The Fake Heiress's Inner Thoughts Were Heard by Her Entire Family

At the banquet, all the attendees were people of considerable status in North River, especially those seated at Jing Zeyou's table.

The evening's cuisine was merely a complementary aspect of the event; no one particularly cared about the food quality. Rather than savoring the dishes, most preferred to discuss business development with those around them.

After all, a few casual conversations could potentially bring substantial profits to their companies.

Thus, among all the guests at this luxurious banquet, only Jing Yi was genuinely focused on the food.

She was so engrossed that everyone at the table could read her 'verdict' on each dish through her facial expressions.

A slight upturn of her lips meant the dish was quite good; a neutral expression with extra chewing suggested it was average; a slight frown indicated it wasn't to her taste.

So far, the banquet's cuisine seemed to be above average, and the other guests unconsciously began making similar assessments.

Shen Huaichu watched her, amusement hidden in his eyes, occasionally serving some dishes he knew she liked.

Jing Yi, while keeping an eye on Wang Boqi's direction, covered her mouth and whispered, "What are you doing!" Though meant as a warning, it sounded soft to Shen Huaichu's ears.

He ceased his actions, sighing inwardly.

Though somewhat inappropriate, Shen Huaichu felt like he was acting like someone trying to tempt another into an affair...

The real estate heiress sitting nearby hadn't noticed their eye contact and was still seeking opportunities to talk with Shen Huaichu.

She had been drawn to him since arriving, attracted by his cold, dignified demeanor that commanded attention. Though his expression remained impassive, his well-defined features made him even more striking.

Upon learning he was the CEO of Huarui Group, her interest grew even stronger.

"Mr. Shen, could you please help me reach that hawthorn cake? I can't reach it," she asked with an affected shy expression and a coquettish tone.

Jing Yi looked up, showing slight disdain.

She had tried that hawthorn cake - it wasn't good.

Shen Huaichu frowned, his impatience becoming more evident, "I apologize, I'm allergic to hawthorn." The heiress's smile froze.

Jing Yi almost choked - who could come up with such an excuse? She shook her head helplessly.

The heiress hadn't given up. She composed herself and plastered another smile on her face.

She picked up a piece of mousse cake from the table and moved closer to Shen Huaichu again.

"Mr. Shen, this cake is quite delicious," she added, "And it doesn't contain any hawthorn."

Shen Huaichu's eyes darkened, his gaze suddenly sharp as a knife, so cold it sent chills down one's spine.

The heiress's breath caught as she felt a wave of coldness from head to toe.

"He can't eat cake," Jing Yi's voice came through.

The previously chattering table fell silent, even Jing Zeyou looked over. Their faces clearly showed one question: How did you know he couldn't eat cake?

The coldness in Shen Huaichu's eyes gradually receded as he looked at the somewhat flustered Jing Yi. He lowered his gaze, hiding a gentle smile in his eyes.

After speaking, Jing Yi realized something was amiss - why had she intervened?!

She had discovered Shen Huaichu's aversion to cake at a previous banquet. It wasn't mere dislike, but deep revulsion.

Though she didn't know why he disliked it, she had instinctively spoken up to help him!

Seeing Jing Yi becoming increasingly uncomfortable, Shen Huaichu stepped in to smooth things over, "So Miss Jing remembers my cake allergy from last time. Thank you for the reminder."

Jing Yi quickly nodded, "Yes, yes, he had an allergic reaction to cake at the last banquet, his face was covered in scary red rashes." Shen Huaichu paused, a hint of helpless amusement flashing in his eyes.

The others at the table seemed to believe this, immediately expressing concern for Shen Huaichu's condition while praising Jing Yi's attentiveness.

Wang Boqi remained skeptical but withdrew his suspicious gaze.

The real estate heiress beside Shen Huaichu quietly withdrew her cake, thinking to herself that it wasn't the cake he was allergic to - it was her!

So he had someone already - why hadn't he said so earlier!

The heiress felt angry and was about to throw the cake back on the table when she remembered Shen Huaichu's earlier glare. She shuddered and quietly set the cake down instead.

Just as Jing Yi was about to breathe a sigh of relief that no one was pursuing the matter further, she caught Jing Zeyou's complex expression.

She gave a dry laugh, her eyes pleading.

Jing Zeyou sighed helplessly, throwing a displeased look at Shen Huaichu. Though his face remained expressionless, he could sense the other man's smug satisfaction.

The banquet proceeded without further incident.

Afterward, Jing Yi had lost her appetite, having been scared half to death.

As the banquet ended and Jing Zeyou was preparing to leave with Jing Yi, Wang Boqi approached them.

Wariness flashed in Jing Yi's eyes as she tightened her grip on Jing Zeyou's arm.

Jing Zeyou maintained his composure, showing no unusual reaction. His mere presence beside Jing Yi was enough to calm her nervous state.

"Mr. Jing, it's quite regrettable we didn't get to chat more during the banquet," Wang Boqi said.

Jing Zeyou's lips curved slightly, maintaining his cultured demeanor, "You're too kind, Mr. Wang. There will be plenty of opportunities, and I would also like to learn more from you."

Though both men wore smiles, the atmosphere crackled with underlying tension.

Jing Yi composed her expression and stood quietly beside them, listening to their casual conversation.

Throughout their exchange, Wang Boqi's eyes occasionally swept over to Jing Yi, gauging her attitude.

Wang Boqi felt displeased - she still hadn't given him an answer after all this time. She had the intention but lacked the courage; perhaps he needed to pressure her a bit more?

Wang Boqi contemplated how to make Jing Yi agree to help him with that matter more quickly.

However, this wasn't the time to discuss it. After chatting briefly, Wang Boqi prepared to leave, but made a point of saying goodbye to Jing Yi.

"Oh, I almost forgot to mention, Miss Jing, you look particularly radiant today," he said with a slight smirk before turning to leave.

Behind him, Jing Yi shuddered at his oily compliment, while Jing Zeyou's gaze darkened - it seemed Wang Boqi was quite confident of his victory.

Watching his retreating figure, Jing Yi spoke softly to Jing Zeyou, "Brother, see? He's even daring to hint at me in front of you now. He's getting impatient."

While Wang Boqi's matter was indeed important, the situation with Shen Huaichu couldn't be overlooked either.

For a moment, Jing Zeyou felt stretched thin, reminiscent of when he first took over Hengjing years ago.

"What was that about the cake?"

How close did they have to be for her to instinctively know what food he disliked?

Jing Yi's heart skipped a beat as she explained, "I really did discover his dislike for cake at a banquet." She had remembered it because of Shen Huaichu's memorable expression at the time.

Jing Yi didn't know if it was related to Shen Huaichu's cousin, but seeing his discomfort, she had taken it upon herself to help refuse.

Jing Zeyou sighed softly. Jing Yi might not have noticed the change in her attitude toward Shen Huaichu, but to him, it was quite obvious.