Chapter 29: You are the only daughter-in-law I will ever accept!

Lin Xianxian merely glanced at her with a smile, then said to Lina, "Guidance? Of course, provided she is willing."

Lina, who truly adored Qin Xinxia, couldn't wait to accept on her behalf: "She is absolutely willing!"

In Lina’s view, Qin Xinxia had always been incredibly diligent and eager whenever she asked for guidance in the past. Moreover, they had often discussed the designer LIN, and Qin Xinxia had frequently expressed her profound admiration for LIN’s work. In fact, the very design that won Qin Xinxia an award had been inspired by LINXIAN! This was a shared interest that had bonded teacher and student. Lina had once promised that if she ever met LIN, she would certainly introduce her to Qin Xinxia. At the time, Qin Xinxia had been overjoyed.

But now, as Lina fulfilled that promise, Qin Xinxia wished she hadn't. The realization that Lin Xianxian was the master while she was merely the student made Qin Xinxia unable to even lift her head.

She couldn't stop thinking about the insults she had just hurled at Lin Xianxian. What was it she had said?

"...This is a design of my own, and while you spend other people's money, I use my own!"

"Lin Xianxian, have you ever considered the value of money in your life? Living off the wealth your parents earned, and now living off Shang Yang's, don't you feel ashamed? You’ve never earned a single cent yourself!"

Recalling this, Qin Xinxia was consumed by shame and humiliation. To Lin Xianxian, her words must have sounded like a joke. After all, not only did Lin Xianxian design her own clothes, but she did so better than Qin Xinxia, and she even owned an internationally renowned brand that Qin Xinxia herself deeply admired. Even the award-winning work that had forged the bond between her and Lina was inspired by Lin Xianxian’s designs! And yet, she had accused Lin Xianxian of lacking her own creative talent and living off others.

Now that she thought about it, Lin Xianxian’s brand had annual sales of nearly ten billion; how could she possibly be short of money? Even if she were using someone else’s money, it was merely her granting them the favor of using it.

Lin Xianxian, who possessed a fortune of tens of billions earned through her own efforts, would never covet such petty sums. Qin Xinxia felt as though her own words were slaps to her face; she was left speechless.

Lina, completely oblivious to her student's distress, assumed she was simply too nervous from meeting her "idol" to speak, and she continued to pull her along to converse with Lin Xianxian. Lin Xianxian maintained an air of calm superiority; though she didn't say a single disparaging word about Qin Xinxia, the mere presence of the woman made Qin Xinxia feel as though she had been diminished by a head.

Not far away, Shang Yang caught the sound of Lin Xianxian’s internal frustration:

*Who? Who on earth is it?! I kept it so well hidden; even my parents, grandparents, and maternal grandparents don't know that I am LIN. Who could have exposed my identity to Lina?*

Shang Yang curled his lips into a smile. He would certainly never admit that he had intentionally arranged for someone to leak it to Lina. Everything was unfolding exactly as he had anticipated. Did Lin Xianxian think she could play out a scene where she was humiliated by Qin Xinxia and forced to flee in disgrace? How could he allow that? His wife would not be humiliated by anyone. Furthermore, since she possessed such talent, it ought to be displayed. He detested it when others looked down on her, assuming she was nothing more than a woman relying on her family background and his indulgence.

Lin Xianxian… she had her own capital.

Yet, as he caught her gaze, Shang Yang felt a flicker of guilt. Avoiding her eyes, he offered a few pleasantries to the guests. Sure enough, the old master soon arrived to announce that Shang Beiming would be taking over as the president of the Shang Corporation. Everyone present already knew this, as Shang Beiming had been acting in the role for over a month. While he hadn't achieved anything remarkable, he had been steady enough. With the old master’s firm backing, no one dared to voice their dissent.

Shang Beiming stepped onto the stage, as full of himself as he had been in the original narrative. To him, the fact that Lin Xianxian was a renowned designer with capabilities far beyond his expectations was of no consequence. In the eyes of the male lead, only his beloved woman mattered. Unaffected, Shang Beiming couldn't wait to introduce Qin Xinxia to everyone after his inauguration speech.

Madam Shang watched her son on stage with pride, but when she turned her gaze toward Qin Xinxia, her expression darkened instantly. She hadn't expected Qin Xinxia to be Lina’s student, and it seemed Lina held her in high regard. Had she known this earlier, she might have viewed Qin Xinxia differently. However, after learning that Lin Xianxian was a peer whom Lina considered a friend, a world-class designer, and the very LIN she so admired—with a company generating ten billion in annual sales—Qin Xinxia’s minor achievements paled in comparison.

Having previously resigned herself to the old master’s wishes, Madam Shang now felt a renewed urge to intervene. She approached Lin Xianxian and whispered, "Xianxian, once Beiming introduces his girlfriend, I will bring you over! You must dance the opening dance with Beiming today! No matter what, you are the only daughter-in-law I will ever accept!"

Lin Xianxian sighed. In the original plot, she would have been present at this moment, but Madam Shang would never have attempted such a thing. Back then, she had "lost her virtue" to Shang Beiming’s uncle, and the old master had already issued a warning to Madam Shang. In the original timeline, Madam Shang had chosen a different socialite she deemed worthy and demanded her son dance with her. However, Shang Beiming, having brought Qin Xinxia there, was not about to let her suffer any slight; he had publicly rejected the girl, shaming his mother, and danced the opening dance with Qin Xinxia instead.

In the original story, that scene had been incredibly satisfying and romantic. But why did she have to be the socialite meant to be humiliated?

Lin Xianxian’s mouth twitched. *System, based on the character settings, should I refuse? This part wasn't in the original story either...*

Before the system could respond, Shang Yang grabbed Lin Xianxian’s hand. She was startled, and before she could react, he had pulled her onto the dance floor.

Shang Beiming’s expression shifted instantly. He hadn't been particularly wary of his uncle, but now, at a banquet where he was supposed to be the protagonist, his uncle had stolen the opening dance. The guests exchanged uneasy glances, and Madam Shang’s face turned black. Meanwhile, those who hoped for Shang Yang to inherit the corporation grew excited.

"It seems," they whispered, "Shang Yang still has his eyes on that position after all."