Chapter 67: Who Will Lu Jinchuan Choose?

The venue was just across the hotel, not far away.

When Wen Ying woke up the next day, she felt much better. Her throat no longer felt as though it had been slashed by a knife, but she still took another dose of medicine just in case.

A cocktail party would follow immediately after the conclusion of the exchange conference.

The event was scheduled to run from three in the afternoon until around nine in the evening.

At noon, the doorbell rang.

When she opened the door, Wen Ying looked with surprise at Zhou Yu standing outside.

"Why does your complexion look so terrible?" Zhou Yu frowned the instant he saw Wen Ying. She had not yet put on makeup, and her lips were devoid of color. "Are you feeling unwell?"

He reached out and placed a hand on Wen Ying's forehead. "Have you taken your medicine? Should I take you to the hospital to get checked?"

Wen Ying could tell that the concern in his eyes was genuine.

Still, she took a step back, avoiding his gaze. "Is something the matter?"

As the prospective son-in-law of the Jiang family, it was hardly surprising that Zhou Yu would attend such a grand event.

Seeing Wen Ying's aloof demeanor, Zhou Yu's brows knitted together. After a long moment, he handed a gift box to her. "See if you like it. Today's event is formal, and I figured you should have some decent jewelry. This will suit you very well."

Wen Ying caught sight of the luxury brand's logo.

"I don't need this," she pressed her lips together.

Without taking no for an answer, Zhou Yu pressed the box into her hands. "You're just like when you were little, always trying to act tough. The reason I came was to ask you about your mother's third death anniversary. If you're planning a large memorial, let me know in advance, and I'll come keep you company."

Wen Ying was slightly stunned, not expecting Zhou Yu to remember this date at all.

Her mother had passed away the year before her marriage, and this year marked the exact third anniversary.

Lu Jinchuan probably hadn't even kept the date in mind.

"Alright, I'll see you at the venue later." While checking his phone, Zhou Yu raised his hand with familiar ease to ruffle her hair before turning to leave.

She could tell that Zhou Yu's words were tinged with a degree of casual perfunctoriness.

Therefore, she would not take them to heart either.

Wen Ying closed the door and opened the box to take a look inside.

It was a diamond necklace shaped like a crescent moon encircling a star. Ever since she was a child, she had been fascinated by aerospace and astronomy. Alongside reading relevant books, she had also bought an astronomical telescope to observe the moon and stars in the night sky.

No wonder Zhou Yu said it suited her.

And it was rare indeed that he still remembered her preferences.

Wen Ying frowned slightly and hesitated for a moment. She truly possessed very little jewelry, and she hadn't brought any along on this trip.

In the end, Wen Ying changed into the evening gown Shen Jiaxiao had given her, applied her makeup, put on the necklace, and left the room.

She figured that approaching the occasion with utmost formality could never be wrong.

She arrived at the venue together with He Xicheng.

A steady stream of industry elites had already filled the hall.

On the large screen at the front of the main hall, outstanding products from recent years were being played in a loop.

As it happened, just as Wen Ying walked in, the screen was broadcasting the U.N.2 strike-reconnaissance integrated drone, showcasing it as the day's primary highlight.

He Xicheng raised an eyebrow. "Did you see that? Even after all these years, you are still walking at the very forefront of the industry. If you hadn't gone off to get married, your achievements today would be incalculable."

There were very few people he truly admired; the old man in his family counted as one, and Wen Ying was another.

To say nothing of how much his old man loathed Lu Jinchuan, even He Xicheng found the man deeply irritating.

Wen Ying raised her head to look at the massive screen, ripples seemingly stirring deep within her heart.

She glanced around her surroundings.

Many people had paused in their tracks to watch the broadcast of the U.N.2, their faces filled with admiration.

She could not help offering a faint smile. Fortunately, she had not awakened too late.

"I'm going to take a look at the product exhibits over there." Wen Ying remained deeply interested in products created by her peers.

He Xicheng nodded. "Go ahead."

The moment Wen Ying walked away, several people crowded around He Xicheng.

"Director He, long time no see."

"I heard that Feixi is currently developing a new project. Could Director He reveal what direction it's heading in?"

He Xicheng was long accustomed to such flattering scenes. He smiled with effortless ease. "Long time no see. The project hasn't been finalized yet, so it's really hard to say."

After all, nothing had been officially settled or announced to the public, so some things still needed to be kept under wraps.

Naturally, the people around him understood this principle. After raising a toast, one of them remarked, "Director He's strike-reconnaissance integrated drone back then took everyone's breath away. This new project is probably going to put the entire industry under immense pressure once again."

"Geners like Director He are far too rare. Having such mature ideas in your twenties, conquering difficult technical problems to achieve breakthrough progress—our domestic aviation industry finally has true hope."

While their flattery was a performance, their genuine respect was equally real.

He Xicheng raised an eyebrow, glanced briefly in the direction Wen Ying had gone, and then said leisurely, "You are all too kind. Actually, I am not the creator of the U.N.2. I can only be considered a witness and a participant."

At those words, the expressions of the people surrounding him froze in utter astonishment.

They immediately began bombarding him with questions.

He Xicheng merely waved a hand. "Pardon me, but it's inconvenient to say more."

No sooner had he dismissed those individuals than He Xicheng noticed that Lu Jinchuan and his group had arrived at some point, and they had naturally overheard his preceding remarks.

Cheng Mu was the most shocked of all. "The U.N.2 wasn't developed by Director He? Aside from Director He, what other genius could possibly exist?"

Su Nian looked equally astonished.

They had always known that the creator of the U.N.2 belonged to the younger generation, but within that generation, aside from someone as innately gifted as He Xicheng, there had never been anyone else capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with him.

Moreover, He Xicheng was the only son of Academician He Jiang.

It was the accumulation of all these factors that had made them firmly convinced that he was the sole mastermind behind the U.N.2.

"Director He surely must be joking?" Su Nian looked slightly surprised before offering a light chuckle. "In the domestic industry environment, we have never heard of anyone whose reputation rivals Director He's."

Lu Jinchuan gazed at He Xicheng with a pensive look in his eyes, offering no opinion.

Beside them, Shen Yifeng also frowned. "Director He, please stop hiding your brilliance. After all, the U.N.2 is a military-grade product; I simply cannot believe such an explanation."

He Xicheng merely cast his gaze upon Su Nian, sweeping an imperceptible look up and down her figure before replying, "I speak not a single word of falsehood."

Cheng Mu drew in a sharp breath.

This completely shattered his worldview!

If it wasn't He Xicheng, then just what sort of industry titan could it possibly be?

Even Su Nian pressed her lips together. "Then would Director He be willing to... help arrange an introduction?"

At this, He Xicheng actually let out an ambiguous, mysterious laugh. "An introduction... is hardly necessary."

The person had clearly been right in front of their eyes all this time.

Pity that none of them had dared to guess the truth.

Over here.

Wen Ying walked a full circle around the venue, gaining a general understanding of the current domestic technological standards, before turning back to retrace her steps.

As she drew closer, she discovered that Lu Jinchuan and his companions were standing near He Xicheng.

Only...

Wen Ying slowed her pace, her gaze falling directly upon Su Nian.

Lu Jinchuan turned his head sideways, and Su Nian spun around as well.

At that instant, a profound silence seemed to fall over them.

Until Shen Yifeng frowned in utter incomprehension and spoke up, "Wen Ying, why are you wearing the exact same dress as Ms. Su?"

Everyone's eyes dropped simultaneously to the two women.

They were wearing the identical light purple fishtail long gown!

Su Nian's brow furrowed first, her face displaying an unmistakable trace of displeasure.

She had never imagined that Wen Ying would wear the exact same haute couture dress as her.

There were only two limited editions of this gown in the entire country, and yet the two of them had managed to bump into each other?

How could such a coincidence possibly exist?

Lu Jinchuan also looked at Wen Ying, a dark and unreadable emotion flashing through the depths of his black eyes.

Wen Ying pressed her lip line tight and raised her eyes to meet theirs.

She had not missed the slight furrow and subsequent relaxation of Lu Jinchuan's brows.

She guessed that he must be displeased.

Facing such a situation, Wen Ying felt a certain degree of discomfort as well. She said slowly, "A coincidence."

"That is one hell of a coincidence." Cheng Mu raised an eyebrow. "To bump outfits precisely with Su Nian—this has got to be a deliberate move to vie for supremacy."

At this.

The smile at the corner of Su Nian's lips had already faded entirely.

First she copied her interest in drones, and now she was copying her wardrobe?

To pull such petty stunts at a major occasion like this—did Wen Ying have no sense of decorum whatsoever?

He Xicheng could no longer bear to listen. He stepped forward and said, "How could she possibly have known what Ms. Su was going to wear? Beautiful clothes are naturally meant to be admired and loved by people, and when worn, don't they each project their own unique style?"

Hearing this, Cheng Mu and Shen Yifeng shifted their gazes once more between Wen Ying and Su Nian, before finally returning their focus to Wen Ying.

Wen Ying possessed naturally superior bone structure; her hourglass waist was striking, her shoulders flat, straight, and slender, and she stood a few centimeters taller than Su Nian, naturally projecting an air of inherent distinction.

Su Nian's figure was voluptuous and sultry, delivering a powerful visual impact at first glance. The two women indeed produced entirely different visual effects.

Only, they hadn't expected that when worn by Wen Ying, the dress would also carry... its own distinctive and lingering charm.

Wen Ying looked toward Lu Jinchuan with a trace of anticipation.

She steadied her emotions. Wearing the same dress was an accident, but given that this was such a grand and formal occasion, it would inevitably cause a loss of prestige for someone.

There naturally ought to be a way to resolve it.

Therefore...

"Go change." Lu Jinchuan's gaze was exceptionally pale, his tone smooth yet carrying an undeniable, overwhelming dominance.

He was speaking directly to Wen Ying.