"President Yu, it really is a trouble for you to make the trip this time. I should have been the one to visit you instead, after all."
Charles Chen, dressed in a suit, pushed open the door with a smile on his face and looked at the man standing beside him.
"Don't put it like that. Since you're coming to Jinnan to develop your business, as the local host, of course I should do my part. Who visits whom first doesn't really matter—let's not get hung up on formalities."
Quentin Yu had an impressive bearing. As president of the Chamber of Commerce, he naturally had his own style in both speech and conduct. He laughed heartily, his voice full of energy, radiating the air of a successful businessman.
Last time, he had planned to send Eric Yu to become a disciple under Master Baiyun. If that had worked out, the Yu family's status in Jinnan would have soared.
But who could have predicted that Master Baiyun, who had been in seclusion for years and emerged to shake the region, would suddenly disappear without a trace? No one knew where he went.
He had said he was out to avenge his disciples, Aiden Green and Master Greenwater, but no matter how much revenge he wanted, it shouldn't have led to him vanishing for so many days without a word.
This left Quentin Yu feeling frustrated for quite a while.
"Of course! And my Eric keeps mentioning your Lynn. He says if it weren't for her help, his grades wouldn't have improved so quickly." The speaker was a woman.
The woman looked to be in her forties, dressed in luxury, her face heavily made up and meticulously styled. She carried a limited-edition Gucci bag on her wrist and wore custom-made earrings.
Her name was Helen Qi, Eric Yu’s mother. Among the upper-class ladies in Capitalview, she was a well-known socialite, with a good figure and careful maintenance that made her look like she was in her thirties.
But even so, she still wasn’t as beautiful as Lucy Lu.
"Oh, you’re too modest. The kids are always helping each other out—Lynn says Eric has taught her quite a few things too." Charles Chen smiled, making polite conversation.
Helen Qi nodded seriously at that. "That’s probably true. Eric has always loved going out and trying new things—wanting to act, be a star, it’s all his own decision. So he’s picked up a lot. If there’s a chance, he should teach Lynn more in the future."
"Alright, alright, let’s not go on about this." Quentin Yu looked like he was stopping Helen Qi, but his tone showed his pride in having such a son.
Charles Chen quickly invited them in. "Come in, the food should be just about ready."
They walked into the main hall.
Eric Yu saw them arrive and quickly stood up, greeting Charles Chen politely: "Hello, Uncle Chen."
"Ah, good, good, this kid is great—very polite." Charles Chen smiled and nodded, then his gaze shifted and landed on Evan Lin, his eyes lighting up. He stepped forward, passing right by Eric Yu, and looked at Evan with surprise and delight: "Hey? Evan, you’re here too? Haha, that’s great! It’s been ages since we’ve had a drink together—tonight, you have to join me for a toast!"
Seeing Charles Chen treat Evan Lin so warmly, almost ignoring Eric Yu, Helen Qi’s face grew subtly displeased. Her gaze at Evan turned sharper, as if she wanted to see right through him.
Quentin Yu, seeing Evan Lin, couldn’t help but change expression slightly. He leaned in and whispered a few words to Helen Qi.
"So that’s who he is—a kid Wansheng Wang took a liking to? Does he really think someone like Wayne Wang would actually back him for real?" Helen Qi snorted coldly after Quentin Yu’s explanation.
Previously, the Ruan family had crossed Wayne Wang at a banquet and suffered his ruthless commercial retaliation, leaving them barely able to cope. The whole Ruan family was now on the verge of collapse.
But Helen Qi wasn’t afraid of that.
She muttered her discontent under her breath, but quickly buried it deep inside, not letting it show.
"Since everyone’s here, let’s take our seats. Dinner’s ready, and I just got a nice bottle of red wine the other day." Lucy Lu took a bottle of wine from the cabinet and set it on the table.
Charles Chen quickly called everyone to the table.
At the table, Eric Yu sat right next to Lynn Chen, while Evan Lin casually picked an open seat for himself.
As soon as they sat down, Helen Qi looked at Evan Lin and smiled, "So, you’re classmates with Lynn and my Eric too?"
"If that’s the case, you must have excellent grades too. After all, Lynn and Eric are both in the Experimental Class at Capitalview First High, and only top students get in. Clearwater University and Beijing University—what do you think of those two? Which one are you aiming for?" Helen Qi fired off the questions, pressing hard.
She was planning to use the dinner table to firmly put this kid in his place right from the start.
Eric Yu was her pride and joy. Now that her precious son’s crush was being eyed by someone else—and with Quentin Yu visiting today specifically to bring the families closer—having an outsider suddenly wedge himself in just felt all wrong to her.
"Uh..."
Lucy Lu and Charles Chen were both caught off guard.
When Evan Lin transferred, he didn’t get into the Experimental Class. Hearing Helen Qi’s question, both felt a bit uncomfortable.
Eric Yu, Quentin Yu, Helen Qi, Lynn Chen, and the others all turned to look at Evan Lin, waiting for his answer.
Helen Qi’s eyes flashed with satisfaction, as if she could already see this kid’s fragile pride being crushed by her.
"Is the food good?"
Evan Lin glanced at Helen Qi and asked blandly.
"I haven’t tasted it yet, but it should be delicious."
Helen Qi was momentarily stunned and answered instinctively.
"Is the wine good?"
Evan Lin kept asking.
"The wine..."
Helen Qi glanced at the bottle Lucy Lu had just brought out. The packaging was classy, from a famous vineyard, clearly expensive and aged.
"The wine should be excellent too."
Helen Qi frowned, full of confusion, not understanding why Evan Lin was asking such irrelevant questions.
"If the food is good and the wine is good, how come it can’t keep your mouth shut?"
Evan Lin’s face remained calm as he spoke. Helen Qi’s face instantly flushed red, her eyes burning with anger!