The celebration for Chi Yu's academic advancement was teeming with guests.
Connections from the Gu family, friends of Qiao Yu, and business associates close to Gu Shiyan all gathered.
The former required only casual engagement, while Qiao Yu's friends were predominantly professional women, alongside several dignified matrons.
For this latter group, Chi Yu offered a mild cordiality, engaging these ladies with gentle humor and small talk.
Most expressed admiration for Qiao Yu, fortunate to have such a smart and beautiful daughter, though one particularly well-dressed lady was enamored with Chi Yu, holding her hand and constantly complimenting her beauty.
"I have a nephew, dear, only two years older than you and a student at Imperial University. Perhaps you'd like to meet him?"
The suggestion's undertone was hardly lost on the ladies standing nearby.
