Although he had spent a considerable amount of money on Li Xueyao, Ji Qinchuan felt that his investment had not gone to waste at all.
This woman knew quite a few scions of wealthy and powerful families—people he could never have hoped to cozy up to in the past. Through Li Xueyao, he soon managed to make contact with Shen Nan, a prominent young master of a prestigious Haining family.
He was overjoyed and catered to Li Xueyao's every whim, treating her like a genuine "heiress of a wealthy family."
Ambitious and shrewd, Ji Qinchuan was utterly determined to break into high society. To achieve his goal, he did not hesitate to spend lavishly on Li Xueyao. Knowing that his own family roots were shallow, he refused to let slip a single potential opportunity. Upon learning that the Su Family was a titan of wealth, he regarded Li Xueyao even more as his golden bridge to the upper echelons, constantly showering her with flattery.
Yet, he also knew his place. When facing the Su Family and the Shen Family, he kept his eagerness in check, understanding how to read the room and avoid offending anyone carelessly.
It was only later, from Shen Nan's lips, that he learned there were tiers even among the elite, and that the Su Family stood at the very pinnacle of existence.
Armed with this revelation, Ji Qinchuan treated Li Xueyao with the utmost reverence, almost like a goddess. He had long wanted to visit the Su Family estate, but Li Xueyao had always brushed him off with various excuses. Realizing he had been a bit too eager and fearing he might alienate her, Ji Qinchuan had stopped pressing the matter of a visit.
To his surprise, he suddenly received a call from Li Xueyao today, inviting him and the Shen siblings over to her home for a small get-together.
He was ecstatic upon hearing the news, but worried that showing up alone might seem too abrupt. After a moment of thought, he decided to drag along his younger sister, Ji Hanyu.
When Ji Hanyu learned they were going to the mountainside villa, her jaw nearly dropped in shock. She hurriedly dug out her most expensive outfit, picking a light pink, body-hugging dress from a top-tier brand, paired with a pair of silver high heels, and applied an exquisite layer of makeup. Looking at her stunning reflection in the mirror, she nodded with satisfaction.
When they arrived at the hillside villa complex, Ji Hanyu was awestruck by the sheer luxury before her eyes. She couldn't help secretly congratulating herself for dressing up specially; otherwise, she truly would have felt completely out of place.
Tremendously excited, Ji Hanyu kept chattering to Ji Qinchuan, "Brother, just how stinking rich is this Su Family? If we can hook up with them, we're going to be made!"
Ji Qinchuan frowned slightly and said in a stern voice, "Stop talking nonsense. We're here to keep a low profile today, and we mustn't leave a bad impression. The Su Family isn't someone we can easily cozy up to. We have to seize this opportunity properly."
Ji Hanyu hastily nodded and said in a well-behaved manner, "I know, Brother. I'll definitely be on my best behavior."
The Ji siblings arrived at the Su Family Villa a step ahead of the Shen siblings. Although Ji Qinchuan had mentally prepared himself, expecting the Su Family to be extraordinary, he was still profoundly shocked the moment his car pulled up to the estate.
At first, Ji Qinchuan even thought he had come to the wrong place. While the Su Family Villa wasn't built in a particularly ostentatious style, to the Ji siblings—who had seen very little of the world—it proved that the label of a "wealthy elite" was no empty exaggeration. At a single glance, the garden-style landscape alone was clearly the work of a master designer. In the tree-lined courtyards, exquisite sculptures and floral arrangements were scattered with artistic precision, and fountains sparkled with crystalline droplets under the sunlight, resembling a breathtaking painting.
Once the servants escorted them into the grand hall, Ji Hanyu stared at the gorgeous interior decorations and priceless furnishings, her eyes turning green with envy. She began to daydream about when she might ever lead a life like this.
Just as she was lost in her daydreams, the Shen siblings arrived.
Hearing them arrive, Li Xueyao immediately went out to greet them in person. From this, it was clear Li Xueyao was not entirely foolish; she knew the Shen Family's financial standing was on a completely different level from the Ji Family.
Ji Qinchuan was quite open-minded about this. He could afford to offend neither the Su Family nor the Shen Family; the fact that they were willing to let him tag along already meant he was punching well above his weight.
When the Shen siblings walked in, compared to the rustic awkwardness of the Ji siblings, their poise and composure immediately revealed them to be scions groomed by true upper-class society.
Shen Nan was a man of steady temperament who carried an innate sense of superiority. His manners were graceful, and his gaze exuded a natural-born self-confidence. He regarded Ji Qinchuan with a mixture of mild contempt and high-and-mighty pity, viewing him merely as a low-born upstart desperate to cling to power. Yet, he was quite happy to use people like Ji Qinchuan to showcase his own status and influence. He spoke little, but every word carried weight, making it impossible for anyone to ignore him.
The moment Ji Hanyu laid eyes on Shen Nan, her eyes lit up instantly, her face a mask of bedazzled shyness. Nervously clutching the hem of her dress, her heart hammered wildly against her ribs, as if she were looking at an unreachable idol. She sighed inwardly, thinking that this was what a genuine wealthy young master looked like—his demeanor and appearance were simply impossible to look away from.
The younger sister trailing behind Shen Nan was not as flamboyant as Ji Hanyu. She looked quiet and demure as she stood behind her brother, dressed in a white dress with her hair draped over her shoulders and a delicate facial expression, giving off a gentle and tranquil vibe.
At this moment, Li Xueyao also put on the airs of the Eldest Miss Su, playing the consummate hostess as she entertained them.
As the group chatted over tea, the atmosphere was quite harmonious.
Yet all of this screeched to a halt the moment Su Li walked in. Aside from Li Xueyao, none of the other four recognized her.
Because Su Li had kept a very low profile since childhood, spending most of her time at the old family residence and rarely attending social functions, the Shen siblings only knew that the Su Family had an eldest daughter, but rumor had it that she was stiff, dull, unattractive, and always wore a scowl. In their imagination, the Eldest Miss Su ought to be a lifeless, utterly plain person.
Especially later on, when important social functions were always attended by Li Xueyao, the adopted daughter, it led them to believe for the longest time that the Eldest Miss Su was not only ordinary-looking but also an absolute airhead—otherwise, how could an outsider have stolen her thunder? They had privately guessed that perhaps this Eldest Miss Su truly lacked any redeeming qualities, or she wouldn't have remained so obscure.
The Ji siblings were even less likely to have ever seen Su Li; in fact, Ji Qinchuan was still entirely in the dark. He had only recently gotten acquainted with Li Xueyao. Word on the street was that she was the Eldest Miss Su, yet her surname was Li. When Li Xueyao claimed she had taken her mother's surname, he had even wondered why a wealthy powerhouse like the Su Family would let their offspring take the mother's surname. Now he realized: she wasn't the Eldest Miss Su at all.
Ji Qinchuan finally understood. He had always felt something was slightly off about Li Xueyao, but could never quite put his finger on what it was.
Yet the moment he saw Su Li just now, he finally knew what was wrong.
The instant Su Li walked in, dressed in nothing more than casual sportswear, her breathtaking, otherworldly beauty instantly captured everyone's gaze. Her skin was like snow, her eyes like stars, and her delicate facial features looked like a masterpiece meticulously carved by the heavens, making it impossible to tear one's eyes away.
Furthermore, the cold, noble aura surrounding her was like a snow lotus blooming atop a goddess's peak—noble and untouchable.
Yes, that was what Li Xueyao lacked—that aura of true nobility. Exactly, nobility.
Compared to Su Li, Li Xueyao appeared utterly ordinary and pedestrian. The so-called "high-society aura" she had painstakingly packaged for herself instantly paled into absolute insignificance in front of Su Li.