The three of us spent the Lunar New Year in the provincial capital, and I had originally planned to drive Xu Tong and her daughter to Anqi's grandmother's home in the countryside. But just then, I received an invitation from Yue Mingyuan to meet up at the Longting Club on the second day of the Lunar New Year.
I was unable to help, and although Xu Tong was very unhappy, after I comforted her, the mother and daughter got on the car I arranged and returned to the countryside.
Before I left, she specifically reminded me, "Hongjun, you must be wary of Yue Mingyuan. I met him in England last Spring Festival. He's polite in every word, but every word he says is murderous. Don't think he truly appreciates your talent and values your abilities. In my opinion, he's set his sights on Mr. Lin's Schindler Company! And he knows your words carry weight with Mr. Lin, so he's trying to win you over."
Xu Tong's exhortation really made me look at her with new eyes. She was able to see through Yue Mingyuan's plot. This alone proved that she was more than just a beautiful "vase".
As planned, I arrived at the Dragon Court Club. While the layout and furnishings remained unchanged, the atmosphere was permeated with the festive spirit of the Spring Festival. Even more surprising, the staff I'd met last time were almost entirely new. I couldn't help but wonder: Where on earth did he find so many people?
Of course, there was still one "old friend." When the elevator doors opened, a woman—more precisely, a graceful, smiling woman—was waiting. She bowed deeply to me and said, "Happy New Year, Mr. Guan! Welcome!"
I was a little at a loss for a moment and could only respond: "Happy New Year, Happy New Year..."
Before she finished speaking, her slender arms were already wrapped around mine.
Shocked, I couldn't help but ask, "Wait, didn't I already wish you a happy new year on WeChat? Why are you making such a fuss about this?"
She pursed her lips and smiled, her grip still tight. "This is different. It's the first time we've met since the beginning of the year, so of course we have to be more formal." Her eyes flickered, and her smile deepened. "Boss Feng specifically instructed that I, your female companion today, must accompany you throughout the entire trip."
I looked at her affectionate gesture and understood. Yue Mingyuan had really gone to great lengths to arrange for Peng Xiaohui to "accompany" me... What was his plan behind this?
She looked around and saw that no one was around, so she leaned over and whispered in my ear, her voice very low and warm: "You've already made your fake play real, do you still care about putting on a good show in front of him?"
I snorted softly and glanced at her sideways: "You female spy."
She pursed her lips in a smile, but before it reached her eyes, her expression suddenly faltered, becoming serious. I followed her gaze and saw He Zhibin walking towards us, a beaming smile on his face.
Peng Xiaohui and I were led to the tea room. As soon as I entered, Yue Mingyuan came forward to shake hands with me. We exchanged happy new years and he spoke warmly about my recent situation.
I turned to greet Hu Haiyang. It was my first time meeting the other guests. Yue Mingyuan thoughtfully introduced them to me one by one. Many prominent figures from various provincial departments and committees were present. They naturally didn't care much for a minor official like me, but out of respect for Yue Mingyuan, they all exchanged a few polite words.
When we sat down, Yue Mingyuan deliberately arranged the seat next to him. This action immediately attracted several glances mixed with envy and inquiry - most of us were secretly wondering why Yue Mingyuan treated me so politely.
As I took a sip of tea, the female duet tanci piece "Pearl Tower" began to play. The female artist on the upper part strummed the sanxian, while the female artist on the lower part held the pipa, and the soft Wu dialect lingered.
During this break, I quietly surveyed the guests. With the exception of Hu Haiyang and Feng Zi, all the others had brought their own female companions. Whether these beautiful women were the wives of their respective families was unknown. But at such an occasion, it was highly likely they wouldn't be the original wife—after all, no one wanted their wife to be seen in such a social setting.
The seat next to Yue Mingyuan was empty, and Feng Lei was nowhere to be seen. I was wondering why, when Yue Mingyuan suddenly leaned over and whispered, "Hongjun, are all the arrangements for the country ready?"
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