activa-t Chapter 106 The Beginning of the Banquet
Chapter 106 The Beginning of the Banquet
Shen Xi hung up the phone for no apparent reason.
The makeup team had already left. Jiang Ci casually walked in from outside, one hand in his pocket, arms crossed, legs crossed, and leaned against the door frame.
"Have I changed at all?" Shen Xi looked up at Jiang Ci as she approached.
Jiang Ci's previously languid movements suddenly paused. He straightened up and stared at Shen Xi, whose eyes were sparkling, for a moment.
"She has a beauty mark under her eye."
“Bingou, you got it right.” Shen Xi snapped her fingers with a smile.
Jiang Ci walked up to her, cupped her face in his hands, and asked softly, "My Xixi is beautiful no matter when."
Shen Xi smiled smugly. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her makeup was so light that it was almost nonexistent, giving her an amazing "no-makeup" look.
Jiang Ci was also somewhat puzzled, "Why not draw it a little darker?"
Shen Xi shook her index finger. "No, no, no, what am I doing singing and dancing here at Qiu Ya's wedding?"
Jiang Ci spoke with a hint of confusion in his eyes.
"The daughter of the Shen family is not named Qiuya."
"Hahahaha, this is a popular internet meme. You should get up in the middle of the night and memorize some of these memes. Maybe you'll be able to chat with me on the same wavelength someday."
Shen Xi was amused by him, laughing so hard she could barely breathe.
Jiang Ci sighed helplessly. He straightened Shen Xi's dress and smoothed out the wrinkles. "Okay, start memorizing it when you get back tonight."
He seemed to perk up, his eyes lighting up. "Do you want me to carry it while standing or while kneeling?"
Shen Xi: ! ! ?
"Is this something I can hear?!"
Jiang Ci looked completely innocent and shrugged.
"Genuine product, you can not only listen but also do it."
"Aaaaaah, you demons and monsters, get off Jiang Ci right now!!"
Jiang Ci scooped the woman up from the chair with both hands, held her tightly in his arms, and gently bounced her around with a smile in his eyes.
"What are you doing?!" Shen Xi was so frightened that she grabbed his arm and didn't dare to let go. The man's warm chest seemed to catch its breath.
"Let me carry you to the carriage, my dear princess."
Under the watchful eyes of the maids, Jiang Du, and the housekeeper, Jiang Ci carried her and swaggered to the open flower garden.
Outside the gate, a Continental SUV was parked next to the elegant iron gate.
Jiang Po stood outside the door waiting. When he saw the boss carrying his wife over, he quickly opened the back door ahead of time.
"Boss, this isn't an engagement party hosted by the Shen family."
Jiang Po looked in the rearview mirror and watched as his boss and his wife settled in before speaking.
"How to say?"
Jiang Ci asked casually, and reached out to tuck a stray hair behind Shen Xi's temple.
Shen Xi looked up, a hint of doubt creeping into her heart.
After all, the Shen family's daughter ran away from her arranged marriage back then. Even if she were caught and brought back to marry now, the wedding would probably not be a simple affair.
Jiang Po focused intently on the road ahead, but still answered questions quickly, "It's supposed to be an engagement banquet, but no one from the Yuan family invited anyone. It's not normal for the groom's family not to invite anyone."
"If the head of the Shen family had any brains, he wouldn't have chosen that idiot from the Yuan family as his son-in-law. Regardless of what kind of person the Yuan family kid is, you can tell what kind of family he is just by looking at the business they've been doing in recent years."
Shen Xi wasn't interested in this, so she leaned lazily against the back of the car and listened to their discussion.
“Xi Xi”.
"Hmm?" Shen Xi turned her head to look at him.
Jiang Ci said softly, "I'll stay right behind you today, don't be afraid."
Shen Xi smiled; she knew Jiang Ci was worried and afraid that she would be nervous.
Shen Xi, however, was indifferent. She didn't care; attending the banquet wouldn't kill her anyway, and everything beyond life was trivial.
……
Before Shen Qi took his wife back to the Shen residence, he sent two bodyguards to guard the door of Shen Lu's ward. They were not allowed to enter or leave without his orders.
Shen Lu was wheeled out and taken to a ward immediately after undergoing debridement surgery.
She was wearing a hospital gown and looked somewhat pale. When she was wheeled into the ward, she saw the Shen family's bodyguards.
Shen Lu was extremely agitated. She swept the glass vase off the hospital room table with her hand, making a crisp shattering sound. She almost screamed.
"Where's Mom? What are you doing at my door? I don't need your protection!!"
"Where's Shen Ke? Why didn't Shen Ke wait for me?!"
A bodyguard in black stood guard outside the door, his large frame almost completely blocking the view of the doorway.
Another bodyguard, carrying an agreement, walked carefully, avoiding the shards of glass, to the door of the ward.
"Miss Shen, this is an agreement left for you by the gentleman. Please take a look."
The bodyguard didn't know what was inside, but he roughly knew it was something bad because Shen Lu's expression was too ferocious.
He had never seen the young lady with such an expression before; she used to be the most cheerful person, always smiling at everyone.
……
Many people came to the Shen family today, including representatives from the political and business circles. Their cars, symbolizing their status, drove directly from the outside road to the Shen family's spacious underground parking garage.
Shen Xi watched from inside the car. The people who got out of the car were all smart and glamorous. They all seemed to know each other. They shook hands and even chatted for a while in the garage.
Before getting out of the car, Jiang Ci repeated what he had said in the car. His tone was arrogant, and his attitude was cocky, but he certainly had the right to say so.
He says,
“Outside here, you don’t need to give way to anyone.”
Jiang Po got out of the car first and opened the door.
Jiang Ci came out from inside, stood at the car door, and stretched out his hand.
Many people were quietly watching in this direction, after all, they hadn't seen the Jiang family's heir attend a banquet for many years, and they rarely even saw him at banquets held by the Jiang family's main branch.
The people passing by looked surprised and uncertain.
The fact that the Shen family was able to invite the Jiang family's heir, who hadn't attended events for so many years, shows that they had underestimated the Shen family's connections!
The remaining people had different thoughts, because the gentleman from the Jiang family reached out and helped the person inside the car.
Who is it?
For a time, the huge parking lot was blocked because no one was walking through it.
When Shen Xi helped Jiang Ci out of the car, everyone was staring at her with piercing eyes, seemingly intently but not explicitly. She looked down at her smoky blue dress. Was there a problem?
The scene was even a bit exaggerated; for a moment, someone actually walked over.
The man who arrived was young, with an elite appearance in a suit and tie. He spoke eloquently, "Good evening, President Jiang. It's been so many years since I've seen you attend a banquet. I never expected to have the honor of meeting you here."
Jiang Ci's well-defined knuckles were still linked with Shen Xi's arm. His tone was indifferent, revealing no emotion. "Mr. He is also a great talent in the venture capital world, a young man of great promise. I am merely building upon the work of my predecessors. I am unworthy of the title 'honored.' You are too kind."
Mr. He seemed to smile and said, “Mr. Jiang’s words of guidance at the investment promotion conference years ago, emphasizing the vigorous development of the real economy, were truly enlightening. It is a rare opportunity to meet him today, and I would like to express my special thanks.”
He Fu's expression was very sincere; he was a talented and pragmatic person.
Jiang Ci has always cherished talent.
He stood tall and elegant in one corner, yet it seemed as if he were standing right in the center. He lifted his eyelids, his tone clear and crisp.
"If Mr. He ever becomes dissatisfied with his business ventures abroad, the Jiang family will always welcome you."
"Let's not talk about this at today's banquet."
After thanking him, He Fu left with great discretion.
He hadn't been gone long.
A group of bodyguards in black suits walked in, exuding an imposing aura. They strode to their side and said respectfully.
"Miss Shen, Mr. Jiang, we'll show you the way. This way, please."
Those who remained immediately began to discuss the matter.
Who is this Miss Shen?