The following morning, Qin Heng took the high-speed train to Jinling City, alone.

Originally, he wasn't very interested in these kinds of gatherings. After all, the invitees from Tianhai were mostly young members of the four major families. Usually, such people didn't even have the qualifications to meet him. He was just attending to show respect for his cousin, planning to have some fun. He didn't have anything else to do anyway.

「...」

Jinling has been prosperous since ancient times, with bustling scenes along the Qinhuai River—a city that never sleeps! Even during the Republic era, it was once China's Capital, the core of the entire nation, with top-tier economic and cultural significance. Even in modern times, Jinling still ranks as a top-tier city nationwide.

The families of Jinling are also extremely powerful. Some families with heritage from the Republic era accumulated significant capital by leveraging their position in the Capital city over several decades, making them no weaker than the four major families of Tianhai! In fact, they might be even stronger!

The Yang family, touted as the foremost family in Jinling, is much like the He Family in Beijing—an ancient family with a history of six to seven hundred years dating back to the Ming dynasty! After hundreds of years of heritage, the Yang family's foundation had become unimaginably profound. It was said that during the Republic era, even the president's orders had to take into account the disposition of the Yang Family Head! Their influence was so immense it was almost beyond ordinary comprehension.

Even for the younger members of these major families, receiving an invitation to a gathering hosted by the Yang family was definitely something to brag about. This gathering had already been touted in Tianhai and the surrounding areas of Jinling as a social event for the younger generation of the upper class. To be invited was to be among the elite. Those not invited were automatically demoted a notch in status.

「...」

In Jinling City, it was nearing nine o'clock at night. By the bank of the Qinhuai River, the misty Rendezvous Clubhouse was surrounded by luxury cars as if in a downpour, with elites gathering in droves. These young people from Tianhai, Suzhou, Luyang, Suzhou-Hangzhou, and many of Jinling's own rich and prominent figures, all converged here, totaling more than a hundred individuals. All were waiting for the club's doors to open at nine o'clock, for the gathering to begin.

This was Jinling City's grand event. Among them, from Tianhai's four major families, were Chen Qingzhu, Wang Yue, Du Wei, and Meng Guangming—all prominent figures in Tianhai. But at this grand event in Jinling, they were merely ordinary invitees. At most, Chen Qingzhu, as the Family Head of the Chens, received some special treatment, but even that was quite limited; after all, Jinling was the main stage. Moreover, Chen Qingzhu was truly very young. It was inevitable that she would attract some criticism. Of course, her beauty and figure were also targeted by many.

Today, she was dressed in a red off-shoulder evening gown and red high heels, with makeup that dazzled onlookers, drawing frequent glances from the scions of distinguished families attending the gathering. Standing next to her was Du Wei, another top-tier beauty, wearing a backless primrose-yellow evening gown with a high slit revealing her smooth, shapely legs. Together, they made a stunning sight at the grand event.

Not far away, young nobles from Jinling City were making comments about the two women.

"Hey, that beauty in the red evening dress is said to be the new Family Head of the Chens. Unbelievable, she's only in her twenties, right?"

"A beauty, yes, but a Family Head... Have the Chens of Tianhai run out of people? To actually let such a young and pretty woman lead the family—is she using her face to rule?"

"Heh heh, or perhaps her body, hahaha! That girl next to Chen Qingzhu, Du Wei, just turned eighteen and started college this year. What a knockout figure she has! I've got my eye on her, so none of you try to steal her from me."

"That's not how it works, buddy. The strongest takes all; whoever wins her gets her!"

Their voices were not loud, but neither were they soft. They had no intention of avoiding the ears of those around them; rather, they seemed to take pride in their brazenness. The prestigious families of Jinling City largely kept to their own circle. They usually looked down on families from outside. Especially with the Yang family present, even families from Beijing couldn't hold sway!

"Did you hear? Young Master Yang's friend, Qin Yuan from Daqin Group, is also going to invite his cousin over. What's his name... Qin Heng? Supposedly the son of Daqin Group's CEO, Qin Fa."

"Damn! The son of Qin Fa? That means he's the heir to Wanyi Group! Impressive. There aren't many in Jinling City who can compare to him."

"Heh, that's because his dad is impressive. This Qin Heng, I heard he's just a wastrel. He doesn't attend school and only knows how to wander around enjoying himself—utterly worthless. If you ask me, it's still uncertain who will end up with Daqin Group!"

"That's true. Status is one thing, but capability is key. Even if this Qin Heng really does get Daqin Group, if he's a wastrel, he'll definitely be outmaneuvered and ruined!"

Quite a few of Jinling City's prominent families had heard the news about Qin Heng's arrival. However, their impression of Qin Heng was still based on old information; they did not understand his current situation. After all, Qin Heng's transformation had only started over the past month or so. For many years before, he had been a very different person. It wasn't just these outsiders who didn't know; even his parents in Beijing and some relatives might not have been aware of Qin Heng's changes. Moreover, Qin Heng was more renowned under the name Qin Xuantian than Qin Heng. It was normal for these people in Jinling City to be unaware.

「...」

Inside a lounge on the second floor of the Rendezvous Clubhouse, two young men were sitting on separate sofas, each holding a glass of red wine. They looked through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the crowd waiting outside.

One of them, a man in his twenties, was dressed in a dark red plaid suit with a tie. His jet-black hair was meticulously groomed, and his face was strikingly handsome. He was the organizer of this gathering and the host, Yang Zuobin, the young master of Jinling's Yang family.

The other, also in his twenties, wore a black suit and a white shirt. His hair was somewhat long, nearly covering his left eye, while his other eye was squinted, showing no discernible emotion. This was Qin Heng's cousin, Qin Yuan.

"Young Master Yang, you've gone to a lot of trouble this time," Qin Yuan said, his eyes squinted and a faint smile playing on his lips as he raised his wine glass. "My good-for-nothing cousin is coming, so I'll have to trouble you to 'take special care' of him at the party."

"It's no trouble at all," Yang Zuobin replied, swirling the wine in his glass and taking a small, appreciative sip. "Good wine," he mused, "just like a beautiful woman. And tonight, I intend for these two little beauties to accompany my drink."

With that, he pointed towards Chen Qingzhu and Du Wei outside the clubhouse.

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