Maxing Out Charisma, Inheriting Game Assets Chapter 720: If You’re Gonna Show Off, Go All In

The footsteps and conversations in the corridor gradually died down.

The figures of Lin Muxue and Mayor Li and his entourage disappeared through the door of the neighboring Chang'an Hall.

Inside Peony Hall, the hush born of awe suddenly detonated like a drop of water hitting hot oil,

"Chatter—"

The fierce clamor erupted like a swarm of bees leaving the hive, sweeping across the relatives' tables.

"My heavens! Did I just see that right? Was that really Mayor Li just now?!"

"He shook hands with our Baoshan! He personally shook his hand! Oh my goodness, what an honor!"

"Xiaoxue... what exactly does she do now? From what they were saying, is she representing some kind of 'capital' to inspect our hometown?"

"I heard it’s called... Rongliu Capital? Wow, just the name sounds so impressive!"

They were so excited they could barely speak coherently.

Those relatives who had sneered at Xiaoxue before, whispering that she was 'messing around out there' and mocking her for being aimless, one by one changed expressions.

Someone awkwardly straightened their collar and forced a smile: "Oh my, that girl has always been clever. I said she’d succeed someday!"

"Yes, yes! In our family, Xiaoxue’s always been the sharpest and most capable!"

Second Aunt Wang Suyun grabbed Wang Suxia, who was still in shock, her voice trembling: "Suxia! You old woman! Your second daughter has become this successful and you didn’t tell us a thing?! You kept it hidden so well!"

"I... I didn't know either..." Wang Suxia’s mind was blank even now; she could only mutter on autopilot.

She looked at her husband Lin Baoshan's hand—the very hand Mayor Li had just shaken—and her mind replayed, over and over, the image of their daughter Xiaoxue in that dazzling white suit, surrounded like a star by all those important people.

Beside her, Peng Xiaomeng held the baby, her face pale while her heart churned.

Half of it was icy fear, half of it was burning exhilaration.

The fear came from realizing that the younger sister-in-law they had belittled and spoken ill of behind her back had suddenly shot to the top and become someone they couldn’t even look up to.

She feared that all the mean remarks and petty actions she’d taken earlier—blocking parental money from being given, for example—might come back on her when Lin Muxue sought recompense.

But the joy was also real.

After all, this was still her husband's sister.

If she could climb onto this towering branch of influence, maybe her husband’s precarious job, their son’s future, even her own work...

Could everything be overturned for the better?

She glanced at Lin Muchuan, who looked just as stunned, bit her lip, and made a decision.

Forcing the most gentle, dutiful smile she could muster, she said, "Muxuan, I’ll go feed Dudu so he doesn’t start crying and disturb everyone."

With that she scooped up the child, bowed her head, and hurried out of the banquet hall toward the hotel’s nursing room.

Right now she was most grateful she had a breastfeeding baby.

That child was, after all, Xiaoxue’s nephew.

Even if she had said unpleasant things before, that blood relation gave her a way to turn things around and save face.

While all the relatives were mired in shock and confusion, footsteps approached from the distance.

Zhao Peng’s family walked briskly over.

This time, their expressions were entirely different from the courteous aloofness and concealed arrogance they'd shown earlier.

Especially Zhao Changhong, whose face was full of effusive warmth and even a touch of deliberate obsequiousness.

He went straight to Lin Baoshan and Wang Suxia, grabbed Lin Baoshan's still awkwardly hanging hand, and spoke with awe and admiration:

"Brother Baoshan! Your daughter Xiaoxue... no, Director Lin! Truly extraordinary! A genuine phoenix!"

"Earlier there were so many people; we were remiss. I, Old Zhao, apologize! Here, I’ll punish myself with three cups!"

He actually picked up a cup of baijiu from the table, tipped his head back and downed it in a gulp; his cheeks flushed red.

Zhao Peng hurried forward, lowering his posture and bowing slightly to Wang Suxia and Lin Baoshan, his voice filled with sincere apology: "Uncle, Aunt. We were truly remiss earlier!"

Shi Mengjia stood to the side, her emotions churning.

Since childhood, she had silently competed with her younger cousin—one year younger and equally pretty—Lin Muxue.

She believed her family background, education, and job surpassed Xiaoxue’s, and thus she had always nurtured a quiet sense of superiority.

But just now, when she saw Lin Muxue stroll in from the light like someone unruffled, flanked and fawned over by the mayor and provincial officials,

all her pride shattered in an instant.

There was jealousy, sure, but more than that was disbelief and incomprehension.

She couldn't fathom how, in her memory, that slightly foolish and vain cousin had become such a formidable person.

Then she looked at her fiancé and future father-in-law behaving with unprecedented attentiveness and fawning. Her eyes darted around.

Her mind immediately whirred into action.

Although she had snagged Zhao Peng as a husband, within that household—and especially under the domineering gaze of her future mother-in-law—she didn’t have much status.

Take the engagement banquet seating: the groom's business partners and government friends were naturally at the head table and VIP seats.

Her Shi family and the Lin family relatives, all from Zhou County town, had been placed by default in corner tables near the entrance.

The reason given was practical: easy in and out, and not embarrassing in front of the "big shots."

This made sense—yet ironically it allowed them to witness Xiaoxue’s entire high-glamour entrance up close.

At the same time, it exposed the Zhao family’s blatant disregard for their rural relatives.

But now, with Xiaoxue’s presence, everything changed!

Those "distinguished guests" of the Zhao family—like Director Feng, who’d made a dazzling impression—now had to show deference to Xiaoxue.

He was a guest who had been received by provincial leaders!

She stepped forward, affectionately hooked her arm through her future mother-in-law’s and said with a touch of calculated grievance and coquettishness: "Mom, look at this seating... Aunt and Uncle are sitting so far from the head table. It’ll be awkward when toasting and speaking later. Why don’t we move them up to the front tables?"

Mrs. Zhao was stunned and hadn’t yet responded.

Zhao Changhong slapped his thigh with obvious regret and contrition: "Ah! What was I thinking? My fault! I didn’t consider it properly!"

"Jiajia is right! Of course we should move them!"

He turned and loudly called to the hotel manager nearby: "Waiter! Manager! Come over here, please!"

Under Zhao Changhong’s direction, the back-of-house staff at the banquet hall sprung into motion.

Shi Mengjia’s mother and their two tables of relatives were respectfully ushered to the front area next to the head table.

As Wang Suxia, Wang Xiangtong, Chaohui and others walked past the Zhao family's business associates, those previously indifferent "big shots" now rose and greeted them with polite, friendly smiles.

Only then did the relatives start to realize—

Xiaoxue had merely shown her face and said a few words,

and suddenly their family had ascended at this feast that originally had nothing to do with them.

A huge sense of pride made everyone dizzy and emotionally overwhelmed.

At the same time, more details about Lin Muxue and the government welcome banquet next door began to spread through the hall like they had wings.

"Did you hear? The event next door is a strategic project co-led by the national Ministry of Energy and Tang Yi Precision!"

"The 'Western Photovoltaic New Energy Industry Cluster'—I hear the total investment is counted in the hundreds of billions!"

"That Rongliu Capital Xiaoxue is with is the financial firm invited to invest in our hometown! She’s the company’s chief assistant—an actual senior executive!"

The relatives’ hearts surged and the discussion ignited.

They might never have heard of Rongliu Capital, but who hadn’t heard of Tang Yi Precision?

It’s the nation’s top tech company—on the news every day!

Chang'an High-Tech Zone’s huge industrial park is anchored by Tang Yi Precision’s western manufacturing base.

Anyone working there is a top talent; it’s a credit to the family name to say you know someone who does.

As they gossiped, a guest at a nearby table suddenly rose and walked over with a wine glass in hand.

The man appeared to be in his forties, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, exuding a cultured, successful air.

He walked over to Lin Baoshan with a bright smile: "You must be Director Lin’s father? Hello, I’m Zhang Tao from CITIC Securities. I work with President Zhao on some deals. I didn’t expect Director Lin of Rongliu Capital to be from our Chang'an. Your daughter is truly young and accomplished—her future is limitless!"

The relatives were thrilled and hurried to stand and offer polite replies.

Cousin Wang Chaohui, gathering his courage, cautiously asked: "Mr. Zhang, may I ask—what kind of company is Rongliu Capital? Very powerful, right?"

Zhang Tao paused, then chuckled: "Powerful doesn’t begin to cover it. Rongliu Capital is headquartered in Hong Kong and is an internationally known private equity firm. The assets it manages are nearly 100 billion yuan."

He paused, full of admiration: "For Director Lin to be a chief assistant at her age—she’s truly exceptional!"

"One hundred billion... yuan?!"

Those words exploded like a bomb in the relatives’ already fragile understanding of the world.

Second Aunt Wang Suyun’s hand trembled and her chopsticks clattered to the floor.

Brother Lin Muchuan sat there stiff as a board, ears buzzing.

He thought of his precarious job, his wife’s complaints about his incompetence, and how stingy he’d been when they left the house—counting even the money for a pack of cigarettes.

Compared to his sister now, his shame and helplessness washed over him like a tide.

Zhang Tao politely exchanged a few more pleasantries and left.

But the shock he brought rippled and lingered.

After that, one by one, the very dignitaries who had barely given them a second glance earlier came forward to offer toasts and chat, their words dripping with flattery.

Ordinary rural folks like Wang Suxia and Lin Baoshan had never seen anything like it; they held their cups, awkward and flustered, repeating "No, no, don't mention it."

The overwhelming, all-consuming sense of being admired by everyone made their faces flush red with emotion.

They had never been so glorious in their whole lives.

At noon sharp, the engagement banquet officially began.

The stage lights glittered; balloons and floral arrangements cast a soft glow.

The MC was delivering an exuberant opening speech.

But amidst the lively music, Wang Suxia grew increasingly anxious.

She gripped her husband Lin Baoshan’s arm, her palms sweaty.

Leaning close, her voice trembled: "Baoshan, do you think... does Xiaoxue still resent us? When she arrived just now, she didn’t even say 'Mom and Dad'..."

Hearing this, the rosy-faced Lin Baoshan felt his heart plunge and his smile stiffen bit by bit; a long moment passed in silence.

He had assumed Xiaoxue coming back for Jiajia’s engagement was a peace offering, a chance to reconcile.

But on second thought, maybe she’d merely stopped by because of work.

If she’d been the stubborn yet dutiful daughter she used to be, two years apart could be smoothed over with some careful words and family fussing—close the door and sort it out.

Now, though...

Thinking about the way their daughter had been surrounded by mayors and elites, radiating an unapproachable air, both parents felt weak and breathless.

The transient pride that had just risen evaporated in an instant.

Especially Wang Suxia, whose face drained pale.

After the big fight back in Yancheng, her daughter had blocked all contact and mother and daughter had been estranged.

She knew the family had wronged the daughter, but pride kept her from swallowing her dignity to apologize first.

After her daughter-in-law got pregnant she had come from the countryside to help; then the grandson was born, and two years flew by.

Two years could change everything.

What had Xiaoxue experienced to become like this?

As parents, they knew nothing.

Guilt, panic, pain, heartache, tangled emotion...

The engagement party grew livelier.

Amid the commotion and noise, there was suddenly a stir near the side door by the main stage; the noisy hall slowly quieted.

"Xiaoxue! Xiaoxue is back!"

"Suxia, Baoshan, your second girl is here!"

Relatives sprang to their feet, like iron filings pulled by a magnet, pointing excitedly in that direction.

Wang Suxia and Lin Baoshan rose too, nervously checking and looking.

They saw Lin Muxue, having finished her official duties, walk in alone through the side door.

She carried a black-gold leather handbag that gleamed, and her white suit almost seemed blinding under the banquet lights.

Zhao Changhong and the others rushed up with wide ingratiating smiles, their demeanor smacking of sycophancy, even more exaggerated than when they greeted Director Feng earlier.

Jiajia lifted her skirt and ran up, snatched the microphone from the MC, and handed it to her: "Xiaoxue! Finally you’re here! Come on, beautiful, you’re our whole family's pride now—say a few blessing words so I can bask in the glow!"

Lin Muxue took the mic with poise; her voice carried clearly through the sound system: "Jiajia, Zhao Peng, congratulations. I wish you unity and a long and happy marriage."

After she spoke, in the hush she opened that Birkin black-gold bag and took out a signature red jewelry box.

"A small token. Wishing you a happy engagement."

"Thank you, Xiaoxue."

Jiajia eagerly accepted it with both hands.

At her friend’s urging she opened the box.

"Wow—!"

An involuntary chorus of gasps rose up.

The MC, quick on his feet, leaned in and amplified the moment through the mic: "My goodness! It’s a Cartier LOVE bracelet! This model is worth over forty thousand yuan! Director Lin truly has grand taste—this blessing is weighty indeed!"

Thunderous applause broke out.

Upon hearing the amount, the relatives’ eyelids twitched.

Peng Xiaomeng, holding Dudu, had tears in her eyes.

She used to work at a cosmetics counter and had seen customers who could afford luxury goods—she recognized the bracelet instantly.

Cartier! Over forty thousand!

Lin Muxue smiled faintly, as if presenting not a luxury but a commonplace gift.

Wang Suxia gazed at her daughter on stage—refined, expensive, luminous—and felt dazed.

She remembered the little girl years ago who clung to her leg, crying and wanting a new outfit for the New Year.

In a blink... how did she become this?

So unfamiliar, so distant.

Surrounded and escorted, Lin Muxue was respectfully seated in the front-row relatives’ seats in the place reserved for her.

"Aren’t you sorry..." Wang Suxia choked out, tears finally rising as she looked at her daughter within arm’s reach.

Lin Muxue’s lips pressed together; she didn’t look at her mother’s shame-ridden face.

She merely plucked a tissue from the box on the table and handed it over with an expressionless voice: "Wipe it. Today is Jiajia’s engagement day—don’t cry."

Those words cut off Wang Suxia’s sobbing instantly.

She accepted the tissue, bowed her head in shame, and her tears fell in large drops onto the crisp tablecloth.

Beside her, Lin Baoshan and Lin Muchuan lowered their heads silently; Peng Xiaomeng dared not even breathe loudly.

Lin Muxue lifted her wine glass.

Her cool, indifferent sweep glanced over the complicated faces of the relatives.

An exquisite thrill, like a rising tide, flooded her body.

Having just used the restroom, Empress Muxue unabashedly savored the fruit of victory.

She no longer felt that urgent need to pee.

"Xiaoxue!"

"Cousin!"

"Oh my, long time no see!"

Relatives surged forward to greet her warmly, eager to offer toasts.

Lin Muxue responded gracefully, her smile gentle.

Her gaze then landed on cousin Wang Chaohui: "Cousin, I remember you do renovation work, right?"

Caught off guard to be singled out, Wang Chaohui nodded with a sheepish grin: "Yes, yes! I take on renovation jobs in the city—small projects, home remodels."

Lin Muxue swirled her wine glass and said casually, "That’s great. I just bought a second-hand place in Chang'an and want to renovate it. How about I let you handle the job?"

"Oh wow! Sure! No problem! I’ll make you satisfied! We’re family after all!" Wang Chaohui flushed with excitement.

The relatives' spirits instantly lifted; their eyes lit up toward Lin Muxue.

Wang Suxia and Lin Baoshan’s expressions froze.

She bought a house? Xiaoxue bought a home on her own?

They had argued with their daughter earlier about buying a place for their son.

They had spent everything and even sacrificed their daughter’s interests to barely secure a small apartment for their son in the city.

Now their daughter had simply bought her own home in Chang'an without saying a word.

Lin Muchuan and Peng Xiaomeng both turned instantly awkward.

Second Aunt Wang Suyun loudly demanded: "Hey! Xiaoxue, when did you buy a place in Chang'an? Why didn’t you tell us about such a big thing?"

"Heh, it’s not that big. I signed the contract last month. I’m here mainly to finalize the transfer."

"Ah! What wonderful news!"

Cousin Xiangtong, bursting with curiosity, asked: "Xiaoxue, which community did you buy in?"

Lin Muxue smiled, her eyes flashing like tiny lights; her legs brushed together under the table.

This was it—what she had been waiting for.

Muxue's show of swagger always came in full effect; she nev