“The banquet has already started, and Miss Qin is still here getting ready?”
That subtle, tense atmosphere instantly shattered with Ning Zhuoyu’s sudden, offhand teasing.
Right after, Qin Wance stepped down the stairs, took off his suit jacket, and draped it over Qin Wanyin’s heavily made-up shoulders.
“Put this on.”
As the words fell, he casually glanced for a second at Lin Zhishui standing nearby.
Compared to Qin Wanyin, who looked both glamorous and awkward trying to maintain a stiff posture, Lin Zhishui’s pale face was calm and composed.
Or rather, the slight downward curve at the corners of her eyes, aside from the unusually bright red mole on her skin, gave her an understated elegance tinged with a faint, evocative pity—as if she hadn’t been the one to make the move just now.
Though from a distance, her appearance didn’t strongly resemble Lin Xiguang’s to suggest blood relation, these two sisters seemed to only share the traits they chose to—yet on closer inspection, there was indeed some resemblance.
That temper was clearly inherited.
In that instant, a torrent of complicated emotions flashed through Qin Wance’s mind.
The next second, he quickly noticed Ning Shangyu’s gaze and, arm around the still-rigid Qin Wanyin, guided her back to where she should stand.
No one was allowed to get too close to Lin Zhishui.
Only members of the Ning family were permitted to approach openly.
Just like now, Ning Zhuoyu, hands in his pockets, descended the stairs and approached with a lazy, amused smile: “Not bad. Luckily you were the one who pushed her into the water, and not the other way around. Otherwise, I’d have to punish myself tonight by facing the wall for a few days for poor supervision.”
Those words meant all three present had witnessed that scene from start to finish.
Lin Zhishui’s long eyelashes fluttered before she slowly looked up and smiled, her red mole growing even brighter.
“Shouldn’t you be the one punished?”
Ning Zhuoyu raised an eyebrow.
Lin Zhishui leisurely pointed out, “Ning Shangyu came to the Ji family, but you didn’t give me a heads-up. Instead, you just stood there watching the show… That’s truly one crime too many. You’d better go back and kneel.”
Her words dropped like a stone, locking eyes without any trace of guilt with the all-too-familiar figure at the top of the stairs.
Ning Shangyu never stepped down.
Lin Zhishui also stood still, the evening breeze carrying the scent of wisteria as they both calmly maintained the considerable distance between them, silently watching each other.
Until the host of the banquet, Ji Yongzhen, hearing the news that Ning Shangyu had personally appeared at the Ji residence, disregarded other urgent matters, clutching his cane as he hurried over, trembling.
With a hoarse voice, the old man said, “Director Ning, your presence is an honor. Pardon my failing eyesight, I nearly neglected the proper etiquette of welcoming distinguished guests by not coming out sooner.”
One must understand, if you can invite the head of the Ning family, this signal alone means fortune for the Ji family.
His words drew the attention of many guests near and far.
Ning Shangyu’s gaze lingered on Lin Zhishui for a while before shifting to the white-haired, smiling face of Ji Yongzhen.
His tone was calm.
“No worries.”
Though advanced in years, Ji Yongzhen’s status could not be compared to Ning Shangyu’s.
The old man still respectfully gestured an invitation: “Director Ning, please join me at the main table.”
Ning Shangyu gave a faint “hmm” and then extended his hand to Lin Zhishui. “Zhishui, come over.”
The second daughter of the Lin family in the Hong Kong region, betrothed to the Ning family, had always been a hot topic among high society, but she was rarely seen in public.
That mysterious beauty lived only in whispered rumors.
Not to mention stepping outside the grand Lin estate’s gates to be seen openly accompanying Ning Shangyu…
Ning Shangyu’s simple invitation stunned the guests, and their gazes immediately fixed on Lin Zhishui.
She seemed to have little enthusiasm tonight, rarely smiling at anyone.
Even as she leisurely approached Ning Shangyu, she only met his gaze briefly.
This left everyone itching to interpret something but unable to grasp what.
Ji Yongzhen, wise from his many years, knew the art of hospitality well.
After bringing them to the main table, he had several classical embroidered screens moved to form a partition, isolating a quiet space, and arranged a few distinguished companions to prevent the atmosphere from growing cold.
Among them were Qin Wance, friendly with Ning Zhuoyu, and Qin Wanyin, who seemed utterly ignored.
When they sat down, Ning Shangyu’s long, slender fingers lightly tapped the back of the seat at the head of the table, indicating to Lin Zhishui, “You sit here.”
The suddenly halted warm atmosphere fell silent, except for Qin Wanyin sitting diagonally opposite, whose reaction was the most intense.
She raised her eyes with a complex expression, staring.
Lin Zhishui’s steps paused.
She made no attempt to decline quietly.
She really sat in that chair that silently represented the pinnacle of power and status, her crystal-clear eyes meeting the shocked faces around her.
It was as if everything belonging to Ning Shangyu inherently belonged to her alone.
The next moment, the high-ranking Ning Shangyu sat down to her left as if he were merely a supporting actor.
Ning Zhuoyu naturally took the seat on the right, lazily exchanging a knowing look with Qin Wance.
In fact, Qin Wance didn’t need the hint. Despite Ning Shangyu’s seemingly casual possession of Lin Zhishui, he knew the fountain pool incident wasn’t so easily forgotten.
His own sister hadn’t dared slap anyone, but even raising her hand to do so had already crossed the Ning family’s authority.
“Madam Ning,” Qin Wance raised his glass proactively and poured a drink for her, lowering the noble gentleman’s usually cold demeanor.
“Wanyin did not mean to offend you. As her elder brother, I apologize and will punish myself with three cups.”
That “Madam Ning” was not only out of respect for the Lin-Ning alliance but also a pointed reminder to Qin Wanyin not to make further mistakes.
Lin Zhishui first stared down at the wine glass for a moment, then glanced at Qin Wance’s sharply chiseled face, his features looking like they were painted with ink.
Although also from the Qin family, he seemed more sensible.
After Qin Wance downed three cups and smiled gently, “Please forgive her.”
Lin Zhishui’s lips slowly curled into a faint and exquisite smile.
“No offense was taken. Didn’t Zhuoyu just say it clearly? I was helping Miss Qin with her makeup.”
Qin Wance held his glass, signaling discreetly to the person beside him.
Qin Wanyin said softly, “Yes, thank you, Miss Lin, for your kindness.”
“No need to thank me.”
As the two light exchanges drifted away with the night breeze, the little grudge seemed to dissolve.
Having spent the evening dealing with people, Lin Zhishui wanted to moisten her throat.
Just then, a jewel-red glass of wine sat before her.
She moved her index finger twice, then slowly lifted the cup.
Bowing her head, she took a small sip and detected the scent of cherry fruit, the taste surprisingly pure.
Lin Zhishui savored it for a moment, lips still touching the rim of the glass, but her peripheral vision traced the bright red mole on her cheek, inching subtly toward the person beside her.
Noticing Ning Shangyu’s calm yet unreadable gaze, she didn’t pause and finished the wine.
Ning Zhuoyu couldn’t resist a teasing tone and tattled: “Dear brother, she’s drinking.”
Ning Shangyu arrogantly leaned back in his chair, showing no intention to eat at the banquet, casually resting his arm on the back of Lin Zhishui’s chair.
His tone was indifferent: “A little drink to liven things up.”
Liven things up?
Ning Zhuoyu thought: Isn’t she already rubbing salt in the Qin siblings’ wounds publicly?
And now, after her complete victory, drinking to celebrate in front of her defeated rival…
Why does my respected elder brother treat people so coldly yet selectively?
Lin Zhishui and Ning Zhuoyu thought alike: this drink must be a celebration?
She licked her moist tongue, finding it quite tasty, and boldly poured herself another glass, a bit greedy as the wine nearly spilled.
Ning Shangyu truly had no intention to stop her.
Each time Lin Zhishui drank, she cast him a sidelong glance.
Many men in finely tailored suits sat beneath the wisteria, some handsome, but none as magnificent as Ning Shangyu.
After studying his face for a while, she quietly and wordlessly shifted her gaze downward to his suit trousers.
Then, Lin Zhishui swallowed the wine gently, thinking—“The phrase ‘human-shaped medicine’…”
But before she could ponder further, Ning Zhuoyu on her right interrupted with a half-smile, revealing some insider knowledge: “This elegant Ji family banquet happens every now and then. There are always people honored to be invited. Want to know why?”
“Why?”
Lin Zhishui asked, then sipped her wine again.
Ning Zhuoyu pointed toward the still-host Ji Yongzhen, who was welcoming guests enthusiastically.
“Don’t be fooled by his old age. He brews excellent wine. When he was younger, he worked in the Ning family as the master brewer for the old master.”
Later, Ji Yongzhen used this inherited brewing skill to ingratiate himself with the powerful, borrowing Ning Hui Zhao’s influence to start a restaurant business.
Over decades of ups and downs, he became a rare example of success in self-establishment.
No wonder Ning Zhuoyu compared the Ji family to the Qin family—both tied to Ning’s old master.
Lin Zhishui began to piece things together.
Perhaps influenced by Ning Zhuoyu, she curiously asked, “Why does the elderly Ji master still want to be a ‘new dad’?”
Ning Zhuoyu teased, raising his eyebrows: “Go ask my brother when you get home tonight.”
Lin Zhishui had no desire to.
She completely lost the earlier enthusiasm she had chatting with Ning Shangyu on her phone, even developing a hint of coldness.