After a night of pleasure, Chen Zheng called Qi Zhenyun the next day. Qi Zhenyun agreed without hesitation.

With the afternoon sun glinting off the clock face at four o'clock, Chen Zheng and Wei Zixuan arrived as planned, making their way to her second uncle's home. Liu Ya and Xiao Mei were already waiting eagerly. They departed immediately after picking the two of them up.

Soon, the group arrived at the old residence of the Xiao Family. Although the name of the old mansion was ancient, it had been meticulously renovated and was now a luxurious estate. The guests had yet to arrive, but Chen Zheng and the others had already stepped inside.

"Grandpa!" Wei Zixuan called out as she and Chen Zheng approached Xiao Menghai.

At eighty years of age, Xiao Menghai's hair was white and his face was lined with wrinkles. Yet his gaze was still sharp, and he projected an intimidating aura.

"Find a comfortable spot and sit down," Xiao Menghai said to Wei Zixuan, his voice as gentle as a spring breeze ruffling the surface of a lake.

Wei Zixuan did not introduce Chen Zheng, instead leading him directly to an empty seat. The birthday banquet was held in a traditional Chinese style, where the food was brought out only after the guests were seated.

At that moment, Xiao Yi and a middle-aged man walked up to Xiao Menghai.

"Respected Father, the guests are about to arrive!" the man beside Xiao Yi said reverently.

This man was none other than Xiao Li. The two men shared some resemblance, but their eyes were completely different. One's gaze was as warm and serene as the spring sun; the other's was as mysterious and profound as the dark night sky.

As Xiao Li approached, his glance lingered for a moment on Wei Zixuan, but he made no move to greet her.

"Hmm. How are you two doing?" Xiao Menghai asked, looking at his sons with an expectant tone.

"Father, you will surely be pleased with my arrangements!" Xiao Li confidently declared.

"Father, I…" Xiao Yi began, but his words trailed off.

"Hmph." A cold snort from Xiao Menghai sent a surge of unease through Xiao Yi.

Chen Zheng, like a silent owl perched in a distant shadow, watched everything unfold and couldn't help but shake his head slightly. Old Master Xiao Menghai's attitude seems to carry a subtle bias. Is it necessary to be so obvious with the differential treatment?

Just then, a figure appeared in the brightly lit doorway. A flicker of delight crossed Xiao Li's eyes as he immediately went to greet them.

Soon, Xiao Li warmly announced, "Dad! This is the General Manager of Haitian Group, President Lin!"

President Lin beamed. "Old Master Xiao, I wish you a long and prosperous life!"

Xiao Menghai's face lit up with joy. "Excellent! Thank you, President Lin! Please, take a seat!"

Beside Wei Zixuan, Xiao Mei exclaimed, "The Haitian Group is worth a hundred billion! Looks like my dad is showing his connections!"

As night fell, guests streamed into the banquet hall. Xiao Yi and Xiao Li enthusiastically welcomed every person of note, introducing them to their father. With each introduction, Xiao Menghai greeted them all with a beaming smile. However, his demeanor toward Xiao Yi and Xiao Li underwent subtle and silent shifts.

The guests Xiao Li introduced were all tycoons with market capitalizations in the tens of billions or high-level executives. In comparison, Xiao Yi's standing seemed far less impressive. The most prominent person he introduced was merely the general manager of a company worth ten billion. On Xiao Li's side, however, he presented the CEO of the fifty-billion-dollar Feiyang Steel and the president of the eighty-billion-dollar Fengwang Express. All these figures held prominent positions.

In terms of connections, the gap between the two brothers became increasingly apparent.

Seeing this, Wei Zixuan couldn't help but clutch Chen Zheng's arm. "Chen Zheng, how is this looking? My second uncle is really struggling!"

"Don't worry. This is just a trivial interlude."

As soon as Chen Zheng finished speaking, a group of figures emerged at the doorway. Leading them was Qi Zhenyun; the others were all strangers Chen Zheng had never met.

"The head of the Qi Family is here!" Xiao Li exclaimed in surprise, immediately rushing forward to greet him.

Although the Qi Family had encountered turbulence some time ago, their market value had now recovered to a colossal 200 billion and was still climbing.

When Qi Zhenyun walked in, his gaze immediately locked onto Chen Zheng, but he did not approach right away. Seeing this, Xiao Li hurried over with a broad smile. "Family Head Qi, what an honor! Welcome!"

He then glanced at the people behind Qi Zhenyun, his face lighting up with surprise. It turned out that the CEOs of both the Haitian Group and Daqian Enterprises were among them.

Qi Zhenyun glanced at him. "We're here to see Xiao Yi. He's over there. Let's go."

With that, the group headed straight toward where Xiao Yi was standing. Xiao Li stood frozen in place, his face a mask of disbelief, as if time itself had solidified around him.

Meanwhile, Qi Zhenyun led the group of elites to Xiao Yi's side.

Xiao Yi was also surprised. After all, Qi Zhenyun's name was renowned throughout the bustling Imperial Capital. I didn't expect him to come directly to me, he thought. I assumed Xiao Li invited him, but now it seems the situation isn't so simple!

"Brother Xiao Yi, it's been a long time!" Qi Zhenyun said, extending his hand.

Xiao Yi snapped back to his senses. Quickly suppressing the excitement in his heart, he shook the offered hand. "Family Head Qi, it's truly an honor to have you grace us with your presence!"

"Haha... Brother Xiao Yi, as modest and courteous as ever," Qi Zhenyun said, grabbing Xiao Yi's arm enthusiastically. "Come, let me introduce you. This is the CEO of Daqian Enterprises, this is the CEO of Haitian Group..."

Xiao Yi was completely dumbfounded. Each of these people was a legendary figure worth billions. The Xiao Family, despite being a prestigious clan, had a market value of just over forty billion.

Xiao Li came back to his senses, muttering to himself, "This can't be possible..."

Xiao Yi, flattered and overwhelmed, greeted the magnates. The chairmen, showing respect to Qi Zhenyun, responded with smiles.

Qi Zhenyun's gaze, sharp and direct, landed on Xiao Menghai. "Old Master Xiao, time flies. It's been four or five years since we last met. Your spirited demeanor is as admirable as ever!"

Xiao Menghai snapped out of his contemplation. "You flatter me, Family Head Qi," he responded quickly. "Everyone, please, take your seats!"

Qi Zhenyun smiled and nodded, then found an empty table and sat down. Amidst the hustle and bustle, Chen Zheng didn't want to attract attention, so when Qi Zhenyun looked as if he might come over to exchange pleasantries, Chen Zheng signaled with his eyes that there was no need.

Finally, Xiao Li emerged from the crowd, his face grim. His eyes flashed with accusation as he confronted his brother. "Xiao Yi, you actually know the head of the Qi Family? You invited him to Father's birthday banquet?"

Xiao Yi was stunned, struggling to find the right words to reply.

Seeing this, Xiao Menghai gently interjected, "Alright, that's enough. Don't argue about this now. The most important thing is to entertain our guests properly. Prepare to serve the food!"

The brothers reluctantly nodded and went their separate ways.

With all the guests having arrived, waiters in white uniforms began bustling about, serving the dishes. Xiao Yi and Xiao Li moved through the crowd, tirelessly offering toasts.

Just then, the system's voice suddenly rang out.

[DING! Congratulations to the host for making the correct choice. You have obtained the following reward: Master-Level Calligraphy.]

Instantly, countless insights about calligraphy flooded Chen Zheng's mind.

At that moment, Wei Zixuan's cousin, Xiao Mei, was beaming. She excitedly grabbed Wei Zixuan's hand. "Zixuan, look! Isn't my dad amazing? He actually knows the head of the Qi Family!"

"Yes, Second Uncle is the best," Wei Zixuan said, playing along. "With his gentle nature and beautiful handwriting, it's not surprising he'd be acquainted with someone like the head of the Qi Family." She had to suppress a laugh, not wanting to hurt Xiao Mei's feelings.

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