Chapter 116 High Class
In the West Zone of Zhonghai, there was a place called Deer Park. At first glance, one might think it's a place for raising deer, but it's actually a high-end club close to the suburbs. There were only three buildings in total, all in the style of Italianate architecture, resembling fortresses of a mafia family, with a strong Gothic vibe.
Unlike other places, it was surrounded by lush woods, requiring a ten-minute drive to wind through the main entrance and into the garden. The members who could afford to come here on weekdays were mostly influential businessmen and politicians in Zhonghai. While ordinary high-end clubs could offer a good level of privacy, only in such a secluded place could one feel truly secure about their private dealings.
But tonight, the guests seemed unusually sparse, as if they had privately agreed to avoid this evening. Only a few guests arrived discreetly outside the main building of Deer Park, stepping into the banquet hall.
Adding to the oppressive atmosphere of this small piece of land were the black-clad, sunglasses-wearing bodyguards standing around the perimeter of the venue. Nearly every five steps, there stood a man, coldly monitoring the arrival and departure of guests' vehicles.
A black Aston Martin slowly pulled up to the front stairs of the venue, the luxury car from the ancient British brand making no noise as it parked.
Xiao Zhao, with his round face, shed his bartender disguise and wore a suit, respectfully getting out of the car from the passenger side and opening the door for the main figure behind him.
A crystal-colored high heel was the first to step out of the car, followed by immaculately white legs. Gradually, a red and black evening gown came into view, landing on the crimson carpet.
Rose gently brushed aside the strands of hair falling in front of her eyes. Her carefully styled long hair was pinned up today to complement the dress, with only a few bangs swaying in the wind. A rose made of black lace adorned the left shoulder of the dress, while the other side revealed a delicate and fair shoulder. The style of the dress was classical and elegant, with beautifully crafted patterns in black and red lines on the upper part, while the fluffy hem was covered with a layer of intricate Baroque-era vine-like gauze, giving it a mysterious and sensual aura.
The woman who usually exuded a lazy and charming aura tonight resembled an outstanding royal princess, still enchanting but distant, unattainable.
Almost every guest about to enter the venue recognized Rose to some extent. After all, she was one of the main characters of tonight's banquet and the queen of the underground world in the West Zone. In just a few years, the Hongjing Society had become as influential in the underground economy as the Western Alliance Society. As the spiritual leader and brain of the Hongjing Society, whether in the legitimate or illegitimate world, everyone remembered the name Rose silently.
However, the appearance of the underworld leader at this moment, stunningly beautiful and devoid of any aura of a gang boss, led many men to entertain a possibility: perhaps even the devilish women of hell might fancy the gentlemen of the mortal world?
"Sister, why hasn't Yang Ge arrived yet?" Xiao Zhao glanced at his watch, realizing they were already past the agreed time, so he whispered.
Rose sighed lightly, turned around, and beckoned to another figure in the car.
Wearing a plain white princess dress, Chen Rong blushed as she walked out. Though not as captivating as Rose, she had a unique innocent charm. However, the girl seemed uncomfortable with exposing her shoulders and elaborate makeup, keeping her head down in shyness.
"Rong Rong, lift your head. You look beautiful, don't be afraid," Rose encouraged with a smile.
Chen Rong summoned up her courage, noticing some admiring gazes around her. Feeling reassured that she wasn't being looked down upon, she blushed less but still remained shy.
"You come and tell Xiao Zhao why your big brother Yang isn't here," Rose said.
Chen Rong hesitated for a moment, blinking uncertainly. "Is it because he doesn't want to attract too much attention?"
Rose glanced approvingly at her and then slightly shook her head at Xiao Zhao. "Look, Rong Rong, who is much younger than you, can think clearly. When will you learn to be more astute?"
Xiao Zhao chuckled awkwardly. "But Sister, didn't Yang say he would come? Why haven't we seen him?"
"With his means, he can come anytime. If he said he's coming, he will definitely come. Let's go in first."
Xiao Zhao trusted her judgment but still felt uneasy. "Sister, just the three of us, with Yang not showing up, and without any means of defense, will nothing happen tonight? After all, this is the territory of the Western Alliance Society."
"Let's accept whatever comes. What should happen will happen, and what shouldn't, will never occur."
Xiao Zhao was confused again, unable to grasp the meaning. As they walked quickly, he quietly asked Chen Rong, who was observing the surroundings with curiosity, "Rong Rong, what does Sister mean by that?"
Chen Rong sighed, feigning maturity. "Xiao Zhao, what you should understand, you'll understand naturally. What you don't, there's no point in saying…" With that, she ignored him.
"Why is it always so cryptic..." Xiao Zhao sighed in frustration.
Entering the spacious banquet hall, bright crystal chandeliers illuminated it as if it were daytime. The air was filled with the sweet scent of cocktails and the luxurious fragrance of men and women. Plentiful desserts and fruits were neatly arranged on one side of the hall, with several male and female servers in waiter attire walking among the guests.
Since tonight's banquet was essentially a meeting between the heads of the underground in the West and East Zones, although many prominent figures were invited, the number of attendees was not as high as in other gatherings. Sparse groups of people stood around the dance floor, discussing various topics, whether business or leisure, in a harmonious atmosphere.
Of course, the majority of attendees were from the Western Alliance Society. Almost every elder of the Society led several trusted subordinates to the banquet, chatting and laughing loudly with some of their legitimate partners. When Rose appeared in the banquet hall, all eyes were drawn to her. Various emotions like admiration, hatred, greed, curiosity, and adoration permeated among the guests, but no one dared to approach Rose for a conversation. After all, no one could predict the direction of tonight's events.
Many had received news of Rose being attacked before, but seeing the stunning woman alive and well dispelled the rumors instantly.
More people were surprised to see Rose entering the West Alliance Society's banquet alone, without any strong men for protection but accompanied by a beautiful stranger. They wondered if Rose's courage was too audacious.
At that moment, a waiter approached Rose. "Beautiful lady, may I offer you a sincere glass of champagne to praise your beauty?"
Hearing the familiar voice, Rose glanced over and indeed, it was Yang Chen, holding a tray of champagne, playing the role of a waiter!
Raising a glass of sparkling liquid, Rose, like a happy woman, playfully scolded him, "Is this the so-called surprise? Why are you working as a waiter?"
"It was a bit rushed, and it's inconvenient to come in with you guys. But I couldn't think of a better way to sneak in without a fight, and it was lucky to coincidentally run into the owner of this outfit while taking out the trash," Yang Chen explained.
"Yang Ge, you're really relaxed. I'm so nervous here, and you're playing around!" Xiao Zhao said incredulously.
Yang Chen grinned mischievously at him. "Xiao Zhao, take off your clothes."
"Why?" Xiao Zhao covered his chest, looking like he was ready to resist to the death.
"So you can switch clothes with me. I'll take your suit," Yang Chen winked at him.
Xiao Zhao's resistance was futile as Rose gestured for him to listen to Yang Chen. With a resentful expression, Xiao Zhao followed Yang Chen to a corner to exchange outfits.
Once again becoming a waiter, Xiao Zhao, who felt like his fate couldn't be changed, reluctantly wiped away tears and began to work.
"That outfit suits Xiao Zhao," Chen Rong commented playfully.
Yang Chen was somewhat surprised that Rose brought Chen Rong. It seemed that Rose was determined to cultivate Chen Rong. Otherwise, she wouldn't have brought the girl to such a grand event. He could only hope that tonight wouldn't be too thrilling. If the young girl couldn't handle it, it would be embarrassing to face her brother!
"Rose, my daughter, you finally came," Yang Chen said with a smile.
Not long ago, the clear voice that had been arrogant in Rose's bar appeared, it was Situ Mingze.
Situ Mingze, dressed in a white tailcoat, looked elegant and refined. His clean and handsome face hardly showed any signs of his approaching middle age. He resembled the most classical gentlemen of England, calm and composed. Behind him were several big shots from the Western Alliance Society and Situ Mingze's personal bodyguards.
Beside Situ Mingze stood a short man in a black suit, his appearance much more weathered. He couldn't be called handsome, but his whole demeanor seemed shrouded in a murky mist. The smile on his face was like that of a zombie crawling out of a coffin, forced and yet strangely sincere.
The smile that had just bloomed on Rose's face disappeared instantly. "I forgot if it was two years ago or three years ago, I told you, I'm no longer your daughter."
Tutting, Situ Mingze didn't get angry at Rose's cold and disrespectful words right off the bat. Instead, he said warmly, "How can you speak like this? Blood is thicker than water. It's fine to joke around on ordinary days, but it's not quite appropriate to speak like this in front of elders like me and your father."
The encounter between this father and daughter finally brought the simple banquet, which had taken up quite some time, into a serious tone. Many guests had begun to silently gather around, paying attention to the focal conversation.
Rose didn't argue with Situ Mingze on this topic, but instead, she shifted her gaze to the other smiling and seemingly kind short man beside him. "You must be the president of Dongxing, Mr. Zhou Guangnian, right?"
Zhou Guangnian modestly waved his hand, appearing like a friendly neighbor's loving uncle, looking at the neighboring girl next door. "Miss Rose recognizing Mr. Zhou is truly fortunate. However, Mr. Zhou has not been the president for many years. Now, he is the chairman of Dongxing Group. Nice to meet you."
The implication from the only underworld big shot in the East Zone was clear—our status is higher than yours!