It was clear that receiving a personal invitation from the Marshal had made Father Yan feel honored and gratified — especially since the Yan Family also had the advantage of a marriage arrangement with the Shi Family, a connection that served him well in business circles.

“Father, may I not go?” Yan Qing added a little cow’s milk to the coffee to soften its flavor.

Father Yan knew she disliked crowds, and in ordinary circumstances he would have indulged her wishes without a second thought. But this time was different — he had his own considerations.

“Qing Qing, Father knows you dislike such occasions. But you are already betrothed to the second young master of the Shi Family, and one day you will marry into their household. You and the second young master have never met, and going in as complete strangers would only make things awkward. You are already reserved by nature — if you are also distant with him on top of that, once you are married, if he does not look out for you and you have no way to establish yourself, you will inevitably be at a disadvantage.”

Father Yan’s words were earnest and heartfelt, every sentence born of genuine concern for her, untainted by any selfish motive.

Yan Qing understood his intentions perfectly well. He hoped she would develop a good relationship with Shi Guang before the wedding, so she could find her footing in the Shi Family.

Only, Yan Qing’s thinking was precisely the opposite of his. She had no interest in marrying into the Shi Family — on the contrary, finding a way to break off the engagement had always been her plan.

But dissolving the engagement was something that would require careful deliberation over time. As for the birthday banquet now before her, she had no way to decline.

\~

The Shi Family stood as one of the four great warlord clans, holding dominion over the entirety of Bei Di. During the warlord conflicts, the Bei Di faction had emerged victorious, and capitalizing on their military strength, they had vigorously developed the economy and stabilized public order, swiftly rising to the very top of the warlord hierarchy, inspiring fear on all sides.

The Marshal of the Shi Family’s birthday was naturally to be celebrated with magnificent pomp — befitting the supreme status of this titan of an era.

From early morning, the Shi Family’s grand residence was adorned with lanterns and colored banners, festive as the New Year.

The wide entrance was packed with automobiles of every kind, and the rickshaws weaving through the crowd could barely find passage.

Those stepping down from these vehicles were all either wealthy or powerful — the elite of every industry across Bei Di.

The arrival of the Yan Family attracted little particular attention; prominent figures in Shun Cheng were numerous as blades of grass.

The moment she stepped out of the car, Fifth Miss Yan Qin began looking around excitedly. Only when she spotted the person she had come to see in the crowd did her cheeks suddenly flush, and her gaze refused to move away.

“Xiao Qin.” Seeing her daughter’s lovestruck expression, Madam Yan issued a quiet warning. “This is the Shi Family’s home. Do not cause a scene.”

What mother doesn’t know her own daughter’s heart? Yan Qin had never tried to hide her feelings for the Shi Family’s Seventh Young Master — it had long since become common knowledge throughout the Yan Mansion.

Yan Qing also saw Shi Ting standing at the entrance. He had shed his uniform and changed into a more formal mandarin-collar suit. The black jacket accentuated his tall, upright frame to striking effect, while the clean edge of his white dress shirt visible at the collar gave him an air of crisp, refined energy.

The entrance was crowded with guests, yet his gaze seemed to drift, and quite by chance met hers.

Yan Qing gave him a slight nod in greeting. To her surprise, he stepped down from the threshold and came walking toward her.

“Master Yan, welcome.”

To receive Shi Ting personally descending the steps to greet him — Father Yan was overwhelmed with gratitude, and the two men exchanged pleasantries for a moment before Shi Ting turned his gaze to Yan Qing. With the easy familiarity of an old acquaintance, he asked: “Has Sixth Miss been keeping well?”

Yan Qing hadn’t expected Shi Ting to address her first. She was briefly caught off guard before responding with quiet composure: “Thank you for Director Shi’s kind concern — everything is well.”

—