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*****
{Chapter: 185 How can juniors understand these things?}
There was almost no sound.
There was no hesitation.
Yan Ruyue's soft pink lips, coated with a delicate red bean paste-colored lipstick, lightly brushed against Lin Yuan's cheek, barely making contact before she instantly pulled away.
It was like a tiny bird pecking at a grain of riceâquick, timid, and fleeting.
After all, Yan Ruyue had never done anything like this before.
From childhood until now, she had maintained an almost untouchable distance from others. The only person who had ever shared such close physical contact with her was Lin Yuan himself.
So at this moment, Yan Ruyue was overwhelmed with shyness.
Her delicate cheeks were flushed bright red, and if possible, it seemed like steam might erupt from her body at any second.
Meanwhile, Lin Yuan felt... well, almost nothing.
It was so light, so brief, it was like the tickle of a bug brushing against his skin.
Naturally, he wasn't satisfied.
"It's too light. I couldn't even feel it," Lin Yuan said casually, raising an eyebrow at her.
"Ah..." Yan Ruyue gasped softly, her face already red as a tomato, and now Lin Yuan was still being picky?
"I'm serious," Lin Yuan continued, half-joking, half-demanding, "I didn't feel anything. It didn't count. It wasn't good enough. You'll have to do it again."
Yan Ruyue bit her lip shyly.
Looking up at Lin Yuan's handsome face, seeing no hint of teasing, only serious expectation, she could only nod weakly and say in a soft, almost inaudible voice, "O-Okay..."
Even though she was shy enough to want to dig a hole and hide in it, Yan Ruyueâfilled with happiness and a sweet kind of nervous excitementâdecided to obey him.
Summoning her courage, Yan Ruyue lifted her head once more.
Her soft pink lips puckered slightly as she leaned in again, aiming to kiss Lin Yuan's cheek just as before.
But just as her lips were about to make contactâ
Lin Yuan, with perfect timing, suddenly turned his head ninety degrees.
Facing her directly.
Chupâ
Yan Ruyue's eyes widened in shock.
Before she could even process what was happening, her lips pressed softly against Lin Yuan's!
In that brief instant, she felt the soft, warm sensation of his lips against hers, his high nose bridge so close it seemed to tower before her stunned gaze.
Yan Ruyue was frozen in place.
Lin Yuan had deliberately turned his head!
That meant... that meant her very first kissâthe one she had carefully protected for over twenty yearsâwas just taken, just like that!
Her entire body heated up instantly.
It didn't matter how cold the night wind on the rooftop was. Yan Ruyue felt like she was burning up from within, her heart pounding so fiercely it was as if it might burst out of her chest.
Shyness, shock, embarrassment, and a secret delight all crashed over her in waves.
It was an overwhelming, indescribable emotionâsomething she had never felt so intensely before.
But before the moment could even stretch into a proper kiss, before she could even fully register the sensation, Yan Ruyue snapped back to her senses.
Her eyes widened even moreâand then, without thinking, she turned around and bolted.
She ran away like a startled rabbit, so fast she almost seemed to vanish from Lin Yuan's sight.
Despite wearing high heels, her speed was astonishing.
Watching her figure disappear, Lin Yuan couldn't help but blink in disbelief.
"Her reaction time is really something else..." Lin Yuan chuckled lightly, shaking his head in amusement.
For a brief moment, his mood shifted.
He had originally planned to do a little more after that kiss. Maybe tease her a bit, hold her for a moment longer.
But seeing her fleeing like that, he knew he shouldn't rush things.
There would be plenty of opportunities later.
After all, today he had broken through her defensesâa small hole had been made in the wall she built around her heart.
He just needed time and patience to widen it.
---
Lin Yuan slowly made his way back toward the second-floor lobby, unhurriedly adjusting his cuffs as he descended the stairs.
As soon as he entered the banquet hall again, he immediately spotted Yan Ruyue.
She had already returned to the lively crowd of guestsâbut her cheeks were still flushed bright pink.
She looked absolutely adorable, fidgeting slightly, glancing around nervously as if trying to act normal, but utterly failing.
The moment she saw Lin Yuan enter, her face burned even hotter.
Lin Yuan casually picked up a glass of red wine from a nearby tray.
He took a leisurely sip, letting the glass rest lightly against his lips, all the while casting a teasing smile toward Yan Ruyue.
Seeing his easy, unbothered demeanorâand the playful glint in his eyesâYan Ruyue's heart skipped a beat.
Flustered, she immediately averted her gaze, pretending to admire the chandeliers above.
She dared not meet his eyes again.
Seeing her so bashful and helpless, Lin Yuan decided not to tease her anymore for now.
He smiled to himself and turned his attention elsewhere.
The grand banquet hall was naturally divided into distinct groups.
The juniors, most of whom had less prominent backgrounds, were gathered together, chatting casually, eating, drinking, and enjoying themselves without a care in the world.
Meanwhile, Mei Yuxian, Song Xuan, Meng Yuelan, and the other influential elders and heads of major families were clustered together in another corner, deep in serious conversation, undoubtedly discussing important business and political matters.
The hall was a blend of lighthearted youth and heavy, strategic negotiationsâa vivid picture of two very different worlds colliding under one elegant roof.
Lin Yuan was well aware of what the elders were discussing in the other corner of the banquet hall.
They were engaged in serious negotiationsâtalks about major business deals between their respective families, discussions of potential alliances, ways to avoid future conflicts, strategies and upcoming political figures to support for mutual benefit.
In truth, this was the main purpose behind gatherings like this.
The lavish banquet, the fine wine, and the social mingling were merely a cover.
The true heart of these events lay in the strategic discussions that would shape the balance of power among the families for years to come.
Most of the younger generation didn't have the qualifications to join these discussions.
Only those juniors who had already proven their capabilitiesâwho had begun to shoulder real family responsibilitiesâwere allowed to sit at the table.
Yan Ruyue stood quietly beside Song Xuan at this moment, simply observing the discussions without speaking.
Her presence alone was a testament to her abilities.
Among her peers, very few could match her qualifications to stand among the true decision-makers.
What Lin Yuan didn't realize, however, was that his name had already entered the conversation among the elders.
Mei Yuxian smiled warmly at Meng Yuelan and Lin Jianjun as she spoke up.
"Xiao Yuan is very dependable. Why not call him over to join us for a while? Perhaps in the future, the cooperation between our families can deepen through him," Mei Yuxian suggested casually, but her words carried great weight.
The moment she spoke, the others at the table exchanged glances, a trace of surprise flashing in their eyes.
After all, this gathering was no ordinary meeting.
At a banquet like this, it was an unspoken rule: juniors without real standing stayed away from serious talks.
Even those who were extremely talented had to remain patient until they were fully recognized by the older generation.
The fact that Yan Ruyue was allowed to stand by Song Xuan's side already demonstrated her exceptional status.
But for Mei Yuxianâthe host of the banquet and a leading figure among themâto personally suggest bringing Lin Yuan over was extraordinary.
It showed that she held Lin Yuan in extremely high regard.
Meng Yuelan and Lin Jianjun were naturally delighted.
Their son had been recognized in front of so many influential figuresâwhat parent wouldn't feel proud?
Meng Yuelan smiled with a hint of maternal pride and said, "Xiao Yuan hasn't attended many banquets like this before. In the past, he didn't show much interest in inheriting the company. But if he's willing to listen and learn now, of course, we should give him the opportunity."
Most of the people at the table nodded in agreement.
Lin Yuan had left a good impression on them; they saw no harm in allowing a promising junior to listen in and perhaps even contribute a little.
However, not everyone shared this sentiment.
Wang Sheng, seated to the side, suddenly spoke up.
Wang Sheng, who maintained a close relationship with the Chen family, leaned forward and said in a dismissive tone, "Wait a moment. Lin Yuan is still just a young man.
How could someone his age possibly understand the complexities of these discussions? There's no need to bother him. Let him just enjoy himselfâeat, drink, and relax."
There was a subtle sneer in his voice, clearly looking down on Lin Yuan.
Of course, Wang Sheng's bias wasn't without reason.
He had long favored Ye Feng, another young man connected to the Chen family, and naturally harbored hostility toward Lin Yuan.
Hearing Wang Sheng's words, Meng Yuelan's face immediately darkened.
She had always been fiercely protective of her son.
"What did you just say, Wang?" she asked sharply, her tone laced with displeasure.
Song Xuan, who had been silent until now, smiled faintly and chimed in, "Xiao Yuan isn't some naive child.
He's a very capable young manâone who's already doing extraordinary things behind the scenes."
Wang Sheng opened his mouth, wanting to rebut, but before he could say anything further, Mei Yuxian spoke again, her voice light and filled with amusement.
"Mr. Wang," she said sweetly, "how much revenue did your company generate this year?"
The question caught Wang Sheng completely off guard.
He froze, stunned, unable to understand why Mei Yuxian would suddenly ask something so pointed.
The truth was, Wang Sheng's business had not been doing well.
This year had been especially difficult; his company had fallen into a recession, and the Chen family's support had been lukewarm at best.
That was one of the reasons he desperately wanted to push Ye Feng forwardâto gain more favor and resources from the Chen family.
But these struggles weren't exactly a secret in their circles.
Still, in front of so many people, Wang Sheng had no choice but to answer.
After an awkward pause, he finally muttered, "Around... three to four billion."
The number wasn't small in the eyes of ordinary people, but in this room filled with top-tier elites, it wasn't particularly impressive either.
Mei Yuxian smiled politely and added, almost casually, "Aside from managing his own company, Xiao Yuan also helped the Lin Group earn thirty billion yuan this year."
Her words landed like a heavy blow.
She didn't need to say more.
The facts spoke louder than any argument.
Wang Sheng's face turned a ghastly shade of pale.
A simple comparison had shattered his attempt to belittle Lin Yuan.
He had claimed that Lin Yuan was an inexperienced junior who didn't know the first thing about businessâyet Lin Yuan had achieved nearly ten times his company's revenue.
In contrast, what was Wang Sheng?
By comparison, he seemed almost... pathetic.
Completely humiliated, Wang Sheng slumped in his chair and did not dare to utter another word.
The atmosphere at the table grew more relaxed.
With a warm smile, Meng Yuelan called for her son.
A moment later, Lin Yuan walked over, his steps steady, his expression calm yet confident.
As he approached, many eyes turned toward him, studying him carefully.
Among them was Qiao Jianye, the father of Qiao Siying.
His gaze was sharp, assessing Lin Yuan with newfound interest, as if trying to see through to the young man's true capabilities.
It was clear: tonight, Lin Yuan had truly entered the sight of the major families.
*****
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