Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Night Banquet

Chen Xiao’s life began to fill with purpose. Each day, he attended classes, then hurried to the abandoned street in the afternoon to train with Old Tian, and returned home in the evening to discuss life and dreams with Ya Ya, teaching her as much as he could about the ordinary knowledge of society.

To his delight, Ya Ya’s culinary skills had recently improved by leaps and bounds!

At first, Ya Ya naively believed that memorizing a household cookbook would make her a kitchen expert. Unfortunately... Chen Xiao borrowed a “seven-level system” evaluation from the world of supernatural abilities: Ya Ya’s memorization skills were S-level (she finished memorizing a nearly two-hundred-page cookbook in under twenty minutes), but her practical skills were the lowest, E-level!

Clearly, there remained a vast chasm between theory and practice!

The first dish Ya Ya produced was an egg fried rice, and recalling it still made Chen Xiao laugh and cry. Frankly, Chen Xiao wasn’t particularly picky. If the rice was undercooked, or there were bits of eggshell in the eggs, he could tolerate it.

Yet... a simple egg fried rice, somehow rendered by Ya Ya with “the flavor of life”! That was truly earth-shattering. The so-called “flavor of life” meant: sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy—all at once!

Fortunately, after days of tireless practice, Ya Ya’s abilities finally rose to the level of a normal person. At least her fried rice could now satisfy hunger, without causing stomach discomfort.

Moreover, she no longer broke dishes while washing them.

Of course, to reach this stage, the three sets of backup tableware in Chen Xiao’s house had almost entirely been depleted.

Upon learning that Ya Ya had become Chen Xiao’s personal little housemaid at home, one of the three unscrupulous bosses of the abandoned street, Sister Zhuhong, couldn’t help but sigh:

“Chen Xiao, do you realize that a Blueblood is worth hundreds of millions to any bioengineering research institution in the world? And you’ve got her at home cooking and washing dishes for you...”

...

Time passed without care, and half a month slipped by. Everything at school was as usual. Initially, Chen Xiao worried that Young Master Ma would seek revenge, but the boy ended up applying for a transfer. Apparently, after provoking everyone’s anger that day, several students with influential backgrounds vowed to teach him a lesson. Moreover, after hearing his own younger brother’s leg had been injured, the notorious underworld figure “Little Red Robe” of K City nearly brought his machete to Ma’s house for a gang showdown!

Young Master Ma left Kide in disgrace, with his family reportedly spending a fortune to send him abroad for a gilded education.

After practicing the breathing exercises Chen Xiao taught her, Lu Xiaoxiao’s martial arts hadn’t improved at all, but she ate well, slept soundly, her skin became noticeably fairer, and even the faint fuzz on her lips began to fade. The only side effect: eating and sleeping too harmoniously, her weight was showing subtle signs of increase.

To quote an advertisement: “Strong and healthy, everything tastes delicious, able to climb five flights in one breath...” Well, with Lu Xiaoxiao’s background, she’d never have to climb five stories; her father’s mansion only had four, plus a dedicated elevator.

June arrived quickly, and the semester at Kide Academy was nearing its end, ushering in the long summer holiday. Most students were planning exciting vacations: skiing in Switzerland, beach holidays in South America, attending Milan’s summer fashion shows...

Smack!

As Chen Xiao was lost in thought, an invitation landed on his desk. Looking up, he saw Second Young Master Xu’s sly grin: “Free tomorrow night?”

Opening the invitation, it appeared to be some sort of grand evening gala. Chen Xiao wasn’t interested. “This kind of event isn’t for me.”

“Just come as my companion,” Xu sighed. “An investment consortium from Europe is visiting K City, and the local elites are hosting a welcome banquet. My old man insists I attend—he’s counting on me to inherit his business. You know I hate these events, and if you don’t come, I’ll be all alone and bored.”

Chen Xiao shot him a look. “Don’t start! Last time you dragged me to a party, you spent the evening chasing pretty girls, leaving me to sit alone for two hours.”

Xu grinned awkwardly. “I remember last time, some women chatted you up, didn’t they?”

Mentioning that, Chen Xiao’s eyes blazed—months ago, he’d been lured by Xu’s sweet talk to attend a party, only for Xu to shamelessly ditch him and chase women. He sat alone all night, and indeed, some women tried to strike up conversation—but they were wealthy ladies who treated him as a pretty boy! Some even bluntly asked, “How much for a month?”

Seeing Chen Xiao refusing, Xu scratched his chin and smiled slyly: “Lu Xiaoxiao will be there too. Her father is one of the hosts of this banquet.”

Upon hearing Lu Xiaoxiao would attend, Chen Xiao fell silent, thinking for a while before finally nodding.

After all, completing this deal meant a ten thousand bonus for him. Now, he was the sole provider for their household.

Seeing Chen Xiao agree, Xu instead grimaced: “You nodded the moment you heard Lu Xiaoxiao was coming—don’t tell me you’ve fallen for ‘Four-Eyebrowed Lu Xiaofeng’. Brother, your taste is terrible. Even the Cabbage Girl is a thousand times cuter.”

...

The next night, Chen Xiao and Xu attended the elite gathering.

Even in such settings, Chen Xiao’s attire was remarkably deceptive: though his suit was rented, he’d grown up wealthy and never lost composure amidst luxury.

Chen Xiao understood Xu’s intentions in dragging him to these events.

Although he attended a prestigious school like Kide, unlike other students who would inherit family wealth and businesses or receive startup funds and guidance, Chen Xiao had nothing.

He was stubborn by nature. If Xu offered him money or direct assistance, Chen Xiao would never accept. So Xu devised a roundabout way—inviting him to upper-class gatherings, hoping Chen Xiao would forge valuable connections. Where the wealthy congregate, opportunities abound.

This banquet wasn’t held in a five-star hotel, but a luxurious private boutique hotel. Such venues far outshine conventional hotels in opulence—they serve the elite, not the public.

The hotel stood in the northern suburbs of K City, built against the mountains, designed by a world-renowned architect. The four-story main building featured tiered terraces, each with an extravagant outdoor area. The distant mountain views and hotel gardens blended perfectly.

The banquet hall’s luxury spoke for itself. Chen Xiao and Xu arrived by car, greeted by impeccably polite attendants—no red carpets or ostentatious security, which would betray nouveau riche pretensions.

True upper-class service is everywhere yet invisible: always available when needed, yet never intrusive.

That parade of followers and ostentation is decidedly inferior.

Chen Xiao followed Xu into the hall, first meeting Xu’s father, the head of Xu Enterprises.

Xu’s father had known his son’s best friend for years and was well aware of Chen Xiao’s family situation. The old gentleman was cultured and never showed pity or disdain toward Chen Xiao. His social skills were exquisite; he treated Chen Xiao simply as a junior.

This Xu magnate genuinely liked Chen Xiao. Despite his family’s fall and being orphaned, Chen Xiao relied on his own strength to persevere, maintaining dignity at Kide Academy despite being looked down upon. Such fortitude impressed him. He once told his son: “This boy has the bearing of a future great man! Though your family is wealthier, you don’t match his character.”

Thus, the old man strongly supported their friendship.

That evening, Xu’s father was chatting with friends, among whom was Lu Bancheng—Lu Chengzhe—the other leading tycoon of K City.

Lu Bancheng recognized Chen Xiao, and upon seeing him here, was slightly surprised but didn’t show it. He quietly offered Chen Xiao a friendly smile.

“Since you’re here, enjoy yourself. I’ll introduce you to some elders later,” Xu’s father said kindly to Chen Xiao, then turned to his son with a stern look: “You! Stay away from the girls tonight and behave yourself!”

Xu, confronted by his father, grinned sheepishly, like a mouse before a cat, not daring to speak.

Being the top local magnate, Xu’s father had little time for the two youngsters, so after a brief greeting, he moved on to mingle with other guests. Chen Xiao breathed a sigh of relief and pulled Xu aside.

He actually disliked such settings, though he appreciated Xu’s intentions. He understood: while these wealthy folks all appeared courteous, beneath it lay arrogance. Their humility only surfaced before those richer than themselves.

Society is realistic: millionaires bow to multimillionaires, multimillionaires bow to billionaires.

As for Chen Xiao... what was he worth?

At previous banquets, Xu tried to introduce his friend to various tycoons, but once they learned Chen Xiao wasn’t a scion of wealth, their courtesy became mere formality.

Even those who bothered to talk to him mostly saw him as Xu’s sidekick, hoping to curry favor with Xu, the future heir.

Knowing it was pointless, Chen Xiao played his “sidekick” role. Xu behaved for a few minutes, but once his father left, he sprang into action, wine in hand, scanning the hall for prey.

Many female guests were present tonight, daughters of wealthy families—the true reason Xu attended such gatherings.

Chen Xiao settled quietly onto a sofa at the edge of the hall, sipping an expensive red wine in small mouthfuls.

At last, when the clock struck eight, the evening’s important guest arrived.

The side doors opened, and Xu, his father, and Lu Bancheng walked out together with a blond, blue-eyed middle-aged man. The three chatted amiably; Chen Xiao noticed the European’s graceful bearing, clearly a product of high society. His attire was not ostentatious but solemn and appropriate. To the discerning eye, it was certainly costly—those gaudy types with gold rings on every finger would never appear here.

This was a business banquet; the European guest quickly stepped forward to deliver a toast, raising his glass and speaking in a pleasant baritone. His words were sincere yet formulaic, hinting at promising investments in K City—such was the gist.

Chen Xiao, bored, sat on the outskirts, lazily drinking, keeping an eye on the time—he’d head home before ten. Though he’d told Ya Ya to sleep early, if he didn’t return, she’d likely fall asleep on the sofa waiting for him.

Lost in thought, Chen Xiao’s gaze swept the room—and suddenly, his expression changed!

Without warning, a heavy sense of dread settled in his heart—a near-instinctive premonition of danger made his heartbeat race!

The sensation struck suddenly, and with such intensity!

Chen Xiao nearly leapt up; as he rose, a cry echoed from the front!

“Ah!”

Looking up, the middle-aged European, glass in hand, collapsed without warning!

Before the crowd’s startled cries were over, two more thuds sounded—Lu Bancheng and Xu’s father, standing on either side, also closed their eyes and fell to the ground!

Chaos erupted instantly; their attendants rushed in, quickly cordoning off the scene and checking the three men.

Xu was dumbfounded. He was first to reach his father, but the old man’s eyes were shut, his face rapidly shrouded in a faint black haze!

(Friendly reminder: This book is about to finish its featured promotion—please add it to your bookshelf now, so you don’t lose track of it after the promotion ends!)