CHAPTER 326: CHAPTER 173: THE MYSTERIOUS FIGURE 【GREAT CHAPTER BALLOT】_2

To Han Lie, Liu Minghao was far more important than Sun Changzhe. It was understandable, then, that he treated them somewhat differently, a distinction everyone present could grasp. Sun Changzhe couldn’t possibly be upset by this; he was a smart adult. Liu Minghao, in turn, immediately formed a good impression of Han Lie. This young man is something else, sharp as a tack!

After exchanging pleasantries, everyone took their seats.

Knowing in advance that Pan Ge wouldn’t be attending, today’s gathering had a few extra embellishments.

Liu Minghao had brought an assistant from his law firm—or perhaps an intern. In any case, his introduction was brief.

"This is the rising star of our firm, Lü Shuli. You can call her Little Lü."

Little Lü was bright and pretty, dressed in a women’s suit with her hair neatly pinned up. She was a woman of few words but adept at using her smile to bridge any distance.

Sun Changzhe had brought a young woman who studied piano, a junior at Shangyin named Yue Xiu.

"Little Yue used to be a pianist at my establishment; she’s very skilled."

Yue Xiu was also beautiful, possessing a serene and reserved temperament. She sat with a perfectly straight back and an elegant, long neck, exuding the air of a literary muse.

Old Dou brought his office secretary, a very mature and charming woman in her early thirties. Her entrance was quite striking. She wore a snug sweater—hmm, one with an underwire, it seemed.

The ’Fat Lamb Quartet’ presented a somewhat comical lineup: the eldest sister brought a male model, two of the others brought their mistresses, and the last one brought his niece.

The niece’s surname was Huang; she was Huang Ziyu. She reportedly held a Master’s in Human Resource Management from the University of Sydney and, at twenty-three, had just returned to the country.

So, that’s the ’marketing prodigy’ persona they’re going for, huh?

The girl was pretty too, and quite outgoing; you could tell from her darting glances that she was quite vivacious.

Only Old Zhang, Old Pan, and Han Lie arrived solo.

Old Zhang found it inconvenient to bring a student because Han Lie was present.

Old Pan found it inconvenient to bring a young lady, also because Han Lie was present.

Han Lie had been turned down by Pan Ge, likely because their conversation at Xi Luting’s get-together the other day had been too exasperating for her.

The three dateless men exchanged a subtle glance, each lost in their own thoughts.

Damn it, when have I ever attended such a low-profile dinner! thought Old Pan.

Well then... how about the three of us go find some livelier fun later? mused Old Zhang.

I’m not going. I don’t lack for company, Han Lie decided.

And he truly didn’t.

Huang Ziyu—Little Huang—was seated to Han Lie’s left, her uncle declaring with apparent sincerity, "You must learn diligently from Teacher Han!"

What exactly are you expecting me to teach her? Han Lie wondered.

Sun Changzhe arranged for Yue Xiu to sit to Han Lie’s right. Old Sun then instructed with a smile, "Little Yue, please take good care of Teacher Han for me."

The girl nodded bashfully, stealing a glance at Han Lie.

Han Lie returned the nod, maintaining a cool and proper demeanor.

With everyone seated, men and women interspersed, the atmosphere began to warm up even before the drinks started flowing.

With Sun Changzhe present, no one else needed to concern themselves with ordering food and drinks. Han Lie didn’t need to worry in the slightest; a stream of delicacies was served.

The matsutake mushroom soup and the rich Jinhua pork bone broth, one clear and the other hearty, filled the air with their enticing aromas. Exquisite Wagyu beef cubes, thinly sliced Kuroge Wagyu, Chiba Prefecture abalone...

Han Lie gazed at the palm-sized abalone, a myriad of thoughts swirling in his mind. In another couple of years, when the Japanese embrace a ’lie flat’ mentality, letting things decay while they all start playing Fallout Online, seafood from Chiba Prefecture will become a thing of the past—a true swan song. The waters off Fukushima might only contain high levels of radioactive cesium-137, but Chiba is even more hardcore—their chloride levels are off the charts! Cesium or chloride? A wise person knows what to choose...

Once all the dishes were on the table and drinks poured, Panzi gave a brief toast to kick things off.

After the first drink, the table immediately erupted with life.

The ’Fat Lamb’ siblings relentlessly showered Han Lie with compliments, leaving him no room to escape the barrage. It was a veritable cacophony of praise, like a celebration with gongs and firecrackers.

Old Zhang, too, dropped any pretense of professorial dignity. Grinning from ear to ear, he boasted to Lü Shuli beside him about what an outstanding young talent Han Lie was, shamelessly hyping him up to an almost embarrassing degree. Despite being dressed in a British three-piece suit, he somehow managed to look more like a sleazy Italian pimp.

Liu Minghao, conversely, wore an Italian-style suit and gold-rimmed glasses. His smile was measured, his gaze confident, lending him more of the refined, understated air of a university professor.

However, he wasn’t reserved either. He warmly advised Lü Shuli, "Little Lü, fostering a good relationship with Teacher Han brings only benefits, no drawbacks. We earn a fixed salary; we need to have a mindset for financial management, and Teacher Han is exceptionally skilled in this area."

Lü Shuli’s gaze shifted. She looked intently at Han Lie and proactively raised her glass.

"Teacher Han, I’d like to propose a toast to you. Please look after me in the future."

She was drinking a sweet ice wine; Han Lie accompanied her with a sip of fresh orange juice.

Huang Ziyu, despite harboring other thoughts, put on an aggrieved air and cooed to Han Lie, "Teacher Han, Miss Lü is so beautiful! You could at least accompany her with a sip of beer, couldn’t you?"

"I’m allergic to alcohol. You’re all welcome to switch to non-alcoholic beverages if you prefer."

Han Lie’s response was that of an utterly blunt and socially oblivious man, effectively killing the conversation with a single sentence.

How could they dare switch to non-alcoholic drinks? While no one was forcing them to drink, wasn’t it obvious why they had been brought along? If they couldn’t hold their liquor, they could drink less. The important men here were generally sophisticated; no one would deliberately try to get them drunk. However, how much one drank was a matter of capacity; whether one drank at all was a matter of attitude.

Huang Ziyu was rendered speechless by his blunt refusal. However, the perceptive Yue Xiu quickly changed the subject, offering Huang Ziyu an out.

"Teacher Han, may I add you on WeChat?"

"Certainly."

As they exchanged WeChat contacts, Yue Xiu explained, "I’ve managed to save up a small nest egg from playing piano at various places. I don’t usually spend much, and just letting it sit there seems pointless. I was hoping to get your professional advice."