Shen Yin took off her flat shoes and put on a pair of high heels before getting into Xu Xiuhe's Bentley.
At the entrance of Qingfeng Mingyue, there were numerous luxury cars parked, and Shen Yin immediately noticed the abundance of cars and people, especially the media personnel.
It was expected that the organizers would invite many reporters to publicize the good deeds. As Shen Yin opened the passenger door and stepped out, the sound of camera shutters clicking filled the air. Facing so many lenses for the first time, it was impossible not to feel nervous or scared.
However, Xu Xiuhe went to park the car, and now Shen Yin felt embarrassed to enter the venue alone. She couldn't allow herself to be photographed looking unflattering. Absolutely not. She couldn't show any signs of weakness. Yes, she had to carry herself with poise and confidence.
As Shen Yin gave herself some pep talk, she adjusted her posture and expression. As the legitimate daughter of the Duke's Mansion, she had learned all these things.
When Xu Xiuhe emerged from the underground garage, he saw Shen Yin standing elegantly in place. The journalists only realized that they had just taken numerous photos of this woman when Xu Xiuhe walked up to her. It turned out she was the wife of the CEO of Yuan Group.
This trip was not in vain. If she remembered correctly, this was the first appearance of their couple after the previous trending official announcement. And the way they presented themselves was indeed grand.
"Hold onto my arm," Xu Xiuhe raised his arm and adjusted his posture.
Shen Yin hesitated. Did the occasion require the woman to hold onto the man's arm? She glanced at some couples preparing to enter, and it seemed that it was indeed the case. The woman held onto the man's arm. Well then.
After a few seconds of hesitation, Shen Yin complied. She wasn't naive. In this kind of occasion, if she didn't hold on, it would give people something to talk about. For example, "The CEO of Yuan Group and his wife made their first appearance at the charity gala, seemingly not getting along."
Xu Xiuhe wore a black suit that matched perfectly with Shen Yin's black evening gown. The two walked in sync, making their way into the venue.
"Mr. CEO, your wife is on the third floor," the receptionist recognized their presence at first glance.
The journalists outside couldn't enter and could only speculate at the entrance of Qingfeng Mingyue.
"I really want to go in."
"Forget it, we're not major media outlets. We didn't receive an invitation. It's enough to capture photos of Xu Xiuhe and his wife here. We should be content."
"How can there be such a perfectly matched couple? He's talented, and she's beautiful."
"Did you see that? Their footsteps are synchronized."
Even the people inside paused and stared at them, overwhelmed by their presence. Shen Yin looked at the gazes of the crowd, a faint smile playing on her lips.
She had achieved her goal. Everyone here held exceptional status and identity. As long as they noticed her, noticed her attire, her trip wouldn't be in vain.
Her dress was a long gown. The black fabric was a high-quality material that Shen Yin had specifically asked Chen Nuan to find in the market. It was smooth and had a luxurious feel. The upper part incorporated exquisite vintage Chinese elements, delicate yet harmonious.
With a slight fishtail design, Shen Yin walked like a mermaid, and at the hem of her skirt, she sewed small white pearls, adding a sense of drape to the dress.
In the crowd, Shen Yin could be seen at a glance. She stood quietly beside Xu Xiuhe, not saying a word, but she was a sight to behold. Xu Xiuhe naturally knew that from the moment he saw Shen Yin at her house, he had noticed her.
As a person of Xu Xiuhe's status, there weren't many people who needed to greet him. On the contrary, people came in waves to talk to Xu Xiuhe.
"Xiuhe, you're here? Wow, sister-in-law looks stunning today," Xue Jingrui said, walking up to Xu Xiuhe with his female companion.
"Yeah, when do we start?" Xu Xiuhe asked.
Xue Jingrui replied, "We can start now. Let's go inside first."
It was then that Shen Yin recognized that Xue Jingrui's female companion was actually Qi Yan. It's no wonder she didn't recognize her at first, as Qi Yan had indeed changed quite a bit.
In the two previous encounters with Qi Yan, once at the doorstep and once when Qi Yan visited her home, Qi Yan looked fresh and different from today. Wearing a white knee-length evening gown, along with specially designed makeup, she looked cute yet sexy.
However, her gaze was not so cute. Even while walking, Qi Yan's eyes occasionally glanced at Xu Xiuhe. Wasn't she afraid of tripping? Shen Yin thought to herself.
After taking their seats, the venue became quiet. Xue Jingrui's mother, Ye Rongzai, stood on the auction platform in front, holding a microphone, and after adjusting her tone to a relaxed one, she said, "Seeing that everyone is almost seated, let's begin. I, Ye Rongzai, promise that all the money raised from the auction will be donated."
Shen Yin was attentively listening to the rules set by the host when suddenly someone bumped into her from behind. Shen Yin turned her head and said softly, "Shu Yi, why are you here too?" Shen Yin was afraid of speaking loudly, so she whispered.
Shu Yi looked at her mouth and roughly guessed what Shen Yin was saying, so she pointed to her own phone, indicating that Shen Yin should take a look.
Shen Yin took out her phone from her white handbag and saw a message from Shu Yi.
[I was threatened by Chang Zhiyuan to come here. I just saw you when you came in. Chang Zhiyuan and I were right behind you.]
Shen Yin turned her head again and sure enough, she saw Chang Zhiyuan sitting with crossed legs next to Shu Yi, behind Xu Xiuhe. Shen Yin turned back and typed.
[I thought you were filming in the northern city.]
[Yes, we had a break this afternoon. I just got back home. I don't know how Chang Zhiyuan received the message and asked me to come and accompany him at the charity event.]
Shu Yi complained, but Shen Yin, who had spent some time with her, discovered that Shu Yi's aloofness and indifference were only for outsiders and were labels she intentionally created for herself. In reality, when she was with familiar people, she had no reservations and could even make people feel very happy.
[Who is the woman next to Xue Jingrui?] Women are naturally gossipy, and Shu Yi was no exception.
[Qi Yan.]
Shu Yi looked up and saw Qi Yan's figure, then glanced at her phone and began typing: "Looking at it this way, it feels pretty good, quite cute. Sitting upright, watching the auction, unlike the two of us, secretly chatting."
Shen Yin saw the message Shu Yi sent and couldn't help but smile. Do her fans know that she acts like this? Since the auction was still ongoing, Shen Yin had to hold back and raised her head with a half-smile.
Xu Xiuhe, who had turned away from Shen Yin, noticed Chang Zhiyuan and Shu Yi behind him when he lowered his head to type. Auctions were actually quite boring, and Chang Zhiyuan was nearly falling asleep.
"Have you found anything you like?" Xu Xiuhe asked.
In auctions like this, whether or not you can find something good depends entirely on luck. As for charity items, they generally don't have much value, but they become valuable after being auctioned by wealthy individuals. And these auction items are usually bought by the organizers from antique markets or collectors.
"Not yet."
Just as Shen Yin finished speaking, the host said, "Next, the item we are going to auction is the last one of today. Can you all guess what it is?" The host deliberately left it suspenseful.
