Susu's black evening gown appropriately concealed her figure, which had begun to swell due to her pregnancy. Her long hair was elegantly tied up, and her makeup was subtle, enhanced by a touch of silver powder to give her a beautiful, noble, and mysterious aura.
"Qin Tianyi's wife is truly remarkable."
"Indeed. Her husband has been missing for so long, yet she, despite her pregnancy, has managed to keep Ao Xiang Group afloat. It's a miracle. Ao Xiang Group hasn't been affected at all; in fact, its stock price has been rising."
"I suspect the person by her side also deserves credit. Have you heard? As soon as her husband disappeared, she started seeing that vice president of Ao Xiang. They're often seen exchanging glances at board meetings, even with her condition. Everyone within Ao Xiang knows..."
Whispers of all kinds, good and bad, some utterly unspeakable, filled the air. Susu had long grown accustomed to the slander directed at her and Xiao Anjing. She heard some of it as she entered but paid it no mind, believing in the principle of clarity.
Upon entering the venue, Susu removed the blazer she had been wearing and found a small round table farthest from the stage. Xiao Anjing got her a glass of juice and himself a glass of champagne, then sat beside her without engaging in pleasantries with the distinguished guests and wealthy attendees.
He lowered his gaze, casually playing a mobile game. Susu, feeling bored, sipped her juice, glancing around. She didn't wish to socialize with anyone or be disturbed; she merely wanted to show her support for Ao Xiang and leave as soon as the evening concluded.
However, after scanning the entire hall, she still hadn't spotted Lü Yuanhong or Jia Nanfang.
Over the past few months, Lü Yuanhong had become a prominent figure in Lancheng's business circles. The divorce proceedings between Shu Zhongze and Jia Nanfang had brought to light the existence of Lü Yuanhong among Lancheng's affluent.
As a philanthropist from Southeast Asia, he had made substantial donations to charitable organizations and foundations supporting vulnerable groups with mental and psychological illnesses, earning the admiration of Lancheng's established wealthy elite.
Setting aside his extramarital affair with Jia Nanfang, he had quickly become a sought-after personality among Lancheng's socialites and magnates.
Consequently, the charity gala initiated by him that evening held considerable sway, attracting numerous renowned socialites and tycoons. The venue could be described as exuding an air of opulence.
At this moment, a beautiful woman in a form-fitting dress approached them, holding a champagne flute. She bowed slightly and smiled at Xiao Anjing, saying, "Hello, Mr. Xiao. I'm from Lan Yu Media Company. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Xiao Anjing didn't look up, continuing to play his mobile game, and asked, "Is there something you need?"
The woman, with surprising familiarity, sat in the empty seat at their small round table. She offered a polite smile to Gu Susu and quickly took a proposal from her bag, asking, "With the rapid development of multimedia, has Mr. Xiao considered exploring companies like ours?"
Before Susu or Xiao Anjing could respond, the woman preempted them, saying, "Our company primarily engages in new media advertising. Many products under your group could be advertised on our website."
Xiao Anjing finally looked up, glancing at the woman, and said, "I haven't heard of your company."
Susu remained silent, observing the woman before her.
She didn't give up. Biting her lower lip slightly, she smiled and said, "Mr. Xiao, it's alright if you haven't heard of our company. This proposal will give you a comprehensive understanding of our business."
Xiao Anjing appeared somewhat impatient. He closed his mobile game, stood up, and said, "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom," and walked towards the restroom.
The woman hastily tried to follow, but Susu called out to her, "Wait. Give me the proposal. I'll give it to Mr. Xiao for you."
"Thank you so much, Mrs. Qin." The woman's eyes lit up as she sat back down and handed the proposal to Susu.
"It's nothing. Our group does require quite a bit of advertising every year. I believe Mr. Xiao will consider your company." Susu felt a certain admiration for the woman's unyielding spirit. "May I ask your surname? Are you perhaps the business manager of this... Lan Yu company?"
The woman looked at Susu and said, "I am the owner of the company. Lan Yu is both the company's name and my name."
"Oh, my. That's very impressive. You own your own company at such a young age." Susu mused that if this woman named Lan Yu were merely a business manager, she wouldn't have been able to gain entry into the gala.
Lan Yu seemed to spot another potential client. She stood up, expressed her gratitude to Susu, and said, "Mrs. Qin, you are even more beautiful in person than in the media gossip photos. If your group requires new media advertising, please do contact me."
"Alright," Susu nodded slightly.
She stood up straight, downed the champagne in her glass, poured another, and approached another company executive.
Susu watched as she began to vigorously promote her company to others. She clearly had more than one proposal in her bag and was at such events to drum up business.
"Young Madam, you accepted her proposal?" Xiao Anjing had returned from the restroom and noticed the extra proposal on the table, realizing Susu's kind heart couldn't resist such persistent persuasion.
Susu replied nonchalantly, "Yes. She went to such lengths to promote herself to us. It wouldn't hurt to keep her proposal and take a look."
Xiao Anjing said with experience, "There are usually many people like this at such events, who somehow manage to get in, all for the purpose of networking and promoting themselves or their companies. If you accept everyone, you'll easily get entangled with such individuals."
Susu gestured for him to look in Lan Yu's direction and said, "It's not easy. A woman, to promote her company, drinking and chatting with a group of men."
Xiao Anjing followed her gaze and saw the woman who had been promoting her company surrounded by several men, having downed several glasses of wine. He asked, "You said her name is Lan Yu?"
"Yes, her name is also her company's name."
"Lan Yu? That name sounds familiar. Could she be that woman abandoned by her rich second-generation scumbag husband?" Xiao Anjing murmured as if to himself.
Susu asked curiously, "Is she divorced? Why did her husband abandon her?"
"Young Madam, you don't usually pay attention to entertainment gossip, do you? This matter caused quite a stir a while ago. She was originally a ballet dancer. During the prime of her career, she married a rich second-generation heir. Recently, her husband kicked her out for a female celebrity, whom he then grandly married. She was left with nothing in the divorce. That scumbag was truly ruthless. I didn't expect her to start her own company so quickly."
As he spoke, Xiao Anjing picked up the proposal, flipped through it, and said with a chuckle, "What new media company? It's not even registered yet. She's not promoting a company; she's seeking investment."
Susu expressed a bit of surprise, saying, "Ah, her company hasn't even been established yet?"