The Real Young Master is Entangled by the Paranoid Fake Young Master - Chapter 15

“Young Master Zhaoqing, these clothes are for you.” Housekeeper Yu’s arrogant, pale face remained expressionless as she looked coldly at Zhaoqing.

“The banquet in three days will be your first public appearance since returning to the Song family. The Old Madam said you must be dressed appropriately. Don’t speak unless spoken to, and learn some social etiquette from your two brothers. Your behavior reflects on the Song family’s reputation!”

After dropping the clothes, she turned and hurried away as if she were being chased by something. Zhaoqing couldn’t help but laugh out loud at her retreating back.

Two days ago, the Old Madam, who usually avoided him like the plague, had summoned him and coldly announced that a grand banquet would be held at the Song estate. She insisted he attend. As for the purpose, she claimed it was an “adoption banquet” to officially welcome him.

Zhaoqing didn’t believe a word of it. He knew exactly how much he “weighed” in the Songs’ hearts. In his past life, there was no such banquet; he had lived like Song Yuening’s shadow, always kept “out of sight” because he was an embarrassment. Having defied and humiliated them several times in this life, the family likely hated him to their core. Why would they suddenly introduce him to the elite circles of high society?

Zhaoqing sensed a trap, especially when Housekeeper Yu, who despised him, personally delivered his attire. That night, he knocked on Song Lili’s door.

“What? You really don’t know?” Lili sat sprawled in her chair, grinning at him with a hint of pride. “We aren’t the stars of this show. Remember Xie Qianze from the Xie family? This banquet is actually a setup for him to apologize to the Songs and Brother Yuening.”

“Of course, they’ll use a different official excuse, but the real point is what happens after the banquet ”

Hearing this, Zhaoqing immediately understood. The “adoption banquet” was nothing more than a convenient smokescreen.

Inside the house, Shicheng and the Old Madam always demanded Lili be a dignified lady. In public, she was the picture of perfect etiquette. But strangely, whenever she was with Zhaoqing, she felt relaxed. She was currently slumped in her chair, looking utterly lazy.

Zhaoqing poured her some juice, and she continued: “You wouldn’t know this, but I overheard Brother Zhiyuan and Lin Qi talking. The banquet is at our house, but the Xie family is paying for everything. Think about it, why would the Xies pay to make another family look good? It’s a payout for Xie Qianze almost killing my second brother.”

“And while the banquet looks like a normal social gathering, there’s a private dinner afterward. That is the main event!”

“At the private dinner, the head of the Xie family will negotiate with Father over the profit distribution for our big new project. Brother didn’t say it, but I know the Xies have been refusing to buy in. After this accident, they’re basically forced to invest. How’s that for clever? Hmph, although poor Brother Yuening almost died because of that bastard Xie Qianze, and now they’re just using money to settle it! You think I should put some laxatives in the Xies’ wine?”

Zhaoqing sank into deep thought as he listened to Lili’s chatter.

“Hey! Hey! Song! Zhao! Qing! Are you even listening to me?!” Lili pushed his shoulder, pouting.

“Oh, I was just thinking.” Zhaoqing snapped out of it and looked at her. “Don’t do anything reckless at the banquet. We aren’t the protagonists, and that’s exactly why it’s a good opportunity. At 7:00 PM that night, I’m taking you away. Be ready.”

Lili’s eyes went wide. She trembled as she asked, “You mean… on the night of the banquet, you’re taking me to see my, my mother? For real?”

Looking at her disbelief, Zhaoqing nodded solemnly.

After coordinating with Lili, Zhaoqing moved fast. With the deal he had struck with Shicheng, he had near-unrestricted access to leave the estate. Using his memories from the past life, he easily found the old house where Lili’s mother, Zhen Xue, was currently living, a dark alley at the foot of the very mountain where the Song luxury villas sat.

When Zhaoqing explained his purpose, Zhen Xue didn’t believe him at first. She frantically tried to drive him away. Zhaoqing didn’t get angry; he knew Shicheng had sent people to harass her for years. This resilient, tragic woman had stayed in this city for over a decade just for her daughter.

But the moment Zhaoqing placed a recent photo of Lili into her hands, the woman, who had seemed on the verge of a breakdown, didn’t even ask who the girl was. She simply stared and began to weep. It had been over ten years since they met. Zhen Xue only had baby photos and a few blurry, long-distance shots of Lili’s back.

Yet she recognized her instantly.

Zhaoqing told her the plan. When she realized she would finally see her daughter, Zhen Xue grabbed Zhaoqing’s hand, her eyes wide with desperate hope. Zhaoqing felt a pang of sorrow, thinking of his own mother not the woman who swapped him, but his biological mother. He wondered if she would have missed him this much. She would have; he told himself. He had to stay strong.

Before the banquet began, Lili “unexpectedly” developed an allergic reaction, giving her a perfect excuse to stay in her room.

In every banquet of his past life, Zhaoqing had been the isolated, ignored one. He expected the same tonight. His plan was to wait until the social atmosphere peaked, then slip out to meet Lili.

Currently, Zhaoqing stood in the ballroom, sipping a non-alcoholic drink and casually surveying the room. He was in a good mood; this “apology banquet” was a blatant slap in Song Yuening’s face. In the face of profit, Shicheng didn’t care that Yuening had nearly died.

However, Yuening was a master of masks. As he moved through the crowd, socializing with the elite, there wasn’t a hint of resentment on his face. But Zhaoqing knew Yuening, he was a petty, “refined” hypocrite. He might be acting calm now, but he likely had a dozen vicious plans against Xie Qianze in motion. Zhaoqing was content to watch the “mad dogs” tear each other apart.

Zhaoqing’s relaxed mood, combined with a slight “drunken” vibe from the atmosphere, gave him a startlingly magnetic aura. Several young socialites were frequently glancing his way, seemingly tempted to strike up a conversation.

Fu Lansheng, Fang Haoyang, and Duan Ran had arrived early and were mingling with their own circles. Zhaoqing intentionally stayed out of their line of sight to avoid a repeat of the past.

But as he turned, he froze. Not far away, a tall boy with pink hair stood alone. No one talked to him; most people didn’t even look at him. He wore a cynical, “playboy” smile that looked just like any other hedonistic heir, but Zhaoqing could see the deep, familiar bitterness in his eyes.

It was Fang Yang. In this life, the Fang family had actually allowed him to attend the banquet.

The figure was identical to the one Zhaoqing had dreamed of countless times—the only difference was that this time, he didn’t vanish into the shadows the moment Zhaoqing looked at him.