Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Immortal Couple
Chen Wenxiong looked bewildered as he asked tentatively,
"Mr. Ouyang, do you know Qin Tuo?"
Ouyang Tianqi nodded and smiled.
"Of course I do. Mr. Qin did me a huge favor last time!"
He let out a hearty laugh.
However, the surrounding crowd was utterly astonished.
Ouyang Tianqi added,
"In fact, today’s banquet is primarily to host Mr. Qin and thank him in person. As for the rest of you, you’re just here for accompaniment, haha..."
Ouyang Tianqi gave a casual laugh, and the surrounding guests had no choice but to laugh along with him.
But the way they all looked at Qin Tuo was now filled with utter shock.
Chen Wenxiong and Chen Man Ni exchanged a glance, each seeing the shock and utter confusion in the other’s eyes.
Chen Man Ni, in particular, stared intently at Qin Tuo.
But she couldn’t help but wonder, ’Why does this guy, Qin Tuo, look so ridiculously calm?’
’Damn this Qin Tuo! How could he keep such a huge secret from me? And he just tricked me into a bet! Hmph!’
Realizing she had thoroughly lost the bet, Chen Man Ni’s face flushed red all the way to her ears.
Seeing that the host had arrived, Qin Tuo took the initiative and stepped forward.
"Mr. Ouyang, hello. We meet again."
Ouyang Tianqi, however, quickly shook his head and extended both hands.
"Mr. Qin, please don’t take offense. This is all my fault. My arrangements were inadequate, and I have treated you poorly!"
The crowd nearly fell over in shock again.
’My god, Ouyang Tianqi is being so respectful and courteous to this Mr. Qin.’
’Just what are his origins?’
Everyone began to secretly wonder if Qin Tuo was some young master from the capital.
Qin Tuo waved his hand dismissively and said casually,
"Mr. Ouyang, you’re being too courteous."
At that moment, Secretary Gao, who was standing nearby, was already pale with fright, trembling so much he couldn’t utter a word.
Ouyang Tianqi noticed Secretary Gao’s state and was puzzled.
"Xiaogao, what has you so frightened?"
Secretary Gao gave a dry laugh.
"N-nothing, Mr. Ouyang. We just had a little misunderstanding!"
He then turned to Qin Tuo and bowed deeply in apology.
"Mr. Qin, my apologies. Please forgive my rudeness just now."
Ouyang Tianqi’s expression immediately darkened. He snapped,
"Xiaogao, you’re usually sharp when you work for me. How could you be so blind today as to offend Mr. Qin!"
Secretary Gao instantly broke out in a cold sweat, apologizing profusely.
"Enough. Let this be a lesson to you. Remember not to make this mistake again, or you know the consequences."
Ouyang Tianqi continued his reprimand.
By now, the guests’ minds were completely reeling.
They were well aware of Secretary Gao’s status, yet Ouyang Tianqi had just mercilessly berated him in public for the sake of this mysterious Mr. Qin.
"Qin Tuo, why didn’t you tell me sooner? You’re terrible!"
When no one was looking, Chen Man Ni couldn’t resist leaning in close and muttering through clenched teeth,
Qin Tuo chuckled quietly,
"You can’t blame me for this. You never asked. Besides, you’re the one who willingly made that bet with me."
Chen Man Ni was instantly left speechless.
Ouyang Tianqi also noticed that Qin Tuo and Chen Man Ni seemed quite close.
"Oh, and who is this young lady?"
At this, Chen Wenxiong’s eyes lit up. He quickly stepped forward and made an enthusiastic introduction.
"Mr. Ouyang, this is my daughter, Chen Man Ni. She and Qin Tuo are on *very*, very good terms!"
Chen Man Ni nodded at Ouyang Tianqi as a sign of respect.
Ouyang Tianqi was a sharp man. He could tell at a glance that their relationship was more than simple friendship and laughed heartily,
"Mr. Qin, you and Miss Chen are a truly handsome couple, a match made in heaven! Wouldn’t you all agree?"
"Yes, yes, a perfect match!"
"Haha, a divine couple indeed!"
"With Mr. Qin’s distinguished bearing, it’s true that only Miss Chen is worthy of him!"
The crowd of guests quickly chimed in, their fawning and flattery on full display.
Hearing this, Chen Man Ni became even more bashful and couldn’t help but lower her head.
"Alright, alright, it’s getting late. Everyone, please go inside and find your seats!"
At Ouyang Tianqi’s word, the guests immediately returned to the hotel’s banquet hall.
The food and drinks had already begun to be served, and Ouyang Tianqi invited everyone to take their seats.
Once all the guests were seated, Ouyang Tianqi personally took Qin Tuo and Chen Man Ni by the hand and led them to the seat of honor.
"Come, come, please, have a seat!"
Qin Tuo nodded. Thinking nothing of it, he sat right down.
Chen Man Ni, however, looked astonished and quickly waved her hands in refusal.
"Mr. Ouyang, this should be your seat. How could I possibly sit here?"
As the daughter of a wealthy family, she at least had that much awareness.
This was the seat of honor; only Ouyang Tianqi was worthy of sitting there.
Seeing this, Chen Wenxiong, who was standing to the side, heaved a heavy sigh of relief and gave his daughter a thumbs-up.
At such an important occasion, one wrong move could inadvertently offend someone.
Ouyang Tianqi just shook his head and smiled.
"Miss Chen, there’s no need to be so formal. You and Mr. Qin are a match made in heaven; how could I bear to split you up?"
With another hearty laugh, he firmly pushed Chen Man Ni down into the seat.
Chen Man Ni gave an awkward smile, not knowing what else to say.
Even now, her head was still spinning.
’How does Qin Tuo know such a powerful person?’
Chen Man Ni racked her brain.
She had thought she understood Qin Tuo well enough, but the secrets he held always managed to astound her.
The banquet began, and the guests chatted as they ate and drank.
"Do you think the Chen Family is about to hit the big time?"
"Goes without saying! With the Chen Family’s daughter and Mr. Qin together, it’s as good as the Chen Family becoming in-laws with Mr. Ouyang. It’s so enviable!"
"Sigh, that fellow Chen Wenxiong sure is lucky. He has his good daughter to thank for bringing him such good fortune!"
Hearing these discussions, a look of satisfaction appeared in Ouyang Tianqi’s eyes.
This was precisely the situation he had intentionally orchestrated, all to ensure Qin Tuo was pleased.
Last night, for the first time in days, he didn’t have the nightmare about being crushed by a python. He’d finally had a peaceful night’s sleep.
This made him even more certain that Qin Tuo was an extraordinary, almost otherworldly individual, and the desire to befriend him grew stronger in his heart.
"Mr. Chen, come, let me toast you!"
A constant stream of powerful figures rose from their seats and approached Chen Wenxiong to offer him toasts.
Chen Wenxiong was absolutely thrilled by this; the smile never left his face.
He knew that by the end of this banquet, he would have made many more powerful connections.
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