Chapter Twenty: The Concubine-Taking Feast

Cheng Qing naturally didn't dare to hold a grudge against Qiao Yuan for too long. She knew her place well, and besides, what she sought was never love.

As evening approached, she guessed that Qiao Yuan would be back soon, so she waited in the living room early, holding a cup of warm tea, her head bowed and her posture extremely humble.

When Qiao Yuan's tall figure, carrying the slight chill of the outside air, stepped into the living room, she immediately stood up, her head slightly lowered, her voice soft and gentle, carrying just the right amount of trepidation and flattery: "Mr. Qiao, you're back. Dinner... is ready."

Qiao Yuan paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over her. Her simple attire and deliberately concealed sharpness did indeed overlap somewhat with a vague and distant silhouette in his memory. The troubles of helping out in recent days and the dull pain deep in his heart that he could not get rid of left him with only deep exhaustion.

He had never truly cared about her, and now, seeing her so sensibly humble herself, the anger he felt for her flamboyant and vulgar nature vanished like a pebble thrown into a deep pool, creating only a few meaningless ripples before quickly sinking away.

"Hmm." He responded indifferently, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger, and walked straight towards the restaurant.

Cheng Qing secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly followed him, diligently pulling out a chair for him, serving him food and soup, her movements careful, her eyes occasionally stealing glances at his profile to observe his reaction.

Qiao Yuan ate his meal in silence, neither responding to nor rejecting her attempts to please him. His gaze would occasionally fall on a point in the void, carrying a heaviness and remoteness that Cheng Qing could never understand.

An interlude is ultimately just an interlude.

The day Qiao Yuan hosted a banquet at the International Hotel to "accept" Cheng Qing as his concubine arrived as scheduled amidst the glitz and clamor.

That night, as dusk settled, the International Hotel was ablaze with lights, and its entrance was bustling with traffic.

Shanghai's elites, gang leaders, and political and business figures gathered here, their elegant attire and gleaming hair creating a vibrant atmosphere of revelry.

The air was filled with the strong smell of cigars, the rich aroma of perfume, and an unspoken, ambiguous atmosphere.

The men chatted and laughed, exchanging favors and glances; the women, adorned with jewels, sized each other up and whispered among themselves.

Qiao Yuan, dressed in a sophisticated dark suit, stood in the center of the banquet hall, accepting the congratulations of the crowd with his usual smile that didn't reach his eyes, but his gaze kept drifting towards the entrance.

As the nominal protagonist of the evening, Cheng Qing naturally dressed up carefully. She wore a charming pink dress, her hair was permed into fashionable curls, and her face was covered with meticulous makeup. She tried her best to present an image that was both in line with her status as the "new favorite" and youthful and lovely. She held Qiao Yuan's arm, smiled sweetly, and enjoyed the false glory of being surrounded by stars, trying her best to ignore the gazes directed at her that were either inquiring, disdainful, or playful and comparative.

Just as the banquet atmosphere was reaching its climax, a slight commotion suddenly came from the entrance, and then the noise in the entire hall strangely subsided.

Everyone's attention was involuntarily drawn to it.

Lin Tang has arrived.

Lin Tang didn't wear heavy makeup like Cheng Qing, nor did she dress in a flamboyant style. She wore a perfectly tailored black velvet dress that accentuated her snow-white skin and slender figure. Her makeup was very light, which made her eyebrows and eyes appear even clearer and sharper. Her red lips were like plum blossoms blooming in the snow.

Lin Tang walked in calmly and gracefully, her steps silent, yet she exuded an aura of authority. The lights seemed to favor her, softly bathing her in light, making her black velvet dress shimmer with a dark and noble luster. Without any deliberate ostentation, she instantly overshadowed the glittering jewelry in the room, firmly drawing everyone's attention.

It was stunning.

The noise that had just surrounded Qiao Yuan and Cheng Qing seemed to vanish instantly.

Countless gazes focused on Lin Tang, some with amazement, some with astonishment, some with amusement, and most with disbelief and scrutiny.

Lin Tang, like a cold blade drawn from its sheath, suddenly shattered this glittering illusion, bringing with her a detached clarity and coldness, instantly revealing the absurd nature of this so-called "concubine-taking" feast.

Cheng Qing's smile froze instantly. Her fingers, which were holding Qiao Yuan's arm, tightened involuntarily. The delicate pink of her dress looked so childish, light, and even... cheap in front of Lin Tang's deep, elegant, and powerful black velvet. She could almost feel the silent and cruel comparison as the eyes around her swept back and forth between her and Lin Tang.

Qiao Yuan's gaze was also fixed firmly on Lin Tang. A complex mix of emotions surged deep within his eyes: amazement, pain, longing, and a deeper, indescribable stirring that almost pierced through his cold facade. He looked at her as if she were the only person left in the entire world.

She was still Lin Tang, but no longer the bright and beautiful girl he remembered, the one who needed his protection. Now, she was powerful, cold, breathtakingly beautiful, and so distant that it made his heart tremble.

She sat down, her posture impeccable, her back straight, like a statue sculpted from ice and snow.

The waiter immediately stepped forward and poured her a drink.

Lin Tang picked up her wine glass, her fingertips gleaming white, reflecting the dark red liquid inside. She nodded slightly to the nearest gang elder who was raising his glass in greeting, her movements elegant yet carrying an air of aloofness.

She only touched the glass of wine to her lips briefly before putting it back on the table.

All eyes in the banquet hall remained fixed on her, and whispers rose again like a tide, yet were kept extremely low. She was like a magnet, firmly attracting everyone's attention, making the original protagonist, Cheng Qing, completely relegated to a blurry embellishment in the background.

Cheng Qing felt her face burning, and her carefully maintained smile was about to shatter. She could only hold Qiao Yuan's arm even tighter, as if it were her only lifeline at this moment.

Just as the atmosphere was delicate and everyone was holding their breath and speculating, an unusual commotion broke out again at the entrance of the banquet hall.

Sato Ichiro strode in, surrounded by a group of attendants dressed in black kimonos with grim expressions.

“Mr. Qiao,” Sato nodded slightly in greeting, but his tone held no hint of congratulations, “Such a grand occasion is truly unforgettable. However, on such a joyous night, I wonder if Mr. Liang Kuan’s spirit in heaven can also feel this ‘liveliness’?”

One stone stirs up a thousand waves!

Liang Kuan's name, like a poisoned dagger, plunged deeply into this false and superficial world!

Many people present changed their expressions and subconsciously took a half step back.

Everyone knows that Liang Kuan is Qiao Yuan's mortal enemy. The two had been at odds since they were in the Black Tiger Gang. Later, Liang Kuan even plotted to ambush Qiao Yuan and Lin Tang. After that, Liang Kuan went into hiding in the underworld. There were rumors that he had defected to the Japanese. However, not long ago, his body was found in an abandoned house by the river, along with Huang Jinhu's body...

Qiao Yuan's smile froze instantly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, but he maintained his composure and calm. "Mr. Sato, it is an honor to have you here. I have failed to greet you properly. However, speaking of Liang Kuan's death, he was arrogant and domineering, with many enemies. Who knows if it was a matter of fate or public opinion?"

"Public opinion?" Sato laughed. "Mr. Qiao, let's not beat around the bush. In Jiangcheng, what 'public opinion' is there? Isn't it determined by strength? Liang Kuan is out of touch with reality and has only himself to blame. Mr. Qiao is a smart man and should understand that going with the flow is the true 'public opinion'."

He changed the subject, his eyes giving a meaningful look, "The Empire has always cherished talent, especially someone as brilliant and ambitious as Mr. Qiao. As long as you are willing to 'cooperate,' the past misunderstandings can naturally be wiped clean. In the future, Shanghai will surely offer Mr. Qiao a much wider world."

This seemingly lenient recruitment veiled a blatant threat.

These blatant words of support for the invaders and distortion of the truth were too much for Lin Tang, who had been observing from the sidelines, to bear. She abruptly stood up, her icy gaze piercing Sato Ichiro, her voice as sharp as shattered ice, "Mr. Sato, your words sound so grand and righteous. But I wonder, how many innocent lives were shed to write this 'timely situation'? How many compatriots' corpses must be trampled upon to achieve this so-called 'cooperation'? Forgive my bluntness, but such a 'world,' no matter how vast, is suffocating! Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together!"

She looked at Qiao Yuan, a faint glimmer of expectation burning in her eyes, one that she herself was unaware of.

However, Qiao Yuan's reaction was like a bucket of ice water being poured over his head.

The polite, fake smile on Qiao Yuan's face hadn't even disappeared. He raised his hand and seemingly casually placed it on Lin Tang's shoulder. The force wasn't great, but it carried an undeniable pressure.

"Sit down." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable tone of command.

He then turned to Sato Ichiro, his tone carrying a deliberate understatement and mockery: "Mr. Sato, you flatter me. A woman's hair is long but her mind is short; she only knows petty things about love and relationships, is out of touch with reality, and doesn't understand the big picture. I, Qiao, wholeheartedly agree with your insightful opinion. The future of Jiangcheng will naturally depend on strength."

The last glimmer of hope was completely extinguished, along with the last spark of light in her eyes.

Lin Tang clearly heard the sound of something shattering deep within her heart, a sound that was icy and bone-chilling.