Scumbag A's Plan to Save the Heroine - Chapter 18

Hearing Zhi Qiu’s name, Fu Jin Yan felt a jolt, his ears perking up as he strained to catch every word.

Zhi Ze’en chuckled and playfully patted the young Alpha’s shoulder. Though the man dressed with mature elegance, a youthful vitality shone in his eyes, his smile as warm as a spring breeze.

“My daughter has made a spectacle of herself,” Zhi Ze’en said with a smile, though the warmth didn’t reach his eyes.

Everyone in the elite circles knew Zhi Ze’en’s only daughter was a dilettante, spending her days cavorting with Omegas and squandering her top-tier Alpha genes. Now, she had even become the subject of mockery by these younger generation members.

The elders of both families brushed aside Fu Jinxing’s remark with indulgent smiles, treating the incident as a minor amusement—a fleeting moment quickly dismissed.

As the wine flowed, Zhi Ze’en clinked glasses with Fu Fu, a hint of regret in his eyes. “If only she could truly amount to something like this,” he sighed.

Fu Fu beamed at his younger son’s words. Though the Fu Family’s century-old foundation couldn’t yet match the Zhi Family’s established legacy, they had the advantage of a worthy successor.

With this thought, Fu Fu tightened his arm around his son’s shoulder, beaming as he led him to the outer hall to greet the guests.

The grand hall of the Fu Family’s outer pavilion was dominated by gold and white. Every detail, from the overhead lighting to the floor tiles, had been meticulously designed and crafted from the finest imported materials. In just fifty years, the family had amassed such opulence that it made even century-old aristocratic clans seem frugal in comparison.

Though ostensibly a family reunion banquet, the event was, at its core, a social gathering. Such occasions are typically noisy and filled with predictable conversations, ultimately revolving around three themes: money, power, and romance. With elders present, matchmaking inevitably became a topic of discussion. Given the scarcity of eligible bachelors in the current market, their appearance naturally drew teasing from the older generation.

A mature-looking man approached with his daughter to offer a toast. The woman wore a white gauze dress that accentuated her ethereal beauty, like a lotus blooming from clear water. The red jade hairpin in her hair further highlighted her snow-white skin, giving her an otherworldly, almost otherworldly aura.

The man gently nudged his daughter forward from behind. Cheng Cheng smiled warmly, took a glass of red wine from a passing server, and approached the banquet’s hosts.

“Uncle Fu, Brother Jinyan, it’s been too long,” she said, her clear, melodious voice carrying a note of polite warmth. Her graceful demeanor and gentle manners instantly endeared her to everyone present.

Fu Jin Yan was deeply engrossed in pondering their earlier conversation, so lost in thought that he momentarily misheard the girl’s greeting. It was Fu Jin Xing, the one being overlooked, who quickly reacted.

Despite his feigned indifference, Fu Jin Xing harbored lingering resentment over the twenty years he had spent away from the Fu Family. His playful tone carried a hint of bitterness as he remarked, “Little Sister Cheng Cheng, you must not see me here. Why only greet Brother Jinyan?”

Cheng Cheng, holding her wine glass, was primarily facing Fu Jin Yan. When he didn’t respond, she was left awkwardly standing in place.

Before coming, her father had clearly explained their purpose for attending, causing her to feel excessively nervous. When she stepped forward to offer a toast, her eyes were fixed on Brother Jinyan’s tall, handsome figure, completely overlooking the other protagonist of the evening.

This awkward moment stretched for several minutes.

Finally, Fu Fu stepped in to smooth things over. He gently patted his son’s shoulder and, turning to the meticulously dressed woman, praised, “Cheng Cheng is not only beautiful but also exceptionally talented. Just a year after graduating from Noadon, she won the top prize in the national designer competition. I wonder which Alpha will be fortunate enough to marry such a capable and virtuous partner. If only I, Fu Fu, could have such good fortune!”

Hearing this, the mature-looking man hurried forward, his smile obsequious. “Oh, please, it’s nothing but a little cleverness. Cheng Cheng has reached the Federation’s legal marriage age, but she’s always refused to be matched. The child has already set her heart on someone, and as parents, we can’t force her.”

As he spoke, he subtly nudged his daughter forward, pushing her closer to the visibly distracted man. “Go on, greet Brother Jinyan.”

With a living, breathing person holding a wine glass right in front of him, even Fu Jin Yan, preoccupied with Zhi Qiu, had to shift his attention. He murmured, “Little Sister Cheng Cheng, it’s been a while.”

Fu Jin Yan’s observational skills were as sharp as ever. He quickly grasped his father’s intentions from the man’s subtle glances.

To compensate for his earlier lapse, he solicitously offered to exchange the woman’s glass of wine, which she had carefully chosen for the banquet. “The wine here is too strong for you,” he said with concern. “Drinking it will only give you a headache. You’d be better off with something milder.”

Cheng Cheng reached for the glass, but before her hand could touch the cool, stemmed glass, another hand snatched it away.

She looked up and saw the Alpha in gray, the same one she had just ignored.

Fu Jinxing hadn’t originally intended to compete for anything. They had shared a brief encounter in their youth, but it hadn’t been enough to plant deep roots of affection. Yet…

The information Zhi Qiu held gave him immense leverage. He planned to systematically strip away everything Fu Jin Yan possessed, making him taste the same ostracism and pain he had once endured.

The Alpha’s features seemed to have inherited his mother’s: captivating phoenix eyes and an air of unwavering confidence. He calmly set down his wineglass and instructed the waiter, “Bring Miss Cheng Cheng a glass of juice instead.”

Fu Jinxing hooked his slender fingers around the stem of the glass, ignoring the woman’s puzzled expression as he leaned close to her ear and murmured meaningfully, “Good wine needs no tavern sign. Little Sister Cheng Cheng, you’ll just have to wait a little longer.”

You swap out my wine, and I’ll take a glass of juice.

The brothers’ clash made Fu Fu anxious about causing a scene, but he couldn’t intervene directly. He clapped his hands urgently and summoned the butler, asking loudly, “Is everything ready in the main hall?”

The butler, a middle-aged man with a composed demeanor and elegant bearing, clearly had years of experience in service.

Dressed in a European-style uniform, he bowed respectfully and replied, “Sir, everything is prepared. Please escort your esteemed guests to the stage to enjoy the performance.”

Upon receiving the announcement, the guests followed the Fu Family’s guides toward the most lavishly decorated pavilion in the outer courtyard.

During entry, Alphas and Omegas had been guided separately. Now, gathered together in the outer courtyard, the mingling crowd inevitably created a chaotic scene.

Amidst the confusion, Yuan Menglu, who had been virtually invisible among the Omegas, seized the opportunity to slip into the Alpha group. She precisely located the graceful figure seated in the crowd.

A wheelchair-bound person naturally stood out in the crowd. Some Alphas actively made way, while others enthusiastically offered to push the chair. However, all such offers were politely declined.

Zhi Qiu, pushing the wheelchair, felt a sudden assistance from behind. Assuming it was another well-meaning but presumptuous person, she prepared to politely refuse. To her surprise, she saw no one behind her, but instead felt a gentle tap on her head.

“Zhi Qiu, you’ve been quite the challenge to find!”