Unrivaled Soldier in the City-Chapter 158: Unexpected Guest

While Lin Kuang and the Liu sisters were chatting, important figures began to arrive one after another. After Lin Kuang’s earlier outburst, no one was foolish enough to bother him.

Around nine o’clock, Lin Guo’er made her entrance, gliding into the grand hall in a white evening gown. As the prospective bride, she was the natural focal point of the ceremony. Her innate beauty only served to make her the most eye-catching person in the room.

Though she had never attended such a ceremony, Lin Guo’er saw it for what it was: a large-scale social gathering, an environment to which she was no stranger. Consequently, her performance was commendable. She maintained a constant smile, doing her utmost to project a ladylike demeanor.

Inwardly, she was cursing her head off. She had been smiling nonstop since the evening began, and her face was about to freeze stiff. The feeling was absolutely unbearable.

While smiling and greeting guests, her beautiful eyes scanned the room for Lin Kuang. Finally, she spotted him in a corner, eating and drinking with a smiling Liu Shilin and Liu Shiyu.

A sense of relief washed over Lin Guo’er upon seeing this, and she nodded toward the two sisters. When her gaze fell on Lin Kuang, however, it filled with indignation. Here I am, dressed so beautifully, and that bastard is just stuffing his face. He’s an absolute scoundrel! she fumed, making a mental note to deal with him later.

Just then, the members of the Zhao Family from East Sea made their entrance. Zhao Shunyang was clad in a light-blue tailcoat that complemented his fair complexion. He projected a sunny and somewhat scholarly aura, a far cry from the lecherous womanizer Lin Guo’er had described.

Of course, this was only the surface visible to outsiders. Only those closest to him knew what Zhao Shunyang was truly like.

Lin Kuang, who had been busy eating, also looked up. His eyes landed on Zhao Shunyang, and he observed the man with a faint smile, curious to see what Lin Guo’er’s fiancé was like.

The Zhao and Lin families were now conversing amicably, their faces beaming as they discussed the marriage between Zhao Shunyang and Lin Guo’er. Lin Guo’er kept a smile plastered on her face, while Zhao Shunyang stood beside her, also smiling as he looked at her.

To Lin Guo’er, however, the more she looked at Zhao Shunyang, the more repulsive he became. His gaze, in particular, felt utterly sinister. The truth was that Zhao Shunyang was quite handsome, but because Lin Guo’er simply despised him, all of his good qualities became flaws in her eyes.

"Guo’er, you look truly beautiful today," Zhao Shunyang praised sincerely, standing by her side.

Lin Guo’er offered a slight smile. "Is that so? You look quite nice today as well."

"Thank you. I took special care to dress up for you," Zhao Shunyang replied with a smile.

Zhao Shunyang had always been very fond of Lin Guo’er, but she consistently gave him the cold shoulder. Since he had his own affairs to manage, they had few opportunities to meet. He was determined to win her over, so when conventional courtship failed, he proposed a marriage alliance. The Lin Family, enticed by his family’s status, readily agreed.

Whether Lin Guo’er agreed was of no concern to them. In the eyes of these great families, women were merely tools—a tragic reality for those born into such clans. Of course, some women would fight against their families to pursue their own happiness, but they were a minority, as not every girl was so brave. Most lacked the courage to rebel and wouldn’t necessarily meet the right person anyway.

"Is that so? Then I suppose I should thank you for dressing up for me," Lin Guo’er said with a smile.

In truth, she didn’t want to smile. Her facial muscles were so stiff that she couldn’t have stopped even if she tried.

"It’s nothing, no need to be so formal. We’ll be family soon anyway. I will cherish you and take care of you," Zhao Shunyang said, his tone earnest.

Lin Guo’er glanced at him but said nothing.

Zhao Shunyang simply assumed she was a little displeased and didn’t take her silence to heart.

"Old Zhao, what are we waiting for? Let’s make the announcement," Lin Wanli, the current Family Head of the Lin Family and Lin Guo’er’s father, asked with a smile.

The "Old Zhao" he addressed was Zhao Zhenlin, the Family Head of the Zhao Family and Zhao Shunyang’s father.

"Haha, Wanli, let’s wait just a moment. There’s a VIP who has yet to arrive. He should be here any moment now," Zhao Zhenlin said mysteriously, not revealing the person’s identity.

Lin Wanli was curious but didn’t press the issue. Since he was in no hurry, he decided he might as well wait.

Zhao Zhenlin, somehow producing a microphone, addressed the crowd with a smile. "Ladies and gentlemen, we’re waiting on one more important guest, so I must ask for your patience a little longer. Thank you all in advance." He then gave a slight bow, his conduct impeccable.

The crowd, of course, did not object; they weren’t in a position to, anyway.

Taking this opportunity, Zhao Zhenlin and Lin Wanli began mingling with some acquaintances. Naturally, neither of them would overlook Chu Zhongtian, a man whose word was practically law in East Sea.

Yet Zhao Zhenlin was puzzled. He had clearly invited the Wang and Huang Families. Even if the Family Heads themselves couldn’t attend, their sons should have at least been sent to represent them. Why had no one from the Wang or Huang Families shown up?

Chu Zhongtian seemed to notice Zhao Zhenlin’s confusion. He couldn’t help but recount what had happened earlier, finally pointing a finger toward Lin Kuang. Chu Zhongtian never hesitated to make an enemy for Lin Kuang.

Hearing Chu Zhongtian’s explanation, Zhao Zhenlin’s expression turned quite ugly, and his gaze lingered on Lin Kuang. When he saw Lin Kuang still over there, eating and drinking without a care, his gaze filled with disdain, which was quickly overshadowed by anger.

"Young Master Chu, what is this person’s background?" Zhao Zhenlin asked cautiously. He wasn’t a fool; anyone who dared to offend both Wang Ya Hao and Huang Zelun couldn’t be an ordinary person.

"My apologies, Uncle Zhao, but I don’t know his background either," Chu Zhongtian replied with a smile. "I only know that he’s a friend of Lin Guo’er’s."

Hearing this, Zhao Zhenlin simply nodded and said no more.

Just then, a commotion erupted at the entrance, followed by an elderly man walking into the hall. Upon seeing the man, Zhao Zhenlin’s eyes lit up, and he hurried over to greet him.

Lin Kuang heard the noise as well and looked toward the front. When his eyes fell on the newcomer, he, too, was taken aback.