Chapter 77

The car drove into the ancient estate, where a servant was already waiting to respectfully open the car door and guide the distinguished guest onto the velvet red carpet laid out, leading them into the grand hall of the banquet.

As Zhou Yi and Rachel walked into the banquet hall, even the music in the hall paused for a moment. Rachel's beauty had a mesmerizing power that made people stop breathing. The guests in the hall stopped their activities and stared, causing Rachel to nervously cling tightly to Zhou Yi's arm.

"Don't worry, Rachel. You are the brightest star at this banquet. Look, their eyes are filled with envy and jealousy. You should be proud of it!" Patting Rachel's hand, Zhou Yi led her to Alfred Ashford, the host of the banquet.

"Long time no see, Mr. Ashford. It's an honor to accept your invitation!"

Alfred was a blond man with a delicate and effeminate aura. His face was exquisite, rivaling many women's. His slightly elongated eyes gave him a perpetually sinister look. Such people were often more difficult to deal with than those with rough temperaments, especially when they had the status of nobility.

Alfred's eyes lit up when he saw Zhou Yi, and he immediately approached, warmly shaking Zhou Yi's right hand.

"Long time no see, my dear friend. I've been looking forward to your visit since I heard you were in Paris. It's wonderful to see you healthy and well."

"Where, where, you're too kind." Zhou Yi politely shook hands and then subtly withdrew his right hand. It felt too uncomfortable to have a man hold his hand for too long.

At this moment, Alfred seemed to notice Zhou Yi's female companion, and he slightly bowed his head, politely asking, "May I ask, who is this beautiful lady?"

"This is my sister, Rachel Ferguson. It's her first time attending such a banquet with me." Zhou Yi introduced Rachel, following the proper etiquette. The identity of a companion was important, and not just anyone could be brought to such a banquet unless the man was of such high status that he could ignore these rules.

"Pleased to meet you, Miss Ferguson. Your beauty outshines all the stars." Politely holding Rachel's fingertips, Alfred lightly kissed her hand. His demeanor was full of British gentlemanly charm, polite but not vulgar.

However, Rachel's face was slightly cold, as she was not yet accustomed to such formalities. She quickly withdrew her hand and said coldly, "You flatter me, Mr. Alfred. You still have guests to welcome, so we won't disturb you."

"Then I'll take my leave, Mr. Zhou. I hope we can have a deeper conversation later." Alfred said apologetically, as the host of the banquet, he had many responsibilities.

"Of course!" Zhou Yi nodded and led Rachel away. With his sister by his side, he had no intention of attracting unwanted attention, nor did he want any lecherous men to approach. Rachel was his precious sister, and he didn't want those young playboys who had already seduced countless women to deceive her feelings.

So he chose a corner and sat down with Rachel, using his tall body to block the gazes that kept peeking at her.

If it were in the past, he might have been one of those playboys circling around. But now, he was a good brother who would do anything to protect his sister. At this moment, he finally understood the feelings of fathers who brought their newly married daughters to such banquets, sometimes wishing he could pull out a double-barreled shotgun to blast away all the young rascals.

Although Zhou Yi used various means to drive away a large number of persistent men, there were always more who were fearless. Especially with Rachel by his side, these men were more excited than if they were on drugs, each trying to show off their charm to win her favor.

Rachel watched these strange men with a detached amusement, finding them as bizarre as gorillas in a zoo. Their posturing and behavior only provided her with more material to laugh about with Zhou Yi.

But the self-satisfied attitudes of these playboys were relentless. They vied to approach Rachel, using all sorts of accents to sell themselves. Eventually, even Rachel couldn't bear the endless harassment.

"Brother, are all the guests at your banquets this boring?" Rachel coldly rejected a smooth-talking French youth and began to complain to her brother.

Zhou Yi couldn't really say anything in response, as he often played a similar role, though he believed he did it better and didn't cause women to dislike him.

"Don't you have any way to deal with this? I can't take it anymore." Rachel complained, and Zhou Yi's silence was not what she wanted.

"Let me think. You know, these social obligations are never pleasant." His eyes scanned the crowd, and he found his target. "Come with me, Rachel. I think a physics class would be better than dealing with these fools."

"In this situation, I'd rather be in Ororo's physics class." Rachel playfully rolled her eyes and slipped her hand into his arm. Then she followed her brother towards an unassuming gentleman at the banquet.

"Long time no see, Mr. Richards!" Zhou Yi addressed a somewhat stern-looking man. His appearance was ordinary, but his eyes were exceptionally bright, indicating a man of great inner talent. To Zhou Yi, who knew his background, he was indeed a remarkable individual.

Reed Richards, a graduate of the State University of New York, held multiple doctorates and was at the forefront of physics research, especially in the study of cosmic rays.

Unfortunately, he was a stern man who preferred to study the mysterious but seemingly useless cosmic rays rather than convert his technology into consumer products. Therefore, he was not well-liked by many investors.

"Who are you?" As a man deeply engrossed in research, Reed Richards clearly had not noted this world-renowned investor in his records. He asked somewhat awkwardly, "I'm sorry, I've been a bit out of it lately."

"Reed, you're really forgetful. This is the famous Mr. Zhou Yi, one of the largest investors in American research institutions," another gentleman approached Reed and said with a hint of malice. But when he faced Zhou Yi, he immediately put on a warm smile.

"Hello, Mr. Zhou. I am Victor von Doom, the chairman of Doom Enterprises. It's a great honor to meet you for the first time!"

Looking at the man extending his hand, Zhou Yi shook it while observing him. Neatly combed golden hair, a somewhat rugged face with a few faint scars, and sharp eyes that stared intently. Such a person was usually of the type who wouldn't stop until he achieved his goal, and such types were the most troublesome.

"Doom Enterprises, I've heard of it. It's a promising company!" Zhou Yi offered a slight compliment but didn't say more. After all, Doom Enterprises wasn't a big deal to him. Such companies, propped up by Wall Street's vultures, were too numerous in America. They were fragile and could easily be wiped out by an economic downturn. So Zhou Yi generally didn't waste time remembering them.

"Mr. Richards, I'm very interested in your recent research paper on cosmic rays. Do you have any more specific ideas?" Compared to Victor's Doom Enterprises, Zhou Yi was more interested in this physics genius. His research was very useful to him.

When he asked such a question, those who knew him understood that he was seriously considering an investment. As a financial tycoon, the funds at his disposal were enough to make any research lab or company envious. A single investment could allow a lab to complete several research cycles without worry. Such generosity was something the Wall Street vultures couldn't match.

However, not everyone could make him say such things, but Reed Richards had that ability.

"Are you referring to the issue of periodic quantum storms from the sun?" Reed thought for a moment and shook his head. "I'm sorry, sir. That research is still in the theoretical stage. I've just signed a contract with NASA, and more data collection is needed before further experiments can be conducted."

This response essentially meant that he was not accepting Zhou Yi's investment at the moment. Such ignorance made Victor, who was watching, almost turn red with jealousy.

"Is that so? What a pity." Zhou Yi shook his head, showing obvious disappointment. "Honestly, I really hope to see some research results on cosmic storms, but since Mr. Reed has said so, I'll wait a bit longer."

"Excuse me, may I interrupt, Mr. Zhou Yi?" Victor couldn't help but interject. "If you're interested in investing, why not take a look at our research projects at Doom Enterprises? I believe we won't disappoint you."

"Oh! Tell me more!" Zhou Yi, with a large amount of funds at his disposal, seemed quite indifferent about investments. As long as it was valuable and could bring returns, there was no problem.

"Of course, our project is as follows." Seeing Zhou Yi nod, Victor spoke earnestly and with a touch of enthusiasm. Getting Zhou Yi's investment would be a huge boost for his company, and such an opportunity was too tempting to pass up.