Shinra finally agreed.
There was no other reason. They simply offered too much.
Besides, Shinra wasn't the ungrateful type. Although his great uncle wanted to grab him to be a workhorse, the compensation was fully provided, even excessively generous.
If Shinra didn't have the wish-power system, he might have obediently submitted. But unfortunately, his ambitions now lay elsewhere. At least, he wouldn't put his main energy into this.
But what Shinra didn't understand was, why did his great uncle want to pull him along to the dinner party? To show him connections and financial power?
Probably not. His great uncle's methods shouldn't be that crude.
But if not that, then what was the intention?
Shinra didn't think his great uncle would idly take him to an insignificant banquet. It must be understood that for someone of his great uncle's level to be invited, the guests attending the dinner wouldn't have low status.
But as of now, Shinra had no use for such high-level connections. Even if he made contact, it wouldn't be useful. Therefore, he couldn't quite grasp the intentions of the Mori family head.
This was where the drawback of Emotion Perception became apparent. Although Shinra could sense his great uncle's emotions, he didn't know his specific plans. Moreover, for a big shot like his great uncle, who had navigated the business world for many years, his control over his own emotions was extraordinary.
Despite their playful banter and arguments just now, in Shinra's perception, the other party's emotions had remained extremely stable, rarely fluctuating. No clues could be seen at all.
Against this kind of person, Emotion Perception was almost useless.
Since he couldn't figure it out, Shinra decided not to overthink it. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. He would find out what his great uncle was planning when he went tonight.
It's not like his great uncle would harm him, right?
...
At the Yukinoshita home, the Yukinoshita mother, wearing a kimono with her hair tied neatly, was meticulously helping Haruno adjust her attire, striving for perfection so that no one could see the slightest breach of etiquette.
Haruno, who usually acted cynical and playful, was now like a puppet, letting her mother fuss over her. Feeling a bit bored, Haruno's gaze couldn't help but drift towards the living room.
On the living room sofa, Yukino sat demurely, holding a paperback book and flipping through it absentmindedly.
For her, coming home was basically equivalent to being in prison. This wasn't to say her mother treated her like a criminal; in fact, her mother treated her very well, taking excellent care of every aspect of her life.
She felt like coming home was imprisonment because every time she returned, she felt like an insignificant person. Her mother's gaze was always on her older sister, while she was more like a vase displayed in the home—pretty, but serving no other purpose.
Before long, Haruno and the Yukinoshita mother emerged from the room. Haruno was now wearing a pure black, off-the-shoulder evening gown. The delicate silk fabric was adorned with countless tiny diamonds, outlining her graceful figure.
The slit of the skirt was not high, revealing only a length of smooth, fair calf, contrasting sharply with the black fabric.
Exquisite makeup, expensive jewelry, a dignified aura—a seemingly perfect Yukinoshita family heiress appeared in Yukino's line of sight.
Yukino watched the extravagantly dressed Haruno, a trace of envy flashing in her eyes.
She knew her sister was about to attend a banquet as the family heiress again.
"Haruno, as the heiress of the Yukinoshita family, remember to always be mindful of your etiquette at the banquet. You must not disgrace the Yukinoshita name." The Yukinoshita mother instructed meticulously.
"The host of this dinner party is very influential in Tokyo. Although it doesn't directly involve the family's business, you can use this opportunity to expand your network. You never know when it might be useful. Of course, you must also be careful to discern those with ulterior motives. I trust you know what to do."
"If possible, remember to ask your classmate about that recent building materials order from Tokyo. Although a letter of intent has been signed, and the other party is a well-known large conglomerate, it's best to confirm things again before signing the formal contract, just to be safe."
The Yukinoshita family had recently received a building materials order from a large Tokyo conglomerate. The order was huge, requiring the Yukinoshita family to utilize most of the company's liquid capital. If anything went wrong, it would be a devastating blow. Likewise, if the contract was completed successfully, the Yukinoshita family would receive extremely generous returns and gain a share of the Tokyo building materials market.
Although the Yukinoshita family had already used various methods to basically confirm the authenticity of the order, their foundation was ultimately in Chiba. They knew very little about the situation in Tokyo. Therefore, the Yukinoshita family couldn't be sure if there were any hidden pitfalls in the order.
Just as the Yukinoshita mother was hesitating, Haruno happened to receive an invitation from a classmate to attend a high-profile dinner party in Tokyo.
In this project, the Yukinoshita family's construction company was only one of the building material suppliers, and not even a top-ranking one. For a project of this scale, even if the local Tokyo celebrities and dignitaries at the dinner party weren't participating, they must have heard something about it.
From the mouths of these influential people, they might be able to get some information the Yukinoshita family hadn't managed to find, which would help the Yukinoshita mother decide whether or not to accept this massive order.
With all preparations complete, the Yukinoshita mother personally watched Haruno get into the car. Standing in front of the mansion's imposing gate, she watched the taillights disappear around the bend at the end of the road.
Withdrawing her gaze, she returned to the living room, only to find her younger daughter had already gone upstairs to rest. She shook her head and continued with her own tasks.
...
Only after the car had completely driven away from the Yukinoshita residence did Haruno finally relax. She leaned her back against the soft, brown-red leather seatback and operated the panel by her hand to separate the rear cabin from the driver's compartment.
There was no music playing. Only the sound of wind rushing past the traveling car filled her ears. Haruno rested her chin on her hand, quietly gazing at the scenery outside the window, her mind contemplating the situations she might face at the dinner party.
The person who invited Haruno to the dinner party was her university classmate. Their relationship was good, but not so good that the other person would voluntarily extend her social resources to her. At least, that's what Haruno believed.
Furthermore, although her classmate's family was prominent, her own position within the family wasn't high. She hadn't reached the point where she could introduce outsiders into that circle.
Despite the Yukinoshita family's fame in Chiba, in the eyes of Tokyo's elite, they were merely rural nouveaux riches, a third-rate family considered unpresentable.
Therefore, this whole affair felt strange from beginning to end. It was as if an indescribable, large hand was manipulating everything. This feeling made Haruno very uneasy.
But regardless of who was behind the scenes or what their scheme was, Haruno knew very well that she did not have the power to refuse.
Moreover, a banquet of this level could indeed provide what she, and the Yukinoshita family behind her, needed. Therefore, as the Yukinoshita heiress, she had to bear the corresponding responsibility. If she failed to do it well, this heavy burden would fall onto her younger sister, Yukino.
At that time, Yukino would also lose the power to 'refuse', which was absolutely unacceptable in Haruno's view.
So, whether for the sake of the family or her sister, she had to attend this 'treacherous feast'. And she had to handle it beautifully, leaving no room for criticism.
"Sigh..."
Thinking of this, Haruno couldn't help but let out a long sigh. Her slender, pale fingers pinched the bridge of her throbbing nose. Her stunningly beautiful face showed a rare expression of fatigue. Perhaps only when she was alone could she briefly lower her facade and breathe.
She wondered what that kid Shinra was doing. Her mother still didn't know about his relationship with Yukino. This was the result of Haruno's deliberate concealment.
At least until the two of them officially confirmed their relationship, Haruno didn't want her mother to interfere. It wasn't that she worried her mother would break them up. In fact, given Shinra's family background, her mother might even play matchmaker. But if that happened, their feelings would inevitably be mixed with some falsehoods. This was something Haruno didn't want to see and had always tried hard to avoid.
Haruno's thoughts began to drift. She didn't know how much time had passed, but the traffic outside the car window gradually became denser, the sound of horns rose and fell, and the surrounding buildings changed from rural single-family homes to towering skyscrapers.
As the vehicle pulled into the hotel's reception driveway, Haruno arrived at tonight's banquet venue.
The reception staff did not ask Haruno for any invitation-like items, because the hotel had already registered the license plate numbers of all invited guests in advance. Guests without an invitation couldn't even enter the hotel's gates.
Haruno got out of the car. A hostess guided her towards the banquet location, while her driver was led by another valet to a dedicated lounge to wait for the evening to conclude.
Just as Haruno stepped into the banquet hall, she saw the classmate who had invited her.
"Oh, Haruno, you're here!" The classmate greeted her in an exaggerated tone while walking towards her.
But upon seeing Haruno's exquisite appearance, which was enough to make every other woman present pale in comparison, a trace of jealousy and displeasure flashed quickly in this female classmate's eyes, only to be immediately masked by a smile.
"Reiko, thank you for the invitation." Haruno, with a cordial smile on her face, quickened her pace to go and chat with her.
Although the other person hid it well, Haruno still sharp-eyed caught Reiko's fleeting displeasure. She simply pretended not to see it.
Jealousy is a human instinct.
In fact, Haruno was well aware that dressing so beautifully would likely displease some people. But only in this way could she quickly attract enough attention to become one of the centers of the banquet. She could then use this to find out the information she wanted and make valuable connections.
Beauty is a powerful tool in socializing, and Haruno's use of this weapon had long since reached the pinnacle.
As for Reiko's bit of displeasure, Haruno dispelled it with just a few sentences. The two of them, like the closest of sisters, walked hand-in-hand into the magnificent reception hall.
The reception hall was bustling with people. The air was filled with the faint scent of perfume and the subtle aroma of wine.
The men wore respectable formal attire, their leather shoes shined brightly. They stood tall, all wearing appropriate smiles.
The women, on the other hand, wore splendid outfits, their long gowns trailing. Their jewelry glittered brightly under the lights.
With just a few simple glances, Haruno recognized several famous celebrities and some figures who frequently appeared in business magazines.
They were either talking softly in groups of two or three, or sitting alone on the soft leather sofas.
Waiters carrying drinks moved back and forth among them, creating a unique scene of extravagant indulgence.
Haruno silently observed everything around her, contemplating her next move while occasionally responding to Reiko's words.
It was still the pre-banquet waiting period. Although the scheduled start time had already passed, no one from the host's side had stepped out to officially announce the start of the banquet.
Regarding this, none of the guests present showed any impatience. Everyone was waiting patiently, as if they knew some inside information.
Seeing this, Haruno, somewhat curious, quietly asked Reiko beside her.
"The banquet hasn't started yet. Who are they waiting for?"
Reiko replied in an equally soft voice: "I'm not too sure either, but I heard it's a very important big shot."
Haruno was speechless upon hearing this. What's the difference between saying that and saying nothing? Someone who can make the host and so many influential figures wait patiently—how could they not be a big shot?
Looking at Reiko, who knew nothing, Haruno became even more certain of her previous guess. Her ability to attend this dinner party was definitely not because of this classmate by her side.
In the midst of their chat, several more men took the initiative to strike up a conversation. Haruno handled them all politely and calmly. After just a few simple exchanges, the men seemed to realize something and tactfully excused themselves.
Seeing this, Reiko at her side couldn't help but chuckle. "It seems our Haruno is the center of attention wherever she goes."
"Can't you see, Reiko? Among the men who just came over, quite a few were actually here for you."
Reiko's looks weren't bad, but with the overly dazzling Haruno next to her, she seemed plain in comparison.
"Eh~ Really?"
"Of course..."
Haruno picked some pleasant things to say to Reiko. Although Reiko knew Haruno was being deliberate, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curve upwards.
It was obvious she was completely handled by Haruno. Under Haruno's deliberate guidance, Reiko soon divulged information about the Toyokawa Group and even took the initiative to introduce her to some informed parties.
And this Toyokawa Group was precisely the client for the building materials order the Yukinoshita family had received.
In the back-and-forth conversation, Haruno learned that the Toyokawa Group was indeed working on a major ten-billion-yen project recently. The specific details were similar to the intelligence the Yukinoshita family had gathered, basically confirming the authenticity and reliability of the order.
Seeing that the main purpose of her trip had been achieved, Haruno breathed a small sigh of relief.
While the few of them were talking, the chatter in the venue suddenly paused. The guests all turned their gazes towards the entrance of the reception hall. The host of this private banquet was already standing there waiting, having clearly received advance notice. Tonight's most heavyweight 'big shot' was about to arrive...