Qin He noticed Shen Yilin's body stiffen slightly, and she turned to look at the man.
He looked somewhat familiar.
After a few seconds of thought, she remembered.
The owner of Jialan Club, the younger brother of the CEO of the Wang Group, Wang Yun.
She naturally moved aside, blocking Wang Yun and Shen Yilin, "Mr. Wang, long time no see."
Qin He was radiant, overshadowing everyone else present.
But Wang Yun's expression shifted from surprise to a perfunctory smile, "Miss Qin, long time no see."
It wasn't a secret in Qingcheng that Wang Yun preferred men and disliked women.
He looked at Shen Yilin behind Qin He, his expression unreadable, "Miss Qin, you know Yilin too?"
Qin He's voice became a little more serious, "He is my brother."
The people around them exchanged glances, all feeling that their efforts to flatter were well-placed.
Shen Yilin himself clearly felt his sister's protection.
Before, when his sister introduced him to Miss Xu, she had said he was her assistant.
Shen Yilin pursed his lips tightly. Now his sister was protecting him again. He looked at Wang Yun, whose eyes held a trace of lust, and clenched the hand at his side.
Previously, when he went to Jialan Club for an interview, the boss had been there and immediately made an offer to keep him.
Shen Yilin had refused. Even if he was working as a male model for his brother, he only intended to accompany people and drink, not to sell himself.
Especially since the other party was a man.
But Wang Yun had been persistent, and though he only worked for one day, he had continued to harass him with phone calls afterwards.
At this moment, Wang Yun was staring at Qin He, "Your brother? Miss Qin must be joking. Don't you only have an older brother?"
Qin He calling Shen Yilin her brother was also a subtle warning, intended to let Wang Yun know he was protected, hoping he would back down.
She hadn't expected this man to be so lustful and insistent on inquiring further.
"A sworn brother is still a brother," Qin He said with a smile.
Some people around had already noticed Wang Yun's intentions and, recalling his usual demeanor, guessed that Wang Yun had taken a liking to Miss Qin's handsome male companion and had some inappropriate ideas.
Immediately, someone stepped forward solicitously to help Qin He out of the situation.
"Mr. Wang, long time no see! How is your club business?"
A few people surrounded Wang Yun, pulling him aside.
Qin He led Shen Yilin towards a less crowded area, and as they walked, she asked in a low voice, "How does Wang Yun know you?"
The young man gritted his teeth; this was a very embarrassing matter.
But since his sister had asked, he told her everything, his voice laced with powerless humiliation and resentment in his dark eyes.
After understanding, Qin He nodded, "Don't worry, I'm here."
Her words exuded a sense of security.
Shen Yilin responded with a hum, but his mood didn't improve.
He was always relying on his sister for protection, always causing so much trouble. What if his sister got tired one day?
When would he be able to protect his sister?
No one knew that his heart was filled with complex emotions at that moment.
Just as Qin He was about to sit on a sofa, she saw from a distance that Xu Wanwan was raising her glass in a boisterous toast with someone.
She recognized the wealthy young man opposite Xu Wanwan; his character was not good.
Feeling a little worried, she turned and instructed Shen Yilin, "Stay here by yourself for a bit. I'm going to check on Wanwan. I'll be in this hall, so don't go to less crowded places like the back garden. That Wang Yun is quite bold."
The Wang family had made their fortune through shady business dealings. Although they had cleaned up their image in recent years, their underlying nature was still somewhat rogue.
After giving her instructions, Qin He hurried to Xu Wanwan's side.
Upon reaching them, she grabbed Xu Wanwan, "You shouldn't drink anymore."
Xu Wanwan's eyes were already a bit glazed, and her pretty face was flushed, "He'er, do you want a drink too?"
"Do you think this is a bar? How can you drink like this?"
Seeing the situation was not good, the man opposite immediately spoke up, "Miss Qin, please don't worry. If Wanwan gets too drunk, I will escort her home."
Qin He gave the man a cold glance, "No need for your concern."
Her gaze was cold and piercing. The man hesitated for a moment, then chuckled awkwardly and walked away.
Qin He pulled Xu Wanwan outside. Since she was already so drunk, she decided to have Xu's family driver take Xu Wanwan home.
Outside the venue, the cool night air from the garden grass and trees hit them, refreshing them considerably.
Qin He frowned, supporting Xu Wanwan as they walked towards the main entrance, "What's been going on with you lately? I remember you didn't used to drink so much!"
Xu Wanwan's eyes were hazy, shimmering in the moonlight, "If I drink more, I feel better."
Qin He sighed softly, wanting to take advantage of her best friend's drunken state to ask her about her relationship with her brother, but thinking of Shen Yilin still being in the venue, she decided to postpone it for another day.
After handing Xu Wanwan over to the Xu family driver, Qin He instructed him to ensure she got home safely.
Watching the car drive away, she then called home, informing her mother that Wanwan wouldn't be able to take care of her brother tonight and to arrange for a caregiver.
With everything settled, Qin He turned to head back to the venue.
As soon as she turned, she saw a tall figure standing under a tree not far away.
Gu Qichen's aura was so strong it was impossible to ignore. Qin He frowned slightly, intending to pretend not to see him.
But the next second, she was called out, "Qin He."
Qin He stopped in her tracks, "Mr. Gu, do you have any advice for me?"
"I have something to discuss with you."
Qin He recalled the scene at the mall a few days ago when he threw the tie, and sneered, "I don't think we have anything to discuss, do we?"
Gu Qichen's brows furrowed deeply. He stepped in front of Qin He, "It's about the old house. Grandmother is ill."
Qin He was shocked, "Grandmother Gu is ill?"
"She suddenly fainted at home yesterday. When she woke up, she kept asking for you."
Just as Qin He was about to ask more questions, she saw a figure emerge from the hall not far away. Song Nuan was looking around, seemingly searching for someone.
"Qichen!" Song Nuan saw them and hurried down the stairs, holding up her skirt.
As she passed, she even called out timidly to Miss Qin.
Ah, that saccharine pretense was overwhelming.
Qin He felt a wave of nausea surge through her.
"Mr. Gu, if you have something to say, let's discuss it another day."
She couldn't hold back and turned to leave first.
The garden was quiet. Song Nuan quickly ran up to Gu Qichen, her face etched with anxiety, "Qichen, why did you come out? I couldn't find you just now."
She bit her lower lip, looking at his stern face, and cautiously probed, "Were you looking for Miss Qin?"
Gu Qichen looked down at her, "Yes."
Song Nuan's heart skipped a beat!
...
Returning to the banquet hall, Qin He walked halfway around but couldn't find Shen Yilin.
She frowned and took out her phone from her handbag, preparing to make a call.
After a few rings with no answer, Qin He's expression turned serious.
She quickly scanned the crowd; Wang Yun wasn't here either!
She had instructed Shen Yilin not to go to the garden, and he was always obedient, so he shouldn't have wandered off.
That left only one possibility!
Qin He hurried towards the corridor where the restrooms were located.
She crossed the hall, walked down the corridor, and reached the restrooms in the middle.
As soon as she stopped, she heard a scream from inside!