First Socialite
Zhang Chenglin arrived in Shanghai around lunchtime, and the Puyu Chamber of Commerce's leadership transition meeting officially began after lunch.
Zhang Chenglin thought about it and decided not to participate in the Puyu Chamber of Commerce's lunch. Instead, he went to No. 106, Xiangdong Lane.
Sheng Dongsheng was not there; instead, Yi Boyan, who should have been attending the Puyu Chamber of Commerce's leadership transition meeting, was here.
"Brother Lin."
Yi Boyan spoke first upon seeing the person, and Zhang Chenglin responded indifferently, asking, "Where is Mr. Sheng?"
"I went to the Puyu Chamber of Commerce," Yi Boyan replied with a smile, his expression very pleasant.
It felt like meeting an old friend I hadn't seen for many years.
"Are you here by yourself?" Zhang Chenglin asked for some reason.
“Yes,” Yi Boyan nodded, “Mr. Sheng told me to go to the Puyu Chamber of Commerce later, saying that you might come over.”
"Did he know I was coming?" Zhang Chenglin frowned, glancing at the clock on the wall: 12:28.
Yi Boyan nodded with a smile, his eyes carrying an emotion that Zhang Chenglin couldn't understand.
Zhang Chenglin didn't stay in Xiangdong Alley for long; he really just came to take a break.
As he was about to leave, Yi Boyan suddenly asked him, "Brother Lin, how's Ah Qiong doing lately?"
Zhang Chenglin paused as he stepped out the door, then turned to look at him: "Did you two have a fight?"
Yi Boyan was taken aback, clearly not expecting Zhang Chenglin to ask such a question.
But after realizing what she meant, she nodded: "Yes, things haven't been very peaceful up north lately, I don't want her to go to Shandong..."
Zhang Chenglin nodded, and said thoughtfully, "It's naturally good for her to stay by her brother's side."
After hearing Zhang Chenglin's words, Yi Boyan gave a wry smile and remained silent.
*
After leaving No. 106, Xiangdong Alley, Xinjie asked Zhang Chenglin, "Sir, are we going to the Puyu Chamber of Commerce's leadership transition meeting now?"
"Wait..." Zhang Chenglin had just started to speak when Xin Jie said, "Mr. He just sent someone to say that he has been waiting for you for a long time."
Zhang Chenglin: "...Why didn't you say so earlier?"
Xin Jie chuckled to himself, glancing at Zhang Chenglin's sinister gaze, then cleared his throat and stood up straight with a serious expression.
"Go to the leadership transition meeting."
Zhang Chenglin issued the order, but he didn't see the fleeting glimpse of a military green coat at the entrance of No. 106, Xiangdong Alley.
Xin Jie nodded, narrowing his eyes as he looked at the fleeting glimpse of a piece of clothing.
"Sir, please be careful in Shanghai these next few days."
As they approached the venue, Xin Jie suddenly spoke up to remind them.
"What's wrong?" Zhang Chenglin asked.
Xin Jie looked him straight in the eye and nodded slightly.
When two people work together for a long time, there are some things that don't need to be said explicitly.
Zhang Chenglin understood immediately and didn't say anything more.
"Tell me immediately if anything happens."
Before getting out of the car and entering the venue, Zhang Chenglin said this to Xinjie.
Xin Jie nodded in agreement and turned to get back into his car.
After entering the venue, Zhang Chenglin went directly to the private room where He Zhonghua had sent word that he was waiting for him.
Zhang Chenglin originally thought that the scheduled meal time for the leadership transition meeting was almost over, so he would just have a brief meeting with He Zhonghua and the others before preparing to go to the opening ceremony of the meeting.
When he opened the door, he found that everyone in the private room was waiting for him.
As soon as He Zhonghua saw him, he started wailing, "God, you've finally come! If you hadn't come, I would have starved to death in this private room!"
Zhang Chenglin looked down as he spoke, and saw that the table full of dishes hadn't been touched at all, as if they were just waiting for him to arrive.
Zhang Chenglin walked over to the empty seat next to Zheng Mingzhe and sat down, exchanging a few simple pleasantries.
After all, the people in this private room have come from afar to attend the leadership transition meeting. It wouldn't be right not to show some appreciation after making them wait for so long.
Moreover, this is the He family's home turf, and he cannot let He Zhonghua, the young master, lose face.
"Hey Ah Lin, did you know that people from Huayuelou came today?" After more than twenty minutes, He Zhonghua suddenly switched places with Zheng Mingzhe, moved closer to Zhang Chenglin, and asked quietly.
“I know,” Zhang Chenglin nodded.
"Then do you know who came to Huayuelou?" He Zhonghua asked this question with an inscrutable expression, and Zhang Chenglin did not dare to answer him casually: "It wasn't Xiao Zhirong?"
"Of course not!" He Zhonghua reached out and patted Zhang Chenglin's arm, which was dressed in a dark green military uniform, and said in a mysterious tone, "It's that courtesan from Huayuelou, Fengyue."
Zhang Chenglin paused in taking off his gloves, and asked again as if seeking confirmation: "Who did you say?"
“The courtesan of Huayue Tower, Fengyue.” He Zhonghua didn’t notice Zhang Chenglin’s strange look and said casually, “Many people have already greeted her this morning. I’m not familiar with her, but she doesn’t look like a woman of the night from a humble family.”
Zhang Chenglin's eyes darkened slightly as he listened to He Zhonghua finish speaking:
"On the contrary, it's those high-born, aristocratic young ladies who have studied abroad..."
"What overseas-educated young lady?" Before He Zhonghua could finish speaking, Zhuang Eryi suddenly appeared from behind, grinning, "Are you talking about me, please?"
"You scared me to death!" He Zhonghua jumped two meters away, and while calming himself down, he accused Zhuang Eryi: "How come you appear out of nowhere, little miss?"
“I didn’t,” Zhuang Eryi rolled her eyes a couple of times and asked deliberately, “Are you really talking badly about me? You seem so guilty.”
“I wasn’t talking about you,” He Zhonghua said, pursing his lips. “I was talking about the courtesan from Huayuelou.”
Zhuang Eryi followed He Zhonghua's words and looked into the inner room. Feng Yue was wearing a well-fitting cheongsam. Every move she made and every smile she gave was graceful and generous. She was talking with the nobles and wealthy merchants from all over the country. She did not have a bit of pettiness. On the contrary, she made those people seem like mere extras.
“I feel like…” Zhuang Eryi looked on absentmindedly and said half-jokingly, “I’m almost no longer the number one socialite in Shandong.”
He Zhonghua sneered mercilessly: "What a joke! After all these years in Cambridge, you're no longer the number one socialite in Shandong. What are you dreaming about?"
Zhuang Eryi turned and glared at him, too lazy to pay him any attention, but then, as if struck by a sudden thought, she said, "And there's a strange sense of familiarity about her, like meeting an old friend after many years apart..."
Upon hearing Zhuang Eryi's words, Zhang Chenglin subtly shifted his gaze to her.
But Zhuang Eryi was still thinking about that old friend and didn't notice Zhang Chenglin's gaze: "How could she possibly go to Shandong? It can't be her."
Hearing Zhuang Eryi's sudden denial after speaking, He Zhonghua became intrigued: "Who? How come I didn't know you knew this person?"
“Gu,” Zhuang Eryi looked up, smiling brightly and ostentatiously, as if showing off a treasure he had kept for many years, and said, “Gu Shiyue.”
Upon hearing the name, Zhang Chenglin lowered his gaze, his expression unreadable as he looked at Feng Yue.
He Zhonghua was startled: "You mean Gu Shiyue, the eldest daughter of the Gu family, one of the three great families in Shanghai many years ago?"
“Yes,” Zhuang Eryi did not deny it: “After all these years, Gu Shiyue is still the most elegant and gentle girl I have ever met.”
Speaking of Gu Shiyue, Zhuang Eryi's eyes were filled with smiles: "Who wouldn't want to be good friends with Gu Shiyue?"
He Zhonghua tilted his head, seemingly observing the scene inside, or perhaps simply reminiscing about the past: "In the vast expanse of Shanghai over the past few centuries, only one Gu Shiyue has emerged. Heaven is fair; beautiful women are often destined for tragedy."
In those years, the three great families of Shanghai shone brightly, each going to great lengths for the honor and disgrace of their family, and engaging in numerous overt and covert dealings with each other's businesses.
While business owners focus on their careers, family is often the least important thing.
But just when the Gu family was at its most prosperous, a Gu Shiyue emerged from the family. This Gu Shiyue was proficient in everything from music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, wine, and tea, and her white dress outshone all the socialites of Shanghai.
Due to her family background, Gu Shiyue doesn't have many opportunities to appear in public, but every time she does, she is imitated by those Shanghai socialites.
Her temperament, her gentleness, and her style of dress are all things that Shanghai socialites strive to emulate.
Later, Shanghai was in turmoil, and the Gu family disappeared from the vast map of Shanghai overnight. The stunning socialite of Shanghai also disappeared from the long river of memory, becoming the most regrettable existence in the hearts of many.
“But then again,” Zhuang Eryi said with a smile, her gaze falling on Zhang Chenglin, who hadn’t said a word from beginning to end, “over the years, I’ve met so many men, both domestic and foreign, and in my heart, only Zhang Chenglin is worthy of standing next to Gu Shiyue.”
"Pfft, cough cough cough—" He Zhonghua choked for no reason after hearing Zhuang Eryi's words: "What kind of talk is this? Why are you arranging marriages for people out of nowhere?"
Zhuang Eryi looked Zhang Chenglin up and down, then shrugged: "Of course, Zhang Chenglin is only good enough to stand next to Gu Shiyue; he's not good enough for her."
Zhang Chenglin: "..."
He Zhonghua: "...Is Gu Shiyue so sacred in your eyes?"
“Yes,” Zhuang Eryi nodded instantly, without even a second’s hesitation.
While Zhuang Eryi and He Zhonghua were talking, Fengyue turned around and saw Zhang Chenglin standing outside. She hesitated for only a second before apologetically telling the people in front of her that she had seen an acquaintance and wanted to go say hello.
“Mr. Zhang.” Feng Yue walked over and spoke with a smile.
Zhang Chenglin didn't speak, but He Zhonghua and Zhuang Eryi turned around upon hearing this, "Hey? It's you."
Feng Yue smiled gently, her smile generous and measured, as if they were on her home turf: "Mr. He, Ms. Zhuang."
“Miss Fengyue,” Zhuang Eryi took two steps forward, looked at Fengyue seriously, and asked, “Are you from Shandong?”
Fengyue's smile remained unchanged, and she spoke softly, unlike a northerner, but rather like a young lady who grew up in the drizzling rain of Jiangnan.
"yes."
But when Zhuang Eryi asked her that question, she answered "yes".
The light in Zhuang Eryi's eyes dimmed instantly, and he muttered softly, "I wish you would say no."
Fengyue smiled gently, but didn't respond to her words.
“See, I told you so,” He Zhonghua reached out and patted Zhuang Eryi’s shoulder lightly, as if to comfort him: “How could she possibly be Gu Shiyue?”
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