Lord Yan, The Little Ancestor Has Fallen Off The Horse Again!
Chapter 193 Sneering in the Dark

A common Volkswagen car stopped outside the school gate, and as soon as Assistant Zhang saw Yun Yue, he hurriedly got out of the car and opened the door for her, "Miss Yun, please get in."

Yun Yue thanked him and then bent down to step into the car.

Wei Xuan was just about to follow her in when a sudden noise instinctively stopped him in his tracks.

Assistant Zhang turned his head and noticed Wei Xuan still standing behind him, somewhat surprised, "Young master, I didn’t expect you to still be here, open the door yourself."

"..."

He hadn’t guessed wrong; his father had indeed asked Assistant Zhang to pick up Sister Yue, and he wasn’t really considered part of this.

He walked expressionlessly to the other side, opened the door, and then got in.

He was glad his mother was good to him; otherwise, he might have wondered if he really was their biological child.

The car drove into a villa, and by now, there were quite a few luxury cars parked outside the house, all belonging to notable figures from Lan City.

His father had only invited Sister Yue and a few close official friends, but once his mother handed out the invitations, half of Lan City’s prominent business figures had shown up.

Lin Xiang and Yun Zhonghai walked in, and although the invitation had stated it was just a small banquet, they were still somewhat shocked by the decorations inside.

Mrs. Wei was a businesswoman whose head office was located in Beijing; she was said to be a wealthy heiress from a prestigious Beijing family, making the grandeur not all that surprising.

The two of them entered and saw Qu Yilan; Lin Xiang smiled as she approached, "Mrs. Qu."

"Mrs. Lin, long time no see," Qu Yilan was startled momentarily, but her smile became more genuine upon seeing Lin Xiang.

She had been dealing with those ladies earlier, forcing a smile until her face nearly cramped, while pretending to be gentle and virtuous.

"Yes, indeed. We haven’t seen each other since the last parent-teacher conference," Lin Xiang nodded, "I thought you were in Beijing."

Qu Yilan was a member of the Piano Association and spent most of her time in Beijing.

"A couple of days ago was my father-in-law’s birthday, so I came back. Just as Mrs. Wei sent the invitation, I thought I would attend this banquet before heading back," Qu Yilan said smilingly. The Piano Association had been busy arranging the matters of Master Yao Nan taking on disciples, bustling about.

His venerable intention was for a grand affair, even grander than when Gu Cong had taken an apprenticeship, probably planning to pass on the presidency to this apprentice.

However, it was rumored his apprentice belonged to the entertainment industry, so whether she could gain recognition from the Piano Association’s masters or be competent depended on her merit.

Although she was an entertainer, her background was considerable. Lou Ting was her friend, and even those in the Piano Association unhappy with her dared not speak out, given Lou Ting’s status; they had to show some respect even if they didn’t like her.

"Mrs. Shen, things are different for you now, with both a son and a daughter doing well; you just wait to enjoy life."

"Yes! Shen Xuan is both beautiful and smart, plays wonderful piano pieces, and is now a disciple of the vice-president of the Piano Association with a limitless future ahead. My child is still worried about the college entrance exam. I would be completely satisfied if they achieved half of what Shen Xuan has."

Bai Hui, dressed in an eye-catching gown and wearing jewelry worth no less than a hundred thousand, touted with pride, "Not really, I usually don’t manage her at all; it’s all on her own initiative."

Suddenly, she caught sight of Lin Xiang and wondered curiously how she had appeared here.

Although the banquet was ostensibly celebrating Mayor Wei, the fact that it was Mrs. Wei who sent out the invitations gave it a different implication.

Those who could attend this banquet were invariably prominent figures in Lan City, either belonging to the top enterprises of Lan City or boasting powerful backgrounds connected to Beijing.

Though the Shen Group was not much different from the Lin Group, ever since Shen Xuan became vice-chairman of the Beijing Piano Association, their status was incomparable. Even the top enterprises in Lan City had to show some respect to the Shen Family.

The Lin Group wasn’t qualified enough and lacked any solid background, so why were they here?

She exchanged a few pleasantries with some of the noble ladies around her before she approached.

"Lin Xiang?"

Lin Xiang, upon hearing the voice, instinctively stiffened her back, adjusted her expression, and turned around to see Bai Hui, who was well-maintained, sporting exquisite makeup and lavish clothing.

Ever since the Lin Group faced troubles, she had stood by idly, only to criticize afterward. She had seen right through her.

"It really is you! Long time no see," Bai Hui said, her smile dripping with insincerity.

She obviously knew that Lin Xiang no longer felt as close to her as before, but now she was different; she should recognize the disparity between them. If she wanted to connect with the Shen Family or someone from Beijing, she should act like the others just now.

"Long time no see," Lin Xiang replied, her smile not reaching her eyes, clearly indifferent. She was not the type to feign affection or seek approval; pleasing her was out of the question.

She must have been blind to have misjudged her before, considering her a good friend and confidante for so many years. When the Shen Group was just starting and faced a financial crisis, it was she who had stepped in to help, only to end up disappointed—her kindness had fed a dog.

Lin Xiang, not wanting to engage further, turned and continued her conversation with Qu Yilan, "Where were we?"

Qu Yilan glanced at Bai Hui before turning back and smiling, "We were talking about your Yueyue... Didn’t Yang Xing say that aside from Chinese, she scored a perfect 600 again?"

The mention of Yun Yue brought a genuine smile to Lin Xiang’s face, her graceful eyes shimmered with joy, "Yes, I just found out yesterday. It’s shocking how this child manages to maintain such grades despite running off to play every three or five days."

Bai Hui, left out of the conversation, had a stiff expression. She had put on a face to greet Lin Xiang, who hadn’t even offered a smile in return and blatantly ignored her, making her feel utterly lost.

A perfect score was that impressive?

Her daughter, Shen Xuan, had joined the Piano Association, and she hadn’t even boasted about it.

She contorted her face and butted in, "Mrs. Yang, I heard you’re also affiliated with the Piano Association?"

Qu Yilan replied indifferently, "Yes, what about it?"

"My daughter is under the tutelage of the vice-chairman of the Piano Association. She’s young and will need your guidance down the line," Bai Hui said with a smile, a hint of pride sweeping over her as she glanced at Lin Xiang.

The Shen and Yang families were about to sign a big contract, not finalized yet but nearly complete.

Qu Yilan’s face held a faint smile, "Mrs. Shen, you jest. In the Piano Association, everything depends on real ability. If she’s capable, not just the vice-chairman but even the chairman would take notice of her."

Bai Hui’s face stiffened; was this an indirect insult that Shen Xuan lacked talent?

Only able to study under a vice-chairman?

At the time, she had high hopes for Shen Xuan; indeed, she wanted to become a disciple of Master Yao Nan, but who knew that Master Yao Nan was so strict and only awarded her 82 points?

She was the only contestant among all participants to score above 80. Then, unexpectedly, a dark horse emerged, and Master Yao Nan awarded them a full 100 points. Normally, this wouldn’t matter, but Qu Yilan’s remark had twisted its meaning.

She had hoped Qu Yilan would show her some respect, but it turned out she was even more dismissive than Lin Xiang, leaving her feeling stifled and choked in defeat.