Bab 41: Chapter 41 Social Season is Coming and Undercurrents are Coming
The dazzling crystal chandeliers illuminated the banquet hall as bright as day, and the melodious waltz played the prelude to the social season of the upper class amid the elegant dresses.
Dai Shiya wore an elegant champagne-colored dress, the hem of which swayed gently with her steps, like a blooming night lily. Her carefully combed hair was adorned with diamond hair accessories, which made her skin look even whiter than snow and her temperament even more outstanding.
However, when she walked into the banquet hall, she was keenly aware of the subtle atmosphere around her. The originally lively conversation seemed to subside a bit when she appeared, and some guests who were originally chatting and laughing became a little stiff after seeing her.
"Shiya, why are you here so late?" Wei Qing's voice sounded behind her, with a hint of worry in her tone. Beside her, an elegant and noble lady nodded to Dai Shiya, with a bit of scrutiny in her eyes.
"I was delayed for a while on the road." Dai Shiya responded calmly, scanning the surroundings and taking in all the strange looks.
Wei Qing quickly noticed that something was wrong with her, "Did something happen?"
"It's nothing, maybe I'm overthinking it." Dai Shiya smiled faintly, trying to hide her inner uneasiness.
However, Wei Qing did not give up. She used the excuse of getting a drink to quietly ask a famous lady she knew about the situation.
"Don't you know? There have been a lot of rumors about the new heir of the Dai family recently!" The socialite lowered her voice, with a hint of gloating in her tone, "I heard that she..."
Wei Qing's face changed slightly. After hurriedly thanking her, she returned to Dai Shiya with a serious expression.
"It's Lin Mei. She spread some rumors about you in the social circle, saying that you relied on improper means..." Wei Qing didn't say anything else, but Dai Shiya already understood what she meant.
Dai Shiya's fingers holding the champagne glass tightened slightly, and a hint of coldness flashed in her eyes. She should have thought that Lin Mei would not give up easily.
She took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in her heart, raised the wine glass, took a sip gracefully, and a sneer appeared at the corner of her mouth.
"Don't pay attention to her. The innocent will be innocent."
She wanted everyone to know that she, Dai Shiya, was not a pawn that could be manipulated at will.
Just as she was about to take the initiative, a well-dressed man walked towards her with a glass of wine. A glimmer of hope flashed in Dai Shiya's eyes, maybe...
"Hello, I am..."
However, before she could finish her introduction, the man, upon hearing her name, mumbled a lame excuse, then turned and hurried away.
Dai Shiya's smile froze on her face, and a feeling of humiliation and anger spread in her heart... The continuous rejections made Dai Shiya's smile stiff. She watched the man walk up to Lin Mei and talk to her happily, as if the embarrassment and rejection just now did not exist at all.
"It seems that Lin Mei has really put a lot of effort into dealing with you." Wei Qing lowered her voice with a hint of resentment in her tone.
Dai Shiya didn't say anything, but just drank the champagne in the glass silently. She knew that tonight's banquet was destined to be a difficult battle for her.
She tried to maintain her elegant demeanor, holding an empty wine glass, and tried to talk to some social figures. However, every time she said her name, the other party would always show surprise, confusion, or even disgust, and then hurriedly leave with various excuses.
"Miss Dai, I've heard of your name for a long time." A lady dressed in gorgeous clothes said to her with a fake smile, but her eyes were full of disdain and contempt, "I heard that you are a celebrity in the social circle recently."
Dai Shiya knew that the other party was referring to the rumors about her, but she did not react and responded calmly: "Madam, you are joking. I am just a newcomer and I still have a lot to learn."
"Study? I think you are very good at studying." The lady smiled softly with her hands covering her mouth, her tone was sarcastic, "But some things can't be obtained by studying alone, right?"
After saying that, she stopped paying attention to Dai Shiya and turned to join another conversation group, leaving Dai Shiya standing there alone, embarrassed and helpless.
At this time, the melodious dance music sounded again, and the guests were looking for dance partners and preparing to enter the dance floor. Lin Mei, wearing a fiery red dress, was particularly dazzling in the crowd. She was holding the arm of a young and handsome man, dancing to the music, and from time to time she cast a provocative look at Dai Shiya, as if showing off her victory in the social circle.
Dai Shiya ignored Lin Mei's provocation, took a deep breath, and told herself not to be defeated by the predicament in front of her. She noticed that there was a lady in the corner sipping champagne alone, who seemed to be uninterested in the hustle and bustle of this social game.
The lady looked very young and gentle, not as domineering as those socialites. Dai Shiya decided to take the initiative, holding a glass of wine, and walked towards the lady.
"Hello, I'm Dai Shiya..."
"Hey, isn't this Miss Dai?" Before Dai Shiya could finish her words, a sharp voice came from behind her, "Why, no one invited you to dance, so you can only look for single guests?"
Dai Shiya turned around and saw Lin Mei looking at her with a mocking expression, her eyes full of malice... Lin Mei's words were as sharp as a knife, and the guests around her looked at Dai Shiya with scrutiny and curiosity. Dai Shiya felt her face getting hot, she held the wine glass tightly, trying to control the anger in her heart. She knew that she couldn't be angered by Lin Mei at this moment, let alone have a head-on conflict with her in such an occasion.
She took a deep breath, turned her gaze to the lady whom Lin Mei called the "lone guest", and smiled politely, "Hello, Miss. My name is Dai Shiya. Can I chat with you?"
The lady seemed a little surprised by this sudden farce. She was slightly stunned, and then she showed a friendly smile, "Of course, my name is Susan."
Dai Shiya was about to explain the false rumors about herself, but was interrupted by Lin Mei's sharp voice, "Susan, you have to be careful. This Miss Dai is not a good person. She..."
Lin Mei deliberately lowered her voice, leaned close to Susan's ear, and made up all kinds of lies about Dai Shiya in an exaggerated tone. She described vividly how scheming Dai Shiya was and how she wanted to cling to the powerful by any means. She even made up Dai Shiya's late father into a businessman who would do anything for profit.
Dai Shiya was so angry that she trembled when she heard these vicious lies. She wanted to refute and expose Lin Mei's true face, but reason told her that it was not the right time yet. She could only suppress her anger and wait for Lin Mei to finish.
Finally, Lin Mei finished her "wonderful" performance and looked at Dai Shiya contentedly with a smug smile on her face. She believed that after such an exaggeration, Susan would definitely stay away from Dai Shiya.
However, Susan did not show disgust or fear as Lin Mei expected. She just looked at Dai Shiya calmly and said gently: "Ms. Dai, I believe..."
"Susan!" A male voice suddenly interrupted. A tall and handsome man walked up to Susan and gently put his arm around her shoulders. "Sorry, I'm late."
He turned to look at Dai Shiya, his eyes carrying a hint of scrutiny and warning, "Miss, may I ask who you are..."
Just as Susan was about to introduce them, Lin Mei spoke first, "Dear, this is..."
Lin Mei deliberately dragged out her tone and said with a hint of sarcasm: "This is Miss Dai Shiya, the daughter of the Dai Group. She has been in the limelight recently."
The man raised his eyebrows slightly and a playful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, "Oh? Really? Then I'd like to get to know you better." As he spoke, he stretched out his hand, but he had no intention of shaking hands with Dai Shiya. He just looked at Dai Shiya from a condescending attitude.
Dai Shiya was not embarrassed by the man's contempt. She stood there calmly and said calmly, "Hello, nice to meet you."
The man took his hand back, turned around and whispered a few words to Susan, then hugged her and left. Before leaving, Susan turned around and gave Dai Shiya an apologetic conscience.
Dai Shiya watched them leave, feeling mixed emotions. She knew that tonight's start was very unfavorable to her, and Lin Mei's appearance undoubtedly poured cold water on her.
After the dance, Dai Shiya returned home and Wei Qing was already waiting for her in the living room.
"How is it? Is everything going well?" Wei Qing handed Dai Shiya a cup of hot tea and asked with concern.
Dai Shiya shook her head and told Wei Qing what happened tonight.
After hearing this, Wei Qing frowned, "It seems that Lin Mei is determined to target you. What are you going to do?"
"I can't just sit there and wait for death." Dai Shiya put down her teacup, a determined light flashing in her eyes, "I must find a way to restore my reputation as soon as possible. I can't let her smear me like this again."
"You're right." Wei Qing nodded, "Do you have any plans?"
"I haven't thought about it yet." Dai Shiya sighed, "Lin Mei has been in the social circle for many years and has a wide network of contacts. It won't be easy for me to turn the tables."
"Don't worry, I will help you." Wei Qing held Dai Shiya's hand and gave her an encouraging conscience, "Let's find a solution together."
At this time, on the other side of the city, Lin Mei was sitting in front of the dressing table, removing her delicate makeup. She looked at herself in the mirror, with a smug smile on her face.
"Dai Shiya, this is just the beginning, the best is yet to come."
She picked up the phone and dialed a number. "Hello, is this reporter Zhao? I have a big news to tell you..." Her voice was low and cold, and it was particularly clear in the silent room.
Status Power Mingguan
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Power 
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