Eight in the evening.
The Crescent Hotel.
When Gu Cheng and the others arrived, the parking lot outside the hotel was already packed with luxury cars.
Gu Cheng's Mercedes, worth over three million, barely stood out here.
Fatty Wang drooled with envy at the sight of those luxury cars.
"When I make my money, I'm going to fill my garage with cars like these."
Hu Bayi gave him a contemptuous look. "That's all you aspire to?"
They headed toward the hotel entrance.
Someone at the door was checking invitations.
Gu Cheng took out his invitation and handed it over.
Then he took Yingzi's hand and walked inside.
Hu Bayi and Fatty Wang followed, only to be stopped. "Bodyguards don't need to go in."
"Pfft!"
Gu Cheng couldn't help laughing.
When they had bought clothes that afternoon, he had told them not to put together outfits like that.
But Fatty Wang hadn't listened.
He had insisted on dressing that way, saying it made him look imposing.
He had even dragged Hu Bayi into dressing the same way.
Now they had been mistaken for bodyguards.
Fatty Wang's expression immediately changed. He glared at the man blocking his way. "Are you blind? What makes you think we look like bodyguards?"
Gu Cheng turned back as well. "They're my friends. They're with me."
The man wasn't offended and replied calmly, "Sorry, but each invitation only allows you to bring two guests. Only one of you two can enter."
Gu Cheng was dumbfounded too.
He looked at Fatty Wang and Hu Bayi. "But there are four of us. You can't expect me to leave one of them outside, can you?"
"Sorry, those are our hotel's rules."
"You..."
Gu Cheng was at a loss for words.
Hu Bayi leaned over and whispered, "Why don't we just forget it? Let Fatty go in. I'll wait outside for you."
Gu Cheng shook his head. "Hold on. Let me think."
Just as he was scratching his head for a solution, he spotted a group approaching in the distance.
His eyes immediately lit up.
He told Hu Bayi, "Wait here. We'll be getting in any moment now."
The group drew closer.
When the young man leading them saw Gu Cheng, he paused, then smiled. "You? You're here too?"
Gu Cheng smiled back. "Long time no see, Boss Xie."
The young man was none other than Xie Yuchen.
He looked Gu Cheng over, then glanced at Hu Bayi and Fatty Wang behind him. When his gaze finally reached Yingzi, he briefly froze, but quickly concealed his reaction.
Gu Cheng also glanced at the people beside him.
There was a pretty girl of about seventeen or eighteen and a handsome young man.
His gaze lingered on the young man's face for a moment.
"What's going on here?"
Xie Yuchen asked curiously.
Gu Cheng spread his hands with a rueful smile. "They're all my friends, but it turns out each invitation only lets you bring two guests."
"That's the Crescent Hotel's rule. You can't blame the security guard."
After saying that, Xie Yuchen noticed Gu Cheng looking at him intently.
He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "You're not asking me to take someone in for you, are you?"
Gu Cheng gave him a thumbs-up. "You're so smart."
Xie Yuchen: "..."
He glanced at the people behind him. "But I only have one invitation too, and I need to bring both of them in."
Gu Cheng said, "With the Xie Family's ties to the Crescent Hotel, that shouldn't be difficult, right?"
Xie Yuchen pressed his lips together, then nodded. "You're right. The Xie Family does have some history with the Crescent Hotel, but... why should I help you?"
Gu Cheng leaned closer. "Three months from now, I'll sell you a divine artifact with a clearly identified function."
Xie Yuchen's eyes lit up. "You mean it?"
Gu Cheng held out his fist. "A gentleman keeps his word."
Xie Yuchen thought it over, then held out his own fist and bumped it against Gu Cheng's. "All right. Deal."
At that moment, the pretty girl came over.
She looked between them curiously. "What are you talking about? You're being so secretive."
Xie Yuchen pushed her little head away and said impatiently, "This is grown-up business. Why is a little brat sticking her nose into it?"
The girl immediately glared at Xie Yuchen in fury. "You rotten Little Flower! Who are you calling a little brat?"
Xie Yuchen glanced at her and ignored her.
Instead, he said to Gu Cheng, "Here, let me introduce you."
He pointed at the girl. "This is Huo Xiu Xiu, from the Huo Family."
Gu Cheng glanced at her and nodded in greeting.
Then Xie Yuchen pointed at the handsome young man. "This is Wu Xie, from the Wu Family."
Gu Cheng gave him a long, searching look, then nodded as well.
"This is Gu Cheng, the young proprietor of the Treasure-Hiding Studio in Panjiayuan, and a very interesting man. His nickname is Golden Eye. He's never misjudged an antique. They say no treasure can escape those eyes of his."
Wu Xie and Huo Xiu Xiu immediately looked at Gu Cheng in surprise.
People in the antiques trade who could claim never to have misjudged an item were exceedingly rare, and every one of them was an old man in his seventies or eighties.
But he was so young?
Was that really true?
Or was it just polite praise?
With that question in mind, the two exchanged greetings with Gu Cheng.
Gu Cheng also introduced Hu Bayi and his other two companions.
When they heard that Hu Bayi was a successor to the Gold-Seeking Commandants, Wu Xie and the other two immediately became much warmer toward him.
They exchanged a few pleasantries.
Then they entered the hotel together.
To all you handsome readers, writing a book isn't easy, and mine isn't one of those formulaic tomb-raiding novels.
If you think it's any good, please send some flowers, ratings, and tips.