"Nathaniel, I'm going to the restroom."
Yara Lu quickly stood and left, intending to call Ning Xiner to get more details about the Tsinghua Campus Belle rankings.
······
As soon as Yara left, the men began chatting, their laughter filling the room.
"Mr. Fu, this adopted daughter of the Shen family is truly fascinating. She's just arrived in the Imperial Capital, and already causing a stir."
"Wasn't Mr. Fan completely captivated by some little fairy the other day? Turns out that fairy is this Celia Xian."
"I heard the Shen and Fan families are planning a marriage, so Celia Xian is bound to end up in the Fan family."
"Mr. Fu, do you want to see how beautiful this Celia Xian is?"
Nathaniel Fu leaned back in the main chair, fingers fiddling with an unlit cigarette. He didn't need anyone else to tell him—he already knew the truth. The girl that Fan Jun had been so infatuated with… it was her.
She really attracts men.
Only someone like her could do that.
He raised a faint half-smile. "Have you all seen her?"
"Yes, we have."
Nathaniel's gaze darkened slightly. "And what do you think? What's she like?"
The CEOs glanced at each other, clearly impressed. "She… she looks like a true celestial beauty."
Nathaniel smiled faintly, his eyes deep and unreadable. How could they not know? I know better than anyone how extraordinary she is.
"Let's not let Yara Lu see her yet," one executive teased. "She'll be jealous when she finds out."
"By the way, Celia Xian might not end up in the Fan family after all. There are plenty of young masters in Beijing watching her closely."
"I don't even know how to contact her."
"Do you want her to come over for a… private meeting?"
"Be careful. If Madam Shen finds out you've touched her adopted daughter, she'll come down on you like a thunderstorm."
The men continued excitedly, their conversation circling around Celia's growing fame and allure.
Nathaniel listened quietly for a moment, then rose and left the room.
In the corridor, Secretary Song approached, lowering his voice. "President, I've just confirmed—Miss Su has indeed come to the Imperial Capital. She is now Madam Shen's adopted daughter and has even been admitted to Tsinghua University."
"Miss Su has removed the scars from her face and revealed her true beauty. She is now famous throughout Beijing under the name Celia Xian, and she has already topped the Campus Beauty rankings, tied with Miss Lu for first place."
Secretary Song hesitated, then added, "There is currently a heated debate on the forum about who the real Campus Beauty is: Miss Su or Miss Lu."
Nathaniel raised an eyebrow. "What's your personal opinion, Song?"
Secretary Song paused. This is a dangerous question… "President, personally, I think… they each have their own unique qualities. Miss Su is undeniably gorgeous, but Miss Lu has inner beauty and is a truly exceptional student. Celia's advantage lies in appearance, while Yara's strength is in talent and grace."
Nathaniel smirked subtly. Inner beauty… a compliment that Yara would never fully accept. Yet he could not deny the truth: in terms of sheer appearance, Celia outshone her.
Even the men's chatter confirmed it. They could not stop talking about Celia Xian. Every man noticed her allure—no one could ignore it.
And now, she had come to the Imperial Capital.
He hadn't expected her arrival.
Why now? What is she doing here?
Nathaniel picked up a cigarette, the familiar burn of nicotine calming the stir of emotions inside him. He hadn't thought about her in a long time; life had gone on as usual.
Yet now, with her presence looming in the city, everything felt different. After all… I raised her.
He exhaled slowly, a faint tension in his chest. Tomorrow… I have to be at National Tsing Hua University for my lecture.
Even amidst the casual conversation of the men, Nathaniel couldn't shake the thought: Celia Xian was more than just a student or a beauty. She had returned, and with her, something unspoken stirred in him—a mixture of responsibility, recognition, and an inexplicable pull he could not ignore.