Chapter 148: The Banquet

For a moment, Chu Tian was somewhat mesmerized. His gaze involuntarily drifted down from Zhao Ling'er’s cheeks all the way to her chest.

"Where are you looking?"

Zhao Ling'er glared at him and quickly used her hands to cover her chest.

"Nothing, I just think the Seventh Sister is so pretty!"

Chu Tian let out a soft chuckle and awkwardly tried to smooth things over.

Zhao Ling'er had a quirky and eccentric personality, but after changing into this evening gown, her entire demeanor became poised and graceful. Recalling their very first encounter, when Zhao Ling'er was eating barbecue skewers while drinking iced beer, her bold and heroic posture was practically like a different person compared to the present. Chu Tian found it impossible to imagine that the Seventh Senior Sister who had once smashed a hooligan over the head with a beer bottle in a fit of rage was the exact same person as the stunning beauty standing before him in an evening gown.

"Ling'er, time is running out."

Zhang Lan checked her wristwatch, a hint of urgency coloring her tone. Had it not been for waiting on Chu Tian, Zhao Ling'er wouldn't have delayed so long. Tonight's party was extremely important; if they really missed the schedule, the losses would be absolute.

"Where are we going for this banquet?"

Hearing this, Chu Tian instantly grew a bit curious.

"You'll know soon enough. Come with me."

Zhao Ling'er gave a soft smile, then linked her arm through Chu Tian's and led him straight out of the hotel.

......

An hour later, at a private club.

When Chu Tian and Zhao Ling'er arrived, numerous luxury cars were already gathered at the entrance. He could tell that this banquet was of a fairly high-end caliber.

"Xiao Tian, let me tell you, banquets like this are just so annoying!"

Zhao Ling'er clutched Chu Tian's arm, leaning in close to his ear to whisper.

"Since they're so annoying, why still come to the banquet?"

Chu Tian found it somewhat amusing, growing increasingly baffled by his Seventh Senior Sister's train of thought. Just as she had complained back at the barbecue stand about the hardships of being a celebrity—how even going out for skewers required hiding away and sacrificing one's freedom.

"This banquet is hosted by investors, and it's a joint venture with an overseas consortium. If I don't attend, it won't be good for the subsequent promotion of the film."

Zhao Ling'er sighed and said helplessly, "You have no idea how lecherous those Japanese people are. A famous superstar like me can still offer a stern refusal, but some fresh newcomers have no choice but to let themselves be pushed around and forced into sleeping with people."

Hearing this, Chu Tian fell into deep thought. The entertainment industry really was a cesspool! No wonder the Seventh Senior Sister insisted on having him accompany her; she was using him as a human shield. However, with Chu Tian here today, he guaranteed that no one would be taking advantage of Zhao Ling'er.

"Ling'er, watch what you say. Don't let the other guests hear you."

Right at that moment, Zhang Lan's voice came from behind them. She had been trailing right behind Chu Tian and Zhao Ling'er the entire time, acting very much like a walking third wheel. As Zhao Ling'er's manager, she knew her personality inside and out. In private, Zhao Ling'er was casual and carefree, possessing not an ounce of ladylike demeanor. But at least publicly, Zhang Lan always kept her in check, maintaining her image as a jade-pure maiden star!

Seeing Zhao Ling'er whispering with Chu Tian and discussing the Japanese investors, she couldn't help offering a reminder.

Chu Tian halted his steps and turned to glance at Zhang Lan. This woman had been nagging away ever since they started, finding fault with him at every turn. At the same time, Chu Tian found Zhang Lan equally unappealing; if not for his Seventh Senior Sister, he wouldn't have bothered listening to her endless droning.

"Xiao Tian, Lan Jie is only looking out for me. If she didn't constantly keep me in check, heaven knows how many mistakes I'd make."

Zhao Ling'er tugged at Chu Tian's sleeve. Hearing this, Chu Tian dropped the matter with Zhang Lan. After all, Zhang Lan was indeed saying those things out of genuine concern for the Seventh Senior Sister.

Just then, Zhao Ling'er pulled Chu Tian inside the clubhouse.

Spanning over two thousand square meters, the club was gorgeously decorated and furnished. Weaving through the crowd, Chu Tian and Zhao Ling'er headed straight for the swimming pool in the backyard. The open-air pool was bustling with noise and excitement, where a group of bikini-clad beauties were splashing about in the water, creating an extremely eye-catching spectacle.

Suddenly, a middle-aged man walked directly toward Zhao Ling'er.

"Ling'er, you're finally here."

The middle-aged man smiled warmly, his booming voice carrying over before he even drew close. Chu Tian's expression froze as he found the middle-aged man looking somewhat familiar. A second later, he realized that this was the very same director who had led a group of people in pursuit of him by the riverside.

At the time, Chu Tian had thought his Seventh Senior Sister had offended someone and was being inexplicably chased by a mob, only to discover afterward that it had all been a misunderstanding.

"Director Li!"

Zhao Ling'er took the initiative to greet him, while Director Li's gaze likewise landed on Chu Tian.

"This young man is quite handsome. Is he a newcomer in the entertainment industry?"

Director Li found Chu Tian vaguely familiar, though he couldn't quite place him at the moment, and offered a casual compliment.

"He's a friend of mine!"

Zhao Ling'er quickly explained, terrified that Director Li might recognize Chu Tian's identity. After all, the last time Chu Tian had barged onto the set and practically kidnapped her without asking questions, even dragging her off to eat street-side barbecue, it had severely disrupted the crew's filming schedule. Director Li had flown into a rage back then, itching to settle scores with Chu Tian.

Now, several weeks had passed, and Director Li had presumably forgotten Chu Tian's face, failing to connect him with that incident. Seeing that Director Li hadn't recognized him, Zhao Ling'er let out a quiet sigh of relief, praying to herself that he wouldn't figure it out.

"So he's a friend of yours!"

"Well, no time to chat about that now. Come with me quickly, I'll introduce you to some investors."

Director Li nodded and dropped the inquiry into Chu Tian's background, simply urging Zhao Ling'er onward. Although Chu Tian looked slightly familiar, he assumed the young man was just another industry newcomer, making a sense of familiarity perfectly normal.

"Xiao Tian, you stay here by yourself for a moment. I'll be right back."

Looking somewhat helpless, Zhao Ling'er had no choice but to let go of Chu Tian's arm. His gaze fell upon her face with a silent, questioning look. However, Zhao Ling'er merely shook her head to signal that he need not worry.

Seeing that Zhao Ling'er did not require his assistance, Chu Tian withdrew his gaze. Following that, Zhao Ling'er accompanied Director Li toward the second floor.

Left without Zhao Ling'er's company, Zhang Lan naturally saw no reason to follow Chu Tian either, leaving him completely by himself. With nothing to do and feeling bored, Chu Tian cast his gaze back toward the swimming pool to admire the group of beauties in bikinis.

One had to admit, the life of the wealthy was truly wonderful—the fine food and gorgeous women were absolute feasts for the eyes. Especially these stunning beauties with their towering chests, full hips, and fair, tender skin; any man who laid eyes on them would instantly desire to possess them.

Yet, up in a second-floor private box, a gloomy gaze was locked tightly onto Chu Tian.