NFBE Chapter 499 The Orphan Girl Who Will No Longer Be Manipulated (25)
Chapter 499 The Orphan Girl Who Will No Longer Be Manipulated (25)
Mu Ruxin looked flustered; she was holding a wine glass in one hand and almost dropped the medicine bottle.
Fortunately, all the powder ended up in the wine glass.
She beckoned to a waiter and whispered a few words to him.
As she watched the waiter walk towards Jiang Yan, a smug look crept onto her face.
Hmph, her simp backup plan, even if she doesn't want it, Mu Zhou can forget about touching it!
Seeing her parents approaching, she quickly suppressed her smug smile and stood obediently beside them.
The banquet hall was filled with the clinking of glasses, and everyone was discussing different things.
Some people were busy socializing, while others chatted excitedly about other people's fun in the industry.
But the person most talked about was Gu Yanli.
The Gu family's recent high-profile return has caused quite a stir, leaving many people uneasy, fearing that their share of the pie will be snatched away.
Gu Yanli's reputation abroad, in particular, has made everyone more wary of him.
His every move naturally attracts discussion.
There are many speculations about his appearance at tonight's banquet.
Some say he has always been ruthless, and this appearance is an opportunity to threaten and warn certain people.
Some people say that he may have reached some kind of cooperation with the Mu family, which is why he chose to make his first public appearance after returning to China at Mu Xingbang's birthday banquet.
Everyone had different opinions, but no one dared to step forward and investigate.
Everyone's attitude towards Gu Yanli was surprisingly consistent; they only dared to observe him secretly from afar.
They were afraid of offending him and causing trouble.
At this moment, Gu Yanli, who was sitting lazily in the rest area, completely ignored the subtle gazes around him, as if he were on his own turf.
His handsome, aloof face appeared particularly arrogant and dazzling under the bright lights.
His long, narrow eyes were deep and detached, as if he could maintain a calm and composed demeanor no matter what.
Beside him stood the gentle and refined Jiang Yan.
His sudden rise to power and his connection with Gu Yanli have impressed many people.
This even aroused the suspicion of many people.
After all, many people secretly contributed to the downfall of the Jiang family.
Only when the banquet officially began did everyone regain their composure and turn their attention away from Gu Yanli.
Everyone quieted down and looked toward the stairs not far away.
But to everyone's surprise, not only Mu Xingbang appeared on the stairs, but also a strange girl.
The girl was wearing a nude pink floor-length dress and had her arm around Mu Xingbang's.
Mu Xingbang, on the other hand, smiled with a kind expression.
Upon closer inspection, one can even discern a resemblance between the two in their eyebrows and eyes.
The girl was very beautiful, with an ethereal air and skin as smooth and radiant as jade. She possessed a refined elegance with a touch of allure, and was charming without being gaudy.
Her eyes were bright and lively; she slightly raised her eyes and glanced at people as if it were nothing, yet she captivated countless hearts.
Gu Yanli looked directly at Mu Zhou through the shoulders of the crowd.
I watched her slowly walk downstairs.
Despite the commotion she caused, his smile remained unchanged, but a dark glint flashed in his eyes.
By this time, some people had already recognized Mu Zhou.
Prior to this, well-informed people had already learned that Mu Xingbang had a daughter.
Seeing this scene, one can naturally understand that he wanted to give his daughter a legitimate identity.
She only has a few daughters, so everyone was naturally happy to flatter her and shower her with compliments.
"This must be Chairman Mu's youngest daughter. Like father, like daughter."
"Chairman Mu is truly blessed to have both a son and a daughter..."
Faced with these praises, Mu Zhou remained calm and composed, never showing any displeasure.
Seeing Mu Zhou like this, Mu Xingbang was very satisfied.
She truly is his daughter.
Meng Xiyuan and her family of three followed at a distance, pretending to be happy even though they were dissatisfied.
After all, it was the old man's birthday banquet.
When it came time to cut the cake, Mu Zhou and Mu Xingbang went up on stage together, held the knife handles, and cut it.
Just then, Mu Xingbang announced some news.
He gave a passionate speech, the gist of which was his guilt towards his biological daughter, Mu Zhou.
Therefore, he decided to transfer his 5% stake to Mu Zhou.
There was a moment of silence, followed by a burst of congratulations.
Only Mu Ruxin gasped inappropriately, drawing a sidelong glance from Mu Xingbang.
In fact, Mu Ruxin wasn't the only one who felt resentful and flustered.
Meng Xiyuan and Mu Jin were also stunned.
5% is indeed a lot; it translates to a substantial dividend every year.
But it's not a lot, not enough to shake anything.
The problem is that Meng Xiyuan, who has been married into the Mu family for more than 20 years, has not received a single penny, and Mu Ruxin, as the biological granddaughter, has also received nothing.
Even Mu Jin, as the only son, only owns 10% of the shares.
Giving them some land and property is one thing, but how can they just give them shares directly?
The old man is really getting old and confused.
The couple exchanged a silent glance.
Despite the subtle stares from those around them, they managed to maintain their smiles and appear to be a happy family.
But what happened next completely broke their defenses, and they began to feel fear and unease.
After the banquet officially began, Mu Xingbang originally decided to invite Mu Zhou to perform the opening dance, but Gu Yanli slowly walked out from behind the crowd.
He stopped in front of Mu Xingbang.
Gu Yanli's handsome features were striking, but his cold and fierce aura suppressed those delicate features.
He looked at Mu Xingbang, his narrow eyes slightly upturned:
"Chairman Mu, I wonder if I could have the right to perform the opening dance?"
He had a rare smile on his face, appearing extremely approachable and easy to get along with.
Mu Xingbang's heart tightened as he secretly pondered the meaning behind Gu Yanli's words.
He didn't believe that Gu Yanli simply wanted to dance the first dance.
Just like he wouldn't believe that Gu Yanli was genuinely giving him face by coming to celebrate his birthday.
But whatever Gu Yanli's intentions, Mu Xingbang would not offend him over such a trivial matter.
So he slowly revealed a kind smile:
"Of course, Mr. Gu, please."
He assumed that Gu Yanli had someone he wanted to invite, so he prepared to take Mu Zhou and step back a bit first.
Unexpectedly, Gu Yanli stretched out a hand to Mu Zhou, stopping her from leaving while making an invitation gesture.
This not only stunned Mu Xingbang, but also everyone else who witnessed it.
Gu Yanli's handsome and cold expression remained unchanged.
Only when he looked at Mu Zhou did a flicker of emotion appear in his usually indifferent eyes.
"Miss Mu, may I invite you to dance the first dance?"
His tone was calm, but his eyes were intriguing.
Her slightly upturned, narrow eyes seemed to have hooks when she looked at Mu Zhou, making Mu Zhou's heart tremble.
She had anticipated that Gu Yanli would approach her at the banquet, and she was prepared to take advantage of this opportunity.
But she never expected that he would show her special affection in such a high-profile moment.
Mu Zhou suppressed the slight surprise on his face and looked at Mu Xingbang for help.
Although Mu Xingbang was puzzled, he could not refuse Gu Yanli on Mu Zhou's behalf.
So he gently touched her arm and gave her a light push, indicating that she should accept the invitation.