Chapter 2233 - 719: Arrival of the Great Emperor (Part 3)

Aunt Wang Sumei forced a laugh, "Hehe," and awkwardly echoed, "Yes, yes, everyone, keep it down, keep it down."

But the forced smile of holding up their airs couldn’t be maintained anymore.

The relatives at this table glanced at one another, their expressions tinged with unease.

These relatives who had rushed from Zhou County and the town were used to lively gatherings, but when faced with such a scene involving "municipal leaders and distinguished guests from provincial departments," it was inevitable that they felt stiff and uncomfortable.

Some instinctively lowered their voices, others hurriedly set down their wine glasses, and even the sound of crying children was muffled by parents.

The originally bustling Peony Hall seemed like someone had suddenly pressed the "mute" button.

A wave of reverent and tense silence spread quickly.

At that moment.

Wang Suxia’s little grandson suddenly woke up.

"Waa—" a loud cry pierced through the silence.

The infant’s abrupt and jarring cry echoed in the hall, particularly grating.

Wang Suxia hurriedly tried to soothe him, but he wouldn’t be comforted.

Eyes from all around turned their way, making her face flush red with embarrassment, wishing she could crawl under the table.

"He might be hungry," she stammered to explain, "His mom went downstairs and will be back shortly."

No one responded, but several relatives quietly "shushed" to signal for silence.

Feeling anxious and awkward, Wang Suxia, in her desperation, could only place her pinky in her grandson’s mouth, finally quieting the cries.

Meanwhile.

In the outer hall.

"Ding—"

The doors of the exclusive elevator at the end of the corridor slowly slid open.

The relatives in the Peony Hall instinctively held their breaths, craning their necks over the crowd to look in that direction.

Brilliant lights poured from the elevator.

On the polished marble floor, the light spread out a bright path.

Next, a group of figures walked out from the curtain of light with steady steps.

Leading them was a young woman in a bespoke white suit.

The neat tailoring outlined her tall and elegant figure.

The Vacheron Constantin watch encrusted with diamonds on her wrist sparkled coldly under the lights.

Her honey-colored long hair was meticulously pinned up, revealing a smooth forehead and slender swan neck.

She didn’t glance around but looked straight ahead, nodding gently and politely exchanging pleasantries with Mayor Li and provincial leaders who came forward to greet her.

Her face bore a fitting and gentle smile, while a composed authority deep in her eyes intertwined to form a powerful aura belonging to a top elite.

Behind her, followed a team of six people.

Each dressed in suits, bearing extraordinary poise, including two foreigners with blonde hair and blue eyes.

They carried briefcases, their gazes calm and solemn, quietly following behind her, forming an aura full of pressure.

And Director Feng, who had once caught everyone’s attention with a glimpse in the Peony Hall, was now respectfully walking behind her, sporting a "hehe" smile, his demeanor almost obsequiously conciliatory.

Soon, the group walked slowly from the outer hall towards this side.

Footsteps were steady and measured, drawing closer and closer.

However—

From the sign-in area at the door with Jiajia, to where her mother was among the relatives in the Peony Hall, everyone froze.

Their hearts shrank fiercely.

They almost forgot to breathe.

Moments later, quiet exclamations erupted one after another:

"Xue?!"

"Isn’t that... Suxia’s second daughter?!"

"What on earth is happening?!"

Wang Suxia and Lin Baoshan abruptly stood up, locking their gaze firmly on the woman surrounded in the center like stars around the moon.

Their minds went blank.

Xue...

Wang Suxia even forgot her grandson’s cries in her arms.

Not until the baby’s abrupt wailing sliced through the air did she snap back, her body stiffening.

The cries echoed in the silent banquet hall.

Lin Muxue’s tall and cold visage coincidentally appeared outside the Peony Hall’s door, her gaze briefly meeting her mother’s in the air.

Time seemed to freeze.

Her red lips gently pressed together, her chest rising and falling slightly.

Then she turned her head and spoke quietly with Mayor Li beside her.

She calmly turned back, her gaze lightly sweeping over in Jiajia’s direction, lips curved in a smile, nodded slightly, "Jiajia, congratulations on your engagement."

"Than-thank you..." Jiajia quickly responded.

Everyone held their breaths.

Lin Muxue walked into the hall composedly.

The white suit almost glowed coldly under the light.

The aura of "all make way, lights follow" seemed to make the air stall.

In the banquet hall, it seemed only she was moving alone through the interplay of light and shadow.

Her gaze was composed, her demeanor calm.

All the lights, breaths, and gazes fell on her.

In Wang Suxia’s arms, the baby whose face was red from crying kept bawling.

The relatives were at a loss for what to do.

Under everyone’s gaze, she walked straight through table after table, moving towards that corner with familiar yet unfamiliar relatives.

"Xue..." In the crowd, cousin Wang Xiangtong timidly greeted, her voice filled with apprehension and trepidation.

Lin Muxue nodded slightly, responding, "Xiang Tong, cousin."

Then her gaze calmly swept across the faces familiar from the past but now somewhat foreign.

"Auntie, second aunt, uncle..."

All the surrounding relatives were staring at her in astonishment, responding dully, unsure of what to say.

Under the shroud of light and shadow, this Xue before them seemed both unfamiliar and dazzling.

Her steps finally stopped before her parents.