northernbook Chapter 155 The Banquet in Progress
Chapter 155 The Banquet in Progress
Bai Li's long, slender eyelashes cast a cool shadow under the champagne-colored light.
The banquet hall was originally bustling with activity, filled with the cheerful laughter of the guests.
Just after those men made those inappropriate jokes to her, a layer of frost seemed to instantly fill the air, and the temperature seemed to drop by ten degrees.
Mr. Li's back was instantly soaked with cold sweat.
Bai Li is no ordinary woman; how could she be treated with such contempt?
He quickly added, "Gentlemen, Mr. Bai is no ordinary person. In less than a year, the company's revenue has already exceeded 100 million. His future is limitless. Even this old man like me has started working for Mr. Bai."
Entertainment day and night?
The group of people were all taken aback when they heard this.
They looked at each other, and a look of realization gradually appeared in their eyes.
Although the name "Day and Night Entertainment" is still quite novel in the industry, its reputation has recently soared, and most people have heard of it to some extent.
"Entertainment day and night?" The slightly chubby man twirled his jade ring. "That recent phenomenon, 'Asking the Immortals'..."
"Yes, yes, yes." President Li hurriedly chimed in, secretly relieved that these people had finally come to their senses.
In today's fiercely competitive entertainment market, it is truly remarkable that a new company can achieve such impressive results in less than a year.
Thinking of this, the men couldn't help but scrutinize Bai Li with more curiosity. The frivolous and teasing expressions on their faces instantly disappeared, replaced by a slightly embarrassed and awkward smirk.
To quickly break the awkward silence, Mr. Li hurriedly and enthusiastically introduced Bai Li:
"This is Mr. Wang, the general manager of Huanyu Film and Television. He is a senior figure in the field of TV series production, and his company produces many hit dramas."
Mr. Li turned to the side, pointed at the slightly chubby man, his face full of warm smiles, trying to completely put an end to the unpleasantness from just now.
Mr. Wang nodded slightly, a slightly unnatural smile on his face, and extended his hand, saying, "Mr. Bai, it's an honor to meet you. I apologize for any offense I may have caused earlier."
Bai Li looked down at the hand that was being offered to her.
The other party had just spoken rudely to her, and even if they didn't know her, Bai Li couldn't easily let it go.
However, acting impulsively at this moment will only put oneself in a more passive situation.
Huanyu Film & Television.
—A renowned TV drama producer in the industry.
Bai Li's fingertips lightly touched Mr. Wang's palm, a fleeting touch like a dragonfly skimming the water.
The light spots cast by the crystal chandelier danced merrily on her thick eyelashes, refracting the coldness deep in her eyes into a dazzling galaxy, breathtakingly beautiful.
She chuckled softly: "Mr. Wang, you're joking. Your company's 'Phoenix Soaring to the Nine Heavens' from last year..."
She suddenly changed the subject, her tone calm and collected, "The costumes, makeup, and props are indeed in line with Huanyu's aesthetic."
Mr. Wang's face twitched, and his jade thumb ring clinked against the rim of a champagne glass.
That period drama was criticized by official media for "distorting historical values" due to its overly extravagant costumes and props. Now, as it came out from Bai Li's red lips, it was like a silver needle dipped in honey, seemingly gentle but actually extremely sharp, directly hitting President Wang's sore spot.
On the other side, Mr. Li paused in wiping his sweat, inwardly groaning.
He sighed deeply in his heart.
I knew it! Bai Li is no weak woman who can be easily underestimated. At such a young age, she has achieved so much in this complex industry. It must be due to her extremely sharp methods and extraordinary wisdom. It is by no means accidental.
Bai Li's words, though seemingly casual, actually contained a deeper meaning.
It hit Mr. Wang's weak spot perfectly, leaving him with no room for rebuttal.
If President Wang tries to refute Bai Li, it would be tantamount to defending the costumes, props, and sets of "Phoenix Cry in the Nine Heavens" which were criticized by official media. This would undoubtedly be asking for trouble and would put him in an even more unfavorable situation.
What's even better is that she avoided direct conflict, refrained from making a scene, and maintained her composure, preventing the situation from spiraling out of control.
Bai Li's actions not only made Mr. Wang suffer the consequences of disrespecting others, but also left him with no choice but to swallow his bitterness and suffer in silence.
Everyone present was a shrewd individual, and they all understood the deeper meaning behind Bai Li's words. The slight disdain they had shown towards Bai Li had completely vanished.
Seeing this, President Li quickly introduced the remaining people to Bai Li as well, and everyone looked at Bai Li with great politeness.
Guan Cha had been observing all this silently from the sidelines. When the time was right, he stepped forward and handed over Bai Li's gilded business card.
Bai Li took the business cards, gently handed them to the executives, and said with a smile, "I hope to have the opportunity to cooperate with you all in the future and bring more high-quality works to the audience."
The executives accepted the business cards one after another, nodding in agreement, their attitudes completely changing from before.
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at the same time.
The exquisitely carved door of the inner courtyard of the Jiangyang Lin family slowly opened.
The Lin family ancestral home adopts a three-courtyard structure. The front hall banquet area can accommodate 500 people, the central courtyard has a waterside pavilion and stage, and the inner courtyard retains the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty.
Although it was the old lady's birthday banquet, she was already quite old, and there were many guests visiting today, so she couldn't possibly meet with everyone. Only extremely important guests were allowed to come to the inner courtyard to meet with her for a face-to-face talk.
The moonlight, like water, flowed gently along Zhou Chengjing's straight shoulders, outlining a hazy halo around him. His indifferent gaze was now completely concealed, revealing only the gentle demeanor of a scion of a noble family.
As soon as he entered the inner courtyard, he bypassed a group of younger members of the Lin family and was invited to his presence by someone sent by the old lady.
The old lady sat regally in the main seat of the hall. Although her posture was no longer upright, she still exuded a dignified and graceful air that had been honed by the years.
Her fingers gently caressed a warm and smooth Hetian jade thumb ring, her loving gaze falling on Zhou Chengjing. She looked him up and down for a long time, becoming more and more satisfied with what she saw.
If only he were her grandson.
pity……
Among the younger generation in the Lin family, none can compare to Chengjing. Not only are they not as capable, but they are also not as good-looking.
There are women of marriageable age in the clan, but none of them are from the same clan, and they are probably not a good match for Chengjing.
She raised her hand to gesture for Zhou Chengjing to come closer. Zhou Chengjing stepped forward steadily and gently sat down on the chair next to the old lady.
"I am delighted that you could attend my birthday banquet this time," the old lady said with emotion. "You are very busy in the capital now, but you still made time to come."
Zhou Chengjing lowered his eyelids and said obediently, "Grandmother Lin, please don't say that. You have a deep affection for my Zhou family. Back then, when my grandfather was in the most difficult time, he received a lot of support from you and the Lin family. The Zhou family has never forgotten this kindness. Now that you are celebrating your 80th birthday, how could I not come to such a grand occasion?"
He paused slightly.
"Moreover, I have heard your stories from my grandfather since I was a child. In my heart, you are like my own grandmother. It is only natural for a grandson to celebrate his grandmother's birthday."
Hearing this, the old lady's face was full of gratified smiles. She patted Zhou Chengjing's hand and said, "Good, good! Seeing how successful you are now, my heart is sweeter than honey. Your grandfather said back then that you were a gifted child and would surely achieve great things in the future. Now it seems that his judgment was indeed correct."
The old lady narrowed her eyes slightly, her thoughts seemingly drifting back to the past, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up, revealing a faint smile.
In her memory, Zhou Chengjing's grandfather, that equally spirited man, had a slight overlap with the Zhou Chengjing before her.
Zhou Chengjing smiled modestly: "Grandmother Lin, you flatter me. I was just doing my part in my own position."
He turned slightly to the side and took an exquisite wooden box from the attendant beside him. He gently opened it and found a warm and lustrous jade Buddha inside. The jade was crystal clear, and the carving was exquisite, with every detail lifelike.
"This is a thousand-year-old Hetian jade pebble, blessed by nine eminent monks from Longhua Temple. It symbolizes good fortune, happiness, longevity, and good health. I hope it can accompany you through many more wonderful times; it's a small token of my affection as your grandson."
The old lady took the wooden box and carefully examined the jade Buddha. Her eyes were full of surprise and emotion: "Chengjing, you are such a thoughtful child. This jade Buddha is obviously a rare treasure. It must have taken a lot of effort to make it."
She gently stroked the jade Buddha, her eyes filled with affection.
"As long as Madam is happy," Zhou Chengjing said with a smile. "You have worked hard for the family and for us younger generations all your life. Now it is time for you to enjoy your retirement. Your grandson only hopes to add some joy and happiness to your later years."
The two chatted happily, and the other Lin family members in the room couldn't get a word in edgewise. They could only watch as their usually strict grandmother suddenly became someone else's grandmother.
Just then, a burst of laughter and cheerful chatter came from outside the hall.
The old lady noticed that it was almost time to go to the hall to give her speech.
She rose slightly, and Zhou Chengjing quickly stood up as well, helping her to her feet.
The old lady looked at Zhou Chengjing with reluctance in her eyes: "Chengjing, I'm afraid you'll be busy again later. You must spend more time with this old woman and talk to her."
Zhou Chengjing smiled and nodded: "Don't worry, Madam, your grandson will definitely spend more time with you tonight."
He helped the old lady and slowly walked out of the hall.
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The champagne tower in the lobby reflected the brilliance of the crystal chandeliers, and Bai Li chatted enthusiastically with several other veterans of the entertainment industry, hearing a lot of insider information.
Just as the vice president of Xinghui Films was excitedly mentioning a dramatic betting agreement involving a popular star, the atmosphere in the room suddenly changed.
The twelve main lights gradually went out, leaving only the central one, which cast a cold, moonlit light from the gilded dome, illuminating the central suspended stage as bright as snow.
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw an elderly man being helped up as he steadily walked onto the stage. His voice, weathered by time yet still dignified, emanated from the surround sound system and filled the entire hall: "Thank you all for your presence."
The old lady was dressed in an exquisite dark red cheongsam, with a kind smile on her face.
Bai Li observed secretly, and realized that this must be the old lady of Jiang Yanglin's family.
The person next to her...
I bumped into that person by chance at the entrance of the banquet hall; they were the one with a 97 out of 100 in looks.
A suppressed gasp came from behind:
"Isn't that the one from the Zhou family?"
"He's here too..."
Another voice followed, tinged with disbelief.
Bai Li lowered her eyes slightly and took a sip of the champagne in her hand.
So your surname is Zhou...
At this point, the old lady began her long speech.
The elderly person is quite old and may be a bit long-winded when talking, but in this setting, who would dare to listen disrespectfully?
Everyone stayed put, listening to the birthday celebrant's speech.
Bai Li couldn't help but get a little distracted, and her gaze involuntarily fell on the person who had retreated to the shadows of the stage.
At this moment, the person was gently outlined by the faint and soft light from the edge of the stage, and the vague outline exuded a mysterious and charming aura.
Standing there quietly, he exuded an aura that was hard to ignore.
"He really does look authoritative," Bai Li thought to herself.
No wonder Xiao Hao gave him such a high score for his looks; he is indeed outstanding.
In a daze, Bai Li felt a strange tingling sensation spread through her body, as if a strange electric current was quietly running along her spine.
Her heart skipped a beat, and a strong feeling welled up inside her.
—That person seems to be looking at her too.
Bai Li quickly lowered her eyes, gently swirling the champagne glass in her hand. The crystal-clear liquid rippled in the glass, reflecting the dazzling light.
Her mind was also disturbed.
"Impossible," Bai Li thought to herself.
With so many people around and the dim lighting in this dark place, I must be overreacting and having an illusion.
Bai Li composed herself, brought the champagne glass to her lips, took a small sip, and suppressed this strange emotion.
The old lady's speech finally came to an end, and the servants presented an eight-tiered longevity peach cake tower that was half a person tall, from which the old lady made the first cut.
The resounding applause that filled the hall brought Bai Li back to her senses.
As the crystal chandelier was turned on again, the waiter brought out the sliced peach cake.
The hall became lively again.
"I thought I was seeing things, but it really is you."
A slightly shrill voice rang out from behind Guan Cha.
Guan Cha frowned slightly, turned around, and sighed inwardly when she saw who it was. She never expected to meet him in such a situation. Fate can be so helpless sometimes.
Bai Li heard the sound and turned around as well.
Standing before me was a young man, not very tall, and slightly overweight.
His face was filled with undisguised disdain, his eyes brimming with contempt as he stared at them with utter arrogance.
Bai Li looked at this person and felt that he looked familiar, as if she had seen him somewhere before.
Just then, some images flashed through Bai Li's mind, and she suddenly remembered them.
In Guan Cha's fragmented memories, she had seen the young man before her.
Isn't that the guy who had Guan Cha take the exam for him?
But now it seems that, perhaps because appearance reflects the heart, he looks very different from how I remember him.
Her once pretty face was now somewhat puffy, and her eyes revealed an air of arrogance and laziness. Her whole demeanor had become greasy, which is why Bai Li didn't recognize her at first.
Looking at the group of young people surrounding him, they were all dressed in the style of the wealthy and powerful, each wearing top-brand clothing, exuding luxury in every gesture.
At that moment, the young man's lips curled into an extremely mocking smile, a smile like a cold, venomous snake that sent chills down one's spine.
He tilted his head slightly, looking Guan Cha up and down, his eyes full of mockery: "What? Look at you now, starting to attend banquets with women? Tsk tsk tsk, you're really quite pathetic."