IMGH Chapter 70

The Hongmen Banquet (1)

Layer upon layer of peaks rose and fell, lush greenery overlapped and surrounded the landscape, and the mountain path wound deep into the distance.

At the end of the narrow winding trail stood a cluster of buildings with red brick and dark roof tiles. Several black sedans slowly pulled up in front of the buildings, where reception staff who had already been waiting respectfully pulled the car doors open.

A man and a woman stepped out of the cars.

Chen Yuhe looked around at the surroundings and said to Jiang Yi beside her. “I never expected L County to have such beautiful scenery!”

“This is a newly developed resort that hasn’t officially opened to the public yet!” Han Yuancheng walked out from the courtyard and politely ushered the two of them inside.

The courtyard was vast, dotted with rows of small buildings, all in an ancient architectural style, with colorful flowers and plants clustered throughout — it felt as though one had been transported back to the palace of an ancient king.

Jiang Yi and Chen Yuhe strolled at a leisurely pace while Han Yuancheng walked alongside them, introducing the scenery and décor at each spot.

Two men came walking toward them. The man in the lead wore a sharply fitted black suit, his narrow phoenix eyes carrying a faint air of rakish delinquency, and a white gauze bandage was conspicuously plastered across his forehead — the patch of white making his otherwise arrogant bearing look faintly ridiculous.

Jiang Yi surmised that this person must be Qiu Chen, and glanced sideways at Qiu Rui beside him, from whose eyes he could see a suppressed, smoldering fury.

Jiang Yi quietly reached out and gently clasped Qiu Rui’s hand.

Though there was no physical contact, Qiu Rui seemed to sense it nonetheless and responded with a reassuring smile toward Jiang Yi.

Qiu Chen walked up close and greeted Jiang Yi with great familiarity. “Director Jiang, I’ve been looking forward to your arrival!”

Han Yuancheng stepped forward at the right moment and made introductions. “Director Jiang, this is the current General Manager of Shengqiu International — Qiu Chen. He is our Chairman’s cousin. As you may have heard, our Chairman was unable to come and receive you due to illness, and we ask for your understanding in any way we may have fallen short in our hospitality.”

Han Yuancheng’s words were quite deliberate — he referred to Qiu Rui as Chairman, yet referred to Qiu Chen merely as General Manager. Though he kept saying that Qiu Chen had taken over from Qiu Rui, there was a marked difference in the titles used. Anyone listening carefully would understand that, when all was said and done, Shengqiu International still belonged to Qiu Rui.

Jiang Yi gave a slight nod in response, his gaze appraising Qiu Chen before drifting to the white gauze bandage on his forehead.

Han Yuancheng’s introduction had already left Qiu Chen seething inwardly, and Jiang Yi’s expression only stoked his irritation further.

He cursed viciously in his mind: What the hell is all this. Once Qiu Rui is dead, I’ll be the Chairman of Shengqiu International and the head of the Qiu family. I’ll have every chance to make you all pay back every single debt, one by one.

As Qiu Chen fumed inwardly, a flash of viciousness crossed the corner of his eyes.

The atmosphere fell as still as stagnant water. Qiu Chen’s assistant, sensing that something was off, quickly moved to ease the tension. “President Qiu, lunch has been prepared — we can begin the meal!”

Qiu Chen snapped back to attention and smiled, extending his hand in an inviting gesture. “Please, Director Jiang, right this way!”

Jiang Yi swept a glance over Qiu Chen and stepped forward into the main hall.

The exterior of the resort was already lavishly decorated, but the interior décor was even more magnificent and opulent — it felt like being inside a royal palace.

The dining room where Jiang Yi and the others were seated was spacious, with sweeping floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows offering a view of the lush greenery outside.

The entire dining room was decorated in a pure European palace style, with dark mahogany dining tables that gleamed with a deep luster, adorned with large floral centerpiece arrangements.

The moment Qiu Rui stepped into the dining room, he vaguely sensed that something was off. He figured Qiu Chen would not so easily dismiss his suspicions of Jiang Yi, and looked over beside him with concern. The man’s expression was calm and stern — entirely unlike his usual casual, easy-going manner.

Qiu Rui suddenly found the Jiang Yi standing before him strangely unfamiliar, as though he had become a different person entirely.

Sensing Qiu Rui’s gaze, Jiang Yi glanced over. Those familiar eyes held a look of quiet inquiry mixed with a trace of puzzlement.

Jiang Yi silently blinked at Qiu Rui, as if asking: What’s wrong?

Qiu Rui pushed down the doubt in his heart and shook his head, signaling that he was fine.

“Director Jiang, I heard you grew up in France from a young age, so I was worried you might not be accustomed to Chinese food. Today I specially found a renowned French chef — please taste his cooking and see whether it’s authentic!” came Qiu Chen’s smiling voice.

The Wellman shareholder Qiu Rui had asked Jiang Yi to impersonate was of Chinese descent, but had grown up in France since childhood. Qiu Chen was calling Jiang Yi’s identity into question.

Despite the thorough preparations they had made, Jiang Yi was a native Chinese person through and through, who had never once set foot outside the country. How could he possibly know whether French cuisine was authentic or not?

Qiu Rui couldn’t help but feel anxious on Jiang Yi’s behalf — if he let something slip and aroused Qiu Chen’s suspicions, Jiang Yi’s safety would be at risk.

Qiu Chen’s hawk-like gaze fixed intently on Jiang Yi, trying to detect any irregularity in his expression.