"It's not a big problem, but your sister and the others might not believe it. She's coming over!" Chen Fan chuckled.
Xiao Xuan looked up and saw her second sister striding towards them, her face a mask of anger.
"Please, I'm counting on you!" Xiao Xuan whispered urgently.
"Xiao Xuan, do you want to die? Is it that hard for me to ask you to get to know and befriend some rich people?"
The approaching woman growled furiously. The waitstaff watched the unfolding drama, giggling and pointing. Even Chen Fan became the subject of their whispers and discussions.
"Second sister, I am trying my best, aren't I?" Xiao Xuan said weakly, glancing at Chen Fan.
The second sister of the Xiao family glanced at Chen Fan, a look of disdain on her face. "Xiao Xuan, are your eyes faulty? Can't you tell if a man is rich or not?"
Chen Fan's attire was indeed too plain. He was wearing a simple gray jacket, not even a suit, making him look rather shabby compared to most of the male guests present. While judging people by appearance might be unreliable elsewhere, at such a high-class banquet, the possibility of error was minimal.
"Are you blind? With his outfit, do you think he's rich?"
Xiao Xuan was taken aback, silently agreeing with her second sister's assessment. But she refused to back down. "Second sister, how do you know this gentleman isn't deliberately being low-key? Anyone qualified to be here is no ordinary person!"
As she spoke, she began to signal Chen Fan, urging him to start boasting about his wealth. The second sister of the Xiao family scoffed and pulled Xiao Xuan away.
"Your sister agreed to be my date tonight. Doing this is a bit rude," Chen Fan finally spoke.
The second sister of the Xiao family snorted. "What, you're getting worked up? If you're rich, then I'm a super-rich woman!" She sneered, "With your shabby appearance, you might as well stay here and stuff yourself with free food, eat your fill of things you wouldn't normally get to taste, so it's not a wasted trip. Don't waste our time and opportunities!"
Chen Fan felt a hint of amusement and asked, "Are you so sure?"
"I can see through someone like you at a glance!" The second sister of the Xiao family retorted, pulling the reluctant Xiao Xuan away.
However, after walking a few meters, she saw a middle-aged man walking towards them. Upon seeing him, the second sister of the Xiao family's eyes lit up, and she quickly called out, "President Lu!"
The man glanced at her, looking somewhat puzzled, but didn't stop. The second sister of the Xiao family ignored Xiao Xuan and hurried after him. The dining area was less crowded, presenting a good opportunity to recognize and build connections with President Lu.
After a few more steps, her expression turned blank. She saw President Lu walk directly to Chen Fan, bow slightly, and address him with great respect: "Mr. Chen!"
Chen Fan nodded faintly. The man was Lu Zecheng, one of the major real estate developers in Hangjiang and the CEO of Yuanfa Group. The last time Chen Fan dined with Hathaway Meihui, they had encountered some reckless youngsters, including Lu Zecheng's son, Lu Mingfa.
"Mr. Chen, I didn't expect you to attend this banquet. It's truly an honor to see you here!" Lu Zecheng dared not sit, standing respectfully before Chen Fan with a fawning smile. "You must be acquainted with Young Master Xu and Young Master Yuan, right?"
In his eyes, Chen Fan was unfathomable, even accompanied by Hathaway Meihui, indicating a person of immense influence. While Young Master Xu and Young Master Yuan were also extraordinary individuals, they were likely a notch below Chen Fan. Chen Fan's presence at this banquet suggested a close relationship with at least one of them, Xu Shengqing or Yuan Liangping.
"Barely," Chen Fan replied. "Do you need something?"
Lu Zecheng chuckled wryly and respectfully said, "No, nothing else. I just saw Mr. Chen and came to say hello. If Mr. Chen has any instructions, please don't hesitate to tell me!"
Chen Fan waved his hand. Lu Zecheng dared not linger and quickly retreated.
Not far away, the second sister of the Xiao family was stunned. She had witnessed Lu Zecheng's respectful and cautious demeanor throughout. She found it unbelievable. This man, as Xiao Xuan had said, was truly rich and deliberately low-key, so much so that even Lu Zecheng was deferential in his presence? Lu Zecheng was a real estate developer ranked among the top five in Hangjiang. While not the absolute pinnacle at today's banquet, he was still someone she couldn't reach. She recognized Lu Zecheng, but he didn't recognize her at all, having no impression of her. She had approached him with a tentative hope, seeing if she could connect with him, without much expectation.
Now, she realized she had made a colossal mistake. And she had also spotted a tremendous opportunity! Her heart pounded. Not daring to approach Chen Fan rashly, she turned and grabbed Xiao Xuan again, dragging her towards Chen Fan.
"Sir... please forgive me. I was rude just now. I hope you can overlook my offense!" She bowed respectfully to Chen Fan.
Chen Fan's expression remained placid, showing no reaction. The second sister of the Xiao family dared not say more. She nudged the bewildered Xiao Xuan, gave her a meaningful look, and turned to leave.
Chen Fan was slightly surprised. While this woman was undeniably materialistic and worldly, she wasn't entangled in unnecessary drama and was, in her own way, quite intelligent.
Seeing her second sister let her go, Xiao Xuan was somewhat dazed and asked, "What happened?"
"Hmm?"
"I mean, why did my second sister let me off? And she bowed to you, her attitude did a complete U-turn?" Xiao Xuan inquired.
"You should ask her about that," Chen Fan replied.
"Never mind, as long as no one is bothering me while I eat." Xiao Xuan said with a grin, picking up her fork and plate again, and began to eat heartily. "Try this foie gras, it's really delicious. Have a taste!"
Xiao Xuan took two plates and, without asking, prepared food for Chen Fan, enthusiastically recommending it. "And this beef slice, it's so tender. Ah, to be rich is to enjoy! The food here is beyond imagination."
Watching Xiao Xuan feast, Chen Fan found his appetite whetted. He didn't refuse Xiao Xuan's kindness and tasted everything. For a moment, both of them ate with enjoyment, even though Chen Fan had grown tired of these delicacies before.
"It's a bit rich, let's have some wine. It's free, after all!" Xiao Xuan poured Chen Fan another glass of champagne and, making herself at home, raised her glass. "Cheers, to our shared destiny of freeloading at this top-tier banquet."
Chen Fan found it rather amusing and clinked glasses with her. After half a glass of wine, Xiao Xuan's face began to flush, indicating she wasn't a strong drinker.
As they were occupied, a commotion suddenly arose from the banquet hall, the atmosphere becoming noticeably more lively. Chen Fan glanced over, realizing that Yuan Liangping and Xu Shengqing had likely entered the venue. After all, most people had come to this banquet precisely for these two individuals.
"Alas, if only we could eat and drink like this every day, wouldn't that be wonderful?" said Xiao Xuan, a little tipsy.
"I suspect you'd grow tired of it soon," Chen Fan replied with a smile.
"How is that possible?" Xiao Xuan immediately countered. "With such delicious food, ten years of eating it wouldn't be enough! Although, if I ate like this, I'd probably turn into a round ball soon!" Chen Fan was somewhat amused.
"Alas, tell me, what do you do? How did you get in here?" Xiao Xuan asked curiously.
"I have an invitation!"
"Right, you can't get in without one." Xiao Xuan continued to gnaw on a Boston lobster. "My eldest sister went to great lengths to get an invitation from a friend to bring me and my second sister in." She explained, "Our tea factory is on the verge of collapse, so they thought of using this banquet to meet some wealthy investors and secure funding to revive the tea business."
"It's not a bad idea," Chen Fan remarked.
"But it's not that easy, is it?" Xiao Xuan said with self-deprecation. "Although there are many rich people at this banquet, they aren't fools. The richer they are, the more greedy they become." She sighed, "The tea factory is poorly managed, we owe a lot in bank loans and usury loans, and we can't even pay the workers' wages. We've pleaded with many people, but no one is willing to invest!"
"I know what you're going to ask. That tea factory was my father's lifelong endeavor. He was still thinking about it before he died, and none of us wanted his hard work to go to waste," she continued. "Unfortunately, my abilities are truly limited." Xiao Xuan sighed and mocked herself, "I can't even manage to put on a smiling face for people at this banquet and get them to remember me."
"I haven't even finished speaking before they say 'excuse me' and walk away. You're the first person I've spoken to at length!" Chen Fan glanced at Xiao Xuan, understanding the problem lay with her attire. While Xiao Xuan was not unattractive, her outfit was ill-suited for an evening banquet, and her overall demeanor didn't quite fit the occasion. Consequently, the guests, busy with their own networking, were naturally unwilling to waste their time on her.
"This outfit... isn't it your sister's?" Chen Fan asked.
Xiao Xuan blushed. "You can tell?"
Chen Fan was about to reply with amusement when he saw several people approaching them with rather hostile expressions.