expression suddenly froze. She stepped back, narrowly avoiding letting out a sound.

Xu Xuero was all too familiar with the post from the school forum. It was full of accusations against Meng Zhen, calling her an illegitimate daughter and an illiterate vase. Those weren’t the most crucial point. What mattered most was that the post included screenshots of her own online comment. Once the Xu couple saw them, they would realize how much she resented Meng Zhen.

No! That couldn’t happen!

Xu Xuero tightly gripped Meng Zhen’s arm. She was about to say something when the emcee interrupted and invited Xu Xuero onto the stage.

“Next, please welcome Miss Xu Xuero from the Xu Group to perform《Vanessa’s Smile》 and extend birthday wishes to Old Master Lin!”

Upon hearing the announcement, everyone turned their gaze towards Xu Xuero. With no other choice, Xu Xuero reluctantly let go of Meng Zhen’s hand and clenched her teeth as she walked forward.

The slender young woman in a pink and white dress walked up to the stage step by step. Perhaps because she was too nervous, her cheeks were flushed crimson and her entire body trembled uncontrollably.

Xu Xuero’s heart pounded in her chest and her mind was filled with chaotic thoughts. Did Meng Zhen lie about having a copy of the post? Would she show it to the Xu couple? The more she thought about it, the more Xu Xuero couldn’t help but gaze at Meng Zhen, completely unable to focus her attention on the piano in front of her.

In the past, Xu Xuero had also participated in piano competitions held at school, but those were just children’s affairs without so many prominent figures present.

She struggled to suppress the panic in her heart, holding her breath as she sat in front of the piano. Her fingertips trembled slightly as she began her performance.

The flowing notes quietly filled the banquet hall, creating a joyful and lively atmosphere. Honestly speaking, Xu Xuero’s piano skills were indeed quite good. Although not comparable to professionals, she could still impress with her performance.

Unfortunately, the few elders whom Xu Xuero hoped to impress stood at the pinnacle of power in the country. Over the years, they had seen countless brilliant pianists, and Xu Xuero’s amateur level didn’t catch their attention. Despite the heartfelt blessings in her performance, since it wasn’t a piece she composed herself, it didn’t hold much significance to them.

Elder Gu glanced at Xu Xuero on the stage and smiled as he turned to Old Master Lin. “If I remember correctly, that young lady seems to have a good relationship with your family’s Lin Yu.”

“Children’s affairs shouldn’t be taken too seriously.” Old Master Lin said in a plain tone after glancing briefly at the stage.

Noticing his old friend’s attitude, Elder Gu raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything more either.

As Xu Xuero played the piano, she silently admonished herself to not make any mistakes. However, she couldn’t help but occasionally glance at Meng Zhen.

Seeing her approach the Xu couple and take out her phone while saying something, Xu Xuero made several mistakes in the notes. Her heart skipped a beat and she felt her face burning hot. The more anxious she became, the more mistakes she made. Her performance of 《Vanessa’s Smile》 became stuttered and uneven. Even if some people wanted to give praise to the Xu Group, they couldn’t honestly speak highly of the performance at this moment.

After finishing the piece, Xu Xuero’s eyes were tinged with red and her forehead glistened with tiny beads of sweat mingling with her foundation, making her look quite disheveled.

Lin Yu had been waiting near the steps for Xu Xuero, expecting to see his beloved woman shine brightly. However, Xu Xuero’s unexpected blunder left him feeling deeply embarrassed. He could only grit his teeth and took her wrist to lead her to his grandfather’s side.

“Grandpa, this is Xuero. She used to visit our home when she was little.”

Old Master Lin responded nonchalantly. He remembered the girl. Years ago, Xu Xuero had accompanied Lin Yu to their home and accidentally broke an antique vase. Afraid of being scolded, she pretended to be unaware when asked about it, as if she had never touched the vase before.

At that time, Old Master Lin had a clear view from upstairs, but out of consideration for the Xu Group’s reputation, he chose not to expose Xu Xuero’s actions.

She was only eight or nine years old back then, yet she was already full of lies. However, it was unknown what had possessed Lin Yu but he had always protected Xu Xuero from a young age, unwilling to let her suffer even the slightest grievance.

The way she played the piece now, it didn’t seem like a birthday tribute at all. If she had put a little more effort into it, she wouldn’t have ended up in this situation.

At this point, Old Master Lin felt extremely vexed. His joyous mood was dampened considerably. Thankfully, Lin Yu noticed his grandfather’s displeasure and didn’t dare to let Xu Xuero linger. After a few words, he promptly left with her.

Xu Xuero, already feeling upset, was led by Lin Yu to the greenhouse. Frowning, she questioned, “Ah Yu, didn’t we agree earlier to introduce me to Grandpa Lin? Why did we come out here?”

Lin Yu apologized, “Grandpa seemed a bit off just now and I didn’t want to upset him, that’s why I brought you out. I’ll introduce you to my elders when there’s another chance, alright?”

To be honest, Xu Xuero wasn’t particularly interested in Lin Yu. Her real ambition was to associate herself with the sole heir of the Gu family, Gu Ting. Unfortunately, as a movie star, Gu Ting rarely appeared at social gatherings, making it difficult for Xu Xuero to even meet him, let alone establish a deeper connection.

In this situation, Xu Xuero had to tightly grasp Lin Yu, as she couldn’t afford to let her efforts go to waste.

“I knew you’re the best, Ah Yu.” Xu Xuero smiled faintly, holding onto Lin Yu’s arm with a look of strong dependence. With her slightly reddened eyes, she appeared genuinely endearing.

Xu Xuero’s thoughts were all on Meng Zhen. She feared that the issue with the post would be exposed, so after making excuses to Lin Yu and briefly chatting with him, she found a reason to return to the Xu couple’s side.

At this moment, Xu Youheng was holding back his frustration. He was always concerned about his reputation, and he couldn’t believe that his adopted daughter had embarrassed herself in front of all his business partners. It was bad enough that she couldn’t play the erhu, but how could she mess up the piano performance so badly?

“The birthday celebration is over. Let’s go back.” Xu Youheng said coldly.

As their group drove away from the Lin family’s residence and returned to the villa, Xu Youheng could no longer contain his anger. He glared fiercely at Xu Xuero and reprimanded, “Didn’t you say you were well-prepared? Is that sporadic performance the result of your days of practice?”

Since she was little, Xu Xuero was pampered by the Xu family due to her weak physique, and had never been scolded before. She watched her father’s face contort in anger and tears started streaming down her cheeks uncontrollably as she choked out a defense, “Dad, I did practice many times. It shouldn’t have gone wrong. But Meng Zhen frightened me before going on stage, so I couldn’t focus properly……”

Xu Ruixi, always protective of Xu Xuero, exploded in anger, shouting, “Meng Zhen, are you out of your mind? What did Xuero ever do to you to deserve this? Are you trying to ruin her and bring shame to the entire Xu family?”