Chapter Forty-Three: Seventy-First Birthday

West Lake District is definitely a place where the rich gather; land prices are exorbitant, and every inch of land is precious. All of Hangzhou's most high-end entertainment venues and luxury residences are concentrated in this area. Take Nanshan Road, for example; even a doghouse there would be worth millions. The bars and cafes along the street are also gathering places for white-collar workers.

This Club is located on Yanggong Causeway by West Lake and is absolutely the emperor among elite clubs. Those who come here are either dignitaries or billionaires with assets in the hundreds of millions. The membership fee alone is $20,000 USD.

Tonight, the birthday celebration for Longteng Group's patriarch, Lin Xiaotian, is being held at This Club. This Club is brilliantly lit tonight, with a multitude of luxury cars gathered at its entrance. Handsome men and beautiful women, dignitaries, and the wealthy—it seems as if everyone of note in Hangzhou has gathered here.

Lin Xiaotian is the previous head of the Lin family. The current head is his eldest son, Lin Qiming, and the beautiful woman Lin Ling, whom Zhang Hupan met at Wudang Mountain, is Lin Qiming's daughter. As the former president of Longteng Group and the former head of the Lin family, Lin Xiaotian's 70th birthday is being attended not only by many friends from the business and martial arts communities but also by many government officials who have come to celebrate!

Martial arts masters or special agents would easily discover that bodyguards are distributed in various corners, both openly and covertly, throughout This Club. Furthermore, if one looks closely, they would notice that these bodyguards are all the elite of the elite. It's estimated that the security measures for national leaders are likely no more stringent than this. In fact, today's occasion is no less significant than a visit from a national leader. With business elites from all sectors, high-ranking government officials, and representatives from various fields, it's evident that today's banquet is an extraordinary event, as it marks the 70th birthday of Old Master Lin, one of the four great families of Jiangnan!

The entire second floor is brilliantly lit, and the main hall is incredibly magnificent, decorated with extreme luxury and extravagance, yet it doesn't lack elegance and grandeur. The floor is paved with top-grade marble, and enormous crystal chandeliers hang overhead, while melodious music echoes throughout the hall.

Beautiful waitresses, dressed in sexy qipaos, carry trays laden with wine glasses and weave through the crowd like beautiful butterflies. Along long tables adorned with beautiful fresh flowers, an assortment of exquisite pastries and fruits are displayed for guests to take freely.

The gentlemen present are all dressed in suits and ties, appearing refined and cultured, behaving very much like gentlemen. All the ladies are wearing various evening gowns and carry themselves with grace. Whether they know each other or not, they all smile and raise their glasses in greeting to those they pass. These men and women either whisper softly or chat merrily. The more active ones mingle and network, showcasing their exceptional social skills. However, everyone's smile carries a hint of reserve, a touch of pretense. This is the social game of high society, favored by successful individuals and the wealthy.

The appearance of Zhang Hupan and Zhao Liya attracted much attention, especially from the young masters of wealthy families, whose eyes discreetly cast glances towards Zhao Liya's exposed fair bosom. As for Zhang Hupan, standing beside the beautiful woman, he naturally became the target of everyone's gaze.

Although Zhang Hupan has a very ordinary appearance, his physique is very well-proportioned. Dressed in a well-fitting black suit, wearing a diamond watch, and possessing a unique, elegant demeanor, with the most standard gentlemanly smile on his lips, people tend to overlook his ordinary looks. No one would associate him with a freshman from the mountains; they would only perceive him as a man of noble temperament and distinguished background, assuming him to be the son of some wealthy family. Zhao Liya intimately links her arm with Zhang Hupan's, her beautiful face beaming with a smile like a flower. She is wearing a light blue off-the-shoulder evening gown that accentuates her proud figure, exuding an elegant and captivating aura.

At this moment, Lin Ling, also wearing a light blue evening gown, tall and elegant, Zhao Liya's close friend, and the beauty Zhang Hupan encountered at Wudang Mountain, approaches them with a smile. She playfully chides Zhao Liya, "Why are you only arriving now in modern times? I've been waiting for you for ages!" After speaking, she curiously glances at Zhang Hupan, who seems somewhat familiar. However, even if she racked her brain, she wouldn't connect the man before her, who appears elegant and refined, with the Zhang Hupan she met at Wudang Mountain, who had his hair in a topknot, wore a Taoist robe, and had a lecherous look in his eyes.

"Goodness! You found a boyfriend and didn't even tell me! I always thought of you as my good sister!" Lin Ling says, feigning anger.

A blush spreads across Zhao Liya's pretty face. She gives Lin Ling a sidelong glance, walks over, and entwines her arm with Lin Ling's, whispering softly in her ear.

"So that's how it is. Only you, you little rascal, would think of something like that!" Lin Ling can't help but purse her lips and giggle softly after hearing Zhao Liya's words. She secretly glances at Zhang Hupan, who is elegantly standing not far away, and then says softly, "Actually, he's not bad either. Why don't you consider him!" She then laughs again, causing many to turn their heads.

"I knew you wouldn't say anything decent! I'm ignoring you!" Another blush appears on Zhao Liya's face. She playfully nudges Lin Ling, glares at her, and then turns to walk back towards Zhang Hupan.

Watching Zhang Hupan, who is elegantly and courteously greeting unfamiliar guests not far away, Zhao Liya's eyes reveal a hint of emotion. She can't help but sigh inwardly, "If only he were Brother Shi! I wonder who the Shi family will send to congratulate the birthday this time!"

As she was thinking this, a man she found very annoying, Lin Ling's cousin Lin Weifeng, blocked her path. Despite his gentlemanly attire and the expression of a righteous man, he couldn't hide the glint of lewdness in his eyes. "Liya, you're getting more beautiful every day!" Due to the deep connection between the Zhao and Lin families, and especially because Zhao Liya and Lin Ling are good friends, the two inevitably meet often. Thus, Lin Weifeng smiles and speaks to Zhao Liya with great familiarity.

Although Lin Weifeng conceals his wolf-like intentions very well, women's innate intuition can clearly detect the filth in the man's heart. Looking at the man before her with a smiling face and squinting eyes, Zhao Liya feels as uncomfortable as if she had swallowed a fly. However, her good upbringing prevents her from acting out of line. She merely nods slightly and smiles, "Thank you for the compliment!"

Sometimes men are even more narcissistic than women. Seeing Zhao Liya reply with a smile, Lin Weifeng believes his handsome and dashing image has finally captured the heart of the beauty before him. With lustful thoughts flashing in his eyes, imagining stripping the beauty before him, he continues to flatter her with a fawning expression.

Her excellent upbringing and years of social experience have taught the usually straightforward Zhao Liya to wear a mask when interacting with these young masters from wealthy families. However, this pretense makes Zhao Liya feel genuinely disgusted, which is why she asked Zhang Hupan to pretend to be her boyfriend to attend such events and avoid unwanted attention.

Zhang Hupan, not far away, maintains his gentlemanly smile and politely greets guests he has never met, but his gaze never leaves Zhao Liya. Seeing Zhao Liya slightly furrow her brows, seemingly displeased by the man standing before her with a somewhat frivolous expression, Zhang Hupan also dislikes that man. With his cultivation, it's not difficult for Zhang Hupan to discern Lin Weifeng's ill intentions. Therefore, he strides towards Zhao Liya, naturally puts his arm around her soft, slender waist, and gently asks Zhao Liya with gentlemanly grace, "Liya, why don't you introduce me to your friend!"

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