"Where the hell have you been?" Nan Lu marched forward and grabbed Lin Che's wrist. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"
Lin Che blinked rapidly and pulled her into the room. "Nan Lu, calm down, calm down—listen. Something happened."
"What happened?" Nan Lu demanded. "Why did you vanish? You scared me!"
Lin Che explained everything—Madam Gong approaching her, asking her to cook, taking her to the kitchen, Auntie Li's confusion, and how she ended up exhausted. She… skipped over the fever-dream-like memory of Gong Feng. It felt too unreal to mention.
Nan Lu listened, and with every sentence, her expression darkened until she finally exploded.
"Is that woman crazy?! How could she let you do something like that?!"
"It's not that serious," Lin Che murmured.
"It is serious!" Nan Lu snapped, hands flying up. "You are not a servant. I don't care what your relationship is with her son—Madam Gong overstepped. Completely. Absolutely!"
Lin Che winced at the sharpness of her tone. "Nan Lu, really, I'm fine."
"No, you're not fine." Nan Lu glared at the air as if Madam Gong were standing right there. "She gets more insufferable every time we visit this place. If this continues, I swear—"
Lin Che gently tugged her arm. "Nan Lu. I'm fine. Really."
Nan Lu huffed but allowed herself to be reassured, albeit with a furious pout.
Lin Che laughed helplessly."It's fine, really. Look, she even prepared a dress for me."
Nan Lu stopped.Then she squinted at Lin Che.
"So that's where this came from." She gestured to her own gown. "I found mine on my bed too. The Gong family must have prepared outfits for all their guests."
She stepped closer, her anger melting into awe.
"But Lin Che…" Her eyes widened. "You look absolutely stunning. Oh my god. Turn around—yes, like that! You're beautiful!"
Lin Che flushed and turned shyly."You look beautiful too, Nan Lu."
Nan Lu blinked—then her cheeks actually turned a faint shade of pink, though she tried to hide it with a scoff.
She had made the effort tonight.
Her gown was a deep brownish shade, smooth and satin-like, with a warm undertone that made her skin glow.
The color hugged her shape gracefully without being too revealing, and when she moved, the fabric caught the light in a way that made her look effortlessly elegant—almost regal.
She had done only a little makeup, just enough to sharpen her eyes and give her lips a soft tint, but it was perfect on her. Clean, striking, confident.
Nan Lu flicked her hair back with exaggerated pride."Well, of course I look beautiful. I didn't spend thirty minutes fighting with eyeliner for nothing."
Lin Che laughed, and Nan Lu finally grinned.
But then Nan Lu suddenly grabbed her shoulders firmly.
"You cannot go to that party bare-faced."
Lin Che blinked. "Eh?"
"I've been downstairs," Nanlu said gravely. "There are women dressed like they're auditioning to join the Gong family. Glitter everywhere. Diamonds the size of my fist. They look like they're competing for the title of 'Most Likely to Seduce a Billionaire.'"
Lin Che laughed.
"It's not funny! If you walk in looking like this—simple and pretty—you'll be eaten alive! Or worse, they'll think Gong Rui lost his mind and is dating someone too innocent-looking."
Before Lin Che could protest, Nan Lu had already grabbed her hand.
"Nope. Not happening. You're sweet, but you're still attending a Gong event, and you're not stepping in there looking like a baby angel who accidentally wandered in. Sit."
"Nan Lu—"
"Sit!"
Lin Che sighed but obeyed, and Nan Lu rolled up her invisible sleeves with a battlefield general's determination.
"Tonight," Nan Lu declared, grabbing a makeup brush like a weapon, "we make them regret ever breathing the same air as us!"
Downstairs, the party was already in full bloom.
Guests drifted into the grand ballroom in steady waves, their heels clicking against polished marble floors, jewels glinting beneath the soft golden lights. The orchestra in the corner played gentle, floating notes—violins weaving into flutes, the melody creating a perfect backdrop of luxury and restraint. Laughter mingled with the faint perfume of peonies arranged in towering crystal vases.
Just as Nan Lu had warned, the women were dressed to the absolute nines.
Every corner of the ballroom shimmered with expensive fabrics—pearlescent satin, glittering beadwork, gossamer layers of tulle that floated like mist when the girls moved. Many had clearly spent hours perfecting every detail: polished curls, shimmering makeup, and accessories that were unmistakably from top designers.
It almost felt as if someone had issued a decree for everyone to appear in their most extravagant attire.
Young ladies clung to their mothers' arms, smiling demurely, though their eyes kept darting around the room—searching, curious, excited. And when they couldn't find what they were looking for, faint disappointment settled across their faces one after another.
On the other end of the hall, Gong Rui stood with Madame Gong, dressed impeccably in a deep charcoal suit that sharpened his features. His hair was neatly styled, and the faint nervousness on his face only made him appear more endearing to the watching crowd.
Madame Gong did not leave her son's side for even a second.
She led him through groups of influential guests with the elegance of someone who had spent her life navigating high society. Whenever an important figure walked in, she would tug Gong Rui forward, her smile bright, her posture dignified, introducing him with pride shining in her eyes.
The young man, clean and striking in his suit, greeted everyone with polite bows and gentle words. He looked graceful yet overwhelmed—an aura that only drew even more attention.
Across the hall, Grandpa Zhang stood quietly...
The old man watched the scene unfold, his hands clasped behind his back. He had raised this boy. He had watched him crawl, take his first steps, laugh his first laugh.
And now here he was—paraded before strangers like a prized jewel.
A faint ache tightened in Grandpa Zhang's chest, but there was nothing he could do. Not tonight. Not here.
As the music swelled, mothers began nudging their daughters forward—subtle, gentle pushes at first, but soon more obvious. The unspoken truth hovered in the air like perfume:The Gong family had no children. They had been unable to have children for decades.
This sudden "miracle return" of their long-lost son meant only one thing—