Strategy to Capture Men

Tang Ke was a little nervous. Xinya had bought him new clothes especially for this banquet, which spoke for itself.

He was nervous on the one hand both because of his school and because the glimpse of Patriarch Han that he had gotten had made a very deep impression on him. That was a very strong, fierce and frightening man.

On the other hand, he couldn't help but think of that little girl who was like an angel. She had seemed overdrawn that day, her face snow white. It caught at the heart and made one worry. He wondered if she had gotten better afterward.

With Tang Ke's hand in hers, Xinya handed in their invitation. On its chip was a spiritual mark that Patriarch Han himself had laid. It passed the scanning on the first try, and the waiter politely welcomed them in.

Xinya was also a little nervous. It had been a long time since she attended an occasion such as this.

When she had been a child, her mother had been very outgoing. Every time the Han family held a banquet, she would enthusiastically obtain an invitation, and then take Xinya there, all dressed up. Until one day, she had found Xinya's eyes following a young man, and her expression had changed.

That time, her mother had taken her home before the party was over.

"Not him! He's the only one you can't have!" her mother had sternly warned her. "You stay away from him!"

Of course she knew she couldn't have him, but she was only sixteen years old that year, and she had been sad to have to face her sober reality so soon. But compared with the future, such sorrows were nothing. There were always more sad things waiting for you in life.

When she was twenty years old, on one of the manor's enormous terraces, that young man had taken her wrist and said, "I can provide for you all my life."

Ever since the year her mother had woken her up, she had deliberately avoided him, merely watching from afar, never daring to approach. That night was the night she finally confirmed that he liked her, too.

But that night was his engagement party.

How miserable, how truly miserable. If she had never known that he liked her, she might not have been so sad.

She had to wake up from her girlish dream. From this day on, she had to be an adult.

Withdrawing her hand, with her best manners, she had refused him coldly and politely and turned away. After that, they had never spoken to each other again.

She had placed those girlish things away at the back of her memory in a treasure chest, and then lived a normal life. Met the right man, fallen in love, gotten married, and had a child. She had thought that life would be peaceful and happy forever, but then first her parents had died unexpectedly in a car accident, and then her husband had a mishap. Despite all her running around, the family that had once been rich had fallen within just a few years.

In the end here she was, all dressed up and standing at the manor gate. Her state of mind was long gone.

When she stepped into the banquet hall, she entered a long-lost world of radiance, full of gorgeously-dressed women dripping in jewels.

Xinya subconsciously stroked her skirt. She hadn't bought any new clothes for a few years now, let alone formal attire just for a single occasion. This dress was old and she had worn it before. Would anyone notice?

But she immediately smiled self-deprecatingly. She was insignificant to this occasion. Who would care?

Calming down, she took Tang Ke by the hand and walked into the crowd to find relatives. Every once in awhile, she would bump into someone familiar surnamed Han, most of whom she had met as a child, and they would approach to socialize. She had put her heart into dressing up today, and even though her lack of jewelry made her look a little shabby, few would refuse a beautiful woman. Making contact went smoothly, and she vaguely remembered what it was like to attend such occasions when she was young.

It was just that the person she wanted never appeared. Although she pretended to be calm, she couldn't help but look about frequently.

The banquet hall was huge, with gorgeous crystal lights hanging from the ceiling.

Standing at the railing of the third story, Patriarch Han looked down from above and could clearly see Xinya's slender figure  making her way through the crowd.

The long dress she was wearing set off her slender waist. It was very beautiful, but he remembered having seen it before. He had caught a glimpse of her from a distance when his fourth grandfather on his father's side had celebrated his birthday, a few years back. At that time, she hadn't yet had a child and her parents were still alive. She had held onto her husband's arm, her face alight with happiness.

Nearly ten years had passed in the blink of an eye. Now her family was in decline, and she was a single mother. All the proud and aloof people of his youth had had their edges ground away, and now with their heads bowed, they had bent their backs to please.

Reduced to such as this.

"Father." Han Yanyan said, coming over. "It's almost time."

He nodded and turned to leave. Han Yanyan glanced at Tang Ke and Xinya in the crowd and followed.

The banquet hall quieted down, and the guests within turned to the stairs. Accompanied by the gentle music of the orchestra, Han Yanyan walked slowly down the stairs on her father's arm.

When they reached the platform above the stairs, Patriarch Han made a short speech, briefly detailing that this banquet was to celebrate Han Yanyan having attained S-class, and hoping that relatives and friends alike would have a good time.

Father and daughter walked down the last three steps, and the banquet began.