Chapter 38: Flattery

"Is everything taken care of?"

Xiang Zhihua finished adjusting his suit and fastening his watch strap before calling out to Cheng Gang, who stood nearby.

"Yes, it is all settled."

Cheng Gang bowed his head and replied solemnly, "As long as the Xu family dares to disobey, we reserve the right to withdraw our investment at any time."

By doing this, they had effectively seized the Xu family's lifeline.

"Let's go," Xiang Zhihua commanded coolly.

Meanwhile, at Old Master Liu's auction banquet, word had spread rapidly across the Hong Kong business circle that the Xu family had been brought back from the brink thanks to an investment from the United States. Everyone claimed the Xu family had found a powerful benefactor and scrambled to curry favor and offer their congratulations. In reality, everyone knew exactly what they were after: they wanted to seize the opportunity to have Mr. Xu introduce them to the American investors, hoping to find a new path to survival in case their own companies ever faced similar crises.

Mrs. Xu, however, despised this kind of sycophancy. Before, when the Xu family had been everywhere soliciting investments and begging for help, these people had all worn expressions of indifference. Now that they saw the Xu family was saved, they actually wanted them to act as intermediaries. They were truly dreaming.

"Father, do you think Young Master Xiang and Sister Yaoyao will be at Old Master Liu's auction banquet later?" Xu Xingyue, dressed in a custom-made gown, asked her father demurely.

As guests invited by the Liu family, Mr. Xu had arrived at the banquet early with his wife and two daughters. Today, he had been given plenty of face at the event. Major tycoons kept coming up to greet him and toast him, praising his business acumen for securing investors in such a short time and reviving their company. This was something that had never happened at previous banquets, where Mr. Xu had always been the one bowing and scraping while making small talk with others. Today’s flattery and compliments made Mr. Xu feel as if he were floating on air.

But Xu Xingyue’s question pulled him back to reality, filling him with sudden irritation.

"Why on earth are you bringing them up?" Mr. Xu's previously smiling face instantly turned cold.

Lu Yao and Xiang Zhihua were the two people Mr. Xu disliked the most, especially Xiang Zhihua, who had caused him to lose so much face at the jewelry banquet last time. Even now, the memory made him feel nauseated.

Xu Xingyue pursed her lips and stopped asking.

"Mr. Xu!"

As luck would have it, no sooner had Mr. Xu spoken than another wealthy businessman walked over with a champagne flute.

"Mr. Cheng."

Upon seeing this Mr. Cheng, the coldness on Mr. Xu’s face vanished, replaced by a smile as he happily raised his glass and walked toward the man.

Xu Yanran and Xu Xingyue exchanged glances. They stood in the middle of the banquet hall, while Mrs. Xu had walked off to join the other wives of wealthy merchants. This auction hosted by the Liu family was quite grand, and there were many figures from the business world present whom the two sisters had never seen before. Even though they appeared composed, they couldn't help but feel nervous inside.

"Xingyue, why hasn't Jiang Jinghe arrived yet?" Xu Yanran asked, lowering her head to chat with her sister while nodding to those around them. She had scanned the room; all the prominent businessmen and elite families who were expected to attend were already there, save for her future brother-in-law. "Didn't you say the Jiang family also received an invitation from Old Master Liu? It's already this late; why hasn't he appeared?" Could it be that he wasn't coming?

Before Xu Yanran could finish her sentence, Xu Xingyue's gaze fixed on the hotel entrance.

"Brother Jinghe."

Speak of the devil. Jiang Jinghe entered, tall and upright in a gray suit, his eyes smiling. Seeing his gaze meet Xu Xingyue and Xu Yanran, he took a glass from a waiter, nodded politely to a few businessmen nearby, and then strode over.

"Sister Yanran, Xingyue," Jiang Jinghe greeted them courteously.

"Why are you only just arriving now?" Xu Yanran asked with concern. "Xingyue has been waiting for you for a long time." She looked like a stone statue waiting for her husband.

"Big sister!" Xu Xingyue pouted at her. "Brother Jinghe probably had other matters to attend to, which is why he was delayed. Stop talking nonsense." She turned her gaze to Jiang Jinghe. "Brother Jinghe, why are you alone? Where are my brother and Brother Liao?"

The "Brother Liao" she referred to was none other than Xu Yanran’s fiancé, Liao Chengzhou. Although the two had been engaged for a long time, there had been no talk of marriage, and rumors were circulating that Liao Chengzhou intended to call off the engagement.

Jiang Jinghe glanced in Xu Yanran's direction. "They had business to attend to and just left for the United States." He then actively changed the subject, inviting them to head over to the auction hall on the other side, clearly not wanting to discuss Liao Chengzhou any further in front of Xu Yanran.

***

Although the auction banquet hosted by Old Master Liu was not as grand or spectacular as the one Xiang Zhihua had held previously, it was still bustling with people. By the time Lu Yao arrived, the hotel was already packed. Looking out over the crowd, she saw only strangers. It was her first time at such an occasion, and it would be a lie to say she wasn't nervous.

"Young Mistress, please sit here and wait for a moment," Cheng Gang said after arranging a seat for her. "Young Master Xiang will be here as soon as he finishes changing."

When they had stepped out of the car earlier, a child had appeared from nowhere and spilled water all over Xiang Zhihua, which led to the current situation. Lu Yao had entered the venue first, while Xiang Zhihua went to change clothes, accompanied by the manager who had been apologizing profusely.

In a corner, Xu Xingyue and Jiang Jinghe were chatting happily when, in a fleeting glance, she spotted Lu Yao sitting on a sofa not far away. Her smile stiffened for a moment.

"Brother Jinghe, Sister Yaoyao is over there. Let's go over and say hello."

Jiang Jinghe froze. *Yaoyao!* How long had it been since he heard that name?

"Sister Yaoyao, you look beautiful today!" Before Jiang Jinghe could reply, Xu Xingyue walked toward Lu Yao with her glass in hand.

Lu Yao lifted her eyelids and looked at her. "Xu Xingyue, we had a conflict just two days ago. Don't you feel hypocritical coming over to compliment me now?"

The smile on Xu Xingyue’s face froze abruptly.

"Yaoyao."

Soon, Jiang Jinghe’s voice reached them. In his gray suit, handsome and upright with sharp, star-like eyes, he attracted the gaze of many young women as he walked over.

"Young Master Jiang, please show some self-respect. I am now with Young Master Xiang. 'Yaoyao' is an intimate address that is not appropriate for you to use." Lu Yao reminded him with a stern expression. Could he not see that she had no desire to deal with them at all?