General Yue's hand froze as he looked at Jun Xiqing. As she stood there in her white chiffon dress, her bright eyes were cold and fierce. He didn't dare take another step.

So General Yue drew his hand back sulkily. She really was the youngest daughter of the Jun Family who had made history and was different from all the other women out there.

Jun Xiqing glared at General Yue coldly and walked away.

"Hmph." At this moment, General Yue scoffed coldly and said, "Why are you pretending to be so innocent? You're just a broken slipper that men have played with before. Take care of yourself if you have the ability to. Other men have already slept with you, so why can't I?"

Those words were spat out in disdain.

Jun Xiqing's face was cold and she didn't want to argue with his twisted logic, so she turned and left.

She didn't want to be at this banquet.

She wanted to leave this God-forsaken place.

At this moment, a bulletproof presidential car pulled slowly into the lawn and Fan Men got off to open the back door. Lu Yeming had arrived.

Jun Xiqing lifted her head to look in their direction. Lu Yeming was still in his exquisite black suit, which was pressed and didn't have a single wrinkle on it. An aura of coldness and restraint surrounded him.

The moment he appeared, people started whispering. His beautiful, sculpted features were especially captivating in the bright lights.

Jun Xiqing's red lips curved upwards and she turned to leave.

"Where are you going?"

A man's low voice rang out from beside her ear.

Jun Xiqing's footsteps slowed and she looked at him. "President Lu, please enjoy yourself. I'll be taking my leave first."

Lu Yeming walked over and stopped in front of her, his deep gaze lingering on her angry face. "Did someone bully you?"

"That's right, General Yue just called me a broken slipper that men play with and was harassing me."

Other than a quick twitch of his brows, Lu Yeming's face remained emotionless. He smiled and said. "What's with your tone? Are you taking it out on me because someone bullied you?"

Jun Xiqing lifted her hand to tuck a strand of silky hair behind her ear, her delicate feature made even more beautiful by her laid-back attitude. "What, is President Lu not going to stand up for me?"

"Give me a reason to."

"You were still calling out my name when we were sleeping together last night. Are you not going to stand up for your woman now that she's being harassed? You must be leading me on then."

Lu Yeming's thin lips slowly curved upwards as he said, "It's not worth it for me to aggravate the esteemed General Yue from Country C, just for one woman.

"But," Lu Yeming continued as he looked deeply at Jun Xiqing, "if this woman was willing to marry me and become the Empress by my side, I'll thoroughly eradicate anyone who dares to come near her. She can do whatever she wants."

He said this all with a deep and calm voice, without any change in tone or exaggeration, as though he was saying something simple.

The bright light fell on him, this man who had become famous at the age of eighteen and was the envy of so many other people out there.

Somehow, the words no longer surprised her. In response, Jun Xiqing lowered her long lashes and said, "President Lu is talking about business again. So marriage is a transaction to you as well."

With that, Jun Xiqing looked at General Yue who was in the main hall and said, "Leave him alone for a few days. Once I've dealt with my difficult situation, I'll get rid of him myself."

Jun Xiqing turned to leave.

But a large palm reached out to grab her slim wrist, stopping her in her tracks.

"President Lu, you're dealing with a situation?"

Lu Yeming's expression was indifferent, his eyes dark. "Qingqing, I always get what I want. If you still don't want to marry me, it's only because… I haven't been aggressive enough."

It wasn't difficult to sense the impending danger and her smile dropped. "You're turning to threats because I refuse to marry you?"

Lu Yeming gave a low laugh. "You can treat it as such."

Jun Xiqing looked at him coldly and waited for him to continue speaking. Eventually, Lu Yeming narrowed his eyes and continued, "Do you know why I called you over?"

"No."

"General Yue called and begged me to give you to him as his concubine."

A pool of coldness started spreading from inside Jun Xiqing. She shivered as her hands and legs turned cold.

General Yue wanted her as his concubine? And this was why she had been invited to the banquet?

What did he mean by that?

Was this a matchmaking banquet?

He was going to give her to General Yue?

She felt as though a hand had reached out from the darkness to push her into the abyss. Looking at him in shock, she said, "You're going to give me to General Yue?"

"I don't know," Lu Yeming said as he stared at her small face. "It all depends on what you do, the choice is in your hands. Marry me, or become General Yue's concubine.

"Qingqing, you've always been intelligent but have been acting a little foolish lately. I don't have the time or energy to try and coax you all the time. Even when I try to be nice to you. you only look at me coldly and lie under me like a corpse.

"I would rather you make the decision yourself. General Yue is a despicable person, but I don't have a choice if you choose him. Like you said, I could just spend a bit more time to find the next Jun Xiqing."

Jun Xiqing's pupils shrank. She couldn't believe this man in front of her. Her teeth chattered as she trembled from cold rage. She lifted her hands and struck his face.

But before she could do so, Lu Yeming reached out and grabbed her wrist.

He lowered his voice and laughed softly. "Qingqing, the game has already started. You can choose whether to marry me or not. It's all in your hands."

At this moment, General Yue walked over, laughing loudly. "President Lu, you're finally here. I've waited a long time."

…

On the dining table.

Lu Yeming and General Yue sat across each other, a glass of red wine in Lu Yeming's hands as he swirled his wine slowly.

The entire time, General Yue's obscene eyes stayed glued onto Jun Xiqing's body.

With disgust greater than if she had to swallow a fly, Jun Xiqing said, "President Lu, please excuse me. I am going to the washroom."

She turned and left.

With that, General Yue quickly put down his cup as he saw Jun Xiqing's delicate retreating figure and said, "President Lu, I'm going to the toilet too."

As he said it, General Yue observed his expression closely. His reason for going to the toilet was extremely clear. If this man nodded, it meant that he acknowledged his intentions silently.

General Yue was smarter than his younger brother and knew not to anger this man in front of him.

Lu Yeming brought the wine glass to his lips and drank it hesitantly before his handsome eyes landed on General Yue's face and he nodded. "Please enjoy yourself."

General Yue was gleeful and almost rubbed his hands in anticipation. Jun Xiqing was his!