Chapter 58: A Goddess's Envy and a Doctor's Despair!
"Hmph! Say a few less words? Your old mother went through so much trouble to give birth to you, raising you to be so beautiful and well-proportioned, yet you found a good-for-nothing consort like Han Qi! You still won't let your old mother speak? Do you want to anger me to death?"
The shrill voice cut through the nervous tension of the Liu family. He Xuemei, dressed in an overly flashy sequined gown that strained against her middle-aged figure, glared at her daughter with eyes full of resentment. She was a woman who equated volume with authority, her face flushed with indignation.
Liu Xingsheng, standing beside her in an ill-fitting suit, kept his head lowered. He was the classic henpecked husband, his spine long ago softened by years of his wife's tirades. He shifted uncomfortably, glancing around to see if anyone important was watching their domestic squabble.
Liu Qingyue bit her lip, her beautiful face a mask of helplessness and embarrassment. She was dressed elegantly in a simple, cream-colored evening dress that accentuated her gentle curves, a stark contrast to her mother's gaudiness.
"Mom, please, lower your voice," she whispered urgently, her cheeks burning. "There are many important figures here. Do you want them to laugh at us? We came today to find some big clients for our Family's lighting factory, didn't we? This isn't the time."
Liu Xingsheng finally looked up, his expression changing as he noticed the disdainful glances from a group of well-dressed businessmen nearby. Panic flickered in his eyes. He quickly grabbed He Xuemei's arm, his grip tighter than usual.
"Wife, lower your voice! She's right. We're here to find big clients today!" he hissed. "This is Magic City's most top-tier banquet. Besides us, who got in through Dean Liu Shiming's charity, everyone else is a wealthy and influential celebrity! One wrong move and we're done!"
"As long as we establish a connection today, our Family's lighting factory will prosper in the future! Think about the money!"
The Liu Family's lighting factory was a small operation, barely employing twenty people. In the grand scheme of Modu's economy, they were microscopic. Any of the influential figures present could casually pull out a leg hair that would be thicker than their entire family fortune.
He Xuemei immediately quieted down, her eyes darting around. Although she was fierce, shrewish, and possessed a terrible temper, she was also snobbish and shrewd when it came to money. She knew that offending these giants would mean the end of her comfortable, albeit modest, life.
However, she couldn't help but grumble under her breath, her envy leaking out like poison.
"If we could establish a connection with Young Master Shen, that would be great. Our Family's lighting factory would directly soar! We could buy a villa! A real car!"
Liu Qingyue sighed, exasperated. "Mom, stop daydreaming. What a prominent figure Young Master Shen is! He's the sun in the sky. How could he possibly take an interest in our tiny Family's lighting factory?"
He Xuemei mumbled, unwilling to let go of her fantasy. She looked her daughter up and down, her eyes assessing Liu Qingyue like a prize horse.
"Daughter, you're so beautiful... maybe Young Master Shen will like you. You have the face, the body..."
Liu Qingyue's face turned crimson with shame. She immediately retorted, "Mom, what are you thinking?! I'm already married! Han Qi is your son-in-law!"
"Married to trash!" He Xuemei spat, but she kept her voice low this time.
Just then, a commotion erupted from the entrance of the Riverside Luxury Mansion. The murmur of the crowd rose to a roar of excitement.
"Young Master Shen is here!"
The atmosphere shifted instantly. One by one, the influential figures, billionaires, and trillionaires on the rich list—men and women who usually commanded rooms with their presence—became excited like fans seeing an idol. Big shots from Magic City's official circles and patriarchs of major families hurried towards the entrance, their faces uniformly displaying warm, friendly, and ingratiating smiles as they prepared to pay their respects.
The crowd parted like the Red Sea.
Shen Anyu walked in slowly, a figure of absolute elegance. He was dressed in a bespoke white formal suit that seemed to glow under the chandeliers. His face was incomparably handsome, his features sculpted by the gods. He exuded an extraordinary, ethereal, and calm demeanor, as if a banished Immortal had descended to the mortal world to grace them with his presence.
Beside him walked Qin Ningbing. She was radiant, her beauty amplified by the sheer power radiating from the man whose arm she held.
Everyone's eyes in the entire venue were focused on Shen Anyu. Even the noble and exquisitely beautiful female CEO, Qin Ningbing, could not attract their full attention. She was merely the moon reflecting the sun's brilliance.
Because everyone knew that Young Master Shen was the main character of the evening!
"As expected of the Young Master of the thousand-year-old Yanxia Shen Family," a CEO whispered nearby. "His appearance and temperament are truly like a dragon among men! He makes us look like soil."
Liu Mi, standing with her father Liu Shiming, felt her heart skip a beat. Her beautiful fox-like eyes sparkled with a mix of admiration and predatory intent.
"So handsome! He's truly as handsome as the rumors say! No... he's even better!"
Whether men or women, few are not attracted to such overwhelming genetic perfection. What's more, when surrounded by a multitude of stars bowing in deference, the charm is even further enhanced by the aura of power.
[Ding! Detected destined heroine Liu Mi's favorability +60! Plundering +180,000 Destiny Value!]
[Ding! Child of Destiny Qi Fan's emotional line has fluctuated greatly! Plundering +50,000 Destiny Value!]
...
Liu Qingyue also showed a look of admiration and appreciation. Even though she had a calm personality and was usually as serene as a chrysanthemum, seeing the handsome Young Master in front of her, she also showed a natural delight for beautiful things. It was an aesthetic appreciation, devoid of greed, but palpable nonetheless.
[Ding! Detected destined heroine Liu Qingyue's favorability +10! Plundering +30,000 Destiny Value!]
At this moment, countless women in the entire venue looked enviously and jealously at Qin Ningbing. They wished they could tear her away and take her place on Shen Anyu's arm.
Qin Ningbing felt the weight of their gazes. She instinctively tightened her grip on Shen Anyu's arm, her knuckles turning slightly white. Being the center of attention, surrounded by a multitude of stars, she couldn't help but experience the intoxicating influence of a top-tier Family!
In the past, Qin Ningbing, the beautiful CEO of Magic City Renxin Hall Pharmaceutical Company, also had a place in Magic City's business world. But compared to this? That was a pond. This was the ocean. She had never experienced such glory.
[Ding! Detected destined heroine Qin Ningbing's favorability +3! Plundering +9,000 Destiny Value!]
Shen Anyu's expression remained indifferent, a polite smile fixed on his lips. He casually conversed with the big shots from various industries in Magic City, nodding at their flattered expressions, but his mind was elsewhere.
"Qin Ningbing's favorability increasing by three was normal," he analyzed silently. "Her total favorability has already reached eighty-nine. Just one point away from ninety—the threshold of life-and-death devotion. The bottleneck."
As favorability progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult to raise. It requires a catalyst.
"Liu Qingyue gaining ten points of favorability was also expected. A good first impression is key." Shen Anyu was not narcissistic, but he knew the power of his current persona.
However, the notification about Liu Mi made him pause internally.
"Liu Mi directly gained sixty points? Reaching a level of adoration instantly?"
This surprised Shen Anyu a little. Gaining sixty favorability points at once had only happened twice before—with Ruan Lingshan and Jiang Linlin, both involving life-saving graces for their loved ones.
"It is conceivable that unless there is a life-saving grace, it is extremely, extremely difficult to gain more than sixty favorability points at once!"
"This Liu Mi, as expected of the first destined heroine in a tycoon novel, seems very easy to conquer. She worships power and beauty. My status is her ultimate aphrodisiac."
Of course, Shen Anyu's conditions were also off the charts. If it were the lickspittle Child of Destiny Qi Fan, he probably wouldn't know how long it would take to make Liu Mi look at him in a new light. Now with Shen Anyu in the picture, there was no room for Qi Fan to grow. His "goddess" was already eyeing another god.
"However, Liu Qingyue, the first destined heroine of the Dragon King Son-in-law, is a bit more difficult. She has a husband, albeit a fake one. Morality binds her."
As for that Dragon King Consort, Han Qi... Shen Anyu scanned the entire venue with his enhanced perception but did not find him immediately. He must be outside, playing the role of the humble servant parking the car.
A playful look appeared in Shen Anyu's eyes. "I will first make contact with Liu Qingyue. Let's see how strong that moral binding really is."
Afterward, Shen Anyu dismissed the big shots from various industries in Magic City who were greeting him, waving his hand gracefully.
"Everyone, please enjoy the banquet. Feel free to explore the gardens."
He turned to Qin Ningbing next to him. He swept a glance at a dark corner of the garden where a figure was lurking—Xia Liu, the escaped divine doctor. A half-smile played on his lips.
He whispered a few words into Qin Ningbing's ear, his voice low and intimate. "Go wait for me in the peony garden at the back. I have some business to attend to first."
The garden of the Riverside Luxury Mansion was managed by a top-tier gardening team. Flowers of all four seasons could bloom in full glory simultaneously, a botanical miracle costing nearly ninety million yuan annually. It was the perfect trap.
Upon hearing this, Qin Ningbing looked at Shen Anyu with meaningful beautiful eyes. She was smart; she knew he was deliberately sending her away. But she trusted him. She didn't ask why.
Instead, she gently reached out and adjusted Shen Anyu's collar, her fingers lingering on his chest. She said with a beaming smile, loud enough for those nearby to hear:
"My dear, Bing'er will be waiting for you in the back. Come quickly."
Then, she turned to the crowd, radiating the aura of a hostess. "Everyone, please don't be formal. Just enjoy yourselves. An'yu and I are not people who stand on ceremony."
After adjusting Shen Anyu's collar, Qin Ningbing elegantly nodded to the crowd and walked away lightly towards the garden path.
Shen Anyu found it amusing in his heart. "Was Qin Ningbing declaring her sovereignty? Indicating that she was the main wife?"
However, Qin Ningbing's actions did earn Shen Anyu another wave of destiny value from the hidden rat.
[Ding! Child of Destiny Xia Liu's vision went black! Plundering +9,999 Destiny Value!]
[Ding! Child of Destiny Xia Liu's mentality exploded! Plundering +9,999 Destiny Value!]
[Ding! Child of Destiny Xia Liu experienced angina! Plundering +33,333 Destiny Value!]