156: Chapter 156 Private Banquet Hall

As night fell, the exclusive private dining hall on the top floor of the Cloud Top Club was bathed in the warm golden glow of crystal chandeliers.

The translucent crystal lights cascaded in layers of radiance, casting a gentle and lingering hue over the exquisite porcelain and sophisticated soft furnishings.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the continuous, dazzling lights of the city were fully visible. Traffic flowed like a river of stars, and the neon reflections drifted into the room, making the atmosphere feel increasingly heated and cozy.

Jiang Chen had booked the entire top floor.

In the vast, light-luxury private dining hall, the long table was lined on both sides with core members of Chenxing Capital.

This team had been personally screened, recruited, and polished by Shen Xi; every member possessed top-tier abilities and strong cohesion.

From beginning to end, Jiang Chen had been content to be a hands-off boss, delegating full authority to Shen Xi and never interfering in the minutiae of daily operations or team management. However, he always managed to provide precise strategic layouts and make the final call at critical junctures, remaining the undisputed backbone of the entire team.

Lu Zheng stood guard at the side of the hall with Zhang Heng, Zhao Yiming, Liu Wei, Sun Yi, and He Hai.

They maintained their professional vigilance; though they had relaxed their tension, they subconsciously adhered to their duties as bodyguards, keeping a constant eye on the room's movements to avoid disturbing the festive atmosphere.

Jiang Chen leaned back lazily in the head seat, casually playing with a glass of vintage champagne filled with pale gold liquid.

Fine droplets of condensation on the glass slid down his fingertips. His expression was relaxed and indifferent, with none of the sharp pressure typical of someone in a high position.

Noticing out of the corner of his eye that Lu Zheng and his group were still slightly stiff, he raised his hand to signal them gently. His voice was warm and clear, just loud enough for the five of them to hear distinctly.

"Lu Zheng, you guys don't need to be on edge all the time. Today isn't for work; it's for everyone to relax and celebrate together. Don't be nervous. Play when you should play, and relax when you should relax."

His words were approachable, without any forced posturing, and filled with sincere consideration.

Lu Zheng and the others exchanged smiles as the last trace of tension and distance in their hearts instantly vanished. They nodded solemnly to Jiang Chen, completely letting go of their restraint as they slowly merged into the lively victory banquet.

Shen Xi sat to Jiang Chen's left with the project team she had built from scratch.

These backbone members, whom she had personally recruited and carefully mentored, had shed their professional workplace rigor and were now relaxed and at ease.

Several young analysts surrounded the Golden Soup Seafood Chowder on the table, taking photos and joking. The sounds of laughter and chatter rose and fell, filling the room with a youthful energy that was entirely the result of Shen Xi's management.

Halfway through the banquet, as the alcohol took effect, the atmosphere grew even more enthusiastic.

Shen Xi was the first to stand up. Holding a glass of red wine, she walked straight to Jiang Chen with composed steps.

Her fingertips gripped the glass slightly, carrying a hint of imperceptible nervousness and reverence.

She looked up slightly, her eyes reflecting the room's lights. They were sparkling, hiding an undisguised respect, gratitude, and a gentle affection that belonged only to him.

She, who was usually resolute and concise in front of the team, now spoke with a voice slightly softer than usual, yet it remained clear and sincere without a hint of mere formality: "President Jiang, a toast to you."

Pausing for a moment, she looked at Jiang Chen with a gaze full of sincerity and admiration. Her tone was earnest and moved: "Outsiders only see me pushing the work forward at the front, but only I know that all of this was given by you. You are the true boss behind the scenes."

"Throughout the entire battle regarding Wantai, you didn't interfere much in the details, yet every instruction was incredibly precise. You accurately pinched every vital point of Wantai, saw through all their schemes and ambitions, and led them step by step into a dead end. I truly admire this strategic planning."

At this point, the tips of her ears turned redder, and the gratitude and admiration in her eyes were almost overflowing: "I merely strictly executed your deployments and brought the plan to life."

"I am truly grateful to have met a leader like you, to have received your unreserved trust, and to have been given full authority over the operations of Chenxing and such an important project. You gave me the platform to show my abilities."

Jiang Chen looked up, his gaze falling on the tips of her reddened ears and her eyes full of reverence. His expression was gentle.

He slowly raised his wine glass, and the crystal rims touched with a crisp, pleasant clink.

His tone was calm and kind, carrying genuine recognition without any empty flattery: "Setting the layout and direction is what I should do; but being able to implement all the plans, unite the team, and complete all executions without error is your skill."

"The Wantai project was able to conclude so smoothly because of your contribution, which is irreplaceable. I trust you, and I have never been wrong to do so."

These simple words warmed Shen Xi's heart, making the bridge of her nose feel slightly sore.

She pursed her lips and smiled, her eyes curving as she tilted her head back to drain the wine in her glass.

A few drops of red wine slid down the corner of her mouth, crossing her jawline. She subconsciously raised her hand to wipe it away, and the moment her fingertip touched her lip...

She suddenly noticed Jiang Chen's gaze fixed on her face. Her heart inexplicably skipped a beat, her wiping motion paused for half a second, and the tips of her ears turned even more noticeably red. She hurriedly put down her wine glass, pretending to be calm.

After Shen Xi finished her toast, several bold young analysts took turns coming over with their glasses to toast Jiang Chen. They chattered away, praising his strategic brilliance and stating plainly that after this battle, Chenxing Capital had completely established itself and become famous in the industry.

Jiang Chen was gentle and didn't refuse anyone. He clinked glasses and drank composedly, showing no air of superiority. His casual yet dignified manner drew rounds of cheers from the crowd.

At a side table, Zhang Heng lowered his eyes and took a sip of water. He said in a very low voice to Lu Zheng beside him, "In all the time I've followed President Jiang, I've never seen him this relaxed. He even specifically told us to relax together; he has no ego at all."

Lu Zheng nodded slightly. A faint trace of warmth appeared at the corner of his usually tight mouth as his gaze fell on Jiang Chen in the head seat.

"This battle seemed easy, but it was actually dangerous at every step. President Jiang planned the whole thing with no missed calculations, and Manager Shen led the team to execute it with full effort. The two of them cooperated seamlessly."

"Now that it has ended perfectly, it's time to loosen up. President Jiang has always been like this—generous to us and knowing when to push and when to let go."

Hearing this, Liu Wei also lowered his voice to agree: "President Jiang is steady, and Manager Shen is also impressive enough to support the entire team alone and keep everything organized. Only then can we feel at ease guarding the security line and truly relax for once today."

Zhao Yiming, Sun Yi, and He Hai also nodded one after another, full of recognition for Shen Xi's capability and reliability, and even more admiring of Jiang Chen's vision and boldness.

Tonight, Shen Xi had completely shed her unchanging, capable professional attire from the workplace.

She had changed into an ink-blue camisole dress paired with a simple white blazer. Her long hair was loosely pinned up, with a few stray strands hanging by her neck. Her exquisite collarbone was fully revealed, showing a unique boldness hidden within her gentleness.

After a few glasses of red wine, a faint blush appeared on the tips of her ears. The sharp edge in her eyes was completely softened by the warm light, adding a few hints of a young woman's gentleness and ease.

As the banquet neared its end, some young analyst was the first to start a commotion, suggesting a game of Truth or Dare, which instantly ignited the entire room.