Chapter 270: The Young Heiress

*Runze’s POV*

One week later, the estate looks nothing like itself. The main hall of the estate feels completely transformed.

Soft light pours down from the ceiling, reflecting off the white marble floor and the glass panels set up around the room. The music playing in the background is low and quiet, barely heard over the steady hum of polite conversation, clinking wine glasses, and quiet laughter.

In the center of the raised display platform sits the custom cradle Bael had imported.

It looks like a modern piece of art—a sleek, brushed-gold bowl mounted on a single curved stem that rises straight from the floor, shaped like the base of a fine glass. The rim dips down at an angle, allowing anyone standing nearby to see clearly inside without leaning over. Resting on cream-colored silk padding, Siying looks tiny, her small body wrapped in a simple white lace blanket.

Grandmother Wuchen sits right next to the pedestal in a wide velvet chair, her posture straight, her grey eyes scanning every person who steps into the room. She looks every bit the matriarch of the family, her silver hair pinned back neatly as she receives guests with a calm, assessing gaze.

Bael and I stand on either side of the cradle in matching ivory suits. His structured jacket highlights his broad frame, mirroring the pale cream silk lining Siying rests on, while my tailored coat and slate-grey shirt soften the look.

Standing together, our coordinated attire leaves no doubt about our shared place at the center of the estate. Bael’s eyes drift over the crowd, his posture drawn up as he checks every corner.

Behind us, Liang Feng and two senior security guards stand in fitted suits, discreet earpieces tucked behind their ears. They look less like bodyguards and more like high-ranking executives, blending into the party while keeping a clear line of sight on the cradle and the long table where guests place their wrapped gifts.

"You look calm," Bael says softly, leaning slightly toward me without breaking his posture.

"I have a polite smile fixed on my face," I whisper back. "It works well enough."

He lets out a faint sound of amusement in his chest. "Good. Don’t waste your energy on most of them."

He is right. The room is filled with corporate partners, board directors, and investors who have spent the last hour finding reasons to walk past our platform. People who barely looked my way a year ago now offer respectful bows, handing over silver-embossed gift boxes and offering praise for the baby.

I give each of them the same short, polite smile, nodding when appropriate, but keeping my focus centered on Siying.

To my left, near the refreshment table, I spot the Li family.

Li Chen and Li Meifeng, standing beside my sister, Li Feifei. They move through the crowd stiffly, tolerated strictly for family optics after their last visit. Unaware guests gather around them to curry favor with the heiress’s maternal family, and while my father accepts the attention, my mother keeps darting tense glances toward our platform.

I look away, refusing to let their presence sour the morning.

"Runze," a familiar voice calls out.

"Elliot," I greet smoothly, stepping forward to acknowledge him while giving Jun Haowei a brief, ice-cold nod.

Jun Haowei catches the deliberate distance instantly. He steps up the platform steps, turning first toward Grandmother Wuchen to offer a deep, flawless bow of respect before looking back at Bael with a wry, amused curve to his lips. "It seems I’ve permanently landed on the host’s bad side."

"What did you expect?" Bael replies dryly, not bothering to soften his stance. "You brought that on yourself."

Jun Haowei lets out a low chuckle, unbothered by the sharp reception, before turning his attention to the cradle. "She’s a captivating little thing. She carries those same eyes."

Elliot leans over slightly, his expression softening as he looks at Siying, whose dark eyes are wide open and tracking his movement. "She’s precious, Runze. Truly."

"Thank you, Elliot," I say, my tone softening into a genuine smile for him.

Elliot offers a quiet nod of congratulations before gently nudging Jun Haowei’s shoulder, steering him down the platform steps to leave space for the next guests.

Mrs. Zhou steps onto the platform alongside her husband, her face lit with a warm smile.

"Look at you two," she says, her expression full of genuine affection as she takes my hands. She turns her attention to the cradle, leaning over gently so as not to disturb the baby. "And look at this precious little girl!"

Siying lets out a soft coo, tracking the vibrant pattern of Mrs. Zhou’s silk dress.

"She looks so much like Chairman Bael," Mrs. Zhou says softly, looking up at me. "Though she definitely inherited those calm eyes from you, Runze."

"Thank you, Mrs. Zhou," I say, a real smile touching my lips. "I’m glad you could make it."

Before she can reply, a familiar group of socialites calls out her name from down the steps. She gives my hand a quick, fond squeeze before stepping away to join her friends, leaving Mr. Zhou to exchange a brief greeting with Bael.

As they move aside, Shen Rui approaches the platform. He stops a few feet away, offering a low, respectful bow to Grandmother Wuchen first, then to Bael, me, and even toward Siying in her cradle.

"Young Master Runze," Shen Rui says politely. "Forgive me for only coming over now. Things have been busy, but I am glad I finally have the chance to pay my respects to the young heiress."

"It’s fine, Shen Rui," I reply with a gentle nod. "I’m glad you’re here."

He steps closer to the pedestal, looking down at Siying for the first time. A faint smile softens his usual professional restraint. "She is beautiful. Congratulations, Young Master."

After another brief bow, Shen Rui steps back down to manage his duties, blending seamlessly back into the gathering.

Not long after, Ling Yue makes his entrance.

He looks exceptionally pretty today, his hair styled neatly, his posture confident and relaxed as he moves through the room. He carries a small satin-lined box in his hand as he climbs the steps to our platform.

"You’re late," I tell him the moment he reaches me.

Ling Yue smirks, tilting his head with an easy charm. "I did that on purpose. Someone has to be the main event after Siying."

His playful arrogance vanishes the second his eyes fall on the gold cradle.

He stops dead in his tracks, staring at the enormous gold cradle, then glances toward Bael, who is currently tied up in conversation with a board member a few feet away, and finally looks down at the small box in his own hands.

A look of pure, dramatic defeat washes over his face.

"Are you serious right now?" Ling Yue mutters to me in a low voice. "A gold pedestal? Did he import a piece from a gallery just to make everyone else look bad?"

I press my lips together to keep from laughing out loud. "It’s custom-built."

"Unbelievable," Ling Yue groans. "I spent two days searching the city for a carved jade lock bracelet! I thought a traditional piece to ward off bad luck would be special. Now my gift looks like a tiny pebble next to a monument!"

"It’s a wonderful gift, Ling Yue," I say softly. "And unlike a cradle, she can actually wear it wherever she goes."

"Exactly," Ling Yue says, instantly brightening up as he sets the satin box on the display table next to the cradle. He leans over Siying, his voice turning sweet and gentle. "Don’t listen to your father, Siying. Your Uncle Ling Yue got you something real that stays with you, not just a big piece of metal to show off."

Siying kicks her tiny legs beneath her lace blanket, letting out a small, contented sound that makes Ling Yue smile. He stays beside her for a few moments, talking quietly to her before moving over to pay his respects to Grandmother Wuchen.

About an hour later, the main lights in the room dim slightly, and a soft glow focuses on the center platform. The room falls quiet as the guests turn toward us.

Grandmother Wuchen rises from her chair. She doesn’t need a microphone, her clear, refined voice carries effortlessly across the silent hall.

"Thank you all for joining us today," Grandmother says. "The Wuchen family has been blessed with a new generation. Today, we present her to our friends, our partners, and our circle."

She gestures toward the gold cradle. Bael steps up beside me, placing a hand on my lower back as we stand together before the crowd.

"Her name is Wuchen Siying," Grandmother announces clearly. "May her path be strong, and may she carry our family’s name with pride."

A round of polite, elegant applause breaks out across the room, followed by the soft clinking of raised glasses. Across the hall, I catch sight of my parents clapping along with the rest of the guests, their expressions tight with unspoken hesitation.

Beside me, Bael looks down at Siying, his hand remaining firm against my back.

Through the announcement, the applause, and the sudden movement of the crowd, Siying doesn’t cry once. She simply lies in her cradle, her wide eyes watching the lights above with quiet curiosity.

As the formal toast wraps up, the string quartet shifts into livelier music, signaling the start of drinks and networking.

I look down at Siying. Her small eyelids are starting to droop, her breathing turning slow and even. The noise level in the room is slowly rising.

"She’s getting tired," I whisper to Bael.

Bael looks down at her, then turns to me. "Take her upstairs. You’ve been standing here long enough."

"Are you okay handling things down here?" I ask.

"Grandmother and I can handle the rest of the guests," Bael replies calmly. "You don’t need to stand here through hours of business talk. Go rest."

Nodding, I carefully lift Siying out of the cradle and hold her against my chest. She rests her small head against my shoulder with a long, soft sigh, her eyes drifting completely closed.

Grandmother gives me a short nod of approval, silently dismissing me. Across the platform, Ling Yue waves with a warm smile as he continues his conversation with Mrs. Zhou.

With Liang Feng quietly parting the crowd along the side exit, I step off the platform and leave the noise behind, carrying my daughter back to the quiet comfort of our rooms.