Elegant Banquet
Wen Yunsheng glanced through the peephole and immediately rushed to the living room, pulling Tao Chu upstairs: "Li Pengcheng is here. Stay in your room and don't come out."
He pushed Tao Chu into the bedroom and glanced around the room: "Everything you need is here. Lock the door from the inside and only open it when you hear me."
Tao Chu wasn't unaware of Li Pengcheng's purpose in coming here, but seeing Wen Yunsheng's tense demeanor, she still smiled and said, "I know—why does it sound like you're telling a child not to open the door to strangers?"
Wen Yunsheng pressed her shoulder: "It's a good thing if you know how to be afraid. I was worried that you would hear some noise and rush out recklessly—if I didn't have to look for the key in time, I would have locked the door from the inside."
Hearing the doorbell ringing urging her, Tao Chu nudged him: "Go on, I know what I'm doing."
Wen Yunsheng took two steps outside, but before the door closed, he couldn't help but turn back and say, "Don't open the door, leave the outside to me."
Tao Chu nodded and locked the door from the inside.
With her back to the door, she scanned the spacious and bright bedroom suite, her eyes landing on the chair in front of the desk.
She pushed a chair to the doorway, sat down, and listened to the sounds outside.
Li Pengcheng had his hands in his suit pockets as his men rang the doorbell again and again, which made him increasingly irritated.
The moment the door opened, his expression immediately changed to one of concern and worry. He took two steps forward and squeezed in, saying, "Yunsheng, when I heard they said you were injured, I couldn't sit still for a moment and had to come see you right away."
Wen Yunsheng broke free from his grip and smiled, "You're too kind, it's just a minor injury."
Li Pengcheng didn't argue with him at the door, and led the man inside: "The injury is to the head, so it can't be ignored. And it happened on our ship, so of course I have to come and check on him. It's my duty!"
Wen Yunsheng watched them file in and secretly rejoiced that he had Tao Chu hide beforehand.
"How can I bear such a large-scale mobilization?" Wen Yunsheng's face had already turned cold.
“We know you want to recover properly, so we won’t bother you any further. But we heard Miss Tao was with you, so we didn’t see her?” Li Pengcheng didn’t bother beating around the bush and turned to ask him.
"What is it?" Wen Yunsheng stared at him.
“Miss Tao is the VIP guest who won the grand prize. She is the star of tonight’s elegant banquet at Biyue. We have prepared her attire and jewelry. Please invite her to the VIP room first.” Li Pengcheng said with a smile.
"She has to take care of me, so she won't go."
"Yunsheng, that's not right of you. Her boyfriend is still on the ship. What's the point of keeping her in your room? It would be so ugly if things got out of hand."
When Wen Yunsheng heard him bring up Shen Yingchang, he laughed in anger: "Then let him come to me himself."
Seeing that he wouldn't budge, Li Pengcheng's smile gradually disappeared: "Do you know how your father assured the leaders? If I can't take Tao Chu away, he won't have to attend the banquet tonight."
Wen Yunsheng recalled his father's furious outburst earlier and realized that Li Pengcheng's words were not a lie.
Zhou Bingcheng was already a paranoid person; even though he had been with Jianglin Yuanmao Group for several years, he had never directly come into contact with their core "business".
However, Wen Yunsheng had his own ways of finding out. He could also figure things out from his familiar areas of contracts, compliance, and legal risks.
Zhou Bingcheng is already 56 years old this year. If he doesn't make further progress, he will soon be preparing to retire.
"An army is raised for a thousand days to be used for one." At this crucial moment, if Zhou Bingcheng can be promoted, even his chickens and dogs will rise to the top.
Seeing that Wen Yunsheng remained silent, Li Pengcheng knew he was afraid, so he smiled again: "I've delivered the message, and I don't mind going back empty-handed."
Wen Yunsheng watched as he straightened the sleeves of his black suit, looking confident and composed.
This is an open and honest strategy, forcing Wen Yunsheng to make a choice.
On one end is his father, Wen Tao, who could have risen to a higher level alongside Zhou Bingcheng, but he faces the danger of being suspected and suppressed because of him.
At their level, it's a matter of either moving forward or falling behind, not to mention the ever-watchful eyes of Li Pengcheng and his son.
If his father loses Zhou Bingcheng's trust and favor, Li Pengcheng, seizing the opportunity, will first remove himself, the thorn in Jianglin Yuanmao Group's side.
But he can't leave yet.
Originally it was for her father, but now it's also for Tao Chu on the other side of the scale.
Tao Chu, inside the door, didn't hear their conversation clearly, but upon hearing the "thump-thump" of footsteps, she prepared herself for a confrontation.
Suddenly, Wen Yunsheng's voice came from outside the door.
"Chuchu, open the door, it's me."
Tao Chu opened the door, and Wen Yunsheng lowered his eyes, not daring to look at her.
She was familiar with that expression. On the "Dream Seeker on the River," she was dressed up and sitting opposite him. After replying to two messages, he showed that guilty and apologetic look.
She suddenly felt somewhat ridiculous for repeatedly placing her hopes on Wen Yunsheng's protection.
As a result, she was still taken aboard the "Sea Chaser," and it seems she can't escape Li Pengcheng's clutches now.
Her gaze lifted slightly, fixed on the wound on his forehead—his willingness to bleed for her was genuine, and his eventual submission after weighing the pros and cons was undeniable.
She didn't say a word, silently walked out of the room, and Wen Yunsheng wanted to take her hand: "I'll go with you..."
Tao Chu wasn't exactly angry; it was as if she had been doused with cold water, which jolted her back to her senses.
She said softly, "Now that you've made your choice, continuing to drag this out won't be good for anyone."
It was a calm and understanding sentence, yet it frightened Wen Yunsheng more than any accusation or angry rebuke.
But he couldn't bring himself to explain his predicament; it would seem too much like making a boast to save face, and he didn't want to disappoint her again.
When he succeeds, she and her father should be able to understand.
But his desire to protect her remained unchanged.
As Tao Chu left, she glanced at the box of chocolates on the table and was glad that she had resisted the temptation and hadn't tried them.
Shen Yingchang was not surprised to see her return, but he wisely refrained from asking, only saying that someone had called to invite them to the VIP room to try on formal wear.
To put it bluntly, it's about putting on a show to please those in power and highlight their status.
The moment Tao Chu appeared in the VIP room, Li Yue appeared like a shark smelling blood.
He saw Shen Yingchang standing next to her, introducing the high-level and grand scale of Tao Chu's banquet while probing about the relationship between her and Wen Yunsheng.
Tao Chu gave evasive answers to his questions, knowing that he was being watched over.
After her full makeup was done, she wouldn't let the makeup artist do anything and put her hair up herself. It wasn't until she changed into a pure white Chinese dress that Li Yue's eyes suddenly looked strange.
Shen Yingchang also noticed this and intentionally stood between them.
But until the banquet began, Li Yue's eyes never left Tao Chu.
Tao Chu felt a chill run down his spine. Thinking of how Cen Le had been harassed by him before, he couldn't help but worry about Cen Le.
Stepping into the hall, Tao Chu had to admit that he had never seen such a banquet before.
The entire dome is painted with ink-wash style and misty light, while the surrounding walls depict rolling green hills and flowing water, and the sound of rain pattering on bamboo leaves can be heard.
Everyone was dressed in light-colored traditional Chinese formal attire, and the shadows of bamboo leaves cast from somewhere were faintly reflected on their bodies.
The guests became the backdrop of the painting; people were part of the scenery, and people were part of the scenery.
After Tao Chu took his seat, he watched as the clouds gradually dispersed and the rain stopped, revealing the clear sky above.
Then new buds sprouted on the walls, delicate flowers blossomed, and birds chirped all around. The reflections on my body were of butterflies fluttering their wings and willow branches swaying.
By the time the seats were almost full, Tao Chu had already seen all four seasons, rain, snow, sunshine, and frost, but there was still no cycle. Famous mountains and rivers, lakes and rivers, poems and inscriptions, ancient and modern paintings, each scene never repeated.
There were only three round tables in the hall. She had already scanned them several times and found quite a few famous celebrities, as well as a few young men and women who looked like they were studying dance or opera.
However, judging from their age and attire, none of them were of exceptionally high status. Not to mention Zhou Bingcheng, even Wen Tao and Li Pengcheng did not show up.
Wen Yunsheng did arrive and sat down opposite her without making a sound, but Tao Chu had no interest in looking at him at all.
Li Yue hosted the banquet as usual. After a few words to liven up the atmosphere, singers went on stage to sing, and dancers danced gracefully amidst the lights and shadows.
What made Tao Chu uneasy was that, from small details like clothing and accessories to large-scale environmental decorations, stage design, and even the celebrity actors present... who was this lavish spending intended for?
This place is like a stage that has been set up. The people in the audience are all actors entertaining people. Where are the spectators who are supposed to be clapping and cheering?
Tao Chu suddenly raised his head and looked at the ever-changing dome at the end.
This angle offers an excellent vantage point for viewing.
High above, with everything laid out before you.
Tao Chu glanced at the wild yellow croaker on the table and thought of how many seafood restaurants let customers order through glass tanks.
Choose which grouper or Australian lobster you like, and we'll catch and cook it right there.
They are now like shrimp and crabs, waiting to be selected as the biggest and freshest.
Exquisite clothing and jewelry, beautiful face and figure, singing and dancing skills are all used to prove that they are different from others, hoping to be caught up and presented to those in power.
It's likely that the only people sitting here are completely unaware of this, except for the few people at this table.
People at the two tables next door were taken away one after another and never returned, confirming Tao Chu's guess.
Seeing that she had put down her chopsticks early, Shen Yingchang kindly advised her, "The food is delicious, eat more."
He realized something was wrong, but how could he have the strength to cope if he wasn't full?
Tao Chu had no appetite. Li Yue had just finished his energetic dance on stage, glanced at his watch, strode off the stage, and put his hand on the back of Tao Chu's chair.
"Miss Tao, have you finished eating? Shall we go somewhere more lively to have some fun?"
Tao Chu looked up and asked, "Where?"
Li Yue leaned down and whispered in her ear: "The casino, dare to come?"
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