Seeing that the old master had sealed the mouths of Zhao Shuncheng and the others with a single sentence, while Zhao Youlin was amused, she seemed to have remembered something. She smiled quizzically at the old master. “Who was the one who said back then that if Joy and I lived outside, there would be too many people watching us and we would have no peace. And now you have drawn so much jealousy on us, it feels more dangerous to live in the main residence. I think it’s better if I don’t move back here.”


  The old master seemed to have anticipated that Zhao Youlin would say that. He replied with a smile, “My dear granddaughter, stop acting like a child. If you live in the main residence, you’ll be under my protection. If you live outside, those big wolves out there are going to devour you and my precious little great-grandson whole. So, you will have to move back here.”


  “…”


  Hell. Who was the one who was acting like a child here? He was the childish one, his whole family was the childish one.

  Zhao Youlin laughed in anger. This old master had laid out a huge spider web just to trap her, which she now had no way of escaping.

  Her eyes pierced at Old Master Zhao like blades. If looks could kill, the old master would be dead already now.

  Old Master Zhao accepted the punctured glare shot out by Zhao Youlin. The smile on his face grew more intriguing.

  Zhao Youlin could imagine that if this old master had a fox tail behind him, it must be wagging cheerfully at this moment.

  “My dear granddaughter, if you have the time to bicker with me, why don’t you figure out how you are going to deal with those young men down there?”


  “What?” Zhao Youlin was caught off guard. Before she could ask what he was talking about, the old master had already walked downstairs swiftly.

  And at that moment, Uncle Zhao, who had been standing around, took a few steps forward and said to Zhao Youlin with a smile, “Eldest Lady, the banquet is about to start. As the second mistress of the house beside Mistress Yarong, please choose a gentleman to dance the opening dance with you.”


  It took Zhao Youlin a long time to come around. She turned to look at the old master who was already downstairs. After seeing the meaningful smile on the old master’s face, her face darkened.

  After spotting Mu Tingfeng in the crowd and the guy not far away who looked like her upstairs neighbor, Zhao Youlin’s expression turned grimmer.

  Great, this is just great. That bloody old master actually put her in another difficult spot! If she had known this would happen, she would not have agreed to come to this dreadful party even if that meant things could go sour between them.

  Unfortunately, no one could go back in time. Now that the crowd was watching her, Zhao Youlin was stuck in an impossible position. All she could do was to silently swallow the bitter pill and go along with it. She slowly walked down the stairs.

  When Mu Tingfeng saw Zhao Youlin walking down the stairs, without giving it any thought, his body had already moved.

  But things did not go as he expected. He had just taken a few steps forward when a figure suddenly sprang out from the side. The figure turned out to be Zhao Youxi, who had just confessed her love to him publicly not long ago.

  When Zhao Youxi saw Mu Tingfeng make a move, she immediately rushed over and stopped in front of him. She offered excitedly, “Young Master Mu, the banquet is about to start. May I have the honor…”


  “Get out of my way!”


  “What?”


  With a gloomy face, Mu Tingfeng firmly swept Zhao Yuxi to the side. He took a step and wanted to proceed onward, but he already missed the opportunity because he was held up by Zhao Youxi for a second. Someone else had already beat him to it.

  “My dear lady, I am the third young master of the Ye family in Shalnork, Ye Yan. May I have the honor of dancing with you, Young Lady Zhao?”


  As soon as he said that, the men and women at the banquet who were looking for dance partners all halted and stared at the duo at the bottom of the stairs in astonishment.

  Zhao Youlin stared at the familiar young man who came up to her in time just as she stepped down the last staircase. Her eyes were slightly austere.

  The third young master of the Ye family? The Ye family? One of the four most powerful families of Zelford, that Ye Family? Although she had known that the identity of this young man was not simple, she had not expected him to have such a complicated background!

  At that moment, Mu Tingfeng, who had lost his opportunity, paused his footsteps. He gazed intently at the man and the woman under the stairs, as his right hand tightly clenched into a fist subconsciously.

  Zhao Youxi was pushed backward by Mu Tingfeng. After she managed to stabilize herself, she saw Mu Tingfeng gazing abstractedly in Zhao Youlin’s direction.

  Her little face that could be considered beautiful, twisted instantly. Even her eyes were clouded with chilling jealousy and spite.

  Looking at Ye Yan’s bewitching eyes that were sparkled with steel, Zhao Youlin opened her mouth and almost agreed to his offer, until she suddenly felt a chill on her back.

  Shivering, Zhao Youlin looked up in a certain direction with a sense of awareness and happened to meet Mu Tingfeng’s expressionless face.

  Zhao Youlin seemed to have remembered something as she frowned a little. She lifted her head and scanned the room.

  After seeing a certain someone in the crowd, who was cowering and apparently ready to run away at any time, a wistful smile crossed her eyes. She turned her head to Ye Yan and said, “Young Master Ye Yan, forgive me. Before coming to this dance, I already made a promise to someone that I’ll leave my first dance to him. If you don’t mind…” There are so many beautiful women at present, you can choose another one to dance with you.”


  Zhao Youlin was going to say that, but unfortunately, she was interrupted by Ye Yan before she could finish.

  “It’s fine. I can wait.” Ye Yan’s eyes were fixed on Zhao Youlin with an indescribable seriousness.

  Zhao Youlin was stunned, though she just smiled and did not say anything more. She walked past Ye Yan toward a certain direction.

  Now, those people around who had been paying attention to Zhao Youlin and him muttered again as expected.

  Eldest Lady Zhao here had given them too many surprises tonight. For a starter, she gained the recognition of Old Master Zhao, who personally introduced her to everyone. What came next was the attention from Ye family’s most favored youngest son Young Master Ye Yan, whose family was among the four most powerful families. He even took the initiative to ask her for a dance.

  The most surprising part was when Eldest Lady Zhao had refused Young Master Ye Yan’s invitation without any hesitation. And that was not all.

  Just when everyone thought that Zhao Youlin’s attitude was bound to be regarded as a disrespect to the Ye family and piss off Young Master Ye Yan, the young master, who was well known for his reputation as a playboy in the aristocratic social circle, said he would wait for her.

  There were numerous beautiful women at the banquet, though Young Master Ye Yan would only dance with one woman, and that was enough to say that he did not have eyes on anyone else but her. That was really shocking.

  What exactly was so special about Eldest Lady Zhao? How did she manage to grab Young Master Ye Yan’s full attention?

  The crowd was puzzled while also a little curious about the identity of the dance partner, who made Zhao Youlin turn down Young Master Ye Yan’s invitation.

  At that moment, everyone’s eyes coincidentally moved with Zhao Youlin’s movement. When they saw Zhao Youlin walking toward Mu Tingfeng’s direction, an understanding expression crossed their face.