The Shi Family’s banquet this time had been deliberately set by Shi Hongyu on the old estate of the Shi Family. Because that piece of land represents not only the former glory of the Shi Family in Yancheng but also showcases the entire history of the Shi Family’s development.
Shi Hongyu’s goal was very clear, he wanted to heavily introduce himself as the new person in charge of the Shi Family in front of all the influential people of Yancheng. His calculations were very exquisite. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝙣𝙚𝙩
Not only that, but the high-ranking corporate executives from Shi Hongyu’s faction also mostly came over to back him up.
So, when Shi Lan, arm-in-arm with Yan Shixiu, stepped onto the estate’s red carpet and saw Shi Hongyu with the loyal high executives behind him, and moreover, there were five or six of them.
The guests around them all stopped in their tracks when they saw Yan Shixiu, and they respectfully called out, "President Yan."
Yan Shixiu nodded in acknowledgement and then hugged Shi Lan’s waist even tighter.
When Shi Hongyu saw Yan Shixiu walking over with his loyal high executives, his demeanor wasn’t as malicious as before, but that "President Yan," still didn’t sound genuinely sincere. After all, their disdain for Yan Shixiu came naturally, especially since he had now married the actor they despised the most.
"President Yan, please come inside. You must be quite familiar with the Shi Family estate," Shi Hongyu said.
Yan Shixiu didn’t reply, just gave Shi Hongyu a lukewarm glance before leading Shi Lan into the estate’s main hall.
Even if Shi Hongyu felt uncomfortable, he still had to endure with all his might.
"This uncle of mine may not be very capable, but he does have some tricks to win people over. Too bad, rallying these people won’t do him any good, the real power players are all over there," Shi Lan indicated toward the old shareholders with her chin.
"If he could shake the old shareholders, why would he bother with that group?" Yan Shixiu replied to her.
While the two were whispering to each other, Si Junlan came over with a glass of red wine and said, "I apologize for any offense at the business meeting the other day, Mrs. Yan’s attendance here is truly an honor."
"Madam Si is too kind, but, why isn’t the second wife of the Shi Family present?" Shi Lan asked deliberately.
"The family’s sister-in-law is ill and could not meet with guests," Si Junlan replied.
"Is that so?" Shi Lan asked meaningfully.
Si Junlan felt rather uneasy under Shi Lan’s gaze and, therefore, didn’t dare to further misbehave in her presence. After exchanging a few words, she returned to her husband’s side and said, "I always feel that little tramp knows something."
"Her? What could an outsider know?" Shi Yihui dismissed the idea.
"I’m not sure, it’s just a hunch," Si Junlan admitted.
"Stop overthinking and go entertain the guests," Shi Yihui almost turned sour with envy.
How could he be content with such a grand scene, only to be making a wedding dress for Shi Hongyu?
Of course, the event wasn’t without its benefits; at least, he had learned who his second brother’s confidants were.
The entrance ceremony was like a celebrity walking the red carpet; an hour later, all the guests had entered the estate, led by the people of the Shi Family to explore and visit the "museum" of the Shi Family. After the tour, the guests entered the estate’s main hall.
During the visit, actually, Yan Shixiu did not wish to see Shi Lan’s former photos, but feeling upset for not seeing them at the same time.
Because Shi Lan was gone, Shi Hongyu did as he pleased, no longer recognising Shi Lan’s status in the Shi Family.
Moreover, his reasoning was quite sound, claiming that Shi Lan, being one of the younger generation, had no right to be displayed alongside the ancestors of the Shi Family.
It sounded reasonable, but how many of the guests present didn’t know the unspoken truth?