65: Chapter 65 The Banquet

Zhang Tao took a taxi and dropped Shangguan Mingyan off at the hotel entrance.

Ignoring his invitation, she left directly.

Shangguan Mingyan, having been rejected, glared gloomily at the departing taxi, wishing he could kill someone!

He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and had always gotten whatever he wanted since he was a child.

No woman had ever rejected him!

In Kyoto, he could handle all sorts of campus beauties and goddesses!

Even celebrities had to obediently bow their heads to him.

In a mere Xiong City, someone actually dared to give him attitude?

Truly, shallow waters breed many turtles.

At tomorrow's banquet, he would definitely humiliate her publicly!

...

Zhao Jian returned home with his new three-piece bedding set, cleaned up the master bedroom, and instantly felt like the whole room was brand new.

He didn't contact Good Older Sister that night; she was surely busy with the banquet for tomorrow.

He had intended to go to bed early, but received a call from the police station asking him to pick someone up.

If he hadn't recognized the phone number as indeed belonging to the local police station, he would have thought it was a phone scam!

Upon arriving, he met the Police Officer he had seen before, the young man who used to follow the older officer around.

It seemed he was now handling things on his own.

"There is a girl who specifically asked for you to come pick her up, saying you are her boyfriend."

Zhao Jian thought to himself: Can't you just say her name? According to procedure, you should inform me who was caught!

Of course, even without him saying it, he had a rough guess.

It was surely a girl with the surname Zhang.

And she had blue shoulder-length hair.

Among the people he knew, she was the only one with such weak legal awareness.

After meeting her, his guess was confirmed.

"Hubby! You've come to save me!" Zhang Xinxin stood up happily upon seeing Zhao Jian.

She waved her hand sweetly.

Zhao Jian ignored her.

He turned and asked the familiar young Police Officer: "Officer, what did she do?"

"A traffic dispute. Someone named Yao Xiaohui reported that she was hit and injured by Zhang Xinxin, and that Zhang Xinxin fled the scene."

Zhao Jian looked up, puzzled. If it was a hit-and-run, why weren't they detaining her? Why let him pick her up?

Seeing his confusion, the young Police Officer continued:

"But our investigation found that Ms. Yao was not injured. The bicycle's speed at the time, along with the behavior shown on surveillance, does not meet the criteria for a hit-and-run. So, the family just needs to sign a paper..."

Oh, just sign.

She didn't call her parents but called him, an outsider.

Could it be she was afraid of getting a 'mixed doubles' beating from her parents?

Zhao Jian signed the document and brought Zhang Xinxin out.

The little girl, who had been obedient just a moment ago, immediately started acting like a dog let off the leash, frolicking about.

"Big Brother, Big Brother, you helped me once, how about I repay you once?"

"Hard pass!"

In terms of looks, Zhang Xinxin had an impressive figure and a slender frame. Her face was also quite pretty.

But she didn't have a sexy bone in her body; no matter how you looked at her, she gave off the vibe of a delinquent girl.

He had no interest.

"Hmph! What are you thinking, you big pervert? The repayment I'm talking about is taking you clubbing."

He knew what clubbing was, but what was this new way of freeloading at a club?

"Not going, not going. I'm tired, I'm going home to sleep."

If it were someone else inviting him, Zhao Jian might have gone to see what it was about.

But given Zhang Xinxin's track record, if he went, he might end up being the sucker who pays the bill.

He quickly took a taxi home and settled into the master bedroom to sleep.

The next morning, before dawn.

Zhao Jian woke up from a dream in a start.

He couldn't remember the specific details, but his heart was racing, making his breathing shallow.

He couldn't help but send a message to his mom.

"Mom, tell me if you need money at home. This month's bonus came in, and it's over a million."

He didn't mention that he already had over eight million.

To avoid worrying his parents.

People who have been honest and upright their whole lives are like this; when they are poor, they hope for wealth.

When they actually get rich, they worry that the money came from an illegitimate source.

But it is hard to get ahead by relying only on being honest and upright.

Fortunately, he had a system.

His mother's message replied quickly:

"We don't need money at home; we haven't even touched what you gave us last time. Your dad says there's no rush to rebuild the house; we're saving it for you to get a wife."

Zhao Jian wanted to persuade them again, to let them spend it without worry.

He had plenty of money.

But in the end, he didn't say anything.

He understood his parents' personalities a bit; they could be described in two words: scared of poverty.

No matter how much he said, they would only agree verbally at best.

He couldn't just go home and do nothing but nag them to spend money every day.

Just as Zhao Jian was brushing his teeth, the intelligence arrived.

【Today's Intelligence (Blue): Today, the Sofitel Hotel will host a regional banquet for the elite in the financial investment industry, and local celebrities will also attend.

At the banquet, Kyoto investors led by Shangguan Mingyan will intentionally make things difficult for and harass Zhang Tao.

Zhang Tao will talk back. This will implicate General Manager Li.

To prevent General Manager Li from missing his goal at the banquet, Zhang Tao will drink to apologize despite her fracture not yet being fully healed, leading to acute gastric bleeding and hospitalization】

Shangguan Mingyan?

What kind of nobody is putting on such airs!

Apologize to him?

Zhao Jian looked him up online; the person existed.

The youngest son of the chairman of Kyoto's Hanhai Group, he wasn't very capable.

He was just born into a good family.

A famous playboy, he especially liked harassing female subordinates.

To satisfy his perversions, the foreign investment department he was in charge of only hired pretty female employees.

Although he was a low-IQ airhead, he made frequent profits on investments thanks to his father's connections.

He did earn some money for Hanhai Group.

If this person could be invited,

it showed that the banquet itself wasn't very high-class.

It was just a game of house for the rich second-generation kids from two cities.

Zhao Jian put on his most expensive clothes and went out, heading straight to the Sofitel Hotel.

The banquet wouldn't start until the afternoon, but since he had nothing to do, he might as well go and spend some time with Good Older Sister.

When he arrived, Zhang Tao was already busy.

He was too far away to hear what she was saying.

He decided not to disturb her and wandered around the venue himself.

When he passed by the dessert and fruit platters, the waiter nearby kept a close eye on him.

It wasn't because he was handsome; it was because she was afraid he would steal food.

Zhao Jian didn't like this look, as if he were a thief.

"You don't need to guard this; go busy yourself with something else." Zhao Jian waved his hand casually.

The waiter didn't react at first and let out an "Ah?".

She asked in a low voice: "Who are you?"

"I'm the boss who placed the order."

"Oh, oh, okay. Then I'll go move the drinks. Call me if you need anything."

The waiter was temporarily assigned to the venue, and she had never seen the client herself.

Since she knew Zhang Tao, who was in charge of setting up the venue, hadn't stopped this person, she assumed it must be true.

She left immediately.

Zhao Jian nodded as he watched her back; she was teachable.

Unlike those smart ones who would ask this and that.

If they asked a few more questions, he would have been exposed.

He looked at the displayed desserts.

Not tasty.

Although the price was definitely high, there wasn't a single thing that had a flavor an ordinary person couldn't find elsewhere.

He didn't know if it was because Xiong City was a culinary desert where one couldn't find any expensive specialty foods,

or if the budget was insufficient.

Zhao Jian guessed it was the former.

He was about to go somewhere else to look around and satisfy his curiosity.

When he heard the sound of a cane clacking against the floor.

Without him realizing it, Zhang Tao had arrived behind him.

"Eh? Where did the waiter go?" She smiled, clearly knowing that the waiter had been sent away by Zhao Jian.

"Exactly, where did the waiter go? Zero sense of responsibility. We must criticize her severely!"