Chapter 23: A Match Made in Heaven

"Sigh, I haven’t had enough yet. Why did you take my cup away?" Still immersed in her dreams of getting rich, Yang Bingyu asked with some dissatisfaction when she saw Ye Xuan take her cup away.

"You’ve already had four or five cups. If you drink any more, you’ll end up with diarrhea in the middle of the night," Ye Xuan warned. Although the effects of the Three Pristine Tea were great, they were a bit *too* good. Drinking too much would cause one’s stomach to churn violently.

"Fine, then." Though Yang Bingyu wanted more, she held back to avoid getting an upset stomach.

"Alright, it’s getting late. Go wash up and get some rest." Seeing her mood instantly deflate, Ye Xuan shook his head helplessly. She was an adult, yet she still acted like a child, wearing all her emotions on her sleeve.

"Good night, then. See you tomorrow." Before they knew it, the clock had quietly ticked to midnight. Exhaustion crept up on Yang Bingyu, and she couldn’t help but yawn. After bidding Ye Xuan good night, her day finally came to an end.

In the blink of an eye, it was time for the evening banquet the next day.

Yang Bingyu’s dress, prepared by Elder Yang, was a light purple, form-fitting gown. The backless, tight-fitting design with a high slit perfectly accentuated her figure. Countless tiny crushed diamonds were embedded into the fabric, catching the light beautifully. Purple inherently symbolized nobility, and this particular evening gown also incorporated elements of traditional embroidery. Soft golden threads meandered across the high-quality silk. Paired with the purple hue, it elevated nobility and elegance to the absolute extreme. To match the gown, Yang Bingyu had specially styled her hair into a traditional Chinese updo, complementing her graceful and elegant makeup.

The moment she walked down the stairs, Ye Xuan could hardly tear his eyes away. If he had to use one phrase to describe Yang Bingyu tonight, it would be ’breathtakingly beautiful.’

"Ahem, how is it? Does it look good?" Yang Bingyu asked, pinching the hem of her skirt shyly and giving a light cough.

"Beautiful! My granddaughter looks gorgeous in whatever she wears," Elder Yang declared loudly, not holding back his praise.

"Grandpa, you always just say nice things. I don’t believe you." Yang Bingyu playfully stuck her tongue out at Elder Yang before turning her gaze to Ye Xuan. "Ye Xuan, do you think it looks good?"

After asking, she waited expectantly for his answer. For some reason, a sliver of nervousness crept into her heart; she was terrified he might think she looked bad.

Elder Yang took all this in. A flash of understanding crossed his eyes, and the smile on his face grew even wider.

"It’s beautiful. This dress looks like it was tailor-made for you." Finally snapping out of his daze upon being addressed, Ye Xuan’s eyes were filled with admiration.

Hearing his praise, Yang Bingyu was finally satisfied. With a blossoming smile, she linked her arm through Ye Xuan’s and said sweetly, "Let’s go, then. The banquet is about to start."

As her male companion for the evening, Ye Xuan thoughtfully helped carry the hem of Yang Bingyu’s skirt. To match her evening gown, he had specifically worn a dark purple suit. Walking side by side, they looked like a match made in heaven.

The moment they stepped into the banquet hall, they drew everyone’s eyes. The guests murmured among themselves, guessing Ye Xuan’s identity.

"Oh? Why did Miss Yang change her male companion this year? Hasn’t it always been Young Master Yang in the past?"

"Do any of you know this man? What’s his background? He actually managed to win Miss Yang’s favor."

"I have no idea. He’s an unfamiliar face. Maybe he returned from overseas."

The majority of those curious about Ye Xuan’s identity were guests invited by the Yang Family. However, when the Lin Family members saw Ye Xuan, they looked as if they had just swallowed a fly. Every single one of them stood with their eyes wide and jaws dropped, staring at the scene in disbelief. Lin Aoxue’s father, Lin Guodong, in particular, looked as if his jaw was about to hit the floor. He could never have imagined that his worthless son-in-law—a man he had looked down upon from head to toe—would actually manage to latch onto a high branch like the Yang Family.

"Ye Xuan, look at the expressions on the Lin Family members’ faces. It’s absolutely hilarious. They all look like they’ve seen a ghost. How comical." Yang Bingyu had kept her eyes glued to the Lin Family the entire time. Their reaction brought her immense satisfaction; at the very least, she had achieved her goal of striking a blow against them on Ye Xuan’s behalf.

"Huh? Why aren’t Yang Tian and Lin Aoxue here yet? Why is that guy so unreliable?" Sweeping her gaze across the hall, Yang Bingyu couldn’t spot Lin Aoxue anywhere, which made her a little displeased. She had assumed Lin Aoxue would arrive before them. She had wanted to see exactly what kind of expression the woman would make, but who knew she hadn’t even shown up yet.

"Maybe they hit traffic on the way," Ye Xuan replied. After the events of the previous night, he had finally thought things through. Since he and Lin Aoxue were already divorced, there was no need to dwell on the past. They had parted on good terms; all that mattered was that they both lived well separately.

"Yang Tian is such an unreliable fool. I’m definitely going to teach him a lesson later."

Because the Yang Family had previously proposed to the Lin Family, Yang Tian had naturally taken on the role of Lin Aoxue’s male companion for the event. In the afternoon, Yang Bingyu had repeatedly instructed Yang Tian to make sure he brought Lin Aoxue over early. But who knew? The banquet was about to start, and there was still no sign of the two. This pissed Yang Bingyu off quite a bit. After all, the entire reason she had asked Ye Xuan to be her male companion was to anger Lin Aoxue. Now that the main character of her scheme hadn’t even arrived yet, it really took the fun out of it.

"Bingyu, it’s been so long. You’re becoming more beautiful by the day."

After entering the venue, people began coming over with wine glasses in hand. The first to approach was a man in his thirties, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a black suit. He looked exceedingly gentle and refined.

"Director Xu, you certainly know how to flatter me. We haven’t seen each other in a few months, yet you’re the one who has grown even more handsome." Wearing a polite, official smile, Yang Bingyu clinked her glass against Director Xu’s and replied courteously.

The man’s full name was Xu Zheng, a moderately famous director in the entertainment industry. He had once approached Yang Bingyu, wanting her to play the lead actress in one of his films. But Yang Bingyu had no interest in acting, so she had flatly rejected him. However, Xu Zheng was the type to never give up until he achieved his goal. Since Yang Bingyu kept refusing, he continued to pester her relentlessly. Fortunately, he was handsome and possessed a good sense of propriety when he spoke, so his pestering wasn’t obnoxious. Over time, Yang Bingyu actually grew closer to him, and they eventually became friends.

"Bingyu, aren’t you going to introduce us?" Xu Zheng turned his gaze to Ye Xuan and asked with a faint smile.

"Ye Xuan. My bodyguard and older brother," Yang Bingyu said, not trying to hide anything. She introduced his identity with utmost grace and candor.

"Hello, Mr. Ye. I’m Xu Zheng. It’s a pleasure to meet you." Xu Zheng politely extended his left hand toward Ye Xuan. Even after hearing that Ye Xuan was Yang Bingyu’s bodyguard, not a single trace of disdain appeared on his face.