With a round of greetings, Chen Xing'er welcomed the new guests.
It was a man and a woman, the man older, around forty years old.
The woman was only fourteen or fifteen, her demeanor pure and quiet.
"Let me introduce everyone!"
Chen Xing'er said happily, "This is my teacher from when I was young, who some of you may know, the Go 9-dan national player, World Champion Teacher Fan Tingyun."
"And this is Teacher Fan's daughter, my junior sister Fan Sisi!"
The many guests naturally obliged, clapping and offering greetings.
The art of Go had a long history in Great Xia and was quite popular in upper-class circles.
The elegant and pure game of Go tested one's calculation ability, foresight, wisdom, and strategic planning.
Therefore, it was considered an elite intellectual pursuit. Many of the guests present understood Go.
However, the profound depth of this art lay in its ease of learning but difficulty in mastering; out of a hundred people, perhaps not one would become a master.
The gap between professional and amateur was like an insurmountable chasm.
Upon seeing the national player Fan, Chen Fan's eyes narrowed, his expression becoming somewhat strange.
He didn't have many hobbies, but this game of black and white stones was one of them.
In his youth, he had been so engrossed in it that he had neglected sleep and meals for a period.
As for the national player Fan Baiyun, he was not unfamiliar with him; in fact, they had been quite familiar once.
Chen Xing'er's invitation was clearly deliberate.
"Everyone is here, please proceed to the dining hall. After the banquet, I look forward to someone among you challenging my teacher!"
"If anyone can defeat Teacher Fan, they can ask me for a favor, and I will do my utmost to fulfill it. Even a date with me is not out of the question!"
Chen Xing'er said with a smile.
As she spoke, she cast a glance at Chen Fan.
Her words caused a stir among the guests.
Many guests felt a stirring of ambition.
A date with Miss Chen?
If one could win Miss Chen's heart, wouldn't they soar to the heavens, becoming a son-in-law of the Chen family in the capital?
Of course, this statement might be considered a jest, open to various interpretations later.
But it didn't detract from the opportunity it presented.
Many young talents who considered themselves masters of Go could no longer contain their excitement and anticipation.
Chen Fan couldn't help but roll his eyes.
This girl needed a good scolding, didn't she?
Although the possibility of an amateur defeating a professional was very low, speaking so boldly, what if by some chance...
Actually dating someone?
The thought made him a little angry.
"Such behavior!"
Seeing the reactions of the male guests, Wang Tingting spat.
Then, she turned her attention to Chen Fan, "Chen Fan, are you excited? This is a great opportunity."
"But can you even play Go? Even if you can, you probably can't beat them, so don't daydream!"
Chen Fan glanced at Wang Tingting and stood up, "Let's go for some food and drinks."
Under the guidance of the servers, the guests flooded into the dining hall.
Being a villa, the dining hall was quite spacious, with a temporary layout featuring a long banquet table that could accommodate forty to fifty people.
More than twenty waiters from the hotel were present to serve all the guests.
Raising her wine glass, Chen Xing'er sat at the head of the table and said, "Hangjiang is a wonderful place. I feel a sense of kinship here, which is why I purchased property. Although I'm not settling down, coming here for a holiday every now and then is a very pleasant experience and enjoyment."
"Thank you all for coming to support me, and for your gifts. I would have reciprocated individually, but as this is not the capital, I do not have suitable gifts to present at the moment."
"However, I have noted all your kind intentions, and I will make it up to you one by one later."
"Now, please raise your glasses, I toast you all!"
She was poised, confident, and carried a hint of dominance, her demeanor and grace captivating.
Chen Fan watched the girl propose the toast and express her thanks, a sense of emotion rising within him once more.
The little girl who used to follow him around with a runny nose had truly grown up.
In terms of talent and ability, Xu Shengqing was not even fit to carry her shoes.
It was a pity she was a woman, unable to carry the burden of a top-tier family like the Chen family.
The guests all raised their glasses in thanks.
Dishes were also brought out by the waiters, primarily Western cuisine, personally prepared by the head chef of the Hangjiang Grand Hotel, with ingredients also supplied by the hotel.
Wang Tingting ate with great enjoyment: caviar, premium sashimi, coddled eggs with a codfish soup, steak, foie gras, baked snails...
Paired with top-tier red wine.
Although it was a private banquet, the standard was exceptionally high.
However, at such an event, the guests were not solely there for the food. While savoring the delicacies, many people stood up to toast Miss Chen and have a brief chat.
For most guests, simply having Miss Chen remember their name was well worth the effort.
Su Yingxia sat beside Chen Xing'er. As Chen Xing'er accepted the guests' toasts, for some reason, she even took the opportunity to introduce Su Yingxia.
"This is my good sister, Su Yingxia of the Su family!"
Consequently, after conversing with Miss Chen, many male guests would also raise a toast with Su Yingxia and get acquainted.
This brought immense joy to Su Yingxia.
As the saying goes, liking someone extends to those close to them. Her calling Miss Chen a sister naturally made these guests view her with special regard.
This was a great opportunity for her and the Su family.
Connections and relationships were built this way.
Yuan Liangping and Xu Shengqing had not yet troubled Chen Fan, so the atmosphere remained relatively harmonious.
There were, however, a few female guests who were not entirely willing to give up. They approached Chen Fan, still trying to inquire about obtaining the Zhong family's secret medicine.
Upon receiving a negative answer, most of them also resigned themselves to their fate.
They speculated that the Zhong family's secret medicine in Chen Fan's possession likely came from Mr. Long, and Chen Fan couldn't make decisions on his own, nor did he have the connections.
Just then, Chen Xing'er suddenly stood up, holding her wine glass, and walked over to Chen Fan's side.
She even leaned down and whispered into Chen Fan's ear, "Should I call you Chen Fan, or should I call you Brother?"
Chen Fan's mouth twitched slightly. "Does Miss Chen feel that since we share the same surname, you want to acknowledge me as your brother?"
"I don't know why you're pretending not to know me."
Chen Xing'er said softly, "Regardless, as long as you don't admit it, I will pester you relentlessly. I'll pester you to death."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Chen Fan frowned slightly.
Chen Xing'er gritted her teeth in annoyance, but with a smile on her face, she raised her voice, "What, you're saying that the 9-dan player Fan is your defeated opponent? Really? I never imagined Mr. Chen Fan would also be a master of Go, this is truly a surprise!"
"If Mr. Chen can truly defeat the national player Fan, Xing'er will definitely keep her promise!"
She clinked her wine glass against Chen Fan's and drank it in one gulp.
As she stood and walked towards Chen Fan, everyone's attention was fixed on her.
Now, there was a considerable uproar.
Yuan Liangping gnashed his teeth in hatred.
Su Yingxia's expression grew even more complicated, filled with resentment, worry, and a hint of unease.
As for the other guests, especially the male guests, they regarded Chen Fan with envy, jealousy, and hatred.
Fan Tingyun looked at Chen Fan, his gaze becoming somewhat sharp.
"May I ask what rank this Mr. Chen is? I have finished my meal and would like to request a game with Mr. Chen. Is Mr. Chen willing to oblige?"
The quiet girl stood up, a hint of defiance in her eyes, and said in a deep voice.
It was Fan Tingyun's daughter, Fan Sisi.