Chapter 2125 - 693: Cinderella, Beautician, Beautiful and Rich Girl (2)

Guided by the attendant, the two of them checked their coats and took the elevator.

They were taken all the way up to the third floor.

At the moment the elevator doors opened,

what came into view was an even more breath‑stealing world.

It was roughly more than two hundred square meters.

The lighting was soft, the background music elegant.

On the long table were laid out exquisite desserts and a champagne tower.

A few waiters wove through the space, their movements deferential yet rhythmic.

There weren’t many guests coming and going, barely a dozen or so, and almost all of them were women.

They clustered together, talking and laughing, scent and silhouettes mingling.

The jewelry they wore shimmered with diamond light under the lamps, more dazzling than the crystal chandeliers overhead.

Each of them emanated a certain aura.

An aura that fused Fortune, status, and confidence.

Even Ding Yao, who was usually carefree and outspoken, unconsciously straightened her back at this moment.

She reined in her usual joking and fooling around.

Her family did have some money, her mother ran a restaurant business that was doing well, but she knew clearly that she was still far from being able to reach this level of social circle.

This time she was able to come entirely because her father worked as a Consultant for that medical beauty chain.

By chance he got connected with that major shareholder, and that was how he obtained this membership card.

But it was only temporary; if one wanted to truly join,

not only did you need at least two formal members to recommend you, you also had to go through an extremely strict qualification review, plus an annual fee as high as tens of thousands of yuan.

This was also why she wanted to bring a friend along—she was really afraid of feeling awkward.

She quietly squeezed Qian Lele’s hand and whispered, "Don’t be nervous, we’ll just keep a low profile later. Once that major shareholder shows up, my dad already mentioned me to her before, I’ll go introduce myself then. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll just head straight to the SPA room upstairs and enjoy ourselves."

"Mm." Qian Lele nodded, but her palm was already slightly sweaty.

She did her best to maintain a calm expression.

Yet her pair of beautiful phoenix eyes still couldn’t help but roam around the room.

This club called "TC,"

was not just luxurious; it was more like a metaphor for a certain "social class."

Every lamp here, every soft burst of laughter,

made her feel as if she were standing right on the threshold of a brand‑new world.

Small and at a loss.

...

Under the attendant’s guidance, the two each took a glass of brightly colored juice.

Then they began to wander cautiously around the club, like two little ducklings who had strayed into Swan Lake.

They didn’t dare initiate conversation with anyone; they merely passed quietly by one lively little circle after another.

At their ears drifted topics that they could understand, yet not fully understand.

From the latest Fashion Week runway pieces, to some private bank’s newly launched Family Trust product, and then...

"...I heard Isa Beauty Industry is really going all‑in this time. Their next branch store is going straight into Huamao Center opposite Imperial City SKP!"

"So they’re stepping out of Yan Province, straight to the Imperial City."

"Of course. With President Qian backing them, President Zhang is feeling very confident these days."

...

Hearing the title "President Qian,"

Ding Yao’s steps faltered. She immediately grabbed Qian Lele’s hand and whispered into her ear, "President Qian... that’s the shareholder I told you about, and also the big boss here."

As she spoke, she tugged Lele along, pretending to admire a painting nearby.

They quietly positioned themselves at the fringe of this circle, ears pricked.

A woman dressed in full finance‑elite style held a glass of champagne, smiling as she said, "You still don’t know? President Qian’s identity goes far beyond being just a shareholder of Isa Beauty Industry."

She paused, enjoying the curious gazes cast her way, and drawled, "Last time I went to the Imperial City for a charity gala, I happened to run into President Qian, and that was when I was invited into the TC Club. She is a board member of the Smile Charity Foundation."

"Smile Charity Foundation?!"

"A board member? Are you serious?"

The few women who had been conversing elegantly just now changed expressions in an instant.

The others, hearing the commotion, also came over curiously to join the crowd.

Qian Lele and Ding Yao were thus swept into the middle of the surging throng, feeling somewhat nervous.

They didn’t understand any of this; all they could do was listen hard to the "buzz buzz buzz" of conversation around them.

Very soon, through everyone’s discussion, the two girls gradually came to grasp the weight of that name.

They were both startled.

The Smile Charity Foundation turned out to be a non‑public foundation initiated and established by the legendary Smile Holding, bringing together countless well‑known entrepreneurs and socialites.

Anyone able to join it was without exception a big figure with tremendous Influence in their own field.

Ding Yao’s face grew a bit pale, her heart anxious and uneasy.

She had originally hoped to leverage her father’s status to chat with this mysterious "President Qian" for a bit, to see whether, by virtue of their similar age, she might cultivate a good rapport.

Even just leaving an impression would make the trip worthwhile.

But seeing how things were now, how could she still dare!

"Lele..." Ding Yao quietly tugged at her friend’s hem and whispered into her ear, "Why don’t we... just go straight upstairs for a SPA? After that we can play some games or something in the recreation room on the fourth floor."

Qian Lele glanced at her expression and instantly understood what she was thinking. She nodded lightly, "Okay."

Being here, she actually felt somewhat unable to breathe as well.

The main thing was, everyone around was a stranger, and their aura was so strong.

Just as the two were heading toward the door,

that heavy carved door was suddenly pushed open from the outside, slowly.