Heartthrob, Your Image is Crumbling!

Chapter 432: The Banquet Begins

The April sky was a deep, expansive blue, bathed in bright, radiant sunlight.Blue Bay was originally positioned as a high-end residential area, so in this season of singing birds and fragrant flowers, every corner of the community was naturally vying for beauty even more fiercely.

Dignified and graceful peonies bloomed in the flowerbeds.

Vibrant Tokyo late cherry blossoms lined both sides of the roads.

And Japanese quince flowers fluttered in the breeze everywhere you looked.

Red, yellow, and a myriad of multicolored flowers filled the entirety of Blue Bay.

And at one particular detached house, the display was even more stunning, vying for beauty. Just the entrance gate to the courtyard was custom-designed as a rose arch.

As for the inside of the courtyard, the brand-new lawn looked as if it had just been washed by the rain, exuding the fresh scent of grass under the sunlight. The courtyard's design had a European flair, with white tables and chairs arranged all around. The tables were already set with champagne, along with some small cakes and snacks.

The right side of the courtyard connected to the living room, featuring a massive French window.

A simple little pond had been built on the right side, housing a few koi fish. Passing through the French window into the house, the living room with its high ceilings looked incredibly magnificent and luxurious.

It was only ten o'clock in the morning, but one expensive car after another was already parked at the community gate, waiting for the security guards to register them before entering.

At first, no one paid much attention to this; the security guards simply opened the gate after receiving permission from the homeowner.

Some of the higher-ranking property management staff couldn't help but wonder out of curiosity, 'Huh, why are there so many luxury cars here today?'

Even relatively low-key vehicles like a Mercedes-Benz E-Class could no longer be considered luxury cars in this lineup. There were several Maybachs and Rolls-Royces, and as for the sports cars, many of their names couldn't even be identified.

The property management staff inquired with the security guards and then reported the situation to their superiors.

It wasn't until the news reached the upper management of Blue Bay's real estate division that they suddenly realized a homeowner was hosting a housewarming party here.

Judging by this grand display, the host was undoubtedly wealthy and influential.

Speaking of which, when Zhou Yuwen bought the house, he had used Liu Jing's connections, hoping for a discount. Now that he was throwing a housewarming party, he had completely forgotten to invite the company's senior executives.

Liu Jing had probably forgotten about it as well, but the real estate company couldn't just let it slide after learning about the situation. Realizing the party hadn't started yet, they hurriedly contacted a bakery, requesting a massive twenty-one-tier cake to be made and delivered over.

It was obvious from the luxury cars coming and going that this homeowner's power was not to be underestimated. The property management and real estate company naturally had to show some tact. At the very least, they needed to let these visiting target clients know that if they bought a villa from their company, the top-tier service went without saying.

Zhou Yuwen had originally planned for the party to begin at noon, but he couldn't stop the wealthy wives Liu Jing had invited from arriving early. They had nothing to do usually, and lately, they had been listening to Liu Jing boast about how this Zhou Yuwen was dignified and handsome in appearance, young and promising, and her prospective son-in-law.

Naturally, these wealthy wives wanted to see him for themselves.

After all, they had seen plenty of unions between the sons and daughters of wealthy families, but they had rarely seen a truly exceptional golden son-in-law. Someone like Zhou Yuwen, who wasn't even twenty years old yet had casually started a food delivery company and earned twenty million, was rare.

Was the Jiang Family Estate planning to recruit a live-in son-in-law?

Thus, one luxury car after another filed in, parking right outside Zhou Yuwen's villa.

The space around Zhou Yuwen's place could actually accommodate twenty cars, but it was clearly not going to be enough today. Fortunately, the property management was very helpful.

Upon learning that Zhou Yuwen was hosting a gathering, they specifically dispatched over a dozen staff members in black suits and white gloves—looking utterly professional—to help move cars and direct traffic.

They even specifically cleared out the fountain in the center of the villa complex to use for parking.

When the other homeowners saw this scene, they naturally realized the wealth and status of Zhou Yuwen's household. They craned their necks, wanting to come over and see if they could make some connections.

Of course, today was a private party, and unauthorized personnel were not allowed near.

They could always come over for a visit in the future, though.

The first batch to arrive were all wealthy wives with too much free time, or rich young ladies who had just returned from studying abroad. Having nothing better to do, they tagged along with their mothers for fun and to catch a glimpse of this legendary Zhou Yuwen to see what made him so special.

Liu Jing looked particularly beautiful today. Although she was older, she had always maintained herself perfectly. Now, with her hair styled in an elegant updo, she wore a black, form-fitting straight dress.

The upper half of the dress featured a semi-transparent neckline made of a black mesh-like fabric, subtly revealing her fair chest. Walking in her high heels, she bustled about, keeping busy.

Whenever someone arrived, Liu Jing would smile and walk over to greet them.

Then the two groups would exchange pleasantries.

The woman opposite her, who looked to be around Liu Jing's age, had completely lost her figure. Her chubby fingers were adorned with pearls and agates. The moment she opened her mouth, she complained, "Oh my, Liu Jing, why did you buy a villa here? I had such a hard time finding it. It's so out of the way!"

Hearing this, Liu Jing simply offered a slight smile and replied, "Well, the child is studying over here, so we just conveniently bought a place."

"Besides, young Yuwen's career has just started. Everything has to be taken slowly."

"Oh right, you didn't buy this, your new son-in-law did, right?" The plump woman was named Sun Juan. Her family ran a building materials business and was considered one of Liu Jing's old rivals. A few years ago, her business hadn't been as large as Liu Jing's, so she naturally felt inferior in every aspect. But in recent years, they had suddenly developed well. At the very least, on the surface, Sun Juan's family had made a lot of money, which led her to start comparing herself with Liu Jing.

Contrasted with Sun Juan's nouveau riche mentality, Liu Jing naturally appeared much more refined and full of self-cultivation.

The moment she arrived, Sun Juan called Zhou Yuwen Liu Jing's new son-in-law and clamored, "Where is this new son-in-law of yours? Hurry up and let me have a look!"

Liu Jing told Sun Juan, "He's busy right now and hasn't come over yet."

"Oh, I haven't introduced you yet, have I?"

Sun Juan acted as if she had just realized it, pulling the girl beside her forward to introduce her. Tang Xinrou, twenty-three years old, had just returned from studying abroad.

"Hurry up and say hello to your Auntie Liu Jing," Sun Juan urged.

Tang Xinrou looked like a very obedient girl. With her long, straight black hair, she had a modern, stylish look, completely lacking her mother's nouveau riche aura. She offered a soft smile and said, "Hello, Auntie."

Liu Jing nodded at Tang Xinrou and said, "Xinrou has grown so big? When did you come back? You kept that a deep secret."

Sun Juan chuckled. "She just got back, so I brought her along to see the world. I was also hoping to ask you to keep an eye out and help her find a perfect husband."

"Mom~" Hearing this, Tang Xinrou felt a little shy.

Liu Jing smiled, "Xinrou is so beautiful, does she even need my introductions?"

Sun Juan pulled Liu Jing aside and whispered, "Big sister, don't hide things from me."

"I've heard quite a bit about your new son-in-law's abilities. He's a writer, and he hasn't even been in Jinling City for a year, yet he's opening one company after another. Isn't your daughter working at his company right now?"

"Our Xinrou has only been back for a month, and her work arrangements haven't been settled yet. What do you think about her going to your son-in-law's company to gain some experience?"

As Sun Juan spoke, her eyes squinted into slits from her smile, making her look foolish and completely devoid of schemes.

But Liu Jing wasn't buying it. She retorted, "Your family's business is so massive, would you really care for this little child's play?"

"Besides, these are the children's own affairs. It's not convenient for me to say anything."

As they were chatting, Jiang Xinyi walked over. "Mom." Jiang Xinyi was also dressed up to the nines today, wearing a sky-blue off-the-shoulder top evening gown. Her whole demeanor screamed the aura of a rich young lady. She had crossed paths with Sun Juan a few times but didn't actually know her. With eyes only for Liu Jing, she called out to her mother, "Uncle Wang and the others have all arrived, why aren't you going over?"

Just as Liu Jing was about to agree, Sun Juan acted incredibly familiar, rushing over to grab Jiang Xinyi's hands. "This must be Xinyi! My goodness, it hasn't been that long since we last saw each other, and you've grown so beautiful!?"

"Come, come, Xinrou, hurry up and say hello to your older sister," Sun Juan quickly ushered her daughter over.

Tang Xinrou seemed genuinely happy to see Jiang Xinyi, quickly stepping forward to sweetly call out, "Sister Xinyi!"

Jiang Xinyi stared at her for a long moment before finally remembering who Tang Xinrou was, though the impression was faint. "Oh, it's you," she said.

"Sister Xinyi, you still remember me?" Tang Xinrou asked in delighted surprise.

Jiang Xinyi definitely didn't remember her, but for her mother's sake, she simply smiled at her. She then greeted Sun Juan before turning back to her mother. "Uncle Wang and the others are still waiting for you."

Liu Jing nodded, indicating she would head over immediately.

Jiang Xinyi then turned to Sun Juan and the others. "Well, Auntie, I'm quite busy over here, so I won't be able to entertain you. I need to get back to work."

"Sister Xinyi, what are you busy with? Let me help you," Tang Xinrou offered proactively.

Naturally, Jiang Xinyi wanted to refuse, but Tang Xinrou was not only obedient but also incredibly enthusiastic. She followed closely behind Jiang Xinyi, leaving her with no choice but to assign her some simple tasks.

The wealthy wives had arrived around ten o'clock, but by noon, even more people started showing up. These included prominent figures in Jinling City that Liu Jing had personally invited.

There were also those few people from Zhou Yuwen's school. They arrived right on time, though compared to the successful elites, their grand entrances were perhaps far less stunning.

Almost all of them had walked over. Watching the luxury cars shuttling past them, these classmates who had insisted on coming to broaden their horizons couldn't help but sigh, 'Is this the life of the rich?'

It really was on a whole different level.

You Changjin had originally thought that since this was his student's gathering, he should show up to make an appearance in front of the principal and school leaders.

Hadn't Liu Jing always accused him of lacking ambition? Although currying favor with the rich and powerful wasn't in his nature, after being verbally thrashed by Liu Jing, You Changjin ultimately chose to yield.

He figured that even if he couldn't end up with Jiang Xinyi, having power and status would at least ensure others wouldn't look down on him.

And right now, his only real connections lay with this student of his.

Therefore, not only had You Changjin shown up this time, but he had also brought a gift for Zhou Yuwen.

The only problem was that he was riding an electric bicycle. Before he even reached the community gates, he was stopped.

The guards asked You Changjin what his business was.

You Changjin stopped his electric bicycle, pushed up his glasses, and replied, "Oh, I'm here to attend my student's housewarming party."

"You're here for the party too?" The security guard looked the honest man up and down, feeling that he didn't quite fit the profile.

But You Changjin nodded, looking thoroughly confused as he asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, head on in."

Recalling the captain's instructions, the security guard didn't make things difficult for You Changjin. He waved his hand, allowing him inside.

You Changjin got in, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.

Following the directions, he finally located Zhou Yuwen's villa. However, the walk over had left You Changjin absolutely stunned. Luxury cars were parked all outside the gates, and the people coming and going were all successful elites dressed in sharp suits or gorgeous girls in vibrant clothing.

Now, You Changjin finally understood why the security guard had questioned him.

Wait a minute, how did Zhou Yuwen's simple housewarming party end up being such a massive spectacle?

He took another look.

Jiang Xinyi's mother?!

At that moment, You Changjin froze completely.

He saw Liu Jing standing at the entrance, chatting and laughing with the crowd. What exactly was going on here?

"Teacher You!"

Someone called out to him just then.

You Changjin turned around to find Liu Yue and her entire dormitory. Spotting the tallest among them, Gu Yaoyao, along with Ma Tian and Li Jing, You Changjin finally felt like he had found some fellow ordinary people. Breaking into an immediate smile, he said, "Ah, you guys are here for Yuwen's housewarming party too?"

Liu Yue was thrilled. "Yes, Teacher You! Look at how capable Zhou Yuwen is! This neighborhood is absolutely beautiful, and I realized all the houses here are villas!"

You Changjin smiled and nodded. "Indeed. I actually felt a bit embarrassed walking in."

"Mhm, Teacher You, let's head inside!" Liu Yue urged.

You Changjin nodded. "Let me go park my bike first."

Just like that, You Changjin brought the students inside. And it was a good thing he was with them; when Liu Jing spotted You Changjin, her expression visibly shifted. She asked coldly, "What are you doing here?"

You Changjin had prepared a warm smile for Liu Jing, but upon hearing those words, his smile stiffened. He stammered, "I... I brought the students over to attend Yuwen's housewarming party."

"Yes, Auntie! We're all Zhou Yuwen's classmates! Can we go inside?" Liu Yue, who acted familiar with everyone, had the fearless aura of a newborn calf.

This sort of personality wasn't exactly a flaw; at the very least, it helped ease You Changjin's current awkwardness.

Hearing the girl's words, Liu Jing's expression did soften slightly, and she gave Liu Yue and the others a reluctant nod.

She then called over Qu Jing, who had been helping inside.

During this party, Qu Jing was acting in a butler-like role. Dressed in a tight skirt, black stockings, and high heels, her tall figure made her look exceptionally capable.

She walked over and respectfully called out, "Aunt Jing."

Liu Jing introduced You Changjin and the students to her.

She then asked Qu Jing to guide them inside.

Qu Jing gave them a brief glance. In some ways, Qu Jing and Liu Jing shared a similar temperament—such as their tendency to look down on others.

Having grown accustomed to all the luxurious clothes inside the villa, seeing You Changjin and the students in their ordinary attire clearly dampened her enthusiasm. Giving a flat "Oh," she told them, "Follow me."