In the luxurious mansion of the Wen family, Wen Maixue sat next to an elderly man, whose legs were covered with a blanket, as he squinted his eyes smoking an old-fashioned filter tip.
Wen Maixue rarely threw tantrums. Her experiences made her more mature than her peers, and better at winning people’s favor. So when Pello asked her to return the "Angel’s Broken Wings" she had purchased, although she was dissatisfied, she didn’t show it. Instead, she went ho and explained the whole situation to Old Master Wen.
"Maixue, haven’t I taught you that when manipulating a man, you must know when to tense and when to relax? Your current manner, like that of lower-class people such as Su Ziceng, is unsophisticated," said Old Master Wen, who had largely retired from managing affairs, handing most tasks to the younger generation. Wen Maixue, personally grood by him, might not have been the best, but she was the most useful for now.
"A woman’s every frown and smile should be just right, even your jealousy should be controlled just enough to make a man feel cared for but not controlled. You’ve managed this well with others, including the Qiu family’s plump boy, so why do you repeatedly fail with Pello?" Old Master Wen said, taking the last puff of his cigarette.
"Grandfather, it’s only with Pello that I can’t manage this," Wen Maixue admitted, deflated.
"Haven’t you learned enough from that incident back then?" Old Master Wen opened his eyes, shook the blanket, and a trail of ash fell onto it, leaving a stain—the clean blanket now dirtied. Maixue was still too impetuous, not quite matching up to her.
"I’m sorry, Grandfather," Wen Maixue said, unable to hold back her emotions, tears welling up in her eyes.
Old Master Wen sighed deeply.
"I can’t match my sister; she has always been stronger than ," Wen Maixue snapped. Everyone thought she was a princess commanding the winds and rain within the Wen Mansion, yet no one knew her current status was obtained at the expense of her dear sister.
"Nobody anticipated what happened back then, just as who would have thought that a poor boy like Su Qingzhang could amass such wealth today," Old Master Wen grunted and added, "If it weren’t for the support from the Qiao family back then, the Su family wouldn’t exist today."
Only the older generation knew that the Qiao family was one of Mo City’s leading families back in the day. Though not as rich as the Wen family, they held significant influence. It was said that when Qiao Chu, the only daughter of the Qiao family, got married, her dowry was filled with antiques left by her elders.
"Miss, a guest has arrived," the butler of the Wen family ca in, reminding.
Upon hearing the greeting, Wen Maixue imdiately shed her previous timidity and quickly regained composure, adopting a dignified deanor: "He’s here." She sat upright next to Old Master Wen, reverting to her usual poise.
"Old Master Wen, co New Year, and my craving for alcohol hits again," Shang Yin, a towering figure, had already stepped into the Wen family’s hall.
The Wen’s mansion, catering to Old Master Wen’s nostalgia, was filled with antique furniture. The arrival of Shang Yin and the man behind him brought a vibrant energy to the sowhat antiquated mansion.
"Pello, Mr. Shang, you’re here, please sit. These old ears of mine have listened to my granddaughter’s chatter all day," Old Master Wen, dropping his earlier sharp tone, deliberately adopted a generous deanor typical of an elder eting a junior.
His gaze swept between Pello and Shang Yin – the two n, one restrained and calm, the other wild and unrestrained, seed like they should clash, yet who could have predicted that this pairing would bring drastic changes to Mo City. All he could do was to preserve the Wen family before the storm arrived.
Shang Yin didn’t sit down imdiately; he watched as Pello seated himself and then followed suit.
No sooner had he sat down than Shang Yin rested his legs in a carefree manner, clearly showing no respect for Old Master Wen, "I heard, Eldest Lady Wen bought back those wines I had gifted."
Shang Yin and Pello, due to certain reasons, weren’t present at the auction, but thanks to extensive dia coverage, they were well aware of everything that happened at Subi Auction House.
Seeing Shang Yin’s attitude, Wen Maixue couldn’t suppress her anger, "Shang Yin, stop playing those dirty tricks in front of , taking advantage of my inattention to extort my grandfather."
"I thought Old Master Wen’s heart had grown strong enough after the last kidnapping incident of ’Miss Wen’, no extortions should scare him now," Shang Yin had no complaints about Su Ziceng’s thods, surprised that such a girl could think to use such auction tactics to handle troubleso wines so cleanly, even outsmarting the usually shrewd Wen Maixue.
"It’s really thanks to Mr. Shang’s ’care’ in earlier years that my old man’s heart is stronger than most," Old Master Wen signaled Wen Maixue to remain silent, as no one knew better than the Wen family about Shang Yin’s background, "I hear you also have so shares in that young miss’s Wine Shop from the Su family."
"I just ddled a bit, contributing so worthless homade wine, unlike so who stay silent outwardly but spare no effort and money behind the scenes," Shang Yin aid to provoke Wen Maixue. Glancing at Pello’s face, he poked a bit more before receiving a warning look from Pello, after which he touched his nose, stood up, and confidently picked a bottle from the Wen family’s wine cabinet, pouring himself a drink.
"I’m here today to discuss this year’s curriculum setup with Old Master Wen at Kelly Won’s College; I’d like to recomnd a Mysticism course taught by my senior, Junior Wang." Pello, to keep Shang Yin from speaking rashly, made his intentions for the visit clear.
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