C52 A Welcome Reception

Pei Qiuyu opened the box and was dazzled: "Wow, it's absolutely gorgeous!"

"How much is this watch?"

Lin Xuan smiled, "It's not expensive, my dear. The important thing is that you like it."

Pei Qiuyu looked at him, her smile teasing. "You must have been worried I wouldn't be pleased, so you picked this up from a little accessory shop and placed it in this fancy Patek Philippe box to cheer me up, didn't you?"

The thought that Lin Xuan could actually splurge on a genuine Patek Philippe for her was beyond Pei Qiuyu's imagination.

But the mere fact that Lin Xuan had the intention made Pei Qiuyu incredibly happy.

"Honey, that's not it," Lin Xuan began to clarify.

"It's okay, I really don't mind. Whatever you give me, even if it's just a few dozen yuan, I cherish it."

Pei Qiuyu joyfully slipped on the watch and asked, "Does it look nice?"

"It looks amazing, absolutely stunning!"

Lin Xuan's smile broadened at the sight of Pei Qiuyu's delighted face.

After a leisurely stroll through the streets, it was nearly time to head to the airport.

Pei Qiuyu drove with Lin Xuan to the airport to welcome her best friend, Xu Wanhua, home.

They parked at the airport, Pei Qiuyu headed off to find a spot, and Lin Xuan made his way to the arrivals hall. Suddenly, a BMW 7-series zoomed up, swerved sharply, and came to a halt right in front of him.

Pei Qiuyu's cousin, Pei Qiusha, poked her head out from the passenger seat, her brow furrowed in confusion as she looked at Lin Xuan. "What are you doing here?"

Just then, the driver's side window rolled down, revealing Hu Jiajun behind the wheel.

"I'm with Qiuyu to pick up her best friend. Is there an issue?"

Lin Xuan recognized the familiar faces in the car: Shih Manli, her boyfriend Hu Jiajun, and Pei Qiuyu's cousin, Pei Qiusha.

Pei Qiusha sneered, "You really think you're something special? You're just living off the Nine-star General's fame. Others might not know the real you, but I do. You think you're fit to pick up Xu Wanhua? You better get lost, and fast!"

Lin Xuan let out a cold snort. "The one who should be scramming is you. Your brother just got hauled off to the station, and you're likely next."

With that, Lin Xuan dismissed her and strode toward the hall.

"Excuse me, who are you telling to scram? You'd better stop right there!"

Pei Qiusha was gearing up for a tirade when Shih Manli, at her side, intervened: "Hold on, let's not stoop to arguing with such trash. Xu Wanhua will be arriving shortly; we should go meet her instead."

Upon encountering Pei Qiuyu, Lin Xuan recounted the recent events and inquired, "What's Pei Qiusha doing here?"

Pei Qiuyu replied, "Years ago, Qiusha latched onto my connections to get close to Wanhua and they became fast friends."

"Shih Manli didn't mention she'd be here when she called. Had I known, I would've stayed away."

Lin Xuan nodded, understanding. "She probably kept it quiet fearing you'd bail if you knew."

"Really? That makes sense."

Pei Qiuyu offered another piece of advice: "Try to keep quiet later on, okay?"

"I won't make a peep unless I'm provoked," Lin Xuan assured her.

Pei Qiuyu couldn't help but laugh. "You're such a kid at heart."

Su Jiaying, humiliated by Lin Xuan's earlier rebuke, concocted an excuse to avoid showing up.

The group waited in anticipation for the returnee.

Before long, a stunning woman with wavy hair, donning a red cinched-waist dress and high heels, approached. She turned heads left and right; her beauty and figure were simply magnetic.

Hu Jiajun was utterly gobsmacked.

Pei Qiuyu marveled, "She's absolutely gorgeous, so chic, so poised!"

Then Xu Wanhua caught sight of them and greeted them with a cheerful wave. "Hey, long time no see, everyone!"

Shih Manli and Pei Qiusha jostled to greet her first.

"Wow, Wanhua, I barely recognized you! You're even more radiant than before!" Shih Manli exclaimed with wide-eyed wonder.

"Absolutely, more dazzling than any TV star!" Pei Qiusha declared, not to be outdone.

Hu Jiajun couldn't take his eyes off Xu Wanhua. He quickly extended his hand, introducing himself, "Hello, Ms. Xu. My name is Hu Jiajun, General Manager of Da Ming International Group."

Xu Wanhua extended her hand with an air of pride, offering a brief handshake.

Lin Xuan, aiming to show his manners, moved to shake hands but found his path blocked by Shih Manli and Pei Qiusha, who deliberately gave him no opportunity.

The women engaged in warm greetings:

"Wanhua, it's wonderful to have you back," Pei Qiuyu said with genuine warmth.

Xu Wanhua smiled, "I'm thrilled to set foot on this land once again. Manli, Qiuyu, Qiusha, it feels like ages since we've seen each other."

"I've missed you so much," Pei Qiusha chimed in eagerly.

"I was so thrilled to hear about your return last night; I couldn't sleep a wink," added Shih Manli.

Hu Jiajun quickly interjected, "Miss Wanhua, knowing you'd return today, I went ahead and reserved an exclusive room at the finest restaurant in A City to celebrate your arrival."

"Yes, indeed," Shih Manli echoed. "Jiajun was so pleased to hear of your return that he booked the most luxurious private room at Heroes Manor, where the minimum spend starts at a hundred thousand yuan."

Pei Qiusha expressed her astonishment, "Really? You managed to secure a VIP box at Heroes Manor? That's incredible; those aren't easy to come by!"

Hu Jiajun boasted with a smug look, "Aside from the top-tier supreme boxes reserved for hosting high officials and VIPs, I can secure any of the other esteemed boxes with just a phone call."

In truth, Hu Jiajun was exaggerating. To get that prestigious box, he had his father pull strings and call in favors, barely managing to secure a less desirable box in the esteemed category.

Lin Xuan, too, was taken aback to learn that Hu Jiajun had booked a room at the illustrious Heroes Manor.

What a stroke of luck. Wasn't it Qin Hu who claimed he owned that restaurant?

I recall he even mentioned hosting a banquet there as an apology to both himself and Pei Qiuyu.

Back then, Lin Xuan's response was so nonchalant, he couldn't remember if he had actually agreed.

In that moment, Pei Qiusha seized the opportunity, casting a contemptuous glance at Lin Xuan. With a sneer, she said, "My dear brother-in-law here doesn't quite have what it takes, does he? I bet he's only here to mooch a meal, right?"

Pei Qiuyu bristled at the comment and was about to retort.

But Pei Qiusha dismissed her with a wave, "Enough. There's no shame in tagging along for a free meal, but at least have him carry Wanhua's suitcase. You can't be so oblivious to not pitch in."

Lin Xuan, however, showed magnanimity, saying, "No problem. I'm more than willing to be of service to the ladies."

With that, he willingly took the suitcase from Xu Wanhua's hands.

Hu Jiajun couldn't resist a jibe at Lin Xuan, "You're really going to great lengths for a free lunch. But you're getting your money's worth. I'll give you a taste of what a fancy restaurant and an opulent private room are like. It's time you opened your eyes and expanded your world!"

Lin Xuan just huffed a laugh and paid him no mind.

Qin Hu would have to beg on his knees to see him; whether he felt like accepting an invitation to his own restaurant was another matter.

As for Hu Jiajun, he was nothing more than a pompous fool.