Chapter 49:

Bo Pengpeng frowned and looked at the person with great impatience.

The speaker was a sweet-looking girl. Under the light, her rosy cheeks were slightly flushed, and her lips were naturally pouty, as if always smiling. She wore a white straight-cut dress with a Peter Pan collar. The dress had no extra embellishments except for two black straps tied into a bow at the back of her neck, giving off a lazy yet fresh vibe. Paired with her demure makeup, she looked pure and charming.

However, the arrogance in her eyes ruined her otherwise sweet demeanor. At that moment, she wore a malicious smile as she glanced sideways at Bo Pengpeng.

So it was her.

As soon as Bo Pengpeng saw who it was, she lost interest and shifted her gaze away indifferently, as if the person before her didn’t exist.

It had to be said—ignoring someone was always an infuriating move.

And that was exactly how the girl felt. Seeing Bo Pengpeng dismiss her so blatantly, she couldn’t suppress the anger boiling inside her. She stepped forward, blocking Bo Pengpeng’s line of sight, making it impossible for her to ignore her.

“Seriously, are you sick?” Bo Pengpeng, now provoked, lost her patience and sneered coldly. “You’re like a rabid dog, biting at people all the time!”

Bo Pengpeng didn’t believe in being gentle—especially with enemies who came looking for trouble. She always responded with a storm. In her world, no one who provoked her would ever be treated like a guest.

“Bo Pengpeng!” The girl’s face twisted in fury. “You’re the rabid dog!”

“Oh.” Bo Pengpeng adjusted her sitting posture, her expression utterly indifferent. It was clear she didn’t take the girl seriously. “I know your vocabulary is limited, so you just parrot my words. Since I’m bored anyway, I don’t mind teaching you a lesson. When you get home, remember to flip through a dictionary and memorize some idioms. Otherwise, you’ll just keep repeating others like a broken record.”

Bo Pengpeng was usually concise with her words, but when it came to sarcasm, she became unusually verbose. This was perhaps when she was most lively—though many people wished she’d find another reason to be so animated.

The girl’s eyes widened, as if flames could shoot out of them. She was about to retort when she suddenly took a deep breath and let out a cold laugh. Pretending to be composed, she sat down in a seat not far from Bo Pengpeng. Once settled, she lifted her hand under the light, admiring the crystal nails she’d recently gotten.

“Oh my, the great Miss Bo—such an impressive status. Too bad Ling Xu doesn’t like you. He prefers me!”

Wu Lingxu. How long had it been since she last heard that name?

Bo Pengpeng narrowed her eyes slightly.

Generally speaking, when two girls had a feud, it was usually over a man. That was exactly the case with Bo Pengpeng and this girl.

The girl’s name was Dai Lingshan, the youngest daughter of the Dai family—an old-money political dynasty in Yuzhou. Unlike the Bo family, who dominated the business world, the Dais held considerable influence in politics, with many family members holding official positions.

As the youngest and most spoiled girl in her generation, Dai Lingshan wasn’t the least bit intimidated by Bo Pengpeng.

Originally, their families—one in business, the other in politics—shouldn’t have had much interaction beyond polite nods. But a man named Wu Lingxu had entangled their fates.

Back then, Bo Pengpeng, despite her strong personality and proud demeanor, secretly craved attention—especially from her brother. But being the proud girl she was, she’d never admit it. Instead, she’d arrogantly tell herself that anyone who didn’t notice her was blind and lacked taste.

It was during this time that she met Wu Lingxu—a handsome, tall young man surrounded by admirers. Yet, he showered all his attention and affection on Bo Pengpeng, giving her gifts, surprises, and gazing at her with tender eyes. At fifteen or sixteen, with her heart just awakening to romance, such devotion easily won her over.

But pride was a stubborn thing. Even if she liked him, she’d never say it outright. Instead, she played hard to get, rejecting his advances multiple times.

However, teenage boys had their own pride. Wu Lingxu, tired of her coldness and feeling slighted, sought solace elsewhere—namely, Dai Lingshan.

Of course, Wu Lingxu kept his relationship with Dai Lingshan a secret from Bo Pengpeng. He hadn’t given up on her yet—not out of genuine affection, but for the sake of his own ego.

Unfortunately, Bo Pengpeng once stumbled upon them during an intimate dinner, feeding each other lovingly.

Her budding feelings died on the spot. To make matters worse, Wu Lingxu continued pursuing her afterward.

Dai Lingshan, deeply in love with Wu Lingxu, didn’t care about his disregard for her feelings. Instead, she directed all her hatred toward Bo Pengpeng. Even after Wu Lingxu officially chose her, her resentment never faded. Every encounter with Bo Pengpeng was like fire and water.

“Oh, congratulations to you two. May you stay together forever, happily ever after.” Bo Pengpeng had long stopped caring about Wu Lingxu. Her initial infatuation had been based on the attention he gave her—once she realized it was fake, her heart turned to ice. But Dai Lingshan’s constant mentions of him were beyond annoying.

“Hmph.” Dai Lingshan knew Bo Pengpeng wasn’t sincere, but she didn’t care. “Ling Xu and I are doing great. Oh, and we’re even at the same—”

“Seriously, do you have to bring him up every time we meet? I’m sick of hearing it. If you like him so much, just keep him to yourself. You won’t find any superiority here. Or did you forget? He was the one chasing me—I never liked him in the first place.” At that moment, Bo Pengpeng was immensely grateful she’d never confessed her feelings. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to say this so confidently.

“You—” Dai Lingshan was speechless.

Bo Pengpeng stood up and walked away without another glance.

Ugh, crazy people everywhere. Best to stay far away—after all, the mentally unstable weren’t held accountable for their actions.

Still, the whole ordeal made her even more disgusted with the banquet. What was the Lian family thinking? They’d always been so low-key—why throw a party out of the blue? What were they plotting?

Meanwhile, in the presidential suite on the top floor of the hotel, Mrs. Lian gazed lovingly at her son, Lian Huijie, dressed in a sleek black suit. It had been so long since she’d seen him so spirited—she’d almost forgotten what he looked like this way.

Mr. Lian checked his watch and patted his son’s shoulder. “Huijie, it’s about time. Let’s head down.”

Lian Huijie nodded, adjusted his tie, and smiled. “Alright.”

Mrs. Lian looped her arm through her husband’s, smiling gracefully as they made their way to the grand hall downstairs.

When Lian Huijie had been paralyzed, it was common knowledge among Yuzhou’s elite. His sudden reappearance, healthy and poised, would undoubtedly cause a stir.

And that was exactly the point. The entire Lian family knew this banquet was meant to announce Lian Huijie’s recovery—to prove that the Lian family remained unshaken.

Downstairs, well-dressed men mingled in small groups. Though curious about the Lian family’s sudden event, they didn’t let it stop them from networking.

Then, Mr. and Mrs. Lian appeared. Sharp-eyed guests noticed immediately, halting their conversations as they realized the banquet was about to begin.

Sure enough, the couple walked straight to the microphone at the front of the hall.

Mrs. Lian stepped back slightly, letting her husband take the lead.

Their prominent position quickly drew everyone’s attention. The crowd turned toward the stage, waiting silently.

Mr. Lian cleared his throat. “I’m sure many of you are wondering why we’ve hosted this banquet. The answer is simple—to celebrate my son Lian Huijie’s recovery!”

His words exploded like thunder in the room.

“Is this for real? Did I hear that right? Is this some other son of the Lian family?”

“Are you stupid? He clearly said Lian Huijie.”

“But wasn’t Lian Huijie paralyzed? It’s been a year or two—how could he possibly walk again?”

“Maybe it’s someone else with the same name?”

…

In a corner, Bo Pengpeng watched the stage with amusement. Her instincts told her something interesting was about to happen. Good thing she hadn’t left yet.

Ignoring the murmurs, Mr. Lian turned toward the staircase. “Now, let my son say a few words.”

All eyes followed his gaze as Lian Huijie emerged—steady and confident.

He stepped onto the stage, nodding at his father. Mr. Lian, pride shining in his eyes, moved aside.

“I, Lian Huijie, have stood up again. I’m glad I didn’t let this defeat me.” The hall fell completely silent as everyone stared in astonishment at the man who’d truly recovered.

“I know many must be wondering how this happened. The truth is, I owe it all to the Bo family head. He found me an exceptionally skilled traditional doctor. Without him and the doctor, I wouldn’t be here today.” Lian Huijie didn’t linger on gratitude—after all, the ones who deserved it weren’t present. “As my father said, this banquet is a celebration. I hope you all enjoy yourselves tonight!”

With that, the formalities ended—but the atmosphere in the room would never return to normal.

Lian Huijie stood before them, moving effortlessly. There was no doubt—he was truly healed.

The guests’ curiosity shifted from whether it was real to who this miraculous doctor was. They all knew how severe Lian Huijie’s condition had been. If even he could recover…

The thought sent a thrill through them. But since Lian Huijie hadn’t elaborated, they had no way to dig further—leaving them itching with frustration.

Those closer to the Lian family immediately swarmed them, probing for details.

Bo Pengpeng, too, found herself surrounded.

“Miss Bo, who is this doctor?”

But how would she know? She’d only just learned today that her brother had even helped find one.