Chapter 37 - 2#
Power, money, and status were equally important in this circle.
Jing Shun found the name familiar and guessed, “Is Miss Mo Man we met on the cruise ship his daughter?”
Chi Gui nodded.
Wei Di also understood the key point and reminded Chi Gui, “Miss Mo Man is here today as well.”
After all, Mo Jun had always tacitly approved of their group’s dock entry, but his attitude had suddenly turned slightly subtle in the past two days—
The application submitted by Chi Group’s project team yesterday had even been sent back under the excuse of “insufficient materials.”
Wei Di glanced at Jing Shun on the sofa but didn’t dare say it outright:
Yesterday, the Mo family had sent an invitation under the guise of a private dinner, scheduled for two days later. But Chi Gui didn’t plan to go and intended to find time tonight to politely decline in person.
As an assistant, Wei Di trusted Chi Gui’s capabilities, but he was worried that Mo Jun might feel disrespected and secretly cause trouble in various ways.
“…”
When Jing Shun heard the name Mo Man, his gaze involuntarily drifted down. Sure enough, among the brightly dressed female guests, he spotted the young face.
Mo Man was wearing a white off-shoulder evening gown today, her hair simply tied up, leaving only a few strands to frame her already exquisite shoulder and neck lines.
Even among the glamorous female guests, her presence stood out enough.
Mo Man was very beautiful, far more so than many actresses in the entertainment industry now.
Jing Shun glanced at Chi Gui in his black suit and, for some reason, felt a pang of jealousy he hadn’t even had on the cruise ship a few days ago.
To be honest, the handsome man and beautiful woman made a pretty good match.
Moreover, the Mo family and Mo Man seemed to hold great goodwill and interest in connecting with Chi Gui.
Chi Gui noticed the distraction in front of him. “Jing Shun, what are you thinking?”
“Nothing.” Jing Shun refocused his gaze and changed the subject. “It’s almost half past six. Aren’t you going down to start the opening?”
After all, as the host, being late would seem impolite.
Chi Gui was about to respond when the hotel manager in charge of the banquet rushed in urgently. “Chairman Chi, Assistant Wei, there’s… there’s an emergency.”
Wei Di asked immediately, “What’s wrong?”
Suppressing his panic, the hotel manager explained, “The cellist scheduled for the opening performance suddenly didn’t show up, and now we can’t get through to their agent either.”
Chi Gui’s banquet had been arranged on short notice, but to maintain appearances, he had invited a well-known violin principal for the opening performance, spending generously to secure their schedule.
Unexpectedly, even though the money had been paid, the performer had stood them up.
The hotel manager said, “I’m sorry, Chairman Chi. This emergency caught us off guard. We’ve already found backup musicians to rush over, but it’ll take at least half an hour to get here.”
Knowing his mistake, the hotel manager could only turn his pleading gaze to Wei Di. “Assistant Wei, should we delay the banquet’s start time or cancel this segment entirely?”
His tone noticeably weakened toward the end of his words.
“…”
Chi Gui’s expression tightened, looking somewhat cold.
Normally, such procedural arrangements shouldn’t have to bother him.
Jing Shun frowned slightly. “If we cancel it outright, will it have a big impact?”
The hotel manager explained, “Here in Aoshi, it’s customary for banquets to open with a musician’s performance. It’s not a strict rule, and not many guests listen intently to the performance.”
But without this segment—
It would inevitably give some nitpickers a chance to criticize Chi Gui, an outsider from Haishi, for not understanding banquet etiquette, making him a laughingstock.
Jing Shun roughly understood and a flicker of consideration crossed his brow.
He glanced at the time on his watch, as if making a decision. “Does the hotel have a violin and sheet music available? I could try playing the violin.”
Chi Gui was somewhat surprised.
The hotel manager jumped in first. “Sir, you can play? Our hotel has a well-stocked instrument storage room with all instruments regularly maintained! Shall I have someone fetch them for you now?”
With that, the waiter behind him was already in motion.
Jing Shun looked at Chi Gui and explained, “I learned piano and violin and have certificates, but it’s been a while since I practiced, so I’m a bit rusty.”
“If the guests aren’t listening too carefully and don’t scrutinize the piece or technique too strictly, I think I can manage.”
Jing Shun didn’t dare guarantee anything. “If you’re worried I’ll make mistakes or that my playing will be too simple to be presentable, then wait for the other musicians to arrive.”
“Not worried!”
Chi Gui made the final call. “Jing Shun, I’ll have you help me. I trust you more than any other musician who hasn’t shown up yet.”
“…”
Was this considered helping him?
The word “trust” deeply touched Jing Shun’s heartstrings, giving him a bit more confidence. “Then give me about ten minutes to prepare, okay?”
“Okay.”
After a brief exchange, Chi Gui finally went downstairs.
…
As soon as Chi Gui appeared in the banquet hall, he immediately drew the attention of all the guests.
After all, the Chi Group was famous in Haishi and had now forcefully entered Aoshi. Perhaps it could truly shake up the long-static family relations in the Hong Kong and Macau region.
Xu Qin had been secretly observing for a while. Seizing a free moment, she tugged her daughter’s hand and whispered, “He didn’t bring that little lover in the wheelchair today, did he?”
“Mom!”
Mo Man furrowed her delicate brows, confirming no one nearby had heard, then lowered her voice even more. “Don’t talk nonsense. I really don’t have any intention of developing things further with Mr. Chi!”
She was sensible. Chi Gui’s behavior on the cruise ship last time had already been a polite rejection.
Though Mo Man had felt embarrassed at the time, she harbored no bitterness afterward.
You can’t force affection.
Besides, he had a nominal lover. She wouldn’t stoop to such morally corrupt acts!
Xu Qin clicked her tongue. “Manman, I secretly looked into it. That Jing Shun is a minor celebrity in the mainland who had a scandal last year. He and Chi Gui had no interaction before that!”
Mo Man said, “Maybe Mr. Chi was just protecting their privacy?”
Xu Qin didn’t believe that. Drawing on her own experience, she judged, “I have a gut feeling that the two of them might have some kind of contractual relationship! Just to ward off people for Chi Gui! I don’t see much charm in that Jing Shun…”
“Mom! Stop it!”
Mo Man quickly interrupted, “What if someone else hears? I know what I’m doing. Don’t worry so much, and tell Dad to stop worrying too.”
“Oh, you…”
Xu Qin sighed in exasperation. Just as she was about to say something more, the lights in the entire hall suddenly dimmed.
Then, a spotlight shone on the second floor.
All eyes turned toward the light source, and exclamations of stunned admiration arose one after another—
Leaning against the railing at the center of the second floor sat a slender young man. In the glow of the spotlight, his profile was strikingly beautiful.
His deep champagne-colored suit shimmered faintly, giving the impression of a deity descending.
Even Wei Di, who was used to Jing Shun’s looks, was momentarily stunned when he looked up.
“Sir…” He paused for two seconds before finding the right words. “Little Mr. Jing is truly incredible.”
Clearly, the outfit and styling hadn’t changed, but at this moment, Jing Shun’s overall charisma was amplified to perfection.
A hint of a smile flickered in Chi Gui’s eyes, unable to look away from the person above. “He’s always been incredible.”
Wasn’t it said that the skill of the musician represented the banquet’s class? Jing Shun knew his ability couldn’t compare to a professional principal, so he had to create impact through other means—
Sitting on a high stool, leaning sideways against the railing, dimming all the lights with only the spotlight on him.
These were all operations Jing Shun had thought up in a short time.
As an actor, he knew his true strengths well. Even with his leg inconvenience, he meticulously used a high stool to elevate his posture.
In the dim environment, the single beam of light naturally made him the sole focus of the entire hall.
The surprised murmurs and discussions around him proved his success.
Chi Gui asked in a low voice, “Are the cameras ready? No mistakes.”
Wei Di nodded. “The hotel manager has already arranged for someone to film. After this slip-up, they won’t dare make another mistake.”
As his words fell, Jing Shun on the second floor began to move.
He skillfully lifted the violin, his hand holding the bow tracing an exceptionally graceful arc in the air before landing deftly and steadily.
In an instant, the sound of the violin flowed out.
Jing Shun had said he was rusty, but the slender wrist slightly exposed firmly controlled the bow and strings, and the sliding and modulation of his fingers showed no hint of awkwardness.
Usually, when encountering such opening performances, most people listened to it as background noise. But this time was different—
All eyes in the hall were fixed on Jing Shun!
His body swayed gently with the notes, the radiance of his champagne-colored suit moving, carrying the lively and melodious notes cascading down like moonlight from a waterfall.
The scene was beautiful, and his skill was no simple feat.
“Who is this musician? I don’t recall seeing him before?”
“I don’t know. I can’t see clearly either, but he looks pretty handsome?”
“Mr. Chi’s banquet is no ordinary affair. Even the opening is so spectacular.”
Not everyone could discern the quality of music with their ears, but everyone could intuitively perceive what “beauty” looked like.
“Oh my god, he’s so handsome!”
“I’ll ask the hotel manager later.”
Some wealthy young ladies were captivated by the sight, whispering in admiration, while older wealthy ladies began recording on their phones.
“Mom, don’t you think he looks familiar?”
Even from a distance, Mo Man recognized him.
Xu Qin caught her daughter’s implication. Squinting in the dim light, she was momentarily stunned. “Is that… Jing Shun?”
“It’s him.”
“Didn’t you say earlier you didn’t understand Jing Shun’s charm? Look at the expressions and reactions of everyone around you now. Doesn’t that tell you something?”
Mo Man was certain the person upstairs was Jing Shun, her emotions growing complex—surprise, envy, even a hint of admiration mixed with jealousy.
Someone who could catch Chi Gui’s eye and be brought by his side—could he really be just a minor, low-tier celebrity?
Good thing their mother-daughter duo hadn’t gone around gossiping earlier; otherwise, they’d be the ones embarrassed now!
As the piece ended, thunderous applause erupted.
Jing Shun, still sitting sideways, slowly straightened his posture. As an actor, he could naturally exude the confidence needed in this moment.
He smiled and gave a simple but elegant gentleman’s bow to the crowd below.
He didn’t bother to look at anyone else. Instead, he found Chi Gui in the center of the hall. Their eyes met, exchanging a wordless, tacit smile.
The gauze curtain fell, and Jing Shun concluded this near-perfect rescue.
Snap!
The crystal lights in the hall turned back on, momentarily dazzling.
Mo Man had been watching Jing Shun the entire time and naturally followed his gaze to Chi Gui on the first floor.
All of a sudden, as if realizing something, she showed an expression of surprise and understanding.
After a few seconds, Mo Man said to her mother, “Mom, don’t try to play matchmaker between Mr. Chi and me anymore. No matter what means, don’t.”
Xu Qin started to speak but stopped.
Seeing the situation clearly, Mo Man dropped the topic and took a sip of her wine.
Well then.
Why bother meddling anymore?
She had thought Jing Shun was dependent on Chi Gui’s identity and status. But what had she just seen?
The look in Chi Gui’s eyes as he stared at the second floor—it was clearly one of deep infatuation!
After all, he was the one who was crazy about Jing Shun!