"There are so many people."
Lin Yunqing ended the call and looked around. The spacious lobby, with its seven- or eight-meter-high ceiling, was crowded with people dressed like society's elite.
Everyone seemed to belong to the same social circle. They knew one another, and before long, they had split into groups of three or five and started chatting.
The most eye-catching person was a grown man surrounded by admirers, the center of attention.
He looked to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight. He had a square face and moved with a steady air, as if he were used to being in a position of authority. There was a heavy, intimidating presence about him that kept strangers at a distance.
Qin Shi glanced at him twice, then asked curiously:
"He looks a lot like Old Chen. Are they related?"
Lin Yunqing nodded and leaned closer to explain:
"He's Uncle Chen's eldest son, Xiao Yun's older brother, Chen Zhou.
"He used to run a company and do business in Central City. He only came back recently.
"I heard Xiao Yun say that he and Uncle Chen have a rather distant father-son relationship."
Dad in government, son in business—it was a classic combination.
Qin Shi grumbled to himself.
The administrative planets of the Dongxia Republic were relatively autonomous, much like an unusual form of regional fiefdom.
An administrative governor was practically a powerful regional lord, and the important officials in each position held great authority.
Although the three departments checked and balanced one another, most people followed the rules and rarely let things come to blows.
Someone of Old Chen's rank was practically a local emperor in Taian.
Calling him all-powerful might be an exaggeration, but he could certainly make the wind and rain obey.
"Uncle Chen originally wanted to arrange for Brother Zhou