The banquet hosted by the Gu family was grand, with nearly all the influential wealthy figures in the capital in attendance. There were even many journalists from major media outlets, who gathered around to ask about the feelings of the Gu family's newly added young daughter.
Both Gu Xuesong and other members of the Gu family gave the same answer to this question, which was surprisingly consistent:
They were all extremely satisfied!
Gu Xuesong even said directly, "Although Yao Yao isn't my biological daughter, she's closer to me than my own flesh and blood."
His doting manner surprised everyone present—this new young lady was clearly very important to the Gu family.
"Congratulations, Mr. Gu, on the addition of your young daughter."
"Congratulations, congratulations!"
However, they did not dwell on the details. After all, this was a matter for the Gu family, and things in wealthy families were often complicated. No one had the time or interest to delve too deeply.
What mattered was receiving the message the Gu family had chosen to send.
Once Gu Xuesong finished his introductions, the guests at the banquet began congratulating and flattering the family, creating an atmosphere of excitement.
However, the person who should have been at the center of attention, Yao Yao, had her mind elsewhere. Her gaze kept drifting toward one specific area.
Gu Xuesong followed her line of sight and couldn't help but laugh.
His new daughter was eyeing the self-service food station.
To cater to the guests, the Gu family had spared no expense. The food at the self-service station was so lavish it could easily overwhelm anyone's senses.
Everything was presented beautifully—colorful, aromatic, and delicious.
"Yao Yao, are you hungry?" Gu Xuesong asked with a smile, remembering his daughter's impressive appetite.
"A little bit…" Yao Yao blushed in embarrassment.
After all, she had already eaten five or six baskets of dumplings, two large servings of lotus leaf chicken, and three large plates of pastries earlier that morning…
So, her voice grew quieter as she spoke.
"A little bit…"
"Alright, I understand. But if you're not eating, I'm sure your Seventh Brother is hungry too. How about you take him along to grab something to eat on my behalf?"
Gu Xuesong could tell that his daughter was a little embarrassed, so he looked toward the man standing nearby, Seventh Brother.
The Seventh Brother instantly understood.
"Yeah, Yao Yao, I'm starving!"
"You should just go with Seventh Brother," Gu Xuesong said with a wave of his hand, giving his approval.
At that moment, the two were like rockets, quickly making their way toward the self-service station.
The difference was that while Yao Yao was genuinely hungry, Gu Yu simply wanted to avoid dealing with the crowd of old foxes in the banquet hall.
"Seventh Brother, you should eat too!" Yao Yao was seriously putting food on a small plate, selecting everything she liked.
When she saw that the plate was piling up and could no longer hold any more food, she reluctantly stopped, planning to finish what was on her plate before going for a refill.
Just then, an incredulous voice sounded from behind them.
"Little Master, is that really you? I thought I was mistaken!"
Yao Yao turned around to find a woman wearing a red dress with chestnut-colored curls.
The woman was none other than Qing Jie, who had once tried to break Qing Yun's leg.
Her eyes were wide with disbelief, and as she came closer, she recognized Yao Yao.
"That's you, beautiful sister!" Yao Yao instantly recognized her.
After all, if it hadn't been for her timely intervention, Master Qing Yun would have been in big trouble.
Seeing that Yao Yao remembered her, Qing Jie couldn't help but smile broadly, repeatedly thanking her. "I have to thank you again, Little Master. If it weren't for your advice, I'd still be running in circles, being played by that cheating couple."
That day, following Little Master's suggestion, she hurried home and caught her boyfriend red-handed with her best friend. Her so-called best friend, who had often boasted about her boyfriend to Qing Jie, had been cheating on her all along.
At first, she thought her friend was just being considerate, but it turned out her friend was already having an affair behind her back!
Qing Jie was livid, having her bodyguards pin the two of them down. She personally slapped them into a mess and kicked them out without any clothes.
"You've really done me a big favor! I've tried finding you afterward, but I couldn't, and now, to think that you've joined the Gu family?"
She still couldn't quite believe that Yao Yao had become part of the Gu family, especially given the rumors that were shaking the city. The whole upper-class ladies' circle was abuzz about it.
Qing Jie was at the Gu family now because of an order from her grandmother. Her grandmother had asked her to try to familiarize herself with the new young lady in the Gu family.
At first, she didn't expect much—after all, there were so many wealthy ladies around the Gu family. But who knew that the new young lady was the same person who had helped her out so much? This connection was a stroke of luck!
Qing Jie could already imagine how delighted her grandmother would be if she found out about this connection.
"Is there something you need, Sister?" Yao Yao asked, placing the last bite of her cake in her mouth.
The cake was soft, topped with thick strawberry jam and cream—exactly the flavor she loved.
Qing Jie hesitated, realizing that she hadn't expected to be caught off guard by Yao Yao's identity. At first, she hadn't thought about consulting a master, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized that it couldn't hurt to ask.
"Well…" she started.
After a moment of hesitation, Qing Jie found her courage and continued. "I... I want you to take a look at my father. He seems like a completely different person lately."
At first, Qing Jie hadn't thought about consulting a master. She had assumed that the woman her father had been spending time with was simply manipulating him. But the changes in her father were so sudden and unexplainable. His abnormal devotion to that woman and his willingness to make decisions that hurt his company's interests—it was completely unlike him.
Given the bizarre nature of these changes, and her desire to keep a good relationship with Yao Yao, she thought maybe consulting the little master might bring some clarity.
Yao Yao wasn't keen on helping, especially since she was so hungry after all the introductions earlier, and all she wanted was to enjoy her food in peace.
But Qing Jie clearly noticed this and remembered how much Yao Yao enjoyed her desserts earlier. She had an idea.
"Little Master, if you agree to help me with this, I'll make sure some even better snacks than this cake are delivered to you. How does that sound?"
She remembered her family's chef made a special cherry yogurt—a family recipe passed down through generations. She was sure that Yao Yao, who loved sweets, would adore it.
"Really? Then I'll help you look into it, Big Sister." Hearing about more delicious food, Yao Yao's attitude completely changed. She immediately agreed.
Qing Jie, seeing Yao Yao's reaction, felt like she had just unlocked some incredible secret.
[--------------------------------------------]
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