The black Bentley stopped in front of LeTuie Winery’s gate.
The car jockey came over and opened the door for Lu Huaiyu.
He was in a black suit that complemented his broad shoulders, trim waist and tall figure.
The bright lights shone over his perfect face and highlighted his deep eyes.
The cool night air complemented his cool presence, which emphasized his noble bearing.
Knowing that he would be coming today, someone was already waiting for him at the entrance, eagerly welcoming him.
“Second Master, welcome! This way, please!”
Lu Huaiyu nodded before walking in. Yi Bin followed him closely.
…
The sound of the clinking of glasses could be heard all over the hall.
The attendees of this cocktail party were all the most elite and influential people of Jingcheng. Everyone dressed in full glitz and glamour, each trying to stand out from the rest.
Xu Yini was standing beside a wine rack holding a glass of wine. Her eyes were focused on the entrance, as she sipped on her glass from time to time.
She had left her light brown, wavy hair loose to match with the long burgundy strapless dress that she was wearing. The combination gave her a look of innocence, which added to her charm.
She had the ability to turn heads just by standing there alone.
A young man went up to her with a smile.
“Yini, I heard that you have been busy with work lately. How did you manage to find the time to attend this party today?”
Before Xu Yini could speak, another woman spoke up teasingly, “The famous Ms. Xu would never attend any ordinary party. However, this party is different since Second Master Lu will be showing up tonight.”
The woman lowered her voice towards the end, but those around her could still hear her clearly.
“Second Master Lu? Lu Huaiyu?”
“I thought he was in Yunzhou. When did he come back?”
“You didn’t know? You are so outdated with your news! He’s been back for days. He even went back to Lu Corporation HQ yesterday.”
“Judging from what you just said, does that mean that he’s ending his long vacation and planning to make a comeback?”
“Of course! Who else could make our Ms. Xu wait and push all her work aside, just to attend the party with the slightest chance of him showing up?
Those who were teasing Xu Yini were the rich offspring of renowned families. They knew her quite well, which was why they were so bold with their teasing.
It was no secret that Xu Yini liked Lu Huaiyu, at least not in this little social circle.
Many women had tried to win Lu Huaiyu’s heart. However, in terms of looks and background, Xu Yini was considered the best of the best.
The Lu family and the Xu family had been close friends for generations and everyone strongly believed that Xu Yini would be the best match for Lu Huaiyu.
Xu Yini took a sip of wine as she listened to her friends’ jokes. She said with a giggle, “What are you guys talking about? I came here because it’s been a while since I saw you guys. I thought it would be a great chance for us to catch up.”
The others exchanged a profound gaze before they burst out laughing.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ms. Xu Yini is famous now. It’s difficult for us to even see her in person now.”
Xu Yini gave a profound smile.
She then turned her eyes towards the entrance.
The girl beside her giggled and said, “Look, Second Master Lu is here.”
The arrival of the man had silenced the hall momentarily.
Many of the guests knew Lu Huaiyu in person, but it had been a whole year since he had appeared in any of the social events in Jingcheng.
Moreover, with his handsome looks and his unique noble bearing, he was sure to turn heads wherever he went.
“That’s Second Master Lu? He really is as handsome as rumoured…”
“Is he here alone?”
“Don’t you know? Second Master Lu never brings a partner to social events.”
“You guys should stop dreaming. He’s not someone that any of us can approach. If anything, I think only that girl from the Xu family is qualified to do so.”
…
Xu Yini took the initiative and approached him with a sweet smile. Her lips curved into a gentle smile, perfectly showing off her innocent and soft side with a hint of maturity.
“Huaiyu.”
Her approach attracted a lot of attention.
Lu Huaiyu nodded and acknowledged her coolly.
At such an occasion, he had to behave cordially in public, especially to someone from the Xu family.
Xu Yini’s pounding heart relaxed a little.
Lu Huaiyu had always behaved coldly to her. When that picture of them in the parking lot had caused a big scandal, Lu Huaiyu’s attitude towards her had dropped even further till it was below freezing point.
He had rejected her calls and never replied to any of her messages.
Even when she had flown to Yunzhou overnight just to apologize, it had not made things better.
That day, she had not even made it through the doors of Yunding Fenghua.
Thinking about it made her feel terrible.
Lu Huaiyu had always been cold to her, but he treated almost everyone else coldly as well, so she told herself that she still had a chance.
After all, she felt she had an advantageous edge.
However, after seeing Ning Li at Yunding Fenghua, she sensed danger from the girl.
The anxiety in her had risen when she found out that Lu Huaiyu had spent New Year’s Eve in Lincheng.
Lincheng was Ning Li’s home. It was just a tiny town. Why would Lu Huaiyu go there in the first place?
On top of that, the status that he had posted in his Friend Circle that day…
All the bits and pieces finally pieced together into a puzzle that increased her anxiety and nervousness. She had never felt like this before.
She had known Lu Huaiyu since she was young and she knew him better than most others.
The man carried himself in a lazy and nonchalant manner but deep down, he was actually a proud and egoistic person.
She was not afraid that he disliked her. She was afraid that he would fall for another girl, because that would mean that she would be out of the game.
Xu Yini had done some background search on Ning Li and tried to find out more about her rival. The results calmed her down a little.
Ning Li’s background, family and results were nothing but an embarrassment. Even though she had done well in her recent exams, she would not be an obstacle.
The comparison between Ning Li’s background and Lu Huaiyu was like heaven and earth.
That fact alone made it impossible for them to be together.
Still, it made Xu Yini nervous.
Therefore, when she had learned that Lu Huaiyu had come back to Jingcheng and would be attending the cocktail party, she had pushed aside all her work just to attend.
Xu Yini blinked at him. “Grandpa Lu must be happy with your return.”
Lu Huaiyu took a glass of wine from the waiter beside him. He barely reacted to Xu Yini’s question.
Of course the old man was happy, he seemed to be overflowing with energy even. He had even hinted at Lu Huaiyu to bring Ning Li back for dinner, or at least let him meet the girl.
“Thank you for your concern. My grandfather is doing great.”
He sounded quite detached, but Xu Yini did not mind.
To her, being able to talk to him and receive a reply was good enough for her.
Although she knew that it was due to her family’s reputation, she was still grateful for it.
“Huaiyu.”
A middle-aged man came over with a smile.
Xi Lin, the owner of the winery and the host of the party came to greet him.
The Xi family was one of the richest families in Jingcheng and were close with both the Lu and the Xu families.
His gaze swept over Lu Huaiyu and Xu Yini before he jokingly said, “Did you not bring a partner? Well, Yini is here alone as well. You guys would make a perfect companion for each other tonight.”
