Three days later.
Banquet hall of the Shenanigan Hotel.
Lin Rui had just returned to the Lin Family the day before when she was informed of Shivam Shen's "wife selection event."
The heir of the Shen Family selecting a wife was more grandiose than the emperor choosing concubines.
All the Lin Family girls of marriageable age were present, each dressed in formal gowns, styled to rival red carpet celebrities, waiting for Shivam's decree.
To everyone else, Lin Rui was as unremarkable as a country chicken, not worth a second glance. Since she wouldn't be chosen anyway, she quietly enjoyed the food.
"Mr. Shen is here!"
Immediately, everyone looked up towards the entrance of the banquet hall.
A line of people walked in from the entrance, five or six men, each one handsome. The one in the center was Shivam Shen.
At a height of 186cm, dressed in a custom-made suit, he strode in with a crowd surrounding him.
The warm lighting cast shadows across his broad shoulders, outlining his strikingly handsome face, with features like those sculpted by an artist—so privileged and good-looking.
Lin Rui glanced at him before lowering her head and continuing to eat her chicken in the corner.
At that moment, after scanning the banquet hall, Shivam finally set his gaze on Lin Rui, who was in the corner eating chicken with her head down.
Everyone else also followed his gaze.
The girl was wearing a hoodie-style dress, with two braids, nerdy black-rimmed glasses on her face, holding a chicken leg in her hand and enjoying herself as if she hadn't eaten meat for many years—ugly, plain, and greedy.
"That one there, eating the chicken leg, Miss Lin," Shivam spoke in a deep voice.
Suddenly, gasps filled the entire banquet hall, and even Elder Lin was startled, asking uncertainly, "Shivam, do you mean that girl with the braided pigtails?"
Shivam Shen looked calmly at Elder Lin and nodded slightly. "Yes, Grandpa Lin, she must be your granddaughter as well?"
Elder Lin nodded. "She is Lin Rui, who has been living in the countryside and was just brought back to the Lin Family the day before yesterday."
Shivam's handsome face showed no emotion, but his eyes revealed a hint of understanding—it turned out she was the sixth Miss of the Lin Family, raised in the countryside.
"Hmm, that's her," Shivam confirmed seriously.
Elder Lin set his gaze on Lin Rui, somewhat puzzled, but he still called out loudly, "Lin Rui, come here."
When Lin Rui heard her grandfather call her and felt the atmosphere was off, she realized that she had suddenly become the center of attention.
Instantly, she choked on a piece of chicken, her face turning red in a flash.
Lin Rui inwardly scoffed: even looking as unattractive as she did, how could she become the center of attention? Could it be that the force was so strong it resulted in an equal and opposite reaction?
Shivam glanced at the girl who was choking and took a glass of water from a waiter's tray, heading towards Lin Rui.
The people in the banquet hall immediately cleared a way spontaneously, the man's tall figure exuding nobility with each composed step, his whole body radiating an aura that made people voluntarily submit.
Watching the man, who seemed like a deity, approaching her.
Lin Rui's first instinct was to flee.
Feeling guilty, Lin Rui immediately lowered her head, not looking at Shivam's face.
In a blink, Shivam was already in front of her.
He looked down at Lin Rui, whose large black-framed glasses were thick-rimmed and covered nearly half of her palm-sized face.
Her face was very ordinary, with some freckles, not at all clean, making it look even dirtier but not enough to fool Shivam's experienced eyes which found some astonishing interest in it.
The only thing worth noting was her hair, dark and shiny, with natural highlights at her bangs.
At this moment, Lin Rui's heart pounded like a drum, particularly uncomfortable with a piece of meat stuck in her throat.
She wanted to run away, but then a glass of water was handed to her.
The hand holding the glass, with long fingers and distinct knuckles, had a flowing and proportionate shape, astonishingly attractive.
Lin Rui stared at the hand, dumbfounded for a moment. That evening, those hands had certainly sparked a fire.
Shivam's deep voice rang out, "Have some water."
"Thank you." Keeping her head down, Lin Rui never lifted it, taking the glass with her slender, pale hands and gulping down two big sips of water, finally easing the chunk of meat down her throat.
Then, she shifted her downcast gaze slightly, a fleeting cunning spark in her eyes as she shoved the chicken-greased glass back to Shivam.
The entire action was so quick that it left the man no time to refuse, and of course, the grease smeared onto his hand as well.
Shivam glanced at the girl's greasy hand and the oily glass in his, his brows knitting together.
Why did he get the feeling that this rustic girl had deliberately greased his hand on purpose?
Shivam's sharp gaze narrowed, just as he opened his mouth to speak.
Lin Rui had already walked toward Elder Lin, not giving him a chance to speak.
Shivam's hawk-like eyes followed the girl's retreating figure.
Lin Rui felt as if there were blades on her back.
Without turning around, she could still feel the man's piercing gaze, fixed on her back at that moment.
Lin Rui straightened her spine and approached Elder Lin, speaking obediently, "Grandpa, you called for me?"
Elder Lin looked at his granddaughter, who was not outstanding in any way, feeling repulsion in his heart, his eyes also displaying impatience.
But he did not show it too much, just silently sighing to himself, wondering what Shivam was thinking to have chosen Lin Rui.
Elder Lin spoke, "Lin Rui, Shivam has chosen you to be his future wife."
Lin Rui never expected she would be chosen today when she was at her ugliest.
Does Mr. Shen have a sickness?
She couldn't deny that the man before her was striking both in appearance and presence; wherever he went, he was an entity that couldn't be ignored.
He was looking at her, one hand in his pocket, with an attitude that seemed he owned the world, his expression carrying an intense coerciveness.
Under the sharp gaze of Shivam, Lin Rui averted her eyes and asked Elder Lin, "Grandpa, can I refuse?"
Elder Lin looked at Lin Rui in shock, thinking he had misheard.
The whole room was stunned as well, looking at Lin Rui in disbelief.
This country girl must be crazy to actually say she wants to refuse Mr. Shen.
Shivam narrowed his eyes at Lin Rui, the sharpness and pressure in his gaze making it hard to look him in the eye.
She actually refused him! What audacity.
Lin Rui kept looking at Elder Lin, her expression very serious, not joking.
Shivan gave a cold laugh and said, "Miss Lin, may I know why you want to refuse?"
Lin Rui pursed her lips, hesitated for a long while, but finally said, "I'm not worthy of you."
"Tell the truth." Shivam's tone brooked no refusal, nor lying.
Lin Rui paused, and with a stiff upper lip said, "I think you're too good-looking, which tends to attract romantic troubles."
Shivam's eyes grew more oppressive, "Are you complimenting me, Miss Lin?"
"Not really." Lin Rui shook her head, looking quite naive, "Actually, I'm more afraid that your private life is messy and you might infect me with a disease."
Shivam's expression darkened.
"Lin Rui." Elder Lin scolded angrily. "Stop talking nonsense."
Lin Rui pursed her lips;
Seeing Lin Rui like this, Shivam's lips curled, a dangerous and sharp interest flickering in his dark eyes, "Miss Lin has quite the vivid imagination, but neither of us has the right to refuse."
Lin Rui pressed her lips together in silence; it seemed Shivam was not as respected in the Shen Family as it appeared, restrained at every turn, much like herself right now.
Considering the situation, the two of them were in a way, kindred spirits.
Shivam turned to the elder and said, "Grandpa Lin, Lin Rui will be my future wife. I apologize, but I have other matters and must leave first."
Although Elder Lin was displeased, he still nodded.
Shivam had been there for no more than five minutes, chosen Lin Rui, and left.
With his departure, the hall erupted into chaos.
Lin Rui glanced at Elder Lin's displeased face, remaining silent.
Elder Lin's expression was cold, "Since he's chosen you, you better prepare yourself. Marrying into the Shen Family is a stroke of fortune for you."
Lin Rui held back, but ultimately asked, "Grandpa, does that mean I can't refuse after all?"
Elder Lin nodded. "Right, Shivam is correct, you have no right to refuse."
Lin Rui frowned slightly and said, "Understood, I'll be leaving now. Goodbye, Grandpa."
Elder Lin spoke displeased, "Where are you going?"
"Back to rest," said Lin Rui.
"Let the driver take you."
"No need, I'll walk myself," She refused Elder Lin.
As soon as she left the hotel, she felt a chill.
"Country bumpkin! Stop right there!"