Chapter 67: The Evening Banquet
The two took a private elevator straight up to the sixteenth floor.
This floor contained only Zhao Shenggu's office and the offices of a few assistants.
When the secretary saw her boss arrive, she quickly stood up to greet him. After Zhao Shenggu and Guan Yuan went inside, she skillfully brought them hot tea.
When the secretary entered, she saw her boss sitting on the sofa by the desk, while the young master was sitting directly on the desk. The young master seemed to have said something amusing — her boss, who was always stern in front of his subordinates, had laughter in his eyes as he affectionately pinched the young master's cheek.
After placing the tea down, the secretary covered her slightly flushed face and quietly slipped out.
In recent years, Guyuan Media had produced quite a few films about gay themes. With Guyuan backing them, plus the films themselves being genuinely excellent, they had won numerous awards both domestically and internationally.
With a good reputation and wide reach, many people gained a new understanding of homosexuality after watching these films.
Whenever the secretary thought about how close Zhao Shenggu and Guan Yuan were, she had suspected there might be something between them — but she would never dare say it out loud. She could only quietly gossip about it in her own heart.
"I've already prepared tonight's banquet outfits. They'll be here soon — go try yours on."
Guan Yuan gave a noncommittal nod. "There's really no need for all this trouble. Wouldn't it be better if it were just the two of us?"
"How could that be? This is your coming-of-age ceremony! After the college entrance exam next semester, you'll be going to university. Have you thought about what major you want?"
Guan Yuan had taken several years off from school, but his student registration had always been kept at No. 4 High School. He had just completed half a semester this year, and next summer he would be able to take the college entrance exam directly.
Zhao Shenggu held Guan Yuan in his arms, stroking his hair.
Guan Yuan closed his eyes comfortably. "I think I'll study fashion design. I've been pretty interested in it these past few years."
Zhao Shenggu curled his lips. "Whatever you want. You don't want to manage the company? I think you have quite a talent for it."
Guan Yuan pouted. "That's too boring. I think design is better."
Before long, the secretary brought in the outfits they had ordered.
Guan Yuan's was a purple suit. When he put it on, he looked like an elf descended to the mortal world — indescribably ethereal. After Guan Yuan changed into it, Zhao Shenggu's gaze grew deep and intense.
He gently walked up behind Guan Yuan, who was looking in the mirror, and pulled him into his arms, saying by his ear, "I really want to devour you right now."
Guan Yuan's ears turned red, and he simply leaned back against Zhao Shenggu.
It wasn't until four in the afternoon, after Zhao Shenggu finished handling company matters, that the two headed to the villa.
This villa district was developed by Guyuan. The environment was beautiful, and the security measures throughout the entire district were extremely thorough. As Zhao Shenggu and Guan Yuan's careers grew bigger and bigger — and since they also possessed advanced network technology — living in the courtyard house was no longer quite suitable.
They only occasionally went back to the courtyard house to stay. Most of the time now, they lived here.
Originally, the government wanted to send people to protect them inside the villa, but Zhao Shenggu refused. The thought of strangers in the house made Guan Yuan deeply uncomfortable.
Unable to do otherwise, the government could only station people outside to protect them.
The people living in this villa district were mostly wealthy and powerful. From this villa district alone, Zhao Shenggu had made a fortune.
As Guyuan Group rose to prominence worldwide, Huaguo's economy benefited as well. Guan Yuan roughly estimated that Huaguo's economy was now at least five years ahead of where it had been at this time in his previous life.
By six in the evening, guests began arriving one after another.
Those who received Zhao Shenggu's invitation were naturally people of considerable influence in Huaguo, whether from the business or political world. Of course, there were also those who didn't have invitations but tried to sneak in — they were caught by the security and left in embarrassment.
At eight in the evening, the banquet officially began.
When Zhao Shenggu came down the stairs with Guan Yuan, everyone in the hall stared at them without blinking. They had long heard that the founders of Guyuan Group and Yuangu had a younger brother he doted on to the bone, but the younger brother was too well protected — ordinary people never got to see him. Now, looking at this elf-like youth, they gasped inwardly.
Zhao Shenggu led Guan Yuan onto the stage and walked to the microphone: "Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend Xiao Yuan's birthday celebration. Today is Xiao Yuan's eighteenth birthday. We are deeply honored that so many of you could witness his coming-of-age ceremony together. Xiao Yuan is the most important person to me. We will support each other for a lifetime." Here, Zhao Shenggu paused and looked at Guan Yuan.
Guan Yuan hadn't expected Zhao Shenggu to say this. The smile in his eyes was already overflowing.
Zhao Shenggu beckoned to Guan Yuan. Guan Yuan walked up to him with a smile. Zhao Shenggu signaled for him to speak. Guan Yuan's clear voice rang out in the hall: "My brother is the most important person to me. Without my brother, there would be no me. Thank you all for coming to my birthday banquet. I hope everyone enjoys themselves."
As Guan Yuan's words ended, the banquet officially began.
Wu Runduo had come with his father. Ever since he had become enemies with Zhao Shenggu in university, he had hated Zhao Shenggu deeply. He had originally planned to go home and have his father teach Zhao Shenggu a lesson. Instead, his father had scolded him.
And in just a few short years, Zhao Shenggu had grown his business to a level that even his father could only look up to. His wealth now ranked on the world's rich list, and he was still so young — he still had plenty of room to grow. No one knew how far he could go.
Meanwhile, Wu Runduo himself still relied on his father to earn others' respect. Over the years, he had watched Zhao Shenggu openly and secretly. The more he watched, the more he found himself unconsciously drawn to this person — even though he himself hadn't realized what kind of feeling it was.
Seeing the intimacy between Guan Yuan and Zhao Shenggu filled Wu Runduo with burning rage. He took a deep breath and downed a glass of wine before he felt slightly better.
There was also Han Li, who silently watched Zhao Shenggu in the same way. With Zhao Shenggu's current status, her father — just a minor section chief — had no way of getting in. She didn't know where her father had gotten an invitation, but he had brought her along.
Old Master Li's family was seated at the head table. As soon as Zhao Shenggu and Guan Yuan came off stage, they went to toast Old Master Li.
Old Master Li laughed heartily. "Not bad, well done! Young people need drive and spirit. Xiao Yuan is an adult now too — can he drink?"
Guan Yuan said with a smile, "I'm not supposed to drink, but to toast Grandpa Li, I'll have some no matter what."
Hearing this, Old Master Li laughed even louder.
Zhao Shenggu reminded him from the side, "Drink less. Just one sip is enough."
Old Master Li glared. "Are you afraid I'll mistreat Xiao Yuan?"
Zhao Shenggu smiled.
At a banquet like this, there were naturally some celebrities to liven up the atmosphere. After Guan Yuan and Zhao Shenggu finished toasting Old Master Li, there was no need to greet everyone else one by one.
Guan Yuan glanced around and unexpectedly spotted a familiar face: Zhang Rong.
He was being urged by someone to toast several wealthy businessmen. It was clear he wasn't very good at handling such occasions — his face was already flushed from drinking.
Guan Yuan turned to Zhao Shenggu and asked, "Brother, who are those people?"
Zhao Shenggu looked over. "Just a few businessmen from Hong Kong. Their backgrounds aren't exactly clean..."
Guan Yuan knew that most of Hong Kong's media industry at this time was controlled by people with triad connections. Whether directors or actors, everyone had to please these people.
Many celebrity scandals that later came to light were inseparable from these people.
"Let's go take a look," Guan Yuan said to Zhao Shenggu, seeing that Zhang Rong couldn't hold his liquor anymore while the people beside him were still pushing him to drink.
"Rong boy, you're so handsome — and you can hold your liquor too. Drink this glass and we'll talk about directing a film," they heard a pot-bellied man urging Zhang Rong as they approached.
Zhang Rong waved his hands repeatedly. "Sorry, I really can't drink anymore."
Zhang Rong, having drunk, had an even more alluring charm that made several men stare wide-eyed.
Guan Yuan quietly said to Zhao Shenggu, "Brother, let's help this person."
Zhao Shenggu didn't know why Guan Yuan wanted to help Zhang Rong, but Zhang Rong was indeed a good actor. At the birthday banquet he was holding for Guan Yuan, he absolutely would not allow such messy things to happen.
He nodded, took his wine glass, and walked toward the Hong Kong businessmen. When they saw Zhao Shenggu coming personally, they were flattered and overwhelmed. The reason they hadn't gone to toast Zhao Shenggu was that they felt they weren't qualified.
"Let me toast you gentlemen, and thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend my younger brother's birthday banquet." Zhao Shenggu raised his glass and took a sip with a smile.
The men hurriedly replied in stiff Mandarin, "Not at all, not at all. It's our honor."
Zhao Shenggu turned and saw Zhang Rong beside him. "This must be the renowned Mr. Zhang Rong. My younger brother is a big fan of yours."
Hearing Zhao Shenggu say this, the people beside Zhang Rong immediately looked delighted.
Guan Yuan walked over. "Mr. Zhang, I really enjoy your films. Could you give me an autograph?"
Zhang Rong, who had been struggling to find a way out, quickly agreed when he heard Guan Yuan's words.
Zhao Shenggu nodded to the Hong Kong businessmen. "If you'll excuse us."
"Brother, I'll take Mr. Zhang upstairs," Guan Yuan said quietly to Zhao Shenggu.
Zhao Shenggu glanced at Zhang Rong, then nodded.
Guan Yuan brought Zhang Rong to the reception room upstairs.
"Go wash your face first," Guan Yuan said, pointing to the bathroom.
The refined-looking young man before him was Zhao Shenggu's brother — the man who had created an economic miracle for Huaguo and even the world. Forget the entire Guyuan Group; Guyuan Media alone was an entity the whole industry looked up to. Feeling somewhat uneasy in front of Guan Yuan, Zhang Rong forced a smile at his words and went into the bathroom to splash his face with cold water.
After he came out, Guan Yuan poured him a cup of tea. "I can tell you're not used to handling these kinds of occasions. Why do you still come?"
Zhang Rong smiled bitterly. "Because I still want to act." His Mandarin was passable — at least his pronunciation was clear.
Looking at the man whose every gesture exuded charm, Guan Yuan sighed inwardly. In his previous life, after Zhang Rong passed away, people had always speculated about the reason for his suicide. The most common theories were: the pressure of being gay, depression, or being too deep in character — unable to pull himself out of his last film.
[Zhang Rong appears to be the story's stand-in for Leslie Cheung.]
No matter what, Guan Yuan didn't want this peerlessly elegant man before him to repeat the same mistakes.
"How would you like to come to Guyuan Media? You won't have to handle connections yourself. We have the best scripts, the best directors, the best equipment. All you need to do is act with your whole heart."
Zhang Rong looked up sharply at Guan Yuan. "Can I?"
Guan Yuan smiled. "Of course you can."
"But my company won't let me go..." The light that had lit up in Zhang Rong's eyes dimmed again.
"Leave that to me."
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