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We left the room and came to the living room. Almost all the guests had arrived. The students in our class were assigned to one group, and more space was crowded with guests from Hengjun City's upper class society.
Today is Zhao Qingshi's birthday party, and it is also a political banquet of the Zhao family. Almost all the upper-class celebrities in Hengjun City are invited. Countless people I don't know are walking back and forth in gorgeous dresses, and many of them have graceful figures that are particularly eye-catching.
I saw Zhao Qingshi from afar. There was no doubt that even though there were many beautiful women attending the banquet today, Zhao Qingshi was still the most beautiful one among them.
Completely different from her usual attire, today Zhao Qingshi wore a white dress that showed off her perfect figure, looking as fresh and refined as a fairy from heaven. The soft hem revealed a different kind of charm to Zhao Qingshi. Her exquisite and beautiful face made her the focus of the whole audience, attracting the attention of all the male guests present. Even the women looked at her in different ways, some with envy, some with jealousy.
"Shi'er is so beautiful today!" Even An Zhishui, who is usually almost on par with Zhao Qingshi and is listed as the two most beautiful girls in our class, couldn't help but sigh.
Yes, I also felt the same way in my heart.
How could there be such a beautiful girl in this world? Whenever and wherever I see Zhao Qingshi, this thought naturally arises in my mind.
How I wanted to walk over, just like in the movie, in front of all the guests, gently hold Zhao Qingshi's hand, hold her in my arms, and then, in everyone's envious gaze, give her a passionate kiss on her cherry lips.
I couldn't help but take a step forward, but it was just one step before I stopped. Although the distance between us was not too far, I knew that the actual distance between her and me was more difficult to cross than a chasm.
At today's banquet, I am not the leading actor, I am just an ordinary supporting role.
No, I can't even be called a supporting role. I can only be considered a bit player. I don't even have the right to have a fleeting figure beside the heroine Zhao Qingshi.
"Shi'er, come here to daddy." A powerful voice sounded in the center of the living room.
The person who spoke was a middle-aged man with an obviously overweight figure. Although it was the first time I saw him in person, I had seen this person many times on TV and the Internet. I was very familiar with his identity and name. He was the mayor of Hengjun City, Zhao Shi, and also Zhao Qingshi's father.
Zhao Shi was surrounded by a large group of people. This banquet was not just Zhao Qingshi's birthday party, but also responsible for Zhao Shi's political connections. So although he had already drunk a lot of wine, he was still constantly toasting with the people around him.
At this time, Zhao Shi's face looked flushed. His suit and tie were a little messy now. The top button had been unbuttoned and his tie was a little crooked. Even so, he still exuded a spontaneous majesty when surrounded by people.
Zhao Qingshi quietly said goodbye to the guests around her and walked towards her father with light steps. The crowd surrounding Zhao Shi spontaneously made way for a passage, allowing the father and daughter to stand side by side in the middle of the crowd.
Zhao Shi handed the wine glass to the attendant beside him and said, "Shi'er, come here, let me introduce you to some young talents. They are all from Tiandu City. They have come all the way here to attend your birthday party today."
"This is Director Liu's second son from the Ministry of Education. His name is Liu Guangliang. He also has a cousin who serves as the deputy mayor of XX City..."
"This is the nephew of Vice Minister Zhang of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs..."
"Hey, let me think about it. Oh, the military guy, Chief of Staff Ma's third son. Look at my memory. I clinked glasses with Chief of Staff Ma last year. Chief of Staff Ma's alcohol tolerance is really..."
I was not far away listening to Zhao Shi introducing each one of them. At first I listened carefully, but gradually I almost yawned. This was not an introduction at all, but an introduction of family background. He only mentioned a name, and the rest of the content was all about other prominent elders in this person's family.
It was difficult for Zhao Qingshi. While listening to such boring content, she always kept a polite smile on her face, as if she was listening to something very interesting. After Zhao Shi introduced each person, she politely clinked glasses with them and exchanged a few words.
"Does Zhao Qingshi's family have so many acquaintances in Tiandu City?" I asked Luo Suohun beside me.
"You don't know this, right? In politics, there are no such things as acquaintances, only alliances. This birthday party is essentially the Zhao family looking for an alliance." Luo Suohui paused, then continued, "I heard that Zhao Qingshi's father, Zhao Shi, isn't satisfied with his current status and wants to move up a level. He plans to use his daughter to connect with some of the big families in Tiandu City. So, he's invited many unmarried young men in Tiandu City to attend, intending to select a suitable candidate to become Zhao Qingshi's fiancé."
Hearing this, I felt an inevitable sense of loss. For a girl like Zhao Qingshi, her future husband could only be from a family with a higher status than hers. Although I knew this clearly from the beginning, and the distance between Zhao Qingshi and I was insurmountable, but at this moment, I still hated my own powerlessness.
Luo Suohui didn't notice my disappointment at all and continued, "Why do you think my old man forced me to go to Qingming College? He was hoping that I could win over Zhao Qingshi there. Then, if our two families joined forces, Hengjun City would be ours. But the Zhao family doesn't even look down on us, and there's no man in Hengjun City that Zhao Shi would be interested in. I just don't know which of these men Zhao Shi will marry Zhao Qingshi to."
I suddenly felt some sympathy for Zhao Qingshi. Although this girl was so perfect and so superior, in her father's eyes, she was just a commodity for exchange.
Every guest who came today gave her a gift. Her classmates gave her gifts ranging from tens to thousands of dollars, and those rich and powerful men gave her even more valuable gifts. Various brand-name bags and shoes were piled up like a small mountain. She had a sweet smile on her face and politely thanked every visiting guest.
The goddess in my heart is so far away from me, but she is just a ticket to power.
The circle of people was finally almost finished being introduced, with only the last one left being a young man who had always stood beside Zhao Shi. From his position, it could be seen that this man had the most special identity among this group of young dignitaries from Tiandu City.
"Uncle Zhao, there's no need to trouble you. I think I should introduce myself to Shi'er." The young man said with a confident smile.
"Wang Hongxi, a Harvard graduate, is a bit of a rebel. He didn't follow his family's elders' advice to pursue a career in politics, but chose business instead. He founded a company that went public last year, and its market capitalization just recently broke through 5 billion. Oh, and by the way, I was also selected as one of this year's top ten young entrepreneurial leaders."
This guy is a little awesome, I muttered to myself.
This Wang Hongxi is obviously also the son of an official, and from his posture and the confident smile on his face, it can be seen that his family background is definitely not inferior to Zhao Qingshi's. However, he did not even mention these, and only introduced his own achievements. This alone was enough to put a group of his peers around him to the ground.
"Young Master Wang is truly a promising young man." Zhao Qingshi maintained a constant smile on her face.
Wang Hongxi's smile was momentarily awkward, but he quickly concealed it. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that Zhao Qingshi's words were merely polite flattery, a basic social etiquette. And Wang Hongxi's boasts about his Harvard graduation and the billions of dollars in market capitalization of a publicly traded company—impressive accomplishments in the eyes of ordinary people—were not even remotely impressive enough to move Zhao Qingshi.
Zhao Shi continued, "I heard that you, Hongxi, will be staying in Hengjun City for a while. If you don't have anything important to do, let Shi'er be your tour guide and show you around some of Hengjun City's attractions. It would be our way of playing host. You're both young people and have a lot in common. You can definitely become friends."
"That's great. Of course I'm free anytime. I'm just afraid to trouble Shi'er." Wang Hongxi's face showed an unconcealable joy.
Anyone could tell that Zhao Shi's words clearly showed his intention to pair Wang Hongxi with his daughter Zhao Qingshi.
What kind of friends can we be? We are still boyfriend and girlfriend!
I asked Luo Suohui, "What's the origin of this Wang?"
Luo Suohui knew I had a crush on Zhao Qingshi, so he wasn't surprised when I asked about Wang Hongxi. He replied, "He's from Tiandu City. His family is quite large, and many of them hold high positions. His father seems to be in the customs department, but I'm not sure what his specific position is."
It seems that Wang Hongxi is the male protagonist today. Perhaps in the near future, he will become Zhao Qingshi's official boyfriend. In a few years, the two will become a couple, and Zhao Shi will get his wish. The two families will join forces and their careers will reach a higher level.
But Zhao Qingshi shouldn't fall in love with this guy, right?
Wang Hongxi was born into a noble family and had excellent abilities, but I always felt that a man of his level was not qualified to be liked by Zhao Qingshi. Zhao Qingshi was such a perfect girl, and the man who could win her heart must be a man who could rule the world.
"Look, who's here." Suddenly there was a commotion in the crowd.
Everyone focused their attention on the door, and saw a young man walking in with a large bouquet of roses in his hand. He was wearing an evening gown that was obviously hand-tailored by a master, showing his noble status. He wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, and his whole body revealed an elegant temperament. He looked not much older than me, only in his twenties. He did not need to show off deliberately, but he had an obvious attitude of a superior, and it was obvious that he came from a large family with a profound background.
"Qi Hemei, even he is here."
"Even the Qi family is attending this banquet. Looks like the Zhao family is going to be on a big boat this time."
"Mayor Zhao actually invited Qi Hemei. How come I didn't hear anything about it before?"
Seeing the people present talking among themselves, clearly shocked by this person's arrival, I asked Luo Suohui, "Who is this young master?"
Luo Suohui also showed a look of surprise and replied, "Qi Hemei, the young master of the Qi family, one of the four great families. I really didn't expect Zhao Shi to invite him."
"Is this Qi Hemei very powerful?" I asked casually, but I was very surprised in my heart.
Luo Suohun had no interest in power at all. He could hardly fit into the circle of the upper class. He only knew some superficial information about the young master, but even he was surprised by the appearance of Qi Hemei.
Luo Suohui replied, "Of course. Let's put it this way: Qi Hemei can shake Hengjun City with just a stomp of her foot."
I continued, "How does he compare to Zhao Qingshi's father?"
Luo Suohui said, "We can't make such a direct comparison. No matter how powerful Qi Hemei is, he's only in his twenties. Zhao Qingshi's father is already a local lord, after all. But Qi Hemei is in Hengjun City. He often represents the will of the Qi family, and the Qi family is one of the four major families that dominate the entire country."
With the appearance of Qi Hemei, all the young masters present showed shocked eyes. Although they were all second-generation, there were also different levels among the second generation. At least the families of most of the young masters present were not even as good as the Zhao family. Many of them hoped to be noticed by Zhao Qingshi or Zhao Shi, and then use Zhao Shi's power to rise quickly.
When Wang Hongxi, who came from Tiandu City, saw Qi Hemei, a fleeting trace of jealousy flashed in his eyes.
Originally, he was the undisputed protagonist of this banquet. Although his family was not the top family in Tiandu City, he was still a big man who could not be underestimated in Hengjun City. So in this banquet, he was like the moon among the stars, praised by countless people. Even Zhao Shi was fond of him and tried to match him with Zhao Qingshi.
But after Qi Hemei arrived, everyone's attention immediately shifted to Qi Hemei.
Zhao Shi, who had been as steady as a rock, immediately pushed aside the crowd around him and strode towards Qi Hemei. He was usually very calm and dignified, but perhaps because he had drunk too much or was too excited, his steps became a little hurried. As he walked, he shouted, "Haha, Young Master Qi is also here to attend my daughter's birthday party? What a rare guest."
Facing the most powerful man in Hengjun City, Qi Hemei didn't look up to him at all. Instead, she spoke in a completely equal tone, "Uncle Zhao, I've known Qingshi for a long time. It's her birthday today, so how could I not come and attend it?"
"Really? My daughter has a friend like Young Master Qi, and I, as her father, didn't even know about it. It's true that girls are no longer under the control of their fathers when they grow up." Zhao Shi criticized his daughter, but his tone revealed obvious joy.
At this time, Zhao Qingshi also walked to Zhao Shi's side, smiled gently at Qi Hemei, and said with a hint of anger in her tone: "Hemei, why did you come so late?"
"Sorry, something delayed me on the way." Qi Hemei said sorry, but there was no real apology in her tone for being late, as if she was giving him face by coming.
Zhao Shi looked at his daughter Zhao Qingshi and scolded her, "You girl, you invited Third Young Master Qi but didn't tell Dad earlier so he could make some preparations. It's not good to be so shabby and let Young Master Qi laugh at you."
Zhao Qingshi smiled sweetly and said, "I met Hemei when I went to Tiandu City before, so I specially invited Hemei to attend my birthday party this time. However, Hemei has always been a very busy person, and I was not sure whether Hemei would come, so I didn't dare to tell you in advance."
Qi Hemei handed the rose in her hand to Zhao Qingshi, with a charming smile on her lips, and said, "Qingshi, your birthday, no matter what happens, I will make time to attend. Qingshi, happy birthday, I hope you will always be so beautiful."
"Thank you." Zhao Qingshi smiled sweetly and accepted Qi Hemei's flowers.
At this moment, Qi Hemei took out a box from the roses and gently opened it. Inside the box was a sparkling diamond ring.
"What a big diamond! So beautiful!" An Zhishui exclaimed.
Although diamonds have always been one of girls' favorite things, this diamond can even make Miss An, who has seen the world, feel amazed. It seems that Qi Hemei has indeed made careful preparations, and this diamond is definitely priceless.
Qi Hemei knelt on one knee, held the box containing the diamond ring in front of Zhao Qingshi, and said, "Qingshi, I have always liked you. I hope you can accept my love for you."
Zhao Qingshi's beautiful face suddenly turned red with embarrassment. After a moment, she nodded cautiously and said softly, "Yes."
Qi Hemei stood up with a faint smile on her face. She took out the diamond ring and helped Zhao Qingshi put it on. Then she gently took Zhao Qingshi's hand and held her in her arms.
Zhao Shi saw his daughter being held in the arms of the young master of the Qi family, and there was a happy smile on his daughter's face that came from the heart. He had the best of both worlds, so how could he be dissatisfied? He laughed with satisfaction.
Everyone present spontaneously applauded, and I clapped along involuntarily, but my heart felt extremely bitter.
Just now, I actually felt a little sympathy for Zhao Qingshi in my heart. I thought she was just a ticket for her father. It was ridiculous. How could a girl as smart as Zhao Qingshi put herself in such a helpless situation? She had arranged everything long ago. Both she and her father got the satisfactory ending they wanted.
The young master of the four major families, such a far-away figure, should be a man worthy of Zhao Qingshi's love.
Zhao Qingshi's hand was on Qi Hemei's arm. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Zhao Qingshi's plump breasts rubbed gently on Qi Hemei's arm from time to time.
I looked at my goddess' face filled with a happy smile. It was no longer the polite smile she had just given to the guests, but a smile that truly came from the heart.
The most eye-catching girl in the audience and the most distinguished guest in the audience came together in this materialistic banquet. Isn't it perfect?
But from now on, I will always be just an ordinary classmate to her.
I looked at Zhao Qingshi, who was so close yet so far away, turned my head and felt a little sad.