Chapter Twenty-Six: The Embarrassing Banquet

"Is that so? If you want everyone to know you still exist, you'd better see if you have the capability." With that, Rong Fan hung up the phone.

The makeup artist only dared to enter after hearing Rong Fan finish the call. Seeing the blood and glass shards on the floor, she was startled: "Brother Fan, your hand is injured." She reached for her phone, intending to contact Liu Shenghai.

"A minor injury. No need to tell anyone. There is a first-aid kit on the second-floor stairwell wall; go get it."

"Alright."

After finding the kit and returning, she carefully had Rong Fan open his hand. Although there was some blood, the shards from the glass were relatively large, so the cuts weren't particularly deep. No glass remained in the flesh, and the bleeding had already stopped.

While tending to the wound, the makeup artist wondered why he had crushed his wine glass just from taking a call.

Once his hand was bandaged, Rong Fan resumed his makeup session.

After finishing her work, the makeup artist watched the stylist tend to his hair before leaving the hall. She went to the restroom and called Liu Shenghai.

"Director Liu, Rong Fan is injured."

"What? Is it serious? Can he attend the banquet tonight? Can we continue filming?" Upon hearing that Rong Fan was hurt, Liu Shenghai jumped up, firing off a series of questions.

The variety show was currently enjoying such high popularity that no guest could afford any mishaps. Furthermore, with such an important banquet tonight, everyone's attendance was mandatory.

Liu Shenghai’s sudden, agitated reaction startled Yang Feng, who was sitting nearby.

Seeing his reaction, the makeup artist breathed a sigh of relief. She was glad she had made the call; otherwise, if any issues arose later, she would be in trouble. "It’s just a hand injury, nothing serious. I’ve already treated it."

Hearing it wasn't serious, Liu Shenghai relaxed and sat back down. "Oh, how did he injure his hand?"

"He took a call from someone—I’m not sure who—out in the living room. When I heard silence and went in, I found he had crushed his wine glass."

"Then ignore it." As long as he could appear normally, he didn't care about anything else.

The last trace of white in the sky was swallowed by darkness. It was past 6:00 PM, and countless luxury cars began arriving at the estate one after another.

The men stepping out of the cars were in suits, and the women in evening gowns.

The live stream chat was buzzing with excitement, and the viewer count kept climbing. After all, this was their chance to see how the other half lived; watching the stream felt like attending the banquet themselves—how could they miss it?

The chosen venue for the banquet was the largest castle on the estate, with a living room spacious enough to accommodate hundreds of people.

***

By 7:00 PM, Liu Shenghai appeared in a white suit, microphone in hand. "Hello everyone, I am Liu Shenghai, the director of the variety show 'Extremely Wealthy.' Welcome, and a huge thank you to the CEO of Kesi for hosting this banquet to welcome our guests. I hope you all have a wonderful evening."

"Next, let us invite the seven guests of 'Extremely Wealthy' to the stage."

As Liu Shenghai finished speaking, Rong Fan, Jiang Ke, Li Jiale, and Lai Bingfu emerged wearing Ultraman costumes. Even though they were in superhero suits, their status meant they hadn't covered their faces and had even applied meticulous makeup.

Except for Lai Bingfu, who displayed the outfit with generous confidence, the other three were busy covering their faces.

Jiang Ke hadn't expected to wear such a costume; she had intended to make a grand entrance, but when the moment came, she suddenly lost her nerve. Li Jiale was simply thin-skinned, while Rong Fan felt the outfit was beneath his dignity.

"Stop covering your faces. You have to show them eventually anyway, so why bother? It’s better to be confident—we can’t let the other three look down on us, can we?"

Encouraged by Lai Bingfu, the three who were hiding their faces realized he was right. They lowered their hands, walked the "runway" with confidence, and even greeted the guests and struck poses.

[Oh my god! I'm dying of laughter.]

[I hope I'm just hallucinating—my goddess, what are you wearing!]

[Rong Fan looks so unconfident!]

[How can you not believe in the light? My idol is wearing the light's armor; the buff is maxed out, okay?]

Once the four finished their interactions, Liu Shenghai handed them the microphone.

"Hello everyone, I am Lai Bingfu."

"Li Jiale."

"Jiang Ke."

"Rong Fan."

The four introduced themselves in turn and then quickly retreated from the stage, feeling utterly humiliated.

As music began to play, three figures appeared in the distance, and the crowd turned their gaze toward the lights.

Zheng Jin wore a black suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist. His stern, stoic demeanor made him look like an unapproachable, ascetic handsome man. Jiang Xian and Sheng Ya stood on either side of him.

Jiang Xian’s silver-white evening gown perfectly showcased her figure. Her already exquisite features, accented by dangling earrings, made her look breathtaking. The dress shimmered under the lights, making her appear like a fairy who had descended into the mortal realm.

Sheng Ya wore a red knee-length dress. Her makeup was a blend of sophistication and wildness, with bold red lips that suited her role as a vice president—hot, fiery, and flamboyant.

[The three of them standing together—Zheng Jin looks like the youngest son of a wealthy family, Jiang Xian is the gentle younger sister, and Sheng Ya is the domineering older sister. It’s so pleasing to the eye! A combination of handsome men and beautiful women—screenshotting this!]

[I have to say, Jiang Xian is truly beautiful. This dress suits her perfectly; it’s like it was custom-made for her.]

[Aren't they just the perfect wealthy siblings? Combined with this banquet, they look like three siblings who have returned in a blaze of glory for revenge.]

[The scene for a novel is set. Any authors in the live stream?]

[I'm an author, and my brain is racing, my hands are typing as fast as they can!]

Jiang Xian and Sheng Ya linked their arms through Zheng Jin’s as they walked forward slowly. Even without any dramatic movements, their mere presence was a feast for the eyes.

Watching the three make such a grand entrance, the four on the stage felt nothing but resentment and jealousy. Their own costumes now felt like a joke, completely out of place at this banquet.

They were usually the ones watching others make fools of themselves, but today, they had become the joke.

The entrance of the trio was met with thunderous applause.

"Hello everyone, I am Zheng Jin."

"Jiang Xian."

"Sheng Ya."

After the three finished their introductions, Liu Shenghai had someone bring each of the seven guests a glass of wine. "Let us all raise a toast to everyone present and thank you for coming."

Everyone raised their glasses. At that moment, the "value" of the live stream reached its peak, and the number of viewers surpassed a million.

After downing the drinks, everyone moved on to the main event of the night. After all, everyone knew this was the best opportunity to network and discuss business deals.

For the sake of his company, Lai Bingfu didn't let his Ultraman suit stop him from mingling and chatting with others.

Meanwhile, Li Jiale, Jiang Ke, and Rong Fan found a corner to sit and drink.

Seeing Jiang Xian dressed in haute couture and then looking at the costume on her own body, Jiang Ke was absolutely furious.