Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Banquet in Turmoil (Part One)

"Kiss."
"No."
"Kiss."
"Kiss or not?"
"No, no, absolutely not." Tan Xue was backed into a corner by Chu Dong, eyes tightly shut, her little head shaking like a rattle, adamantly refusing to fulfill her bet.
"Not kissing is also an option," Chu Dong said leisurely, sitting down. "But you'll need to offer something else in exchange." He had never forced anyone to do anything, and even if someone reluctantly followed his wishes, it was always of their own accord.
"Fine, fine, I'll trade. Anything," Tan Xue jumped at the opportunity when she saw a way out, nodding quickly, afraid Chu Dong might change his mind.
"You said it yourself. There's a banquet tonight, isn't there? I can go, but let's not attend together. Now that I'm so down and out, someone is bound to use me to attack you, and that won't end well for you." Chu Dong, aware of the Chu family's decline, thought that flaunting himself would be like a courtesan ignorant of her country's ruin; yet, if he kept a low profile, people would say the once-mighty tiger now tucks its tail between its legs. If Tan Xue stood by his side, who knew how much gossip would be stirred up. He didn't care for himself, but he didn't want Tan Xue to be put in a difficult position.
"Alright, alright. I agree." As long as she didn't have to kiss him, Tan Xue would agree to anything. Besides, her father had insisted she attend the banquet with Chu Dong. Now, with Chu Dong making the proposal himself, she couldn't have been more relieved.
"That's settled, then. Just don't go telling my mother," Chu Dong warned her again, only relaxing after he had made himself clear. He shut his laptop, stood up, and as he reached the door, turned back. "Let Xiaoyu know she'll have to sort dinner herself tonight—I'm out of time, okay?"
"Okay, okay," Tan Xue replied, wishing Chu Dong would leave as quickly as possible. She didn't care about missing dinner; she wouldn't have minded cooking it herself if it meant he left sooner.
Once Chu Dong was gone, Tan Xue finally exhaled, picked up the thick stack of reports on her desk, and muttered under her breath, "Monster, he's a total monster."

She had originally planned to nitpick the reports Chu Dong handed in, to find flaws and send him back to redo them, thus securing her own victory. But once she started reading, she was drawn in—each proposal was rigorous, bold, and intricately linked, so captivating she couldn't help but applaud in the end. She accepted her defeat with full conviction.
Of course, these reports were the crystallization of a team that Chu Dong had built with untold amounts of dollars. If she could have found any faults, given Chu Dong's unwillingness to waste money, who knew how many elites would have to seek new opportunities.

After a trip home and a shower, Chu Dong changed into formal attire for the evening: a snow-white shirt, a bow tie, and even fished out the tailcoat he hadn't worn in years, having Xiao Lan press it for him. He dabbed on some cologne, approved of the scent, and set off.

The Windsor Club was a newly opened, top-tier establishment in Dalian. Rumor had it only people of status and influence could enter, and even the security guards were carefully selected, earning salaries comparable to white-collar workers. The club was located in the bustling downtown district, but curiously, it was underground, with a five-star hotel above. Yet the facilities below could only be described as opulent: private parking, vast elevators, crystal floors, gilded walls, brilliant European chandeliers, and cherrywood tables and chairs—every surface begged for careful handling, as if a single careless touch might break something.

The city’s major and minor figures showed up in droves. All the real power players had received invitations from Silver Dragon, the event’s host, and the business world’s heavyweights were no exception. Tonight’s event was organized to foster connections among all parties. Tan Songhai stayed away intentionally, to give Chu Dong and Tan Xue a chance to face high society on their own. After all, in the old man’s mind, the future of Silver Dragon belonged to them.

Wang Dongliang, heir to Haifeng, was naturally in attendance, accompanied by his usual circle of friends, including Tian Bing. Hongfa Industries had close ties with Haifeng Group, and their heirs were close as well; their shared tastes had made them inseparable.

Xu Zhihui, Silver Dragon’s vice president, was an old hand who had started the company with Tan Songhai. With his wide connections, the entire banquet was organized under his direction, every detail managed with impeccable order.

When Tan Xue appeared, the banquet had just begun. Dressed in a sleek, black satin gown that hugged her graceful figure, the back cut in a small V that revealed just enough of her delicate shoulder blades, her long hair coiled high to reveal a neck as smooth as jade, and a string of large pearls glowing milky white at her throat—her eyes were limpid, her lips like cherry blossoms, and she was the very image of beauty.

"So that’s the dream girl you keep going on about?" Tian Bing nudged Wang Dongliang, almost drooling at the sight.
"Yeah," Wang Dongliang replied, nodding instinctively, his eyes fixed on her.
"She really is stunning. No wonder you can’t forget her. Compared to her, those cheap girls at the Xiaoyao Pavilion are like trash. Now I get why you’re not interested in anyone else. Still, she looks kind of familiar. Where have I seen her before?" Tian Bing said, feeling as if he had seen Tan Xue somewhere, but couldn’t quite place it and let the thought go.

"What good is it if I'm interested? Damn it, a flower like that, wasted on a pile of dung! What’s the saying? All the best cabbages get rooted up by pigs." Wang Dongliang ground his teeth, thinking of Chu Dong’s arrogance in front of him.
"Someone dares challenge you, Wang? They must be tired of living. Just say the word, and I’ll take care of it for you. No big deal," Tian Bing said, draining his champagne and grabbing a glass of red wine from a passing server. "I might not be good for much, but teaching someone a lesson? That’s as easy as one, two, three."
"If you can really help me with this," Wang Dongliang’s hope, which had withered, began to bloom again as he watched Tan Xue glide elegantly through the crowd. He’d heard of Tian Bing’s reputation—someone who could move freely between both sides of the law. Since coming back from abroad, Wang had thrown himself into Silver Dragon, neglecting his own resources just to impress Tan Xue.
"You don’t trust me?" Tian Bing, a minor legend in the underworld, took offense at Wang’s doubt. He waved to a server passing by with a tray of drinks. "Do you know who I am?"
"Boss Ice, what can I do for you?" The young server clearly recognized Tian Bing.
"See that, Wang? That’s what you call a reputation." Pleased with the response, Tian Bing dismissed the server with a wave. "Just name the man, and I’ll handle it."

PS: First update of the day! Early, isn’t it? There’ll be another one later—please keep supporting!