Chapter 222: 90: A Family by the Spring Chapter 222: Battle of Wits with a Love Rival, the Opportunity Just Came

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"How do you want to do it?"

Lin Xiyu's heart trembled, and she subconsciously thought of the scene where Wang Fan provoked Zhang Xiaoqian at the bar.

"Don't worry."

Guben saw her concern and comforted her softly: "I won't be as stupid as Wang Fan, dealing with her in public and letting people catch us on something."

"Meeting her in private is even more dangerous."

Wu Meng blurted out: "What if she clings to you, saying you have improper intentions toward her and deliberately ruined your reputation? That kind of woman is very vicious; once she turns hostile, she can do anything."

"You really shouldn't put yourself in danger..."

Lin Xiyu's face turned pale: "We finally clarified the scandal; if anything else happens, it will be bad for both you and the company."

"What I'm doing..."

Guben tried to reason with her: "is the fastest and most effective method."

"Forget it, let me handle it."

Lin Xiyu had her own reasons: "If you ask her, she will definitely deny it hypocritically; even if you interrogate her, she won't tell the truth."

"I think so too..."

Wu Meng nodded in agreement: "That woman is too cunning; she might set a trap for you instead. You want to record her, but she might have a video recorder ready. As soon as you touch a finger of hers, she'll cling to you for life."

"Am I that stupid?"

Guben laughed helplessly.

"Don't underestimate a woman's cunning."

Wu Meng nodded seriously and added: "Especially a woman who loves but cannot obtain; she can do anything."

"Xiyu inviting her to meet; she might not agree."

Guben didn't want to argue with them and changed the subject himself.

"Just try it."

Wu Meng didn't care: "How do you know if you don't try?"

"If it fails, it's easy to alert the enemy."

Guben obviously considered things more deeply than she did.

Lin Xiyu's gaze was determined: "I won't invite her; I'll go find her directly."

"Where will you find her?"

"At the law firm?"

Wu Meng and Guben were both stunned and turned to look at her.

"I'm not going to the law firm."

Lin Xiyu knew the situation well: "Everyone there is her person; no one will stand on my side or speak for me."

"Then where do you want to meet her?"

Wu Meng rubbed her hands, a bit excited: "Are you going to block her at her doorstep? Grab her hair and beat her up? If so, I can help..."

"Cough, cough."

Guben couldn't listen anymore, coughed twice, and interrupted her: "Don't stir up trouble. For that kind of woman, dirtying your own hands isn't worth it."

"I won't hit her; that's what a shrew does, too beneath me."

Lin Xiyu had her own plan: "A woman like her, who thinks she's so refined, often attends various banquets, right? I'll confront her at the banquet, tear off her fake mask in public, and expose her malicious and cunning side to everyone."

"How can you guarantee you'll meet her at the banquet?"

Wu Meng was stunned, and there was one thing she didn't dare ask: "A place like a banquet; ordinary people without status can't get in at all."

"That depends on our CEO's ability."

Lin Xiyu looked at Guben, a hint of cunning flashing in her eyes.

"Alright, I'll figure something out."

Guben smiled helplessly; the tenderness in his eyes seemed to silently express his extreme pampering.

Whatever his beloved wife wanted to do, he would firmly support her.

No matter when, he would stand behind her, cover her back, and let her have no worries.

—

Lin Xiyu wanted to outsmart her love rival, and conveniently, the opportunity came.

A local Shanghai surnamed Miao, a wealthy merchant engaged in international trade, came by reputation to consult him about related matters.

What Guben was best at was international trade lawsuits, and he gave him many feasible suggestions.

With his help, that person won the lawsuit and was very grateful. To show his sincerity, he invited him to attend the birthday banquet for his own old father's eightieth birthday.

It was said that this birthday banquet was very grand; prominent figures in the city would all attend, a gathering of celebrities with a full hall of guests.

When Guben heard the four words "gathering of celebrities," a glint of cold light flashed in his eyes, and he smiled meaningfully.

Thus, on the day of the birthday banquet, September 30, the night before National Day, the couple entered the banquet hall hand in hand, and the good show was about to begin.

—

Guben wore a high-end custom suit, with an outstanding temperament.

Lin Xiyu wore a light green qipao, draped with a shawl, with an outstanding and elegant bearing.

A handsome man and a beautiful woman walked slowly forward, instantly drawing everyone's gaze onto them.

"Mr. Gu, your wife is very beautiful."

The wealthy merchant surnamed Miao, Miao Ke, saw the two and his eyes lit up, sparing no praise for the beauty.

"Thank you."

Lin Xiyu took Guben's arm and thanked him gracefully.

"The female guests' seats are over there; I'll have my wife accompany you there......"

At the birthday banquet, male and female guests were seated separately. Out of respect for Guben's standing, Miao Ke had his wife personally accompany Lin Xiyu to take her seat at the head table.

"Thank you."

This was exactly what Lin Xiyu wanted; she smiled at Guben and exchanged a tacit glance with him.

"If you can't be bothered to deal with them, wait on the terrace outside. Once we've given the old man a toast, we'll leave."

Guben pretended to be concerned in his reminder, and after speaking, he deliberately explained to Miao Ke and his wife: "My wife isn't good at socializing and doesn't talk much at home."

The subtext was that she was unsophisticated and had never seen the world.

This was a husband's teasing of his wife; though self-deprecating, it carried a hint of pampering.

"It's fine, my wife also likes quiet."

Miao Ke was also a person of influence; how could he fail to understand the implication?

"Mr. Gu, rest assured, I will certainly take good care of your younger sister."

His wife was not slow to react either; seeing Guben's care for Lin Xiyu, she immediately reached out and affectionately took her arm.

"You go ahead first."

Miao Ke waved to his wife, while he himself accompanied Guben to the VIP seats on the other side, introducing him to the friends and relatives present.

Guben was skilled at socializing; in no time he blended in, chatting very animatedly with a group of business elites.

"Mr. Gu is both talented and capable."

Mrs. Miao was worldly and spoke very pleasantly: "Mrs. Gu is truly fortunate to have found such a considerate and promising husband."

"Many people say that......"

Lin Xiyu's aim in coming this time was to play the part of an unsophisticated country bumpkin; she wore a beautiful but cheap qipao, and her few-hundred-yuan clothes stood out glaringly among the high-end brands and the glittering, jewel-laden wealthy matrons.

"Hehe."

Mrs. Miao didn't think much of it; seeing her very reserved, she mistook her for one of those shallow women, a vase who only knew how to rely on her husband.

She had seen many such vases and didn't take her words to heart at all, merely treating it as entertainment, laughing a couple of times for amusement before moving on.

Lin Xiyu saw a hint of contempt flash in her eyes, and pretending to be fearful, she lowered her head, appearing even more unsophisticated.

The wealthy matrons looked down on her country bumpkin ways from the bottom of their hearts, each chatting among themselves, not even willing to grant her a stingy glance.

Lin Xiyu sat silently alone in her seat, and before the banquet officially began, she finally waited for her opportunity.

As Guben had expected, Liu Rushi would not let go of any opportunity to show herself off.

The one accompanying her this time happened to be a supervisor from Yingrun Investment; the two held hands and looked very intimate.

When the wealthy matrons saw her, their attitudes changed noticeably, and they warmly greeted her.

Relying on her good family background, Liu Rushi's expression toward them was very arrogant.

The more she acted this way, the more those people wanted to curry favor with her, crowding around her incessantly.

Liu Rushi was very pleased, like a princess surrounded by adoring stars, enjoying everyone's flattery.

"Rushi, let me introduce you; this is a new friend my husband recently met, Mr. Gu's wife."

Mrs. Miao was mindful of Lin Xiyu's feelings and didn't want her to feel neglected, so she spoke up to introduce the two: "Speaking of which, Mr. Gu has some connection with you; he used to work at Hanyu Law Firm......"

Hearing this, Lin Xiyu smiled gratefully at her and, following her train of thought, raised her head.

The moment Liu Rushi saw clearly that it was her, her expression changed drastically, and a hint of malice was clearly visible in her eyes.

"Mrs. Miao, I feel a bit stifled; I want to stay on the terrace for a while."

Lin Xiyu pretended to be afraid and trembled, avoiding her gaze, stood up from the chair, and left her seat.

"Does Rushi know Mrs. Gu?"

Mrs. Miao sensed something was wrong and asked proactively.

"It can't be called knowing her......"

Liu Rushi snorted disdainfully: "Just met a few times, that's all."

"I see......"

Mrs. Miao smiled and echoed: "Someone from such a humble background isn't qualified to deal with Rushi."

"Even if I am from a humble background, I can still marry a good husband."

Lin Xiyu suddenly returned, and unhappily retorted.

Mrs. Miao's smile froze, showing some embarrassment.

"From a humble background means not fit for the stage."

Liu Rushi curled her lip in disdain, thinking she was being righteous in speaking up for Mrs. Miao.

"Exactly, she's even embarrassed to say that here, isn't she afraid of embarrassing her husband."

The other wealthy matrons saw her speak first and followed suit in echoing her.

"Ai ai, this matter is getting......"

Mrs. Miao was mindful of her husband's face and didn't want to fall out with Lin Xiyu, so she smiled awkwardly, trying to ease the atmosphere.

Lin Xiyu didn't give her a chance, carrying some resentment, she turned around and left in a huff.

"Mrs. Miao, don't mind her; this person clearly lacks manners, who would cause a scene at the host's birthday banquet......"

"Exactly, so lacking in rules; this kind of person shouldn't be allowed through the door in the future, and associating with her is too loss of status."

A crowd of wealthy society ladies, unaware of the inside story, heaped verbal abuse and criticism upon her, all wearing expressions of disdain.

Liu Rushi curled the corner of her mouth in a triumphant smile, her gaze on Lin Xiyu's departing back filled with venom.

Lin Xiyu had calculated that Liu Rushi would not give up this opportunity to mock her; after waiting on the terrace for not long, she indeed got the person she was waiting for.

Through the glass of the terrace's floor-to-ceiling window, seeing the approaching figure, she hesitated not at all, reached her right hand into the handbag she carried, and pressed the button on the recording pen.

—

"You shouldn't have come here; this place isn't suitable for you."

Liu Rushi was even more impatient than Lin Xiyu had imagined; perhaps the line "Even from a humble family, I can still marry a good husband" had stimulated her, and right from the start she maliciously attacked Lin Xiyu's family background: "Not everyone can climb a branch and become a phoenix; wearing cheap clothes and dreaming of mingling in the social circle of noble ladies is undoubtedly asking for humiliation."

"I didn't want to come; it was Guben who insisted I come."

Lin Xiyu was not polite either, deliberately stimulating her: "He said that once he earns money, he'll let me follow him to live a good life; coming to the banquet early and getting in touch with more wealthy society ladies will be beneficial for my future dealings with them."

"Do you think wearing Chanel makes you a wealthy society lady?"

Liu Rushi was indeed greatly stimulated, her voice suddenly rising several degrees: "Absurd daydreaming; even if you wear gold and silver, you can't change your impoverished and sour appearance."

"You seem to have a strong prejudice against me?"

Lin Xiyu came prepared, deliberately steering the topic toward the emotional entanglements she dared not speak of openly: "I believe I haven't offended you, so why do you target me like this? You're so aggressive; could it be that you have some ulterior motive?"

"Hmph."

Liu Rushi's gaze flickered slightly, feigning composure: "You don't need to test me; I just look down on people like you. You can't even tell whether others are willing to accept you, yet you rush forward to ingratiate yourself, without any shame."

"Before you came, I was getting along quite well with Madam Miao and the others."

Lin Xiyu straightened her spine, showing not the slightest sign of being struck by her: "It was only after you came that the atmosphere was ruined, and it made me even more certain that you harbor some ulterior motive, which is why you're so full of envy, jealousy, and hatred, lacking any grace of a noble lady, provoking me right from the start..."

"I envy you?"

Liu Rushi's face twisted for a moment: "What do you have that I should envy? Just because of that cheap qipao you're wearing? Or your credentials as a teacher at a third-rate secondary vocational school?"

"I naturally have..."

Lin Xiyu's words were sharp, striking straight at the heart: "I have a husband who dotes on and loves me, and that is exactly what you, despite all your schemes and tricks, cannot obtain."

"You..."

Liu Rushi was indeed so angered by her that she remained silent for quite a while.

"Admit it; you're just jealous of me."

Lin Xiyu, thinking she had the recording, had to force her to speak, and continued without a moment's pause: "Don't think I don't know; you like Guben, you want to break us up, you don't dare show your face yourself, and you instigated Zhang Xiaoqian to take revenge on me."

"You're talking nonsense!"

Liu Rushi's face changed drastically, and she rebuked sharply with both expression and tone, trying to use this to cover up her own guilt.

"Whether it's nonsense or not, you know in your own heart..."

Lin Xiyu deliberately bluffed her: "I had suspected before that it was you instigating her behind the scenes; before New Year, you visited BJ to propose a marriage alliance with Guben, and after he refused, back in Shanghai, the incident of Zhang Xiaoqian driving a car to hit me happened."

"If it wasn't you instigating her, how could the timing be such a coincidence? Zhang Xiaoqian has been back in the country for some time; why did she get stimulated and go mad exactly during that period, wanting to harm me?"

—

"She hates you and wants you dead; what does that have to do with me?"

Liu Rushi indeed showed some guilt, her sharp rebuke carrying a tremble in her voice.

"She wants me dead; that is a fact. She also took action and paid the price for it."

Lin Xiyu's gaze was cold as ice: "But she is already dead, and someone has made public the scene of her final moments, which inevitably raises suspicion: there is a black hand that has been manipulating this matter all along. Even after her death, they don't want her to rest in peace, and they want to use her death to strike at their love rival."