Hong Kong Night Banquet, Reunion with Old Friends

The Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong is as dazzling as a field of broken diamonds at night.

Inside a top-tier hotel ballroom in Central, elegantly dressed people gather, clinking glasses. This is where Hong Kong's celebrities gather, and the air is thick with money, power, and the invisible smoke of war.

Huo Linshen stood before the French window, his back erect and solitary, his impeccably tailored black suit emphasizing his aloof, unapproachable aura. He held a glass of whiskey, the amber liquid swaying slightly under the light, yet it piqued his interest in tasting it. The neon lights outside reflected in his deep eyes, yet they held no warmth. The clamor of the surroundings seemed to be separated from him by an invisible barrier. He was the center of this feast, yet the most distant spectator.

He was the head of the Huo Group, a top figure in Hong Kong's financial world, and wielded a business empire powerful enough to shake up the Asia-Pacific economy. For him, such occasions were merely necessary social engagements and an extension of his business life.

"Mr. Huo, regarding the land in Nanwan..." someone came closer and spoke cautiously.

Huo Linshen didn't turn around, but nodded imperceptibly, his voice cold and calm: "Talk to my special assistant for the details."

The man immediately fell silent and dared not say anything more.

At the same time, there was a slight commotion at the entrance of the banquet hall.

Su Lingwan wore a bright red knee-length dress from Valentino's pre-fall collection, which accentuated her skin's whiteness, making her look incredibly radiant. Her beauty wasn't aggressive, but rather like a small sun, warm and lively. Her smile curved slightly, seeming to dispel any gloom. Around her neck, she wore a South Sea pearl necklace of her own design, its shimmering brilliance complementing her elegant demeanor.

She is the sole heir to the Nanyang Su Group. She had just returned to China and came to Hong Kong with her father to expand the family jewelry business.

"Wanwan, this is Uncle Wang..." Father Su introduced her in a low voice.

Su Lingwan responded gracefully, her smile fitting, her manners impeccable. Only she knew the heels of her new high heels were rubbing against her. While her father was chatting with someone, she quietly moved away, trying to find a quiet corner to catch her breath.

His eyes wandered inadvertently, and when they passed the lonely figure in front of the window, he paused slightly.

That person...seems a little familiar.

A dusty corner deep in her memory seemed to flutter, but it was too quick to grasp. She shook her head. Perhaps it was an illusion. In such occasions, it was inevitable to encounter some unique people.

She picked up a glass of red wine from the waiter's tray beside her, intending to take a sip to cover up her momentary distraction. However, the moment she turned around, her high heels twisted and her body fell forward uncontrollably!

"ah!"

A low exclamation escaped his lips, and the wine glass in his hand flew out of his hand. The bright red wine drew a parabola in the air and splashed all over the black figure in front of the window.

“Crash—”

The crisp crackling sound, accompanied by the subtle sound of wine soaking through the expensive suit, seemed particularly harsh in the originally noisy banquet hall.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

The surroundings instantly became quiet, and all eyes were focused on him, with shock, sympathy, and more of amusement in watching the show.

Who doesn't know that Huo Linshen is a mysophobe and hates unnecessary physical contact and accidents? This Miss Su is probably in trouble.

Su Lingwan steadied herself, her heart sinking as she looked at the conspicuous, spreading wine stain on the back of the man's suit. It was over.

She raised her head and met the various gazes around her. Her cheeks instantly flushed with embarrassment and annoyance.

Huo Linshen turned around slowly.

His face was expressionless, still that same icy expression he'd never seen before, but the air around him seemed to suddenly cool down as he turned around. His dark eyes, like a bottomless pool, locked onto the perpetrator with pinpoint accuracy.

Su Lingwan saw his face clearly the moment he turned around.

He had a well-defined face, a high nose bridge, thin lips, and a jawline as sharp as a knife. He was handsome to the point of being aggressive, yet also cold enough to make one's heart tremble.

It's him.

The name almost jumped out of his mouth—Huo Linshen. The person his father had mentioned as someone he needed to be cautious of and a potential marriage partner.

Her mind was blank, and she had completely forgotten the apology she had prepared. She could only stare at him blankly like a frightened deer.

Huo Linshen's gaze lingered on her face for two seconds. The girl before him had delicate eyebrows and eyes, clear amber. Her pupils were slightly widened in panic, her long eyelashes trembling like butterfly wings. Her bright face was a mixture of annoyance, helplessness, and a kind of... vividness he hadn't remembered for a long time.

He remembered these eyes.

After not seeing her for many years, the little girl from back then has grown into such a dazzling girl.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for Huo Linshen's wrath. Some were even ready to step forward to smooth things over.

However, the expected rebuke did not come.

Huo Linshen raised his hand and casually brushed off the wine stain on his suit. His movements were elegant, as if he was just brushing off a speck of dust. He took a step forward and approached Su Lingwan.

A strong sense of oppression instantly enveloped her. Su Lingwan subconsciously took half a step back, but her heels hit the wall, leaving her with nowhere to retreat.

He was so close that Su Lingwan could smell the crisp scent of cedar on him, mixed with the mellow aroma of red wine, forming a strange, heart-pounding smell. She could see the shadows cast by his thick eyelashes and the elusive emotions that flashed deep in his eyes.

He lowered his head and said calmly in a voice that only the two of them could hear:

"Miss Su, long time no see."

His voice was low and mellow, like the sound of a cello string brushing against the tip of the heart, without a trace of anger, and so calm as if he was stating a fact.

But these few simple words sounded like thunder in Su Lingwan's ears.

Does he remember her?

The people around them looked at each other in shock. Huo Linshen wasn't angry at all, but... he actually knew this Miss Su? And that tone, that distance...

Su Lingwan's heart began to beat uncontrollably, and blood rushed to her head, making her feel dizzy. She opened her mouth, finally finding her voice again, and with a barely perceptible tremor, she said, "Mr. Huo... Mr. Huo, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

Huo Lin's deep gaze lingered on the tip of her red ear for a moment before moving away. He tilted his head and whispered to his assistant, who had appeared behind him, "Go get a spare suit from the car."

"Yes, Mr. Huo." The assistant responded and left quickly.

Huo Linshen then looked at Su Lingwan again, his gaze sweeping across her empty hands and the broken wine glass on the ground.

"Are you scared?" he asked, his tone still calm, but upon closer listening, it seemed to be less cold than before.

Su Lingwan nodded honestly, then quickly shook her head: "I was too careless."

She tried to hide her panic by bending down to pick up the broken glass on the ground.

"Don't move." Huo Linshen stopped him with an unquestionable command in his tone.

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, his hand reached out, not to touch her, but to firmly grasp her wrist, preventing her from squatting.

His palm was broad, his fingertips slightly cool, yet his strength was immense. The moment their skin touched, a subtle electric current seemed to course through Su Lingwan's body, causing her to shudder and freeze in place.

Huo Linshen seemed to have noticed the overly intimate contact, and he loosened his hand naturally, as if it was just a matter of convenience.

"Let the waiter handle it." He said concisely.

Soon, the well-trained waiters quickly cleaned up the scene.

Huo Linshen's assistant also brought a clean suit jacket. In front of everyone, he took off the soiled jacket, handed it to his assistant, and then put on the new one with a swift movement. The whole process was calm and unhurried, with the composure of someone in control of the situation.

Father Su also rushed over at this time and apologized repeatedly: "Mr. Huo, I'm really sorry, my daughter was reckless..."

Huo Linshen adjusted his cuffs, raised his eyes, and glanced at Su's father, finally landing on Su Lingwan who lowered her head slightly.

"It's okay." He interrupted Father Su's words, his tone unable to tell whether he was happy or angry. "Miss Su, be careful next time."

After saying this, he nodded slightly as a greeting, then turned around and blended back into the crowd, as if the previous episode had never happened.

But the words "Long time no see" he left behind, and the slightly cool touch that belonged to him on her wrist, were engraved in Su Lingwan's perception like a brand.

The banquet continued, the music flowed, and people continued to talk and laugh.

But many people looked at Su Lingwan with curiosity and deep thought.

Huo Linshen's attitude is so unusual.

Su Lingwan stood there, taking a deep breath, trying to calm her still pounding heart. She raised her eyes and looked at the tall figure that had once again become the focus of her attention.

Huo Linshen...

She repeated the name silently in her mind.

This unexpected reunion was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples in her heart.

But she didn't know whether Huo Linshen's seemingly calm heart was also stirred up by her "stone".

He just felt that the dead and silent wasteland that had been sleeping for too long seemed to be briefly illuminated for a moment by this unexpected intrusion of red.

It was a long time later that Huo Linshen realized that it was not just a brief illumination, it was his sun that had returned.