The higher the echelon, the smaller the inner circle becomes. At the apex of this power pyramid, there were only nine Standing Committee members, the entire committee numbering just twenty-five, from which this hierarchical structure cascaded downward like a golden monument. It was, therefore, hardly surprising that the children and descendants of these leaders, situated atop this pyramid, were rooted in a few particularly specialized schools. So, the situation stood as it did: though Qu Jingyou was two grades below Yang Ru, they had attended the same primary and middle schools. Both were notably tall girls, and they frequently ran into each other during holiday visits when their parents took them calling, or when they met while congregating with their cliques, playing within the grounds of some grand compound. It would have been stranger had they not known each other! It was precisely for this reason that Yang Ru had once questioned Wang Zhuo, asking why he had inexplicably handed the North American market for the Life Ark weight-loss product to Qu Jingyou. Yang Ru knew Qu Jingyou was capable; she lacked neither ability nor competence. But to plunge straight into commerce without any prior experience or foundation, and to seize hold of a foreign market with such vast potential right out of the gate, was utterly baffling to her. Later, when Yang Ru, through misfortune turned blessing, secured the Western European market, Qu Jingyou hadn't drawn too many conclusions. Wang Zhuo had once stung the Yang family in the stock market—a scandal that had been widely publicized. Although the fallout eventually fizzled out, like thunder without rain, clearly the Yang family had been the one to suffer the loss. Thus, Qu Jingyou assumed Wang Zhuo giving the Western European market to the Yang family was merely a form of mutually beneficial cooperation, a "carrot-and-stick" approach. Little did Jingyou suspect that the partner in this arrangement was not the Yang family at all, but Yang Ru herself. Wang Zhuo had become increasingly addicted to playing games with her after that, especially given Yang Ru's status as a married woman, which only heightened the thrill for him; savoring her company brought an exceptional delight!

The interior space of the A380 was vast, and because every inch was literally gold, the finishing materials used were exceedingly light yet cutting-edge, boasting world-leading technology. The small lounge on the second deck was actually quite generous, measuring around forty square meters—spacious enough even for an average home. This was where the sheer dominance of the A380’s size became apparent; this single lounge was wider than the cabin of a Bombardier Challenger 850 business jet. Apart from the luxury liner, no other mode of transport in the world could configure such an extravagantly sized "small living room." As for the other "Grand Lounge," that was effectively a multi-purpose hall. Si Yuan had planned from the very beginning that it could easily host a small fashion show! There were precedents for holding parties, or even jewelry or fashion shows, aboard aircraft. Si Yuan’s design was inspired by Qi Fei’s creativity; hosting such lavish gatherings was an excellent method for consolidating one's network, so Si Yuan had invested considerable effort into this feature.

Yang Ru and the sisters Yingying and Yanyan were the first to arrive in the small lounge. From the moment they laid eyes on the golden Xiangyun aircraft, they were struck silent. While there were plenty of photographs and videos of the plane online, seeing it firsthand revealed just how majestic and spectacularly luxurious it was. Stepping inside the cabin, the reality was even more overwhelming. The surreal décor made the three women feel as if they had stepped into a dream, transported to a science fiction world. Every door responded to automatic sensors, the lighting shifted softly and smoothly at will, and they even had an elevator—a feature they had previously only seen in manned rockets, never associated with an airplane!

"I feel like we're the Willow Tree Grandma entering the Grand View Garden," Yingying whispered to Yanyan. Yanyan chuckled softly in response, "I want to snap a few pictures and brag about it on my blog." In truth, Yanyan was not the only one seized by the urge to photograph. Yang Ru had been suppressing the same impulse for some time. Bloggers were increasingly prevalent these days, and she was one of them. Especially given her distinctive face, which bore an uncanny resemblance to a serpentine spirit—though she generally maintained a low profile about it—at least eighty percent of her blog followers were drawn there because of her looks. However, snapping photos without the owner's permission was decidedly rude. So, Yanyan merely voiced her thought, and Yang Ru absolutely had to maintain distance from Wang Zhuo. Even if she took pictures, she wouldn't dare post them on her blog; otherwise, anyone familiar with the interior of this aircraft would recognize the location, causing significant trouble. "You ladies can come visit often. Fly over on Friday and return Sunday afternoon; the timing is perfect," Yang Ru said with a smile. "Relationships require nurturing; if you don't see each other for too long, be careful some people might forget they have two goddaughters." Yingying and Yanyan blushed, giggling stealthily. Yang Ru couldn't quite discern if they were genuinely shy or just feigning it, muttering internally with a mixture of exasperation and amusement: What a pair of little vixens.

Seated beside them was Bai Lu, whose beauty and figure brought a certain pressure to bear on Yingying and Yanyan. Yang Ru, however, felt little by way of competition. If a powerful, influential man didn't keep a few colorful trinkets around him, it would be bizarre. She recalled scenes from television dramas where, immediately after Lord Heshen finished his ablutions, beautiful attendants would swiftly and delicately wipe him clean with soft, fragrant silk kerchiefs; Heshen simply had to present his rear—that wasn't mere fantasy cooked up by screenwriters and directors; it was an established practice, whether in ancient or modern times!

In Yang Ru's mind, Wang Zhuo was an extremist, yet his extremity was something one simultaneously loved and hated. His capacity for making money was extreme; no one in the world could rival him—not even internet giants, resource magnates, or business titans could touch him. And in his private life, he was just as extreme; he had an absolute knack for handling women! A man like this, Yang Ru dared neither to love nor to hate; in truth, she had long since ceased to feel hatred. Moreover, she had developed a total susceptibility to Wang Zhuo, as if poisoned; by the time she realized it, it was too late to pull herself free.

As they chatted idly, the door to the lounge gently brightened, then slowly swung open. Wang Zhuo, beaming and clearly in high spirits, walked in easily with his female companion, Qu Jingyou. "Eh?" The moment she entered, Qu Jingyou stopped dead, utterly stunned. Although the two exquisitely beautiful twins, Yingying and Yanyan, were undeniably eye-catching, her gaze immediately locked onto Yang Ru. This was simply too much to take in! Qu Jingyou couldn't have possibly imagined that the mysterious woman Wang Zhuo had always refused to name would turn out to be Yang Ru! Firstly, Yang Ru was a married woman; secondly, Wang Zhuo and the Yang family had a known history of conflict; and thirdly, Wang Zhuo had joked that tonight would be a "threesome." Even if Qu Jingyou had dismissed it as mere banter, if the joke involved Yang Ru, didn't that imply Wang Zhuo had already brought her completely under his control?! In stark contrast to Qu Jingyou's look of shock, Yang Ru merely froze for an instant upon seeing her, then accepted the unexpected turn of events, offering a somewhat strained nod.

Wang Zhuo savored their rich tapestry of expressions, his heart blooming with silent delight. He had known these two were old acquaintances, and seeing them finally meet, their splendid reactions certainly lived up to his expectation for this reunion! "You are old acquaintances; I won't bother with formal introductions," Wang Zhuo chuckled, turning to Yingying and Yanyan. "Let me introduce... This is Miss Qu Jingyou, the North American CEO of the Life Ark project, my senior partner." Yingying and Yanyan had already risen to their feet and politely greeted Qu Jingyou upon hearing Wang Zhuo’s introduction. Only then did Qu Jingyou notice the two stunning twin beauties standing nearby! She couldn't help but wonder where Wang Zhuo had found such exquisite creatures, and what connection they had with Yang Ru to be present here. "These are Yingying and Yanyan," Wang Zhuo continued, turning back to her with a smile. "Since you've been abroad so much, you might not know; they are studying performance at the Beijing Film Academy—they're somewhat famous online." Qu Jingyou nodded, saying sincerely, "Such beautiful twins... it would be strange if they weren't famous." Wang Zhuo grinned, then dropped a bombshell: "They are my goddaughters." Qu Jingyou was instantly stunned, fried inside and out. Suppressing the urge to lash out, she playfully glared at Wang Zhuo. "Sit down, sit down," Wang Zhuo waved expansively, inviting everyone onto the sofas, then instructed Bai Lu, "Bring a pot of Longjing tea." Bai Lu left. Wang Zhuo broke the silence, "Why are you all staring at each other? Don't you know each other? Why aren't you talking?" Yang Ru offered a self-deprecating smile and remained quiet. Qu Jingyou clearly lacked experience in handling such awkward social situations. However, her personality was certainly more outgoing than Yang Ru's, so she spoke first: "It really has been a long time. I heard Sister Yang's sales over there are doing quite well?" Wang Zhuo nodded subtly. Qu Jingyou certainly came from a reputable background; her ability to manage situations was first-rate. By immediately steering the conversation toward business matters, she had skillfully dissolved the awkwardness arising from her and Yang Ru's respective positions. Indeed, Yang Ru smoothed her expression, regaining her composure, and replied with a smile, "Reasonably well. Relations between the Western European countries are quite close, although perhaps not as tightly knit as the various states in America." In fact, the market capacity for Life Ark in Western Europe and North America was roughly similar: Western Europe had four hundred million people, mostly developed nations, while North America had five hundred million, though Mexico, accounting for one hundred million, was economically average. Once these two opened up the topic, they quickly fell into discussion. In reality, they had an immense amount to talk about. If not for their connection to Wang Zhuo, given their respective roles as Western European and North American CEOs, meeting once or twice a month would be perfectly normal. This was precisely the scene Wang Zhuo enjoyed witnessing. As for his harem, encouraging them to find common ground was the best balm for promoting harmony! He smiled faintly with deep meaning, turning to one of the twins, "Yingying, what do you think of Daddy's plane?" The two girls' eyes lit up. The girl addressed by Wang Zhuo was a mixture of surprise and delight, and she answered with a question instead: "How did you know I was Yingying?" Even the most identical twins have subtle differences, and after spending so much time together, recognizing them with some certainty was achievable. But Wang Zhuo hadn't seen them in over three months, and yet he could instantly distinguish the elder from the younger—this was truly miraculous! "Such rudeness! How do you speak to an elder like that?" Wang Zhuo huffed. "First, call me 'Godfather' for me to hear!" "Godfather!" "Godfather!" The two girls instantly called out in unison with crisp, mischievous voices, causing Qu Jingyou and Yang Ru, who were mid-conversation, to turn their heads. Those two "Godfather" calls were like a kitten's claws scratching Wang Zhuo's heart, stirring a delicious, tingling sensation throughout his entire body, bringing comfort to every pore.