At these big receptions, all kinds of politicians, business people, and celebrities were dressed up like peacocks. These dignified, elegant ladies and cultured gentlemens naturally presented their best selves.

With an arm around Lu Beichuan’s arm and occasionally smiling,, Ye Zhen held a glass of wine as she mingled with the other guests.

In this type of scene, although there were many people that were curious about Lu Beichuan’s wife and wanted to make friends with her, they limited themselves to superficial, small talk under the eyes of the public.

After all, the people here were all astute and had seen enough of human relationships. In their eyes, Ye Zhen was a little white rabbit that had strayed into a wolf pack, the type that was easiest to fool and get along with. If they could become friends with Ye Zhen, they could gain a connection to the Lu’s.

Wave after wave of guest came over to chat with Lu Beichuan and Ye Zhen. Ye Zhen had an excellent, dignified bearing. Her words had a sense of propriety, and she was neither obsequious nor supercilious. Standing next to Lu Beichuan, she brilliantly displayed her status as Mrs. Lu.

In a corner of the reception, there were several women dressed up beautifully in expensive evening gowns and quietly chatting amongst themselves. These women were charming and elegant. Their smiles were like blossoming flowers. They were like a beautiful scenery and attracted many people to halt at the sight of them.

Shen Weiyin was the Shen’s granddaughter and the most popular actress in the entertainment industry, so there was naturally a place for her at this reception.

She was currently swirling the glass of red wine in her hand and watching Lu Beichuan and Ye Zhen, who were exchanging pleasantries with other guests. Her gaze was indecipherable.

“Weiyin, I heard that you recently acted in a movie by Director Ming Ke? Are you planning on going for next year’s Film Empress title?”

The women surrounding Shen Weiyin were all daughters from rich families that had close relationship with each other. They were well-matched in social status and would unite when faced with a common enemy.

Shen Weiyin absent-mindedly said, “En.”

“Do you even need to ask that? A movie director by Ming Ke and it's our Weiyin who’s playing the female lead. If you survey the entertainment industry, there’s no actress comparable to Weiyin. In my opinion, Weiyin is definitely going to win the title of Film Empress!”

“Don’t compare me to the women in the entertainment industry,” Shen Weiyin lightly said. Towards this, she had a deep disdain.

Only people that entered the entertainment industry knew what was really going on in their industry. It was exactly because Shen Weiyin had gone deep into the entertainment industry and had seen too many dirty things that she turned her nose up at those actors and actresses.

She was a daughter of the Shen’s and the Shen’s prestige was still there. As soon as she debuted, she received a steady stream of resources. Everyone was eager to fawn over her. Who would dare pressure her to exchange s*xual favors for roles?

However, even knowing this, Shen Weiyin couldn’t bear to stay away from that cesspool. She couldn’t do without the entertainment industry’s glamor, the audience’s applause, her fans’ worship, and the public’s praise. There was no other place where she could shine so brightly.

“Yes, yes, yes, those actresses aren’t good enough to compare to our Weiyin. But Weiyin, I heard bad rumors about the Shen’s recently. Do you know about them?”

Surprised, Shen Weiyin stopped swirling her glass of wine red. The abrupt stop of her motion caused the red wine to splash out.

“What rumors?” Shen Weiyin asked in a casual tone, but all of her attention was focused on that woman.

The woman looked hesitant and quietly said, “I heard… that a major flaw appeared in one of the Shen's investments and it won’t be possible to get back the funds. Also… That they made a mistake in the overall direction of their investments. They’re impacted by the financial crisis…”

“Nannan, don’t say anymore. You said it yourself that it's only rumors. Those rumors are a joke. The Shen’s have been in Haibin for how long? Their wealth is beyond your imagination. The financial crisis has spread all over the world. The Shen’s are just slightly affected by it. Their loss is only a drop in the bucket for them. It's nothing for them to care about. Isn’t that right, Weiyin?”

On the side of the group, Ye Qing silently took a sip of wine. She lowered her gaze and quietly laughed.

Shen Weiyin quirked up her lips. “Of course.”

“The Shen’s and the Lu’s are the two largest companies in Haibin and the two families are also friends. Back then, I was optimistic that Lu Beichuan and Weiyin would get together. They make a perfect couple. They’re so right for each other. I didn’t expect…” The woman sighed and looked at Ye Zhen and Lu Beichuan from a distance. She angrily said, “I can’t believe he married Ye Zhen. That Ye Zhen can’t even compare with Weiyin’s finger. I really want to ask Lu Beichuan to go see any eye doctor!”

“No one disagrees with you. When I heard that Lu Beichuan was getting married, my first thought was to congratulate Weiyin. It’s only after I carefully inquired that I found out the bride was a parvenu’s daughter.”

“He’s totally blind. Not marrying Weiyin is his loss.”

“Yeah, our Weiyin deserves a better man than him…” The woman noticed that Ye Qing had been silent this entire time. She smiled. “Miss Ye, sorry, we’re just speaking the truth. We don’t mean anything by it. Look, Lu Beichuan and your younger sister, Ye Zhen, simply isn’t as good as a pairing as one between Lu Beichuan and Weiyin. Don’t you agree?”

Ye Qing gave a reluctant smile. Her silence was acquiesce.

Although she didn’t like Ye Zhen, when these people overtly and covertly belittled Ye Zhen and looked down on her for being a parvenu’s daughter, weren’t they also looking down on her too?

When the Shen’s became bankrupt, would these people still be able to say these things? She would wait and see.

“Oh yeah, Ye Qing, I heard there was a major mishap at Lu Beichuan’s wedding. Somehow you became the bride and Lu Beichuan left you at the altar. What was that about?”

Although Ye Qing was standing with these women, they flaunted that they weren’t the same kind of person as her. They viewed themselves as above her. To them, she was just a parvenu’s daughter and they kept her around to mock her for fun. They didn’t treat her as a real friend.

“I heard that Lu Beichuan originally liked you and that Ye Zhen stole the position of Mrs. Lu from you. On the day of the wedding, she threatened Lu Beichuan with leaving Haibin. Did that really happen?”

“Really? Is that true?”

“If that wasn’t true, why did Lu Beichuan leave Ye Qing at the altar? It can’t be that Ye Qing impersonated Ye Zhen to become the bride, right?”

“Ye Qing, tell us. What happened back then? We’ve been studying abroad the past two years. We only vaguely know what happened in China through rumors. You’re the object of those rumors. Tell us what happened.”

Ye Qing’s expression was awkward. She thought it over and haltingly and evasively said, “This incident, actually… Those rumors are wrong. It’s all in the past… There’s nothing to say.”

Her secretive appearance and the way she started speaking and broke off as if she was holding something back further confirmed the rumors’ authenticity.

Shen Weiyin slightly smiled and helped Ye Qing out of her predicament. “Alright, that’s enough. Ye Qing already said that’s all in the past. Don’t mention it anymore.”

“Fine, we’ll stop. Lu Beichuan and Ye Zhen, one is stupid and the other is wicked. That makes them a good match for each other.”

Everyone quietly laughed.

“Madam Zhou is over there. Let’s go say hello.”

Far away from them, today’s birthday girl was whispering to a waiter in a remote corner. After she succinctly said a few words, the waiter nodded and left. Madam Zhou looked at the hotel’s doors from a distance with a worried frown.

Holding the wine glasses and smiling, the group of women walked over to wish her happy birthday.

“Madam Zhou, happy birthday. May you never grow old.”

Madam Zhou swept her gaze over them and hid her worried frown. Calm and composed, she smiled and said, “Thank you for coming. If you need anything, feel free to mention it to me.”

“Not at all. Mayor Zhou is hosting such a grand birthday party for you. I’m so envious of you, Madam Zhou.”

Madam Zhou pleasantly smiled. Her glance landed on Ye Qing. “Mrs. Lu, you…”

She momentarily mistook Ye Qing for Ye Zhen, but corrected herself when she saw Ye Qing’s clothing. “You’re Mrs. Lu’s twin sister, right?”

Ye Qing slightly smiled and nodded. “Yes Madam Zhou, I’m Ye Qing. Thank you very much for your hospitality tonight. This is the best birthday party I’ve ever attended.”

“As long as you have a good time.”

Madam Zhou saw that Ye Zhen was standing alone after parting formLu Beichuan and waved her over.

Ye Zhen had immediately caught sight of Shen Weiyin and Ye Qing in the cluster of people. They were especially eye-catching.

On the other people’s faces, there were awkward smiles and derision in their eyes. They didn’t look friendly at all about her coming over.

She had always abided by the golden rule. Unless it was necessary, she wouldn’t deliberately make new enemies. One less enemy meant one more friend. However, reality showed that there were people determined to act hostile towards you for no good reason.

Ye Zhen held her wine glass and slowly walked over.

“Madam Zhou, do you want to see me for something?”

Madam Zhou had very little contact with the younger generation and didn’t know about the drama and enmity between them. She had gestured Ye Zhen over because she saw her standing alone by the long wine table and wanted her to come over and have people to chat with. Moreover, Ye Zhen’s older sister was here, which was even better.

“It’s nothing. I just thought you were bored standing there alone. Let me introduce a few people to you. This is Weiyin. You probably already know her.”

Ye Zhen smiled. “I know her. Miss Shen attended my son’s first lunar month birthday celebration.” She looked over Shen Weiyin. “Miss Shen is wearing such a pretty dress today.”

At the mention of dresses, Shen Weiyin instinctively thought of the dress that Ye Zhen had ruined with a pair of scissors when she visited the Lu’s villa last time. Her face paled.

“Hi Mrs. Lu, I’m Chen Ling. I came back this year after studying abroad at the University of Melbourne. My major was economics, my hobby is playing golf, my violin skills are at level 8, and I like traveling and desserts.”

After saying that, Chen Ling pointed at a young woman next to her. Smiling, she said, “This is my good friend, Gao Ya. She studied at Stanford, majoring in finance. She likes folk dancing. Mrs. Lu, where did you go to college? What did you major in? What are your interests?”

After such a self-introduction, Ye Zhen was sure that Chen Ling was trying to give her a hard time.

The novel’s Ye Zhen was withdrawn and her grades were average. She attended a second tier domestic college and didn’t have any hobbies that she was good at, much less a professional major. In front of these people who had excelled in school and studied abroad, the novel’s Ye Zhen had done nothing worth mentioning.

Ye Qing silently stood there with no intention of helping Ye Zhen.

As Ye Zhen’s older sister, she naturally knew that with Ye Zhen’s level of achievement, she had nothing presentable to show in front of these people. Unlike her younger sister, she had attended a top-ranking college in China and was proficient in dance and piano. No matter what, she wouldn’t be the one embarrassed today. The embarrassing one was her younger sister, not her. So, Ye Zhen’s being put on the spot had nothing to do with her.

Ye Zhen slightly smiled. She didn’t feel embarrassed or inferior. Instead, she calmly and elegantly introduced herself, “Hi everyone, I’m Ye Zhen. I graduated from Haibin’s Institute of Technology. I don’t have any special hobbies. I read books and newspapers in my free time.”

“Haibin’s Institute of Technology. I remember that it's a first-tier university in Haibin. I have a few high school friends that are alumni of that college. I’ll introduce you to them on another day.”

“Haibin’s Institute of Technology? Lingling, isn’t Haibin’s first-tier university called Haibin’s Polytechnic University? Institute of Technology, isn’t that a second-tier college that’s affiliated with Haibin’s Polytechnic University?”

Once that was said, there were embarrassed looks.

“Sorry Mrs. Lu, I didn’t mean…”

“What’s the matter?” Ye Zhen smiled. “Why do you all have such expressions? A person’s ability and future shouldn’t be solely determined based on the university she went to, right?”

Ye Zhen was broad-minded and didn’t seem bothered by the college she graduated from.

“What Mrs. Lu said is right.” Chen Ling smiled and asked, “Mrs. Lu, where do you work now?”

Ye Zhen had been busy all day with matters related to the movie in the past period. Before the movie was released, she didn’t intend to publicize her name. She was silent for a moment. Soon after, she smiled and answered, “Zhouzhou is still young. He can’t do without me.”

Chen Ling had a sudden realization.

“Zhouzhou is at least a year old now, right? I was abroad when Zhouzhou had his first lunar month birthday celebration and I didn’t have the free time to come. Once I have time, I’ll be sure to pay a visit to your home and see your son,” Madam Zhou finally couldn’t resist sighing and interjecting, “I thought you youngsters would enjoy talking together, so I called Ye Zhen over to chat with you all. But, I was wrong. Weiyin ah, I still have something to do over there, so I won’t be keeping you company any longer.”

Madam Zhou smiled at Ye Zhen. “Mrs. Lu, if you don’t mind, let’s continue our talk elsewhere.”

“Okay.” Ye Zhen smiled at Shen Weiyin and others and said to them, “Excuse me, I have to go.”

Madam Zhou took Ye Zhen away as she left.

“What’s wrong with Madam Zhou? Why did she get closer to Ye Zhen after knowing her education was only at that level?” Chen Ling was indignant.

“Don’t make blind observations. They’re not close. Madam Zhou just didn’t want Ye Zhen to be too awkward in front of us. This is her birthday celebration after all. It’s embarrassing for Madam Zhou too if there’s too big of a fuss. No matter what, Ye Zhen is Lu Beichuan’s wife.”

Chen Ling nodded. “You’re right. Still, I’m surprised.” She incredulously looked at Ye Qing. “Ye Qing, this younger sister of yours, she actually went to a second-tier university? Even if Lu Beichuan can be interested in you, he can’t be interested in her, right?”

Ye Qing smiled. “She hasn’t liked to learn since she was a child. We’re all used to it.”

The other people looked at Madam Zhou and Ye Zhen’s back figures with an even more baffled look.

They were all puzzled by Madam Zhou’s attitude towards Ye Zhen. Ye Zhen was the only one that knew why. Madam Zhou had been able to attend a top domestic university because her parents had sacrificed her younger siblings’s futures.

Madam Zhou wasn’t born into a good family situation. She had an older brother and two younger siblings. Her siblings and her didn’t do bad at school, but her family was hard pressed for money and could only support one child to study. Her older brother dropped out of school and her younger siblings followed in dropping out of school. Madam Zhou had been able to succeed academically due her family doing their best to work hard.

Thus, she felt distressed whenever something reminded her of her older brother whose education had stopped at high school level and her younger siblings who resumed the education later in life.

If you were highly educated, it meant that you had strong ability and that you were a talented person in the first half of your life. That was a very good thing. However, if you laughed and looked down at someone with lower education than you because of this, this indicated that you had failed in your self-cultivation.

Madam Zhou was very annoyed at those women. She looked at Ye Zhen with guilt. She blamed herself for calling Ye Zhen over and causing her to be mocked. “Mrs. Lu, they’re just children that recently graduated college. Don’t take their words to heart.”

“It’s okay. Moreover, my education can’t be compared to theirs. That’s the simple truth. However, I think excellent academic qualifications can only serve as a confirmation for outstanding performance for the first 22 years of someone’s life. The rest of my life is still very long. I’m sure I’ll find something to prove the value of my existence.”

Neither overbearing nor self-effacing, a firm gaze, and calmly facing the situation.

Madam Zhou appreciatively looked at her. “It’s great that you can think like this.”

“I recently invested in a movie and served as the producer for it. If you’re interested, I’ll send you a ticket for it when the movie is in theaters.”

Madam Zhou’s eyes lit up. She asked in surprise, “Producer? What’s the movie?”

“Qinhua’s Riverside. The movie is set in the Republic of China. It’s in the filming stage. It should be done in about three to four months.”

Side by side, Mayor Zhou walked over here with Lu Beichuan. They caught Ye Zhen’s recent words.

Mayor Zhou brightly smiled. “I heard from a distance that you’re talking about a movie. Has a blockbuster movie been released recently?”

Madam Zhou’s gaze was affectionate as she walked over to Mayor Zhou’s side and wrapped her arm around Mayor Zhou’s arm naturally. Gently smiling, she said, “It's a movie that Mrs. Lu invested in.”

Just like Madam Zhou earlier, Mayor Zhou showed a surprised reaction. “Investing in a movie?”

“Mrs. Lu is also the producer of that movie.”

Ye Zhen tugged on Lu Beichuan’s hand. She used a bit of force to scratch the inside of his arm.

Lu Beichuan lowered his head and saw Ye Zhen’s smiling face. When their eyes met, his ardent gaze was deeply imprinted in Ye Zhen’s eyes. The force she used to hold the crook of his arm suddenly increased.

“She’s the producer? I didn’t know that Beichuan’s wife is so talented. That’s really broadening my horizons.” Then, he asked Ye Zhen, “What’s the movie about?”

Ye Zhen curved her lips into a smile. “It’s a movie set in the Republic of China.”

Mayor Zhou contemplated aloud, “There aren't many movies with that setting. It’s too easy for the film content as well as parts of the plot to touch the bottom line…”

Exactly. That’s why Ye Zhen had come to this function.

If a movie set in the Republic of China even brushed up against the censorship laws, it would be difficult for it to pass review and get approval. In the novel, the auditing department used the movie’s sensitive topic to repeatedly give Ning Yang a hard time and dragged out approving it past a few years.

Madam Zhou furrowed her brow and asked, “What’s wrong?”