The Sheng Estate.
Today was the sixteenth birthday of the Sheng family's eldest young lady, Sheng Huanhuan. Many high-ranking officials and powerful figures were in attendance.
The Sheng family boasted an illustrious background; in Hai City, families of such standing could be counted on one's fingers.
It was just a pity that by Sheng Can's generation, the Sheng family only had one daughter, Sheng Huanhuan.
Sheng Can wanted to cultivate Sheng Huanhuan into a strong woman, believing that only then would she have the ability to take over the Sheng family's enormous enterprise in the future.
Unfortunately, by the age of sixteen, Sheng Huanhuan had mastered the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but she lacked any talent for business.
The moment Sheng Huanhuan saw numbers, she would get dizzy. She never passed any of the tests Sheng Can gave her.
Having no other choice, Sheng Can could only plan ahead for Sheng Huanhuan's and the Sheng family's future.
That was why today's birthday party was held.
Today, many exceptionally talented young men had come to attend this birthday party.
Sheng Can and his wife stood on the second floor, evaluating and selecting among the young men.
After a round of evaluation, Madam Sheng pointed to a young man with an outstanding appearance and said, "What do you think of that one? Among so many young men, I think he's the most outstanding."
Sheng Can looked at Madam Sheng, then mused, "That's the son of the Ling family. The situation in the Ling family is complicated; internal strife has plagued them for many years without peace. Such a family is not suitable."
That young man was named Ling Xiao. He stood coldly behind a middle-aged man, his face expressionless as he watched everyone. Compared to his peers, he was remarkably composed.
The nineteen-year-old young man was tall and handsome, with an outstanding appearance. Especially his innate noble aura, which made him stand out like a crane among chickens.
Unfortunately, the Ling family's background was complicated. Ling Xiao, at a young age, had already endured much disdain from the world. His cold and taciturn personality truly made him an unsuitable choice.
Madam Sheng, after hearing her husband, regretfully shifted her gaze. She quickly found someone new: "What about that boy? The son of the Mu family. He studies very well, and he looks clean and gentle."
Sheng Can frowned: "The Mu family? Are you talking about *that* boy?"
"The one standing under the magnolia tree."
Madam Sheng pointed again, "His name seems to be Mu Si."
Finally, Sheng Can saw the boy standing under the white magnolia tree.
The eighteen-year-old young man was neat and clean, gentle as jade, with red lips and white teeth, and eyes like stars. He resembled a painting untouched by worldly dust.
Is it him?
Sheng Can's frown deepened.
Madam Sheng looked at Sheng Can expectantly, "How is he? I heard this child is good at studying, has good character, and excels in everything."
But Sheng Can still shook his head, "No, the Mu family's situation is even more complicated than the Ling family's. Moreover, last year he lost a leg in an accident."
Indeed, in every aspect, Mu Si was outstanding and had always been highly regarded by the Mu family.
If not for the car accident, after which Old Master Mu removed his name from the list of heirs, he wouldn't be appearing at this birthday party today.
"What? Lost a leg in a car accident?"
Madam Sheng looked at the young man's legs in disbelief: "I can't tell!"
Sheng Can said, "He wears a prosthetic leg. Let's look at others!"
Since the accident, Mu Si's personality had become somewhat eccentric. Losing a leg at such a young age, it was inevitable for his psychology to change, so he was not on Sheng Can's reserve list.
And at this moment, a young woman was also looking out the window from above, her gaze fixed intently on the person standing beneath the white magnolia tree.
There he is!
Sheng Huanhuan hadn't expected that the young man who had made her heart pound for the past two years would actually appear at her birthday party.
Father said that she could choose any one of the young men here tonight to be her future husband.
That person would later be her husband, living with her for the rest of their lives.
That includes him, right?
Seeing the young man standing beneath the magnolia tree, Sheng Huanhuan felt her heart was about to leap out of her chest.
This is what it feels like to like someone!
This feeling was not unfamiliar to her.
Ever since the afternoon of her first day of high school, the moment he ran towards her in his white sports uniform had remained vivid in her mind to this day.
From then on, the basketball court became her daily haunt.
Unfortunately, a car accident later cost him a leg. From then on, she no longer saw him on the basketball court, until he appeared at school in a wheelchair for the high school graduation exam.
He was admitted to Hai Cheng University, while she continued high school, but she never missed any news about him.
The guests had arrived, and Sheng Can and his wife brought Sheng Huanhuan downstairs.
“Come, come, quickly, present yourselves to Miss Sheng.”
As soon as Sheng Huanhuan came downstairs, the guests immediately pushed their sons forward, vying to make a stronger impression so she would notice them.
By the way, Sheng Huanhuan was very famous in Hai Cheng.
It was said that on the morning she was born, all the flowers in the hospital bloomed, and the sky above the hospital was covered in a layer of golden light.
At that time, there was a famous fortune-teller in Hai Cheng named Tang Xuanwu, who was also recuperating in that hospital.
At that time, he directly told his visiting friends, "The Sheng family's infant daughter is born with a pot of jewels; the Sheng family's luck is about to change. I wonder which young man will benefit from this in the future."
That year, the Sheng family was just a small, unknown enterprise.
Afterwards, the Sheng family prospered, proving Tang Xuanwu's words to be true.
After Sheng Huanhuan was born, in just a few short years, Shengshi Group transformed from an obscure small company into a major enterprise in Hai Cheng. It could be said that the entire Sheng family developed ceaselessly.
The young men attending the birthday party today were all outstanding talents from Hai Cheng's prominent families.
The Sheng family was choosing a son-in-law; if any young man was chosen, he would have to become a live-in son-in-law to the Sheng family.
Madam Sheng mentioned several names to Sheng Huanhuan, but unfortunately, Sheng Huanhuan didn't hear a single word, because none of those names included Mu Si.
Madam Sheng led Sheng Huanhuan around for a while, then let her go talk to everyone on her own.
Sheng Huanhuan had a very good temperament, so she had many friends, and the young men also took the opportunity to curry favor with her.
The eldest daughter of the Sheng family not only came from a good family background but was also beautiful. Among these young men, many were willing to become live-in sons-in-law to the Sheng family.
“Quickly, go stand by her side.”
Sun Silan saw the young man beside him was indifferent, and with urgency on his face, he said, "Ling Xiao, you must know that if you are chosen by the eldest daughter of the Sheng family, with Sheng Can's help, perhaps your father could get a few years off his prison sentence."
Ling Xiao remained deep in thought, saying nothing.
Tôn Tư Lam continued, "Among the young men who came today, I see you as the most outstanding. The Thịnh family's eldest daughter will certainly choose you. For your father's sake, go approach her quickly!"
Lăng Tiêu looked at the girl being flattered and fawned over by everyone. A faint smile touched the corner of his lips, and then he began to walk forward.
Watching Lăng Tiêu's tall, slender, and straight back, Tôn Tư Lam curved her lips in satisfaction.
If Lăng Tiêu were chosen by the Thịnh family's eldest daughter, the entire Lăng family would benefit.