On the other side of town, Kang Jun and Kang Mingyu arrived at the party.
After switching cars with Rong Xin and getting a new shirt and some gel, Kang Jun was able to make himself look perfect once more, and as soon as he walked into the room full of people, with Kang Mingyu in his arms, the many girls who saw him squealed.
Before most socialites were scared of Kang Jun and they actively avoided chances to meet the man. They thought he was a mean ugly beast, after all. Little had they know how good looking a man Kang Jun was.
Now, all those women who used to spread rumors about how monstrous the man might have looked gazed at him seductively.
Though Kang Jun didn't pay any attention to them. In his eyes, there was Lu AnLing and only Lu AnLing. Even when she wasn't by his side, his heart would always linger on her.
However, despite the fact that Kang Jun ignored the women as he walked over to his grandfather, who sat at a table with Kang Mei Xue, watching him, the socialites started to whisper amongst themselves.
"Oh my god, did you see him carrying the little young master of the Kang's? Daddy Kang, anyone?" One socialite squealed.
"I'd love him to be my daddy..." another girl said, trailing her words slightly for it to sound seductive.
Suddenly, Feng Yan appeared from behind them. "Dream on!"
The girl who had last spoken turned to Feng Yan and said, "And why not? I don't see anyone calling dibs."
Feng Yan crossed her arms over her chest and hissed, "He's mine."
Hearing this, the girl laughed.
"An engagement is nothing to that man." Approaching Feng Yan with no fear, the socialite smiled. "He's already been engaged two times before and if I'm not mistaken, one of those engagements was with your sister. And look how that ended up... Unless you marry the man, you and I are on the same playing field."
Hearing this, Feng Yan was speechless and completely infuriated. "How dare you..."
Seeing that Feng Yan was taken aback, the socialite put her hands on her hips and said, "You see, you and I are in the same boat if I can seduce him and he likes me better, what can you do? Nothing."
The girl stood tall and straight before Feng Yan, who, despite having a nice body was slightly shorter than the average socialite which was why she usually resorted to wearing very high heels.
Menacing, the socialite smiled but her smile was whipped off her face when she heard someone call her name.
"Tang Yiling!"
Looking back, Tang Yiling met the icy glare of her cousin, Tang Bingyi.
Tang Bingyi frowned. "Cousin, please stop provoking the guests. It's a shame on the family."
"Are you saying I'm shameful?" Tang Yiling said with an expression of pain.
Seeing this, Tang Bingyi frowned. "I'm saying you're acting shamefully. So please behave yourself."
Tang Bingyi used to feel strange that she had to correct her eldest cousins behavior, but after a few years of doing it, she had gotten used to it.
Turning to Feng Yan, Tang Bingyi took a bow and apologized on her cousin's behalf. Feng Yan didn't want to accept the apology, but right when she was going to complain, her mother came by.
Feng Yan could not be reckless in her mother's presence. So she accepted the apology and accompanied her mother into the distance, internally cursing the Tang's.
Why were they always in the way?
When everything was seemingly good and forgiven, Tang Bingyi walked into the crowd and greeted a few guests as kindly as she could. She was truly an exceptional business person. Everyone who met her felt comfortably with her.
By her side, Tang Yiling also greeted the guests also but unlike Tang Bingyi, the only thing that people would say about her regarded her eloquence or her beauty.
Tang Yiling didn't like this but nothing could have been done. Suddenly, Tang Yiling spotted the tall built body of Kang Jun. The man stood tall and handsome as he spoke to Elder Kang and Elder Tang, while two children played around his legs.
The girl bit her lip seductively as she gazed upon his figure, assessing him. She then grabbed onto Tang Bingyi's arm.
"Can you introduce me to Kang Jun."
Tang Bingyi gave the girl a cold look. "No. He wouldn't be interested in you, anyway."
Tang Yiling's face twisted with slight annoyance as she tightened her grip on Tang Bingyi's arm. "How would you know that?"
"Because he already has someone he likes." Tang Bingyi said matter-of-factly.
Tang Yiling frowned but she didn't argue. She didn't want to fight with Tang Bingyi, mostly not on days such as this.
Tang Yiling enjoyed parties and the socialite life she had not gotten to experience when she was young. Only at 17 was she brought into the Tang family and she was glad to be there.
"You?" Tang Yiling asked with her face slightly twisted.
With that said, Tang Bingyi sighed. "Of course not."
Tang Bingyi did not want Tang Yiling to approach Kang Jun. Not because she could seduce Kang Jun— Tang Bingyi believed this to be impossible— but because Tang Yiling had no boundaries.
Tang Bingyi knew Kang Jun and Lu AnLing had feelings for each other. It would just be a matter of time before those two started a relationship, and Tang Bingyi did not want her cousin to interrupt this or to get hurt, which she ultimately would if she tried to mess with Kang Jun.
But because of what Tang Bingyi had said, Tang Yiling didn't believe her cousin's words in the slightest.
Kang Jun liking someone? Impossible.
As Tang Yiling understood, the man was like a field of untouched snow; a man who has not loved or been defiled yet. And Tang Yiling wanted him.
Just as Tang Bingyi was about to walk towards the entrance to greet another batch of guests. Her mother appeared out of nowhere.
Seeing her aunt, Tang Yiling smiled wide and ran over to her. This forced Tang Bingyi to approach also.
Seeing that this was her chance, Tang Yiling began to pout. But due to her thin lips, it made her face look childish and unappealing.
"Auntie..." hearing her whiny voice, the woman frowned. She asked her what was wrong but Tang Yiling didn't answer immediately.
When she did, she gave a small grin and said, "Could you bring me over there and introduce me to Kang Jun?"
The woman looked at Kang Jun and frowned. She already knew that the man had his fiancée chosen for him, as per what she had heard from her father, Elder Tang and she knew how much her brother's daughter liked the man so she was a bit apprehensive.
Meanwhile, Tang Bingyi tried to send her mother signals using her eyes. Her mother could clearly see them, but when she looked at the girl who held onto her with a begging face, guilt began to fill Mother Tang's system and the woman quickly gave in.
She smiled and said, "Yes... I think we should all go and great him."
Hearing this, Tang Bingyi sighed hard. She didn't even hide her annoyance. It's not that she didn't want to great Kang Jun, it was that she didn't want to introduce Tang Yiling to the man but her mother had now forced her hand.
Walking over to Kang Jun, Elder Kang, and Elder Tang, Tang Bingyi noticed Kang Mei Xue first. The little girl played with Kang Mingyu, who Tang Bingyi did not recognize.
Tang Bingyi waved to the little girl, who smiled as she acknowledged Tang Bingyi. Since Kang Mei Xue had seen Tang Bingyi and Lu AnLing be close, the woman was already considered good.
When she was done doing this, Tang Bingyi was forced to come face to face with Kang Jun. The girl greeted him respectfully and businesslike as he did to her.
The two held a small familiarity between them now, and so the atmosphere wasn't tense.
Seeing her mother and cousin hanging behind her a bit, Tang Bingyi sighed once more and then she said,
"This is my mother and cousin."
Tang Bingyi's mother greeted the man first, making sure not to approach the man too much. Seeing her consideration to his personal space, Kang Jun gained a favorable impression of the woman. She had done her research…
After this, Tang Yiling approached.
She stuck out her hand in front of him and smiled, "Hello, I'm Tang Yiling."
Hearing this, Kang Jun nodded but he didn't take her hand. He hated touching others so there was no way he would shake it.
Tang Bingyi saw this and she frowned at Tang Yiling. Kang Jun was known to not like physical contact with others. Did she not know anything about the man?
Truth be told, that was exactly it. Tang Yiling knew nothing about the man. The only thing that she did know was that he was rich, and one of her friends had met the man once and told her that he was handsome.
Tang Yiling was from a good family. She didn't need to pine after rich and handsome men, but after seeing Kang Jun's sweet gaze in the photo taken with Tang Bingyi, the girl couldn't quite get the man out of her mind.
Though she knew nothing of his true personality.
Seeing that the man wasn't going to take her hand, Tang Yiling retracted it awkwardly.
***
At the reunion, Lu AnLing began spending her time with Sheng and Kang Liang. The two boys were well acquainted and since she was also acquainted with the two, she was able to be herself without restraint; tuning out the rest of the room.
However, as she did this, the girls in the room began to whisper about her.
"She was making out with a man outside and now she's hanging out with two other guys?! Do you see how she's flirting with them… What a slut!"
"Lu AnLing that bitch! Even after all these years, she's still monopolizing everyone's Sheng Sheng!"
"I know right, and look at what she's wearing, does she think she's going clubbing?!"
Hearing this, some of the guys gave the girls strange looks.
The girls were being unfair and envious. Every single one of them had dressed up today and the grand majority had indecent outfits. Lu AnLing's was actually pretty conservative compared to most, but unlike most socialites, Lu AnLing's body was naturally curvy.
Back in high school, Lu AnLing had been bad at getting along with girls. This was obvious, but no one ever understood why. There was just something about her that made many of the socialites dislike the girl.
Feeling this in her first year in school, Lu AnLing had ended up hanging out with the guys.
At first, they didn't want this, but they quickly began to understand that Lu AnLing was a strange girl. Just like Sheng, they had begun to like her company due to how open she was. She had become 'one of the guys' but the guys in high school never involved themselves in the problems that concerned the girls. It was a rule to keep balance in their surroundings.
Even if she was being physically or emotionally abused; no matter if they had known Lu AnLing or not, they did not interfere.
This rule held up even in the present day...
What was being said was slowly making it's way to Lu AnLing's ears but she didn't say anything. Sheng and Kang Liang had also heard these things and both men started to get angry for the girl.
But when they looked at her, they had no idea what to do.
Lu AnLing was completely unaffected. She just sipped on her water without a care in the world.
Out of the corner of her eye, Lu AnLing saw the glares of a couple socialites, but she ignored them, instead, her eyes searched for Lu Shuya and Xiao Mian. The only reason she had come was because of the promise she had made the two. She wanted to show them her presence and then maybe leave early.
If they didn't come, Lu AnLing was going to be super annoyed.
Not seeing them, the girl sighed. She needed to let off some steam.
Lu AnLing put her hand on Sheng's shoulder, "Get me another water please, I'm going to the little girl's room."
Sheng nodded and then he and Kang Liang watched as the girl walked out. Moments after, a small group of socialites also left the room. Seeing this, Kang Liang was about to leave. He didn't want anything bad happening to his future sister-in-law under his watch. His brother would never forgive him.
But just as he was about to follow, he was stopped by Sheng's strong grip.
Kang Liang looked back at Sheng who just shook his head.
Kang Liang frowned. "But she's going to get hurt."
Sheng's gave a dry laugh.
"I think you're mistaken." Sheng said but seeing that Kang Liang wasn't believing in his words, Sheng let go of him and said, "She doesn't need you to save her, but if you want to go… go. You'll see what I mean."
Kang Liang looked at Sheng strangely. And he waited for a bit, but after a while, Lu AnLing did not come back and so, he couldn't stop himself from walking out the Lounge doors.
The man had no idea why Sheng had sounded so confident. But the thought quickly disappeared from his mind because, in Kang Liang's heart, he feared what would happen if something happened to Lu AnLing.
Suddenly, turning down the corner to where the bathrooms were, Kang Liang saw a sight in which made his blood run cold.
PAK!
Lu AnLing had just been slapped.