Ye Chen nodded politely in acknowledgment and then ordered a drink for Qin Minzhi.

His attire today caught Qin Minzhi's eye.

In her memory, Ye Chen was usually quite rigid. Perhaps due to his profession, he was always serious and rarely smiled. He was always wearing a black suit and was either in court or on his way to court.

Today, Ye Chen unusually changed his black suit into a light khaki. This color is selective in terms of body type and appearance, but it looked so good on Ye Chen, making him look like a male model straight out of a magazine.

Qin Min looked him up and down, then smiled gently and said, "Attorney Ye looks quite handsome today! You young people should dress like this; a brighter look makes you more energetic!"

Ye Chen coughed lightly twice, a hint of a smile hidden in his eyes.

He had been looking for someone throughout the dinner party.

Little did he know, there was someone watching him from afar, who had even carefully chosen a suit in the same color scheme as him.

The man's small hand kept clutching the buttons on his suit jacket, his eyes following him with a look of anxiety and uncertainty.

...

Huo Zhixing arrived just as the banquet was beginning.

He greeted the elders and several important business partners, personally presented the congratulatory gifts, then stepped aside, sat on the sofa, and listlessly swirled the wine glass in his hand.

Jiang Can didn't come with him; he was terribly lonely.

"Young Master, don't rush," Fang Han said with a smile. "Miss Jiang said she'll come as soon as she finishes her work..."

"What job is so important!" Huo Zhixing was angry at first, then his expression became more resentful. "Mom is really something, she's a workaholic herself, and now she's corrupting Can Can too!"

Fang Han's lips twitched twice.

If you're so capable, go ahead and say it in front of your mother! Go ahead!

"Young Master, don't be angry. Heh... President Fu is just a bit too career-oriented, while Miss Jiang is conscientious and responsible, and never procrastinates. They're both working overtime today for the company!"

Huo Zhixing glared at him, and Fang Han quickly shut up and straightened up.

"Don't stand next to me!" Huo Zhixing waved his hand irritably. "Go see if Lao Bai needs any help!"

Fang Han was eager to slip away, so he readily agreed and disappeared into the crowd in less than three seconds.

Huo Zhixing sat there alone.

The sofa was placed against the window, with velvet floor-length curtains beside him. The man sat in a slightly languid posture, his long legs crossed. His perfect profile was like a masterpiece of sculpting, with sharp features and a commanding presence.

Add to that the deep look in his eyes, his slender fingers holding a crystal goblet, the dark hue of red wine seeping through his fingers, and his resolute profile reflected in the night.

He was like a god emerging from the darkness.

Several female celebrities couldn't resist the temptation and stepped forward with their wine glasses, hoping to exchange a few words. However, before they even got close to him, they were driven back by Huo Zhixing's cold and stern gaze.

Huo Zhixing glanced at his watch impatiently; the banquet had already been going on for half an hour!

He kept scrolling through his phone, hoping that Jiang Can would at least send him a message to comfort him.

However, he stared at the screen for a full minute, and saw nothing.

The man pursed his lips, silenced his phone, and after a while quickly checked it, hoping for a surprise, but there was nothing there.

He bit his lip and switched his phone to ring mode again.

This childish act was repeated two or three times in a row.

Cheng Xuerou, who was not far away, deliberately looked in his direction. Although she did not understand what he was doing, she guessed that Huo Zhixing must need someone to accompany him at this moment.

Cheng Xuerou smiled, picked up her wine glass, and walked towards him.

She had even planned out how to smile and how to greet people along the way.

But before she could speak, Huo Zhixing raised his eyes and stared at her coldly.

She had never seen that look in her eyes before.

Cheng Xuerou's heart skipped a beat, and her hands felt a little cold, but she still forced a calm smile.

"Huo Zhixing, do you still remember me?"

Huo Zhixing glanced at her and nodded slightly.

Cheng Xuerou took advantage of the situation and sat on the sofa opposite him.

She deliberately adjusted her posture when sitting so that the slit of her cheongsam was directly facing him.

"I've been thinking about all of you old friends ever since graduation!" Cheng Xuerou took a small sip of red wine. "Now I've entered the entertainment industry, and you also run an entertainment company, so we can work together again!"

"You've got it wrong." Huo Zhixing said expressionlessly. "You signed with Qingshan Entertainment, which has nothing to do with me. We don't work together."

Cheng Xuerou was speechless at his words and looked at him awkwardly.

"I... I mean, we see each other all the time in the industry."

"My mother is the chairman of Yufeng Media. I don't participate in any decision-making except for holding shares, so I can't see you!"

"..."

After being blocked twice, Cheng Xuerou's face turned somewhat pale.

"Is there anything else?" Huo Zhixing frowned slightly. "If not, stay away from me. I want to be alone for a while."

Cheng Xuerou was speechless for a moment.

She remembered that although this person always had a cold face when they were in school, they weren't this unapproachable!

Back then, she could still exchange a few words with him.

Cheng Xuerou was feeling uneasy, wondering how to continue the conversation, when a woman walked over awkwardly from a distance.

"Young Master Huo..." The woman had a great figure and a sweet voice; most men would lose their composure in front of her.

However, Cheng Xuerou keenly caught a hint of disgust on Huo Zhixing's face.

She recognized the actress; she was usually a cool and aloof movie queen, but she never expected that she would become so flirtatious when she met Master Huo.

Cheng Xuerou smiled and stood up to block the actress.

"Excuse me, Mr. Huo just said he wanted to be alone for a while, so it would be better if you didn't disturb him."

The actress glared at her, her eyes filled with obvious anger.

"You're a movie queen, and this is a public occasion, especially a banquet hosted by the Yao family," Cheng Xuerou said, giving her a gentle but firm rebuke. "Don't embarrass yourself here and spoil the fun for these young masters from several prominent families! Otherwise, it will be quite detrimental to your future as a movie queen!"

After carefully considering her words and looking at Huo Zhixing's ascetic face, the actress ultimately chose to leave gracefully.

Cheng Xuerou crossed her arms over her chest, looking quite pleased with herself.

She walked back to Huo Zhixing, about to say something, when she heard Huo Zhixing's deep voice:

"You should stay away from me too."

Cheng Xuerou was stunned and stared at him blankly.

Huo Zhixing's gaze was indifferent, yet tinged with a hint of coldness. "I don't want to repeat myself a second time!"