The Heiress's Game

Yunjing City, Puyuxuan.

The floor-to-ceiling windows of this Michelin three-star restaurant offer a breathtaking view of the city's most valuable nightscape, with countless lights creating a flowing golden river at your feet.

The restaurant only serves twelve tables of guests each night, and reservations usually take three months to book. But Zhuo Shengnan made a phone call, and the chef's table was vacated that very night.

Zhuo Shengnan sat by the window, her well-maintained fingers holding a glass of Burgundy red wine.

She looked at Bai Junze, who was slowly and methodically cutting a Wagyu beef across from her.

"Last month, when the Chen family married off their daughter, Mrs. Chen called specifically to ask about your situation."

"You know the Chen family, the Chen family of Hang Lung Properties. Their second daughter is six years younger than you, and quite good-looking."

Zhuo Shengnan never likes to beat around the bush; she gets straight to the point.

"I had someone check it out. The girl's resume is clean, she doesn't have any messy social circles, and she has a gentle personality."

Bai Junze cut the Wagyu beef into even small pieces, and then glanced at his mother.

"Mom, when did you start working as a matchmaker?"

Zhuo Shengnan put down her wine glass. "Stop joking with me."

"Junze, tell Mom the truth, is there still someone on your mind? That... what's his name again, the one surnamed Xu?"

Bai Junze put down his knife and fork, and looked at his mother with a hint of helplessness, but more than that, he found it amusing.

"Which year's almanac are you looking at? That was thirteen years ago, enough time for a baby to grow into a junior high school student."

He paused, then added, "As for that so-called first love at 18 that you found out before, that was during the summer after I graduated from high school. It lasted about a week, and we barely even held hands."

Do you think your son is the kind of person who would dwell on something for twenty years after just one week?

Zhuo Shengnan remained silent for a moment.

"Junze, tell Mom the truth, do you... not like girls?"

The air at the dining table fell silent for a moment.

Bai Junze finally stopped what he was doing.

He was momentarily at a loss for words to respond without insulting each other's intelligence.

"Mom, your question is more outrageous than any of the M&A cases I've handled this year."

"Then give me a reasonable explanation."

"Thirty-three years old, worth hundreds of billions, looking like this, and not even a decent woman by your side. Tell me, is that normal?"

Bai Junze smiled.

"My job is my partner, and my girlfriend is my job. Every single day is the same, it's never changed."

Zhuo Shengnan was stunned for a moment.

"Alright," Zhuo Shengnan raised her glass and gently gestured towards her son.

"That sounds like something my son would say."

------

The wedding of the Pei and Li families was held at a six-star hotel on the shore of Repulse Bay in Dahai City. The entire banquet hall was filled with white roses and baby's breath, and the guests were all wealthy and noble, with elegant ladies and beautiful women dressed under the crystal chandeliers.

As a prominent family in the top tier of the business world in Dahai City, the Gu family was seated next to the bride's main table, which was a perfect arrangement that gave them ample prestige without overstepping boundaries.

When Madam Pei saw Wang Manyun and Gu Yunjin walking in from afar, a flawless smile immediately bloomed on her face, and she quickly stepped forward to greet them.

Today she wore a dark red cheongsam, with a pearl necklace wrapped around her neck twice, looking both rich and dignified. When she spoke, she was as warm and friendly as if she were seeing a close sister.

"Manyun, we've been waiting for you all! Yunjin is here too, oh my, you look so beautiful."

Wang Manyun held Madam Pei's hand, her smile as warm as the spring breeze in March.

"Congratulations! On this joyous occasion, how could we not come and share in the happiness?"

She turned to look at Gu Yunjin, her tone as natural as if she were talking about the weather, "Yunjin, why don't you congratulate Aunt Pei?"

Gu Yunjin wore a smoky pink satin dress today, her long hair was tied in a low bun, and tulip-shaped earrings swayed gently by her ears. She looked gentle and soft, like an unopened gardenia.

She bowed slightly to Madam Pei obediently, her voice soft but not cloying: "Congratulations, Aunt Pei! The bride is so beautiful, and Pei Yan is so lucky."

Madam Pei smiled even more broadly, taking Gu Yunjin's hand and looking her up and down without the slightest embarrassment in her eyes, as if the failed marriage negotiations from half a year ago had never happened.

"Look at how sweet-talking she is, I wonder which family's son she'll end up with."

Wang Manyun watched with a smile, and then chimed in at the opportune moment:

"That depends on her own fate; we elders can't rush it."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Madam Pei personally led them to their seats and instructed the waiter to specially prepare a warm cup of honey grapefruit tea for Gu Yunjin, saying that young girls should drink less iced tea. Her thoughtfulness was impeccable.

People around them glanced at them, seemingly wanting to see what it would be like when the Gu and Pei families, who almost became in-laws, met at the wedding, but they saw nothing.

Madam Pei smiled, Wang Manyun smiled, and Gu Yunjin smiled too. The scene of the three of them talking in front of the sea of ​​white roses was as harmonious as a painting.

The most important lesson in wealthy families is maintaining decorum.

As soon as Gu Yunjin sat down next to Wang Manyun, she caught a glimpse of someone waving frantically at her from behind, the gesture so wide it was as if they wanted to swing their entire arm out.

She turned around and saw Qian Yuewei leaning halfway out from the next table, her bright, round almond-shaped eyes staring at her, mouthing the words:

"Come here, come here, come here—"

Qian Yuewei is the youngest daughter of the Qian family of Xinhe Jewelry, one year younger than Gu Yunjin, and is an anomaly among the heiresses of wealthy families.

She neither inherited her mother's shrewd business acumen nor was she as aloof as other socialites. She was like a carefree cotton candy, making everyone feel soft and sweet around her.

Gu Yunjin met her at a charity gala. After chatting for a while, she found that this person was really innocent and easy to get along with. Over time, their relationship became closer than with others.

Gu Yunjin whispered to Wang Manyun, "Mom, I'm going to find Yuewei," and then got up and walked over.

Qian Yuewei grabbed her wrist and pulled her to sit down beside her, bringing her mouth close to her ear without lowering her voice at all:

"Did you see that? Pei Yan's bride is wearing a diamond necklace that's at least ten carats. The Pei family has really gone all out this time."

After she finished speaking, she looked Gu Yunjin up and down again, her tone tinged with resentment.

"But she's nowhere near as good as you. The sapphire necklace you wore at the last charity gala completely outshone all the women at the table."

Gu Yunjin was amused by her and reached out to tap her forehead:

"Keep your voice down, this is a wedding, why are you here? You're just making me a target of hatred."

"I'm just stating the facts," Qian Yuewei said, pursing her lips.