Searching for Treasures in the Clouds

Chapter 440 Attending Wen Zhuomo's Birthday Banquet

Yu Ru still decided to attend Wen Zhuomo's birthday party because Zhang Wenshu was confirmed to leave on that day. However, none of her children were willing to pick her up; some were abroad and couldn't come, while others said they were too busy with work and could only send someone to pick her up. After thinking it over, Yu Ru decided that she should go and take Zhang Wenshu home herself.

Inside a luxurious banquet hall,

The banquet hall, predominantly decorated in vermilion and gilded hues, exudes a grand and imposing atmosphere. The ceiling's golden dragon and painted decorations strictly adhere to official regulations, with layers of caissons inlaid with gilded dragons, each holding a large glass pearl in its mouth, their brilliance complementing the rows of hexagonal wooden palace lanterns beneath the eaves. The walls feature a three-section, six-panel latticework with carved golden dragon panels, and the main backdrop displays a massive meticulous painting of "Pine and Crane for Longevity." The floor is covered with an intricately embroidered velvet carpet, its endless expanse of peonies, lotus blossoms, and swastika patterns treading silently. The tables and chairs are arranged with remarkable spaciousness, leaving ample aisles between them, allowing multiple waiters to move side-by-side without feeling cramped. The air is filled with the sweet aroma of freshly baked desserts mingled with the delicate, cool fragrance of orchids and winter plum blossoms, creating an elegant and refined ambiance.

The guests were all wealthy and influential, dressed elegantly and speaking with impeccable manners. The waiters moved about with light and steady steps, and the whole place was lively yet orderly.

Wen Zhuomo found the most spacious spot closest to the door to talk to someone, glancing towards the door every now and then. His children noticed this unusual behavior.

"Dad, who are you looking for? Why are you looking towards the door?" Wen Shuchen asked.

"Oh, it's nothing." Wen Shuchen was Wen Nachuan's father. Back then, Yu Ru was bullied by Wen Nachuan in the Wen family. Although Wen Shuchen and his wife were not involved, they were inactive. They knew that their son was bullying Yu Ru but did not discipline him strictly, which was almost the same as being a bully. Therefore, Wen Zhuomo did not want to talk to him about Yu Ru.

Wen Shuchen could tell that his father didn't want to talk to him, so he didn't ask anymore, but he already had a general idea in his mind.

Yu Ru arrived at the birthday banquet just as it was about to start. She didn't want to socialize and pretended to be at ease in the crowd. She just wanted to have a quiet meal and then discreetly take Zhang Wenshu away. She knew most of the guests invited by Wen Zhuomo, so it didn't matter if she arrived a little late. Based on what she had done in the past, people would just assume that she had something important to do and couldn't come early.

Anyway, she was on time and not late, but most people were already seated when she arrived. Therefore, her appearance at the entrance of the banquet hall was somewhat abrupt.

She wore a navy blue stand-up collar suit, without any jewelry or headwear. The upper body featured a navy blue worsted wool stand-up collar coat with a single row of neatly arranged matte black buttons. The coat itself had no exaggerated patterns, relying solely on the fine matte texture of the fabric to convey quality. A dark satin ribbon bow in the same color cinched her waist, and she paired it with a matching knee-length straight skirt. The overall lines were clean and sharp, further accentuated by a delicate diamond bow brooch, giving her a cool, restrained, and minimalistly sophisticated look.

Her short hair was all gathered up and loosely pulled back into a neat bun, revealing her entire face. Because of her full forehead, smooth face shape, and delicate features, this shiny hairstyle did not expose any flaws on her; on the contrary, it made her look more relaxed and poised.

"Hey, who's that person? I've never seen them before."

"She looks familiar, and she's so beautiful."

"A good woman's woman."

"You don't know that? That woman is Yu Ru, also known as Yu Yidao. She's a crazy woman who'll start a fight at the drop of a hat and is fearless."

……

People's eyes all fell on Yu Ru, and they discussed her in hushed tones.

The lamplight fell on her tousled hair, giving it a soft sheen that accentuated the sculpted features of her cool, aloof face. Despite the simplest of hairstyles and attire, she shone like jade under the moonlight, pure and radiant.

She walked straight to the head of the table, her steps unhurried and her demeanor composed. When she reached Wen Zhuomo, she bowed slightly, giving a perfectly measured greeting, her voice cool and clear, neither too loud nor too soft, "Grandpa Wen, I wish you good health and longevity."

As soon as she finished speaking, she turned slightly to the side, her gaze naturally sweeping over the other elders at the table with Wen Zhuomo, and nodded slightly, "Greetings, elders."

Shi Yanchun, Situ Ningzhai, and Yun Zhonghe were also at this table. She specifically picked out the three of them and greeted them, "Grandma Shi, Grandpa, Grandma, hello."

Aside from that, there were no further pleasantries; they simply waited for Wen Zhuomo's reply.

"Okay, okay." Wen Zhuomo nodded, he had already stood up excitedly. Suddenly remembering something, he looked at Yu Ru with surprise, "Xiao Ru, your...your voice."

Yu Ru nodded. "Grandpa Wen, it's done."

"Thank God, thank God!" Shi Yanchun happily grabbed Yu Ru's hand. He turned and pulled her to a table of elders to introduce her, "Come, come, let me introduce her to everyone. This child is Yu Ru. She is a close friend of Brother Mo and me, despite the age difference. Brother Mo and I treat her like our own child. Brother Mo was in danger many years ago, and if it weren't for this child's calm and courageous rescue, Brother Mo might not be standing here today."

After she finished speaking, Wen Zhuomo immediately continued, his tone frank and solemn: "This child is young, but she has courage and a sense of propriety. I hope that in the future, if she needs any help, all of you old friends will take care of her. She will bring you surprises."

"Haha, Lao Mo, you don't need to tell us, we'll definitely take good care of her." An old man spoke up. "Remember when I told you I hired a painter to paint a portrait of our ancestral master? He painted five or six portraits, but I wasn't quite satisfied with any of them. Finally, a little boy came along, and hey, he painted one that I was happy with. That little boy who painted my portrait is Yu Ru. This child, so young, her abilities are truly remarkable."

He had told this story countless times in his circle, telling everyone he met that his family was blessed by their ancestral spirit. He commissioned someone to paint a portrait of his family's ancestral spirit, and Yu Ru was the seventh person to do so. The day she finished and hung the portrait up, the old man dreamed that night of someone who resembled his family's ancestral spirit. In the dream, the person expressed great satisfaction with the portrait and praised it highly. After waking up, his family's fortunes had visibly improved considerably. He firmly believed that it was the portrait that had pleased the ancestral spirit, which was why his family was so lucky.

Because of this incident, Yu Ru was rumored to be a salesperson certified by the patriarch, and her reputation as a painter was completely established. She took on many orders in private, and no matter what the business was, as long as it was related to metaphysics, it was extremely profitable. For a period of time, she was making money like crazy.

After listening to the old man's introduction, Wen Zhuomo and Shi Yanchun looked at Yu Ru with some surprise. They knew about the rumor, but due to being busy with work, they hadn't inquired about it in detail. They didn't expect the protagonist to be Yu Ru, and they couldn't help but feel proud.

Wen Zhuomo said with satisfaction, "Xiaoru is now a capable person who can stand on her own."

Yu Ru stood to the side, remaining calm and composed, without a trace of arrogance or unease, her demeanor unchanged. She smiled at the elderly man who had helped her promote her business and said, "Although I was taught painting by the master painter Grandpa Wen when I was young, and developed a bit of a talent for it, Grandpa Chu is a benevolent man who is blessed. Thanks to the blessings of our ancestors, he remembers many details of the appearance of old immortals, which is why I can paint well. If any other seniors are interested, I will be happy to assist them at any time."

As soon as she finished speaking, an elderly person took out their phone to ask for her contact information, and she naturally agreed.