The clock struck nine in the evening.

The Qinhuai River bank was brilliantly illuminated, as bright as day. The Misty Rain Clubhouse had opened its doors!

Celebrities and notables from various circles, who had been waiting at the entrance, streamed in.

Scions of distinguished families, wealthy magnates, and celebrity entourages all entered Jinling City's most upscale club—second to none!

The interior of the clubhouse had already been meticulously prepared.

Hundreds of dining tables were laden with an array of exquisite delicacies. These featured both Chinese and Western cuisines, hot and cold, all prepared using the most valuable and freshest ingredients. Each table cost upwards of one hundred thousand.

Beyond the dining areas, professional performance stages had been set up, complete with sound engineers.

In another area, the dance floor was already alive with hundreds of young women. They possessed delicate figures and beautiful features, and wore only lace camisoles. These women were there to perform on the dance floor and did not accept dance invitations from guests.

For the esteemed guests attending the banquet, inviting these performers was considered a loss of status.

If one wished to dance, they could only invite the female companions they had arrived with.

At the very back of the clubhouse, a young and handsome man stood upon a raised platform.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Yang Zuobin bowed slightly to the crowd and declared loudly, "Today, this is a grand assembly of the most illustrious and talented individuals from Jinling and its surrounding regions! You and I, we are the present of Southern China, and we are also its future! Let us revel for ourselves!"

"Revel! Let's revel!"

"Thank you, Young Master Yang! Hahaha!"

Cheers erupted continuously. Many young heirs grew excited and began to approach the beautiful women they had spotted earlier outside, hoping to strike up conversations and invite them out.

They aimed to secure a wonderfully passionate night after the party concluded.

Chen Qingzhu's and Du Wei's beauty and figures were outstanding at this gathering, with few who could compare. Naturally, they became the prey of many in the crowd.

Wang Yue and Meng Guangming, who had accompanied them, also realized this.

However, these two men dared not offend the powerful families of Jinling, nor did they dare to intervene. They even distanced themselves from Chen Qingzhu and Du Wei to approach and ask out young women from local Jinling circles.

Now, Chen Qingzhu and Du Wei were like little lambs surrounded by a pack of wolves.

A group of young men from prominent local Jinling families, as well as young scions from elite families in Suzhou-Hangzhou and Luyang, all gathered around. They introduced themselves by name and family background, attempting to engage the two women in conversation.

The Han, Ding, and Ma families of Jinling; the Xiang family of Suzhou-Hangzhou; the Gao family of Luyang—all were renowned and powerful families, no less distinguished than the four great families of Tianhai.

"Miss Chen, Miss Du, tonight I've rented a painted pleasure boat on the Qinhuai River. After the party, perhaps you'd care to join me for some amusement?" Han Jinyu said with a smile, holding a glass of red wine. "If you both agree, let us share this glass of wine. In the future, our three families can engage in much more business together."

"Young Master Han, that's not quite fair of you," Xiang Hong from Suzhou-Hangzhou stepped forward, smiling. "These ladies possess a beauty that outshines the heavens. How can you monopolize them? We've traveled from afar; you should at least leave one for us."

"Exactly, exactly, hahaha!" A few others chimed in, egging them on.

Chen Qingzhu's expression soured. These men spoke with absolutely no restraint, as if she and Du Wei were common pleasure-boat girls available for the picking. This was an utter insult!

Du Wei was young and still a student. Although she had attended some gatherings in Tianhai, everyone there had been mindful of her status as the Du family's daughter and hadn't dared to speak inappropriately. This was the first time she had encountered such a situation.

She was instantly flustered.

"Sister Qingzhu," Du Wei whispered, "why isn't Mr. Qin here yet? Is he still coming?"

"Don't worry," Chen Qingzhu replied softly. "If Mr. Qin said he would come, he certainly will."

"Mr. Qin? President Qin?" Han Jinyu's ears perked up. He smiled and asked, "Are the two beauties referring to the son of Daqin Group CEO Qin Fa, and the cousin of Qin Yuan, president of the Jinling Qinhuai Ship Company—the one who's in high school in Tianhai?"

Chen Qingzhu was momentarily stunned. After a moment's thought, she realized Han Jinyu was referring to Qin Heng. She nodded and said, "Yes, that's him."

In Chen Qingzhu's heart, Qin Heng was the peerless expert who had single-handedly subdued the Chens and killed Hong Tianshu with a single palm strike. He was a man who could alter the very heavens and nearly overturn the Huangpu River—a celestial being descended to the mortal realm, a god walking among men! As for being Qin Fa's son or Qin Yuan's cousin, such titles meant nothing compared to his true prowess. This was an unparalleled expert standing at the pinnacle of the Martial Dao!

"So, it's that waste," Han Jinyu chuckled. "In terms of status, this fellow is indeed eligible to attend this gathering. But as for his own abilities? Heh, definitely not up to par!"

"Did you know? If it weren't for Qin Yuan's good relationship with Young Master Yang, who put in a good word for him, that waste probably wouldn't even be qualified to be here."

"What a joke! Who do you think President Qin is?" Chen Qingzhu's slender eyebrows knitted together. "You can't even begin to imagine how formidable President Qin is!"

"Formidable?" Xiang Hong, who was standing nearby, laughed. "How is he formidable? I heard this Qin Heng didn't even take the college entrance exam. He just fools around traveling, doesn't attend school, and has no skills whatsoever. If that's not a waste, what is?"

"We scions of prominent families are expected to hold ourselves to much stricter standards than ordinary people, and we should study even more diligently. But this Qin Heng? He only knows how to squander the family fortune. It's no wonder his parents handed over control of the Qinhuai Ship Industry to Qin Yuan. Tsk, tsk. Qin Heng is truly a waste!"

"You!" Chen Qingzhu's beautiful eyes widened as she glared at the two men. "You're spouting utter nonsense!"

"That's right! You're talking nonsense!" Du Wei chimed in, nodding. "My grandfather said Mr. Qin is like an Immortal! He's incredibly formidable!"

Han Jinyu, Xiang Hong, and a few other young men exchanged glances, then burst into loud laughter.

"A waste, like an Immortal? That's hilarious! How is he formidable? Go on, beauty, do tell us!"

"Could it be that he's 'formidable' in *that* department? Haha, you two must be quite adventurous. Actually, we're quite formidable ourselves. Want to give us a try?"

The man had resorted to lewd jokes, showing no respect for the Tianhai families and acting completely unbridled.

Those nearby also sneered.

"That Qin Heng from Tianhai is a waste—isn't that common knowledge in both Beijing and Jinling City by now?"

"The saying goes, 'like father, like son,' but with such a wasteful son, the future of Daqin Group is deeply concerning. Qin Yuan, on the other hand, seems to have a promising future. Surely they're not thinking of grooming him to take over?"

"If I were Qin Fa, I'd groom Qin Yuan too. At least he isn't a waste who only knows how to squander the family fortune."

At a nearby dining table, Han Zhuobin and Qin Yuan clinked their glasses. They observed the current state of the gathering with immense satisfaction. They knew that as long as Qin Heng's reputation as a waste continued to spread throughout high society, his life would effectively be over! And then the Daqin Group will undoubtedly be mine to inherit! Trillions in assets will fall into my hands! Qin Yuan inwardly gloated.

Just then, a commotion erupted at the clubhouse entrance.

A young man dressed in a baggy tracksuit and sneakers, looking like a student, walked in. It was Qin Heng.

Seeing his appearance, everyone present was somewhat dumbfounded.

This was a gathering of prominent and wealthy figures from around Jinling City. Everyone else was in formal attire. What on earth was he doing in sportswear?!

Upon seeing Qin Heng arrive, Chen Qingzhu and Du Wei were instantly delighted and started to move towards him.

However, Qin Yuan stepped in front of them, his brows furrowed and an expression of displeasure on his face. He approached Qin Heng and reprimanded him in a scolding tone, "Little Heng! What is the meaning of this? Do you have any idea how important this gathering is?"

"Do you realize how many good words I had to put in with Young Master Yang just to get you invited? You! You're actually late! And look at your clothes! What on earth is this?! You are truly ill-mannered! Hurry up, take this glass of red wine, and go apologize to Young Master Yang! Quickly!"

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