Five years after their breakup, a prominent lawyer is desperately seeking reconciliation.

At 8 p.m., inside the banquet hall of Haicheng's most luxurious top-tier club.

Jiang Wan entered the venue with Gu Yang.

Upon entering the venue, Jiang Wan's gaze was immediately drawn to the pool in the center of the space.

Exquisite lotus flowers and candlesticks float on the surface of the pond, while colorful lights project onto the water, creating a dazzling display of light and shadow.

Men and women dressed in fine clothes were coming and going all around. The women wore gorgeous haute couture gowns, and when they turned their heads, the jewelry they wore reflected a dazzling brilliance.

Their male companions, dressed in sharp suits and holding wine glasses, occasionally whispered a few words, eliciting laughter from the women. The air was filled with the aroma of perfumes and premium cigars.

This is the elite arena of fame and fortune that countless people want to squeeze into.

Before the dinner party even started, acquaintances gathered together, chatting about houses, cars, and stocks.

Gu Yang led Jiang Wan around the hall, greeting and talking to people.

Before long, they had exchanged a thick stack of business cards.

"Wanwan, are you tired?"

A waiter passed by with a tray, and Gu Yang took two glasses of champagne and handed them to Jiang Wan.

Jiang Wan shook her head slightly, took a sip, and felt much better as her parched throat was moistened.

"Wanwan, thank you for earlier. I was just worried about not being able to strike up a conversation with the owner of Qianmei Foods. I didn't expect that you and his female companion were college classmates, which made it possible to add each other on WeChat."

"You have no idea how much effort my older brother put into getting close to him, but he couldn't succeed. It seems I'll have to beat him to it this time."

"Let's see what happens next. I'll just let myself run wild."

He laughed heartily, and Jiang Wan followed suit with a slight upturn of her lips.

Just now, Gu Yang took her to socialize at the venue and unexpectedly ran into his college classmate.

Having not seen each other for ten years, the two had a very pleasant conversation.

If their respective male companions hadn't come over and abruptly changed the subject, it would have been a different story.

Jiang Wan did not miss the embarrassment and sadness on her classmate's face when the man casually mentioned "my secretary".

As they were about to part, she quietly pulled him back.

"Jiang Wan, the one next to you looks good. You must fight for your own status and not end up like me..."

"What are you thinking about?"

Gu Yang, oblivious to her emotions, asked, "Did you see that lady over there wearing the jeweled necklace?"

Jiang Wan nodded: "I saw it."

"She is Fu Manhua from Tianyu Real Estate, but the one behind her is even more famous..."

Gu Yang's words were laced with a disdainful smile, "It's the quail she raised. I heard it changed hands several times before being given to Fu Manhua."

Fu Manhua from Tianyu Real Estate! Isn't the man next to her Zhang Mei's ex-husband?

She immediately tiptoed to look, but only caught a glimpse of their backs before they went to the backyard of the venue.

"Wanwan, that's one of Gu's suppliers. Come with me and say hello?"

Jiang Wan's heart was still with the two people from earlier, so she had no choice but to refuse Gu Yang.

"Sorry, I'm a little tired and would like to eat something."

Although Gu Yang was disappointed, he didn't want to force her.

He could only carry his wine glass over there by himself.

Jiang Wan slowly retreated to a corner of the venue, and when no one was paying attention, she quietly followed them out.

The backyard of the venue is a fairly large open-air garden.

The stone-paved path meanders forward, with a lush bamboo forest on one side, its shadows swaying and a gentle breeze rustling through the bamboo.

On the other side, hundreds of flowers bloom in competition, and the natural fragrance of flowers fills the air, making people feel refreshed and relaxed.

Turn the corner at the end, and you'll find a series of small bamboo huts, with the aroma of tea filling the path—truly a fairyland.

She looked up, but there was no one in sight.

Suddenly, the sounds of arguing and crying came from a small building to the right.

But it was too far away, so I couldn't hear it clearly.

She lifted her skirt, trying to get closer, but accidentally kicked a pebble.

The stone rolled forward, making a "gurgling" sound.

"Who? Didn't I say no one was allowed to disturb us?"

A rough female voice rang out from inside the house, and the windows creaked.

It looked like someone was trying to open the window.

Jiang Wan was startled and turned to run away, but bumped into an embrace that carried a familiar, cool fragrance.

Lu Jingshi hugged her waist and held her tightly.

"Don't move, leave it to me."

Jiang Wan obediently buried her head in his chest.

The window of the small house was pushed open, and a face as full as the moon peeked out.

"Who's there?"

Lu Jingshi slowly raised his head.

"Oh, it's Mr. Lu." The woman's voice warmed up considerably. "You mean... I understand... let's move on to another place now."

"Mr. Fu, you're too kind."

Lu Jingshi lazily stroked Jiang Wan's hair in his arms and then planted a kiss on the top of her head.

"I couldn't help myself, please excuse my impatience. The banquet is about to begin, Mr. Fu, aren't you leaving?"

"Please, Mr. Lu. I have some things to take care of. I'll go to the venue to talk to you later."

Lu Jingshi nodded slightly and walked outside with Jiang Wan in his arms.

Jiang Wan was unwilling to give up: "Shi Lei might be inside."

Lu Jingshi glanced at her but didn't say anything.

Just as they were about to enter the venue, they suddenly turned a corner and led her up to the second floor.

Then they found a private room and quietly pushed her inside.

Jiang Wan immediately hugged her chest and glared at him: What time is it? You're still thinking about that kind of thing?

Lu Jingshi pointed to the window without saying a word, led her over, and quietly opened the window.

Below the window, a tall, dense bamboo forest completely blocks the view below.

Suddenly, a soft, feminine male voice came through clearly.

"I've been with you for so many years, how can you just give me away like that? What do you take me for?"

Even though a year had passed, she immediately recognized the voice as that of Zhang Mei's ex-husband, Shi Lei.

She turned around in surprise, only to find that the house was directly above Fu Manhua's little house!

Lu Jingshi reminded her to keep quiet and continue listening.

Under the window, Fu Manhua spoke, her voice carrying the arrogance and languor of someone in a superior position.

"Don't give me that crap. The benefits you've taken from me over the years are enough to keep you from wanting anything for the rest of your life. All I'm asking you to do is do a little something for me, and you're making such a fuss about it."

"Sister Hua, that old man is seventy years old, and he smells like an old person. How can I be with him?"

Fu Manhua's tone softened, as if she were coaxing him.

"I know you've been wronged. As long as you appease him and help me acquire that land smoothly, I'll give you this amount."

"Really...really?"

I don't know how much Fu Manhua reported, but it shocked Shi Lei so much.

"Okay, Sister Hua, I'll go."

Fu Manhua laughed out loud: "That's a good girl, let's go."

As the footsteps faded into the distance, there was no further movement under the tree.

Jiang Wan's worldview has been reshaped. She knew about the games rich people played from novels, but she never expected them to be this exciting.

"Let's go, the banquet is about to start. I'll hold Fu Manhua back while you go find Shi Lei and get some answers."

"Lu Jingshi, thank you."

"Are you thanking me for being your pawn, or thanking me for freeing you from Gu Yang?"

He was furious when he thought about how she had insisted on socializing with Gu Yang even though she clearly didn't like it.

"Jiang Wan, weren't you supposed to be so heartless to me? Why don't you say no to others? Can't you refuse someone you don't like? Or... are you just someone who bullies me?"

Seeing that the more he talked, the lower the atmosphere became, Jiang Wan quickly pulled him downstairs.

"Let's hurry up, or we'll miss dinner."