A Tense Banquet

The four of them followed her to the second floor.

The architectural style of the second floor mirrored that of the first, revealing another expansive space upon their arrival.

This time, a long table, capable of seating over a dozen people, stood prominently in the center of the hall.

Many guests already occupied the chairs, most of them middle-aged, with only a sparse scattering of younger individuals.

Drawn by the lavish spread of dishes covering the table, Lin Yi’s mouth watered, almost to the point of drooling.

There was more food here than he had ever seen at banquets in his childhood.

Forcing down the corners of his lips, which threatened to curl into an uncontrollable grin, Lin Yi silently followed behind Lin Yiting.

The moment they arrived, a middle-aged man, seated at the very center of the table, immediately rose and raised a wine cup.

“Oh, Brother Chen, you truly are impressive. We’ve been waiting for you for quite some time now.”

His tone, however, was laced with thinly veiled sarcasm, a fact not lost on the other guests, whose expressions turned noticeably sour.

This man was the head of the Xu family, considered a top leader in this city.

Chen Lujun fixed his gaze on the man, a cold sneer twisting his lips.

“I apologize for my tardiness. I encountered some unforeseen circumstances on the way, which caused a delay. I shall penalize myself with a drink.”

With that, Chen Lujun moved to an empty seat, picked up a wine cup, and drained it in a single gulp.

Observing this, the expressions on the faces of the other guests at the table softened considerably.

They were all influential figures in the vicinity, well aware of the strained relationship between the Chen and Xu families.

Should a conflict erupt here, matters would undoubtedly become complicated.

“Brother Chen certainly holds his liquor well.”

Chen Lujun followed the voice, his gaze landing on a familiar face.

A genuine smile instantly replaced his earlier forced one, and Chen Lujun chuckled in response.

“Brother Qin, please don’t tease me.”

The man laughed heartily upon hearing this, then shifted his gaze toward Lin Yi.

“Chen Lujun, who might this person beside you be?”

Following his line of sight, Chen Lujun saw Lin Yi.

Lin Yi, seated at the outermost edge, suddenly felt two gazes upon him, making him restless under their scrutiny.

Noticing this, Lin Yiting quickly shielded Lin Yi beside her, then addressed the two men with a slight apology.

“President Qin, this is my younger brother, Lin Yi.”

The middle-aged man, hearing this, cast another glance at the remarkably handsome youth.

No wonder his daughter had taken such a keen interest in him; with looks like that, few could possibly compare.

With the introduction by the middle-aged man surnamed Qin, the remaining guests at the table also turned their gazes towards them, curious about the origins of Lin Yi and Lin Yiting.

They had met everyone else present, but these two were entirely unknown to them.

“Might I inquire, young lady, what is your esteemed surname and given name?”

The head of the Xu family, still seated at the head of the table, posed the question.

“Lin Yiting.”

Her reply was crisp and direct, devoid of any hesitation.

Upon hearing this, several individuals on the other side of the long table exchanged knowing glances and began to snicker.

They had never heard that name before and wondered how these two had managed to appear here.

“Young lady, do you even know who everyone seated here is?”

This question came from one of the men who had been snickering moments earlier.

Lin Yiting’s face remained impassive, her gaze dismissive, refusing to meet his eyes directly.

This blatant disregard ignited a spark of anger within the man.

He exchanged a subtle glance with those beside him, who nodded in understanding.

“Young lady, do you perhaps have some connection to Chen Lujun?”

“Brother Xu, I believe that when we discuss important matters, outsiders should not be permitted to interfere.”

The group opposite them continued to chatter incessantly, irritating Lin Yiting.

If not for the inappropriate setting, she might have drawn her gun and silenced them all.

‘Her wound throbbed faintly, though she couldn’t tell if it was from the pain or from being provoked by this lot. Later, she would definitely make Chen Lujun pay for this meal.’

As these thoughts flickered through her mind, the conversation inexplicably turned its focus to Lin Yi.

Witnessing the situation escalate further, Lin Yiting reached her breaking point.

A chilling glint erupted in her amber eyes.

With a resounding thud, a dark, gleaming pistol slammed onto the table.

An immediate silence fell.

Everyone exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes wide with confusion and shock.

“If any of you dare to utter another word of nonsense, beware! I will not be so polite!”

Lin Yiting’s voice was laden with menace, her sharp eyes cutting through the air like a drawn sword.

However, those present were all influential figures. After their initial shock and bewilderment subsided, they quickly regained their composure.

“Brother Xu, I propose we throw these two out. I came to this banquet, and I have no desire to see bloodshed.”

A voice rang out, and soon others echoed the sentiment.

As the murmurs grew louder, Chen Lujun’s expression darkened considerably.

He had personally invited them, and for these people to now demand Lin Yiting’s expulsion was a direct affront to his authority.

“Lin Yiting is my personal bodyguard. If you intend to throw her out, are you implying you wish to throw me out as well?!”

His furious pounding on the table silenced everyone, leaving them speechless.

This single act revealed Chen Lujun’s undeniably high standing among the group.

Casting a cold gaze over everyone, Chen Lujun proceeded to pour himself a full cup of wine.

“Alright, let’s all calm down. We are here to discuss matters, not to quarrel.”

At this point, Brother Qin, as Chen Lujun referred to him, stepped in as a peacemaker.

Though those who had deliberately caused trouble had quieted down, the young man who had remained silent until now finally spoke.

“Boss Qin, look, the children are practically starving. If we don’t eat soon, this entire table of food will surely grow cold, won’t it?”

The man possessed sharply defined features, short purple hair, and pale green eyes, making him quite a handsome individual.

He cast a quick glance in Lin Yi’s direction before withdrawing his gaze, awaiting the Xu family head’s response.

Upon seeing the head of the Xu family pick up his utensils, he too began to eat.

“Miss Lin, may I ask if you are able to drink alcohol?”

It was still one of the same troublemakers from earlier. Lin Yi realized that these people were clearly acting with a premeditated agenda.

It was obvious she had an injury, yet they were pressing her to drink. Their intentions were clearly malicious.

“I apologize, but due to an injury, I will not be drinking today.”

Lin Yi rejected him, but the man didn’t seem to take offense.

He maintained a smiling facade, making it seem as if they were on excellent terms to anyone unaware.

“Ah, I see. My apologies for being so presumptuous…”

The man retreated, somewhat disgruntled, and emptied his own wine cup.

Lin Yi curled his lip in disdain. ‘To think they could get him drunk? Absolutely impossible.’

Lin Yi gazed worriedly at Lin Yiting. Although he had been silently focused on eating, he had heard every word of the earlier exchange with perfect clarity.

Lin Yiting, however, waved a dismissive hand, unconcerned by the previous incident.

On the contrary, she found the man rather amusing, like a comical clown.

A rare moment of calm settled over the dining table. Before long, the topics of conversation grew increasingly profound, leaving Lin Yi utterly bewildered.

Having eaten his fill, Lin Yi leaned back in his chair, clutching his distended stomach.

Unsurprisingly, he had overeaten.