Chapter 130: The Trap Banquet

Once the series of procedures for the birthday banquet were completed, the guests present began to move about freely, one after another raising their wine glasses to take the opportunity to network with people they wished to know.

However, if one were to observe carefully, they would discover that there was one table that stood in stark contrast to the lively and noisy scene.

This isolated table was precisely the one where the Cheng Family, Qian Rongrong, Shen Qi, and Li Qingyan were seated.

Guests at other tables were clinking glasses and chatting heatedly, but not a single person came over to this side to offer a toast or network.

Cheng Honglin and his son Cheng Weijun were extremely embarrassed and had no choice but to take the initiative to go and offer toasts and greetings, yet the feedback they received was not very good.

Most people just offered perfunctory responses; as for the Zhang Family, they could not even get close to them, as the Zhang father and son chose to ignore them directly.

Helpless, Cheng Honglin and Cheng Weijun had to return to their seats, their expressions very ugly.

"Dad, are we being targeted?" Cheng Weijun asked, unable to help himself, his face full of gloom.

Cheng Honglin's brows furrowed into a 'chuan' shape; he turned his head to look at Qian Rongrong, who sat to the side with a normal expression, and sighed, "It should be because of the Yanyu Group matter."

The fact that Yanyu Group invested in the Cheng Family and the Qian Family was something every family business of note in Shanghai knew clearly.

Today, the two families were sitting at the same table again, which made it hard for outsiders not to overthink things.

Moreover, the Zhang Family's cold attitude toward the Cheng Family at the banquet made everyone else in attendance even more certain that the Zhang Family was very dissatisfied with the Cheng Family and the Qian Family.

At the same time, they all sensed that the Zhang Family would use the birthday banquet to establish their authority and once again consolidate their status in Shanghai!

The facts were indeed so, and therefore, under such circumstances, the issue of choosing a side naturally arose.

And it was very obvious that all the guests who came to the banquet had chosen the Zhang Family.

Cheng Weijun realized this belatedly and asked, "Dad, what should we do? Being isolated at a time like this is certainly not a good thing for the Cheng Family."

Cheng Honglin pondered for a moment, looked at Cheng Kexin, and said, "Kexin, go and offer a toast to your Grandpa Zhang and the others."

Cheng Kexin sat upright, her gaze vigilantly observing her surroundings; hearing Cheng Honglin's instruction, she shook her head decisively: "I am not going."

"You must go!"

Cheng Honglin furrowed his brows, his expression displeased, his tone brooking no argument as he said, "Not only you, but your sister Kexiang must go as well."

"I am not going either," Cheng Kexiang also shook her head in refusal.

"You... the two of you have grown wings, have you? You dare to defy me?!"

Cheng Honglin's voice rose an octave, his expression extremely ugly.

"Kexin, Kexiang, listen to your grandfather and go quickly!"

Cheng Weijun spoke up: "We cannot lose face today. After all, your engagement to Zhang still stands, Kexin, so you should go and offer a toast. Kexiang, you outdid Zhang Shouhang during the project roadshow previously, so you should also go and apologize."

"I have already said it: my engagement to Zhang Shouhang has long been void. I am already Chen Che's woman."

"I am not going either! Zhang Shouhang's failure at the roadshow was his own incompetence, the Zhang Family's incompetence. Why should I go and apologize?!"

The sisters stood on the same front, their attitude very firm.

"Are you two trying to be the death of me?!"

Cheng Honglin was completely enraged. "You have seen the situation today; now that your father and I cannot get a word in, only you two can go and make a gesture. Do you want the Cheng Family to become the target of public criticism?!"

"The Cheng Family has already become the target of public criticism."

Qian Rongrong spoke up to help, saying, "It's not just the Cheng Family, but the Qian Family too. Today is clearly a trap, and no matter how much we show weakness, we will still be targeted."

"I say, old man of the Cheng Family, your performance as Patriarch is truly interesting, and as a grandfather, you aren't much better. Sacrificing your own granddaughter to curry favor with the opposing side—that is even more shameless than a hoodlum like me. You are at such an age, yet you don't even want your face anymore!"

Shen Qi also sneered, mocking him.

Being lectured by two juniors, Cheng Honglin was extremely annoyed and said in a deep voice, "This is the Cheng Family's private business; I ask that the two of you do not interfere!"

Considering that they were on the same front after all, Qian Rongrong's tone softened as she said, "Grandpa Cheng, rest assured. No matter what happens today, the Qian Family will stand with the Cheng Family, as will Seventh Master Shen's Qibao Association."

"I thank you both on behalf of the Cheng Family, but if I may be blunt, although the Cheng and Qian families have received investment from Yanyu Group and have the backing of the Qibao Association, the Zhang Family is, after all, a large family with deep roots. And you have both seen the situation today; we have been isolated.

The figures of status and influence in Shanghai are all standing on the Zhang Family's side. Because of this, even if we are allies, we appear weak and somewhat pathetic."

Cheng Weijun gave a bitter smile, his expression worried, and continued, "Furthermore, we have already walked into this trap. If the Zhang Family members make things difficult for us or threaten us in a moment, how are we to handle it?"

"Uncle Cheng, don't worry. Once my junior brother arrives, everything will cease to be a problem."

Li Qingyan swirled her red wine glass, looking calm and composed.

"Divine Doctor Li, if I may be blunt, I admire Mr. Chen's Medicine, and he truly did save my life, but if I were forced to choose between him and the Zhang Family, I would definitely choose the Zhang Family."

Cheng Honglin said decisively.

"Does Patriarch Cheng feel that Chen Che is unworthy of being your granddaughter's husband, or is he not worth you entrusting the Cheng Family to?"

Li Qingyan took a sip of red wine and said slowly.

"Neither is worthy!" Cheng Honglin said decisively.

Li Qingyan looked at Cheng Honglin and asked, "Then do you think I am worthy?"

"I am very grateful that Divine Doctor Li can stand on the Cheng Family's side. You are indeed unique in the medical field, but you are, after all, one person. Compared to the power of a family, one person is still far behind."

Cheng Honglin said without any courtesy.

At this moment, he was only thinking about how to get the Zhang Family to let the Cheng Family off, and he no longer cared whether he would offend Li Qingyan.

Hearing this, Li Qingyan shrugged, indicating she did not care.

"You old scoundrel, being shameless is one thing, but you are also arrogant and short-sighted. Do you believe that if you say one more word, I will let you know why the flowers are so red?!"

Shen Qi was already dissatisfied with Cheng Honglin, and hearing him talk about Chen Che, he became directly enraged. He rolled up his sleeves and was about to climb over the table to slap Cheng Honglin's old, stinking face!

"Seventh Master Shen's current situation is no different from the Cheng Family's. I advise you to think about how to save yourself!"

Cheng Honglin was extremely unhappy at being called an "old scoundrel," his face as black as a pot lid, and naturally, he did not give Shen Qi any pleasant looks either.

"Grandfather, Dad, I will say this one last time: I will not marry Zhang Shouhang, nor will I lower myself to curry favor with the Zhang Family just to satisfy your vanity. Moreover, in this life, I only recognize one man, and that is Chen Che!"

Cheng Kexin spoke up again at this moment, interrupting their argument, her tone firm and brooking no rebuttal.

"Sister is right, I think the same!"

Cheng Kexiang echoed.

"You wretches!"

Facing the repeated defiance and backtalk from the two sisters, Cheng Honglin was furious and bellowed, "Are you trying to rebel?! Or are you intentionally trying to anger me to death!?"

"Dad, calm down, calm down!"

Hou Huili, who had been silent, saw this and hurriedly tried to smooth things over, then said to Cheng Kexin and Cheng Kexiang, "Kexin, Kexiang, no matter what, you should both offer this toast today."

"Mom, why are you saying that too?! Do you also want my sister to marry Zhang Shouhang? The Zhang Family has issues; you are pushing my sister into a pit of fire!"

Cheng Kexiang looked resentful; she had not expected that her mother, who had always doted on her, would stand on the opposite side today.

However, Cheng Honglin, Cheng Weijun, and Hou Huili did not take Cheng Kexiang's words seriously, assuming she was only slandering the Zhang Family to rebel against the family.

Hou Huili shook her head and said unhurriedly:

"First, I have never agreed to the marriage between Kexin and Zhang Shouhang, but I will not agree to the matter with Chen Che either, so don't even think about it.

Second, we are here to attend a birthday banquet today; regardless of anything else, in terms of etiquette, you should both go and offer a toast.

Third, even if we are not on good terms with the Zhang Family, we still need to make friends with others."

Hou Huili remembered something else and added, "Besides, because of the matter between you and Chen Che, Zhang Shouhang has been holding a grudge; if you want to get through today, you cannot avoid interacting with Zhang Shouhang, so when you offer toasts in a moment, you must go to Zhang Shouhang as well."

"Impossible!"

Cheng Kexin whispered sharply, firmly refusing to curry favor with Zhang Shouhang.

"Speaking of which, the banquet is more than halfway over, yet Zhang Shouhang has been nowhere to be seen."

Cheng Weijun scanned his surroundings; he only saw Zhang Sheng and his two sons, Zhang Yimin and Zhang Yili, entertaining guests, but he did not see a trace of Zhang Shouhang at all.

This left him very confused!

Zhang Shouhang was the leading figure of the new generation of the Zhang Family; it stood to reason that he should not be absent at a moment like this.

Hearing this, Cheng Honglin and Hou Huili were also very puzzled and cast their gazes around to search.

Previously, due to the Seal imposed by Du Chuan and Zhang Sheng, very few people knew about the incident at Jingming Bar.

However, Cheng Kexin and the others who knew the truth sneered in their hearts.

Zhang Shouhang had his crotch blown apart by Chen Che; he must still be lying in the hospital right now and could not possibly appear here!

However, what happened next exceeded the expectations of Cheng Kexin and the others.

Just then, in the corridor connecting the banquet hall to the backyard, Zhang Shouhang sat in a wheelchair, being pushed to the scene by Qiao Ming.

Following Zhang Shouhang's appearance, Zhang Sheng, Zhang Yili, and Zhang Yimin also stopped socializing and sat back down in their seats one after another.

Zhang Shouhang arrived at the banquet hall and locked his eyes on the table where Cheng Kexin and the others were sitting, his face immediately turning ferocious, as if he were seeing an evil ghost of a mortal enemy.

At the same time, a large group of aggressive Martial Artists surged out behind Zhang Shouhang, quickly occupying every corner of the banquet hall, full of oppressive pressure like soldiers waiting in battle formation!

The main course of this Trap Banquet had officially arrived!