Chapter 48

On the third floor of the Dihao Grand Hotel, there is a large hall. This hall has a very poetic name, called Tongque Terrace, which specializes in hosting various large-scale banquets, gatherings, and parties. As a five-star hotel, how much it costs to host an event here is something that ordinary people, whose imaginations have been dulled by poverty, can hardly fathom.

The overall decoration of Tongque Terrace is extremely luxurious. The intricately designed chandeliers and wall lamps illuminate the entire hall brightly. There is a stage at the front, where singers or bands are usually invited to perform, and sometimes even celebrities are invited to make guest appearances. On both sides of the stage, two lifelike golden dragons are placed, their large dragon heads facing the hall, creating a majestic atmosphere. At this moment, a band is playing a melodious tune on the stage, making the entire atmosphere even more lively.

Apart from the stage, the main part of the hall is very spacious, large enough to accommodate a banquet for fifty to sixty people.

At this moment, Tongque Terrace is very lively. Long leather sofas are placed on both sides of the hall, and a bit further in, there are rectangular tables, on which are placed foreign wines and various exquisitely shaped desserts.

Some people are sitting on the sofas, engaged in animated conversations, while others are standing in the center of the hall, holding wine glasses, chatting and laughing. These people share a common characteristic: they are all dressed formally and meticulously, and whether in appearance or demeanor, they exude the air of successful individuals and social elites.

Waiters in black suits and white shirts move among the guests, holding trays with glasses of red wine.

In front of the stage, Fu Ze and a few young men of similar age are chatting, each holding a glass of red wine.

A chubby young man adjusted his tie and asked Fu Ze, "Young Master Fu, are you sure that Ling Xuefei will really come?"

Fu Ze took a sip of red wine, nodded, and said confidently, "Of course. I used my father's name to invite a large number of successful people from various industries in Longcheng. With such a big draw, she will definitely come unless she's a fool. After all, her Dynasty Entertainment needs to establish a foothold in Longcheng, and she needs to make more friends and pave the way."

Hearing this, another young man with wire-rimmed glasses smiled and said, "It seems you are determined to win her over."

Fu Ze's lips curled into a smile, and he said with narrowed eyes, "Naturally. I've put so much effort into her. Even if she's an ice queen, I will melt her. I really don't believe it, hmpf!"

After saying this, Fu Ze raised his neck and finished the red wine in his glass in one gulp, wiped his mouth, and turned to look at the entrance.

"Fu Ze, is Ling Xuefei really that beautiful? Is she worth all this effort?" the young man with glasses asked in surprise, as he had never seen Fu Ze so devoted to a woman.

"See for yourself."

Fu Ze's face broke into a smug smile, and he nodded toward the entrance.

Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at the entrance.

At the same time, as if someone had pressed the mute button on a TV, the entire hall suddenly fell silent. People who were in the middle of speaking lowered their voices, and those at the entrance stared blankly at the entrance. This blank expression seemed to spread like a contagion from the entrance to the hall, and almost everyone stopped what they were doing and looked toward the entrance.

Two waiters even collided because they were distracted by the entrance, shattering their wine glasses.

The men's eyes grew brighter, and their pupils dilated. The women's expressions were varied, ranging from envy, jealousy, to anger.

The sudden change was entirely due to Ling Xuefei's entrance!

Ling Xuefei, like a princess from a fairy tale, instantly became the center of attention as soon as she appeared. She wore light makeup and had a gentle smile on her face, showing no signs of nervousness despite the attention. She walked confidently with long strides toward the front of the hall, the sound of her high heels clicking on the floor clearly audible.

An Yanan walked beside her, her face flushed. Over the years, she had accompanied Ling Xuefei through many similar situations, but she still couldn't get used to being the center of attention.

"This beautiful lady must be the new chairman of Dynasty Entertainment, Ling Xuefei."

"So beautiful."

"From today on, my goddess will no longer be Lu Shihan, but Ling Xuefei!"

...

Exclamations and whispers filled the hall.

"Damn! She's amazing! No wonder you're willing to put in so much effort, Young Master Fu." The young man with glasses stared at Ling Xuefei, who was walking gracefully, and his heart, which had been desensitized to beauty after years of experience, trembled with excitement and a hint of nervousness.

"Wow, what a beauty. I've seen countless women, but I've never seen one as beautiful as Ling Xuefei. It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime sight..." the chubby young man also remarked.

"Ha ha." Fu Ze's face broke into a smug smile. The praise from these young men made him feel very proud, as he had already considered Ling Xuefei his own in his heart. This woman, who was the center of attention, would eventually belong to him.

Fu Ze took a glass of red wine from a waiter's tray and walked up to Ling Xuefei.

"Xuefei, you look beautiful today." Fu Ze smiled, his face full of wrinkles, and his tone was disgustingly sweet.

At this moment, An Yanan, who was standing beside Ling Xuefei, stepped forward and poured cold water on Fu Ze's enthusiasm:

"Fu Ze, are you saying that our Miss Feifei isn't usually beautiful?"

Fu Ze's expression froze, and his lips twitched. Fortunately, his thick skin, which had been honed like the corner of a city wall, made this a mere drizzle that couldn't affect him.

Fu Ze laughed and raised his glass to Ling Xuefei, saying in a gentle tone, "Xuefei, would you do me the honor of having a drink?"

At this moment, the two of them were at the center of everyone's attention. Although Ling Xuefei found Fu Ze repulsive, she couldn't refuse him in this situation, so she reluctantly took the glass from Fu Ze.

"Cheers!"

Fu Ze smiled, raised his glass, and gently clinked it with Ling Xuefei's, then took a sip.

Ling Xuefei also opened her red lips and took a small sip of the wine.

Seeing this, Fu Ze laughed and made a "please" gesture, saying, "Xuefei, come, let me introduce you to the friends here today. This is Mr. Gu from Weiyeh Group, a longtime friend of my father..."

For the rest of the time, Fu Ze played the role of the host, introducing Ling Xuefei to various presidents and bosses. To outsiders, it seemed as if Ling Xuefei and Fu Ze were very close. A few bosses who had more frequent interactions with the Fu family even made jokes about Fu Ze and Ling Xuefei, which made Fu Ze secretly delighted, even though he verbally denied it.

Ling Xuefei tried several times to leave early, and she didn't even want to attend the banquet today. However, to complete her family's test and for her own freedom and Qiqi, she had to come. Fortunately, Ling Xuefei was not completely inexperienced in such social events, but the repeated toasts were making her increasingly irritable.

The banquet lasted from 9 PM to midnight. Although Ling Xuefei only took small sips each time, she had consumed a fair amount of alcohol by the end of the rounds, and she started to feel a bit dizzy. Fortunately, she had An Yanan, who could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, by her side, which prevented the situation from becoming too awkward.

After the banquet, Fu Ze naturally offered to drive Ling Xuefei home, but his true intentions were unknown. However, both Ling Xuefei and An Yanan were wary of him and would not allow such a thing to happen. An Yanan had even called the company in advance to send a car to pick them up, effectively blocking Fu Ze's offer.

After Ling Xuefei left, Fu Ze stood at the hotel entrance with a dark expression, his fists clenched, and a gloomy face, lost in thought.