Chapter 274: Hongmen Banquet! Li Chaoren

Monday evening, Wenhua Eastern Hotel.

Under the crystal chandelier that cascaded like a molten golden waterfall, the air was filled with the rich aroma of top‑grade Cuban cigars interwoven with expensive perfume. Fragrant clothing, clinking glasses, the prominent figures of the Hong Kong Island business community were almost all present. This was less a commercial auction than a celebratory feast for the new king's coronation, a public reckoning of the old era.

The bigwigs of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce—Li Fuying, Guo Dongying, Character, and others—naturally occupied the most central seats. Their faces flushed red, voices booming, they showed none of the usual composure of market sharks; instead they resembled a group of victorious rural magnates flaunting their wealth back home, with pride evident in every eyebrow and eye corner.

"Damn it, did you see? Those foreign reporters at the door—look how green their faces are!" Guo Dongying lifted his glass, tipped it back, and his coarse laugh made the ice cubes in the glass clink. "When I first came in, I even rolled down the car window on purpose and smiled at them; that expression was uglier than losing ten billion! Thrilling!"

Character stroked his beard on the side, his eyes unable to hide his emotion: "Times change. Back then, when our Chinese business group held a meeting, we had to squeeze into a small tea house in Kowloon, fearing the foreign newspapers would label it a chaotic gathering. How different it is today."

Li Fuying was much steadier; he held a tea cup, but his gaze kept scanning the doorway, clearly waiting for tonight's true protagonist.

At that moment, the clamor at the banquet hall's entrance suddenly stalled, as if an invisible hand had pressed the mute button. The previously noisy chatter and clinking of cups and plates dropped several decibels, creating an eerie silence. An unseen aura spread from the doorway, pressing down so heavily that people felt short of breath.

A man in a well‑fitted Zhongshan suit, his face wearing a trademark warm smile, entered slowly surrounded by a cluster of bodyguards.

Li Jiasheng.

When he appeared, the air in the hall seemed to thicken a few degrees. The bigwigs' laughter persisted but was noticeably restrained, their eyes now carried more caution and scrutiny. Everyone instinctively straightened their backs and corrected their posture, knowing that the real show for the night had begun.

Li Jiasheng ignored the surrounding complex gazes and walked straight to Li Fuying and the others, his smile affable as he bowed his hand: "Chairman Li, Guo, Character, what a pleasant gathering."

"Li, you're too kind," Li Fuying stood and replied, neither salty nor bland.

Guo Dongying let out a heavy hum, turned his head aside, too lazy to even exchange pleasantries.

"Lu, sir, here!"

With the emcee's high‑pitched announcement, all eyes instantly shifted from Li Jiasheng to the doorway, as if they had found the true backbone. The gazes were scorching, reverent, expectant, completely different from the earlier wary looks at Li Jiasheng.

Lu Qingshan wore a well‑tailored black suit, no tie, the shirt collar casually unbuttoned at one button, exuding calm composure. Beside him stood a stern‑looking, sharp‑eyed Ye Ning, and the equally nervous Lu Qingjun, whose palms were slick with cold sweat.

His appearance made him the sole focus of the entire space.

"Qing Shan!"

"Mr. Lu!"

Li Fuying and the others immediately greeted him, their faces showing genuine enthusiasm.

Lu Qingshan shook hands and exchanged pleasantries one by one; finally, his gaze pierced the crowd and landed precisely on Li Jiasheng a short distance away, and he walked over smiling.

"Mr. Li, your presence truly makes this auction shine."

"Mr. Lu's venue, how could I dare not come," Li Jiasheng replied with a grin, then gave a subtle signal to the assistant behind him.

The assistant promptly stepped forward and handed over an exquisite rosewood box.

Li Jiasheng opened the box himself; under the soft light, a crystal‑clear emerald sculpture of a fisherman rested quietly on velvet. The carving showed a fisherman seated on a reef, holding a long rod, his demeanor leisurely, eyes fixed intently on an invisible horizon, lifelike.

"A small gift, not quite a tribute," Li Jiasheng's smile carried a hint of depth, "This humble piece is called 'Waiting for the Time.' I think it suits Mr. Lu's youthful maturity and his knack for seizing the moment."

Everyone in the hall who could read between the lines felt a chill.

This wasn't a gift at all; it was a battle proclamation! He was saying, like that fisherman, I have endless patience and will wait until you slacken, until the fish in the water bite on their own.

Lu Qingjun, standing behind his brother, felt his heart nearly stop, daring not even to breathe.

Lu Qingshan sneered inwardly. "Same old trick. In a past life, that old fox survived generations of opponents with this extraordinary patience and endurance. Giving this fisherman is both a test and a warning."

His smile unchanged, he reached for the jade fisherman. He said nothing, simply placed the carving in his palm, his thumb slowly rubbing the hair‑thin fishing rod, feeling the stone's chill and warmth. That moment of silence seemed to freeze the surrounding air.

"Thank you, Mr. Li, I like the gift; the carving is truly exquisite."

He casually handed the carving to Lu Qingjun behind him, then lifted his eyes to Li Jiasheng and said slowly, "Fishing is indeed a great discipline, demanding patience and steadiness. But I'm an impatient person; I can't wait for the fish to bite on its own."

He paused, the curve of his mouth widening a few degrees, his gaze sharp as a blade, exuding an uncompromising authority.

"I prefer to cast the net directly. Whether the water holds fish or shrimp, or even those who dream of being fishermen, I'll scoop them all in one go—clean and decisive."

The words fell, and the hall shuddered!

The entire banquet hall fell into an absolute three‑second dead silence! In the air, it seemed invisible sparks crackled.

Li Jiasheng's mask‑perfect smile finally showed a barely perceptible stiffness; at the deepest corner of his eye, a flash of cold, predatory light flashed and vanished. Though only a moment, countless eyes caught it. Guo Dongying could not hold back, slapped his thigh hard, silently mouthing a cheer.

The next second, the dead silence was completely detonated!

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The surrounding reporters, like sharks smelling blood, went berserk; the magnesium lights flashed into a white sea, forever freezing the showdown. The shutter clicks came in a torrent like a rainstorm, harsh and frantic!

Li Jiasheng inhaled deeply; the stiff smile softened within a tenth of a second, and he was the first to clap: "Mr. Lu truly speaks swiftly, a hero's true color. I look forward to seeing your thunderous tactics today."

"I won't disappoint you, Mr. Li." Lu Qingshan faced the flashbulbs, his smile radiant, as if proclaiming a new era's transition.