CHAPTER 459: CHAPTER 456 [NO GOOD BANQUET]

Chapter 456: No Banquet Ends Well

Just after six in the evening, Luo Dachanzi, the boss, stepped out of his Mercedes and waved his hand behind him.

The car window quickly rolled down.

Luo Dachanzi nodded to his driver and bodyguard. "I’ll be drinking tonight and definitely won’t be home early. Call home."

"No problem, Boss. I’ll grab a bite nearby and then wait for you in the lobby. Call me anytime if you need anything," the crew-cut driver replied steadily.

Luo Dachanzi nodded, then suddenly asked, "Did Luo Qing take the car out again the other day?"

"Huh?"

"Has the kid started dating recently? Always taking my car out to show off? Dating is fine; he’s old enough. But the world out there is messy. He’d better not get tricked by some little demon."

After thinking for a bit, the crew-cut shook his head. "Luo Qing didn’t mention it to me... Should I ask around for you?"

Luo Dachanzi thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Never mind, let the kid be for now. Even if some little demon scams him, it’s just money at most. Young people need to suffer a bit in love to grow. Leave him be. Even if something happens, I can cover for him."

Having said that, he patted the car roof and turned to stride into the restaurant.

It was a hot pot restaurant with an unassuming decor. Upon entering and giving the private room number, the hostess in a high-slit cheongsam quickly and politely led Luo Dachanzi upstairs to a large private room.

As the door to the private room opened, smoke could be seen swirling inside. In the spacious room, a large round table was already set with some dishes. In the center sat a big, yellow-orange glowing copper pot, its handles shaped like coiling dragons. On a row of sofas to the side, crystal ashtrays were brimming with cigarette butts as a few men sat in a circle, playing cards.

"Three sixes with a seven!"

"Three sevens with a six! Ha, talk about a bad beat!" Li Qingshan threw down his hand of cards and adjusted the collar of his Tang suit.

"Bad beat my ass! Just wait till I make you cry!" Boss Xiao Guohua, a cigarette dangling from his lips, tossed down his hand. "Four Jacks!"

Then, surveying the group, he declared, "Nobody can beat that, right? If not, I’m out!" He waved the single card left in his hand.

Li Qingshan just rolled his eyes without a word, instead slowly picking up the large cigar on the table and taking a drag.

Xiao Guohua tossed his last card and laughed loudly. "I’m out! Time to collect! Base pot of one thousand, two bombs—that’s four thousand from each of you!"

Composed, Li Qingshan fetched his small leather bag from the sofa, unzipped it, pulled out a stack of bills, tossed them onto the table, and turned to Luo Dachanzi with a smile. "Old Luo’s here."

"Oh, Old Luo!" Xiao Guohua also nodded. "Took you long enough! Take a seat; I’m counting the money."

Luo Dachanzi walked over, casually picked up a pack of cigarettes from the table, lit one for himself, and glanced at the money in front of Xiao Guohua. "You’ve won a fair bit."

Xiao Guohua smiled. "Just lucky, just lucky."

Playing cards with them was a middle-aged man with a somewhat pale face, slightly longer hair, and narrow, slit-like eyes. He looked up to greet Luo Dachanzi. "Boss Luo, long time no see."

Luo Dachanzi’s gaze was cold as he nodded at him, his tone far from warm. "Hmm, you’re here too."

The gathering today was organized by Li Qingshan, with Xiao Guohua as co-host. But no one mentioned this guy would be coming...

This pale-faced middle-aged man was Gui Zhaoneng. He was supposedly the second son in his family, and in the jianghu, he was known as Gui Er, or "Second Gui." Of course, those who despised him behind his back called him Gui Tou. His background wasn’t very impressive; true veterans like Luo Dachanzi, Li Qingshan, and Xiao Guohua hardly held him in high regard.

Ordinarily, men like Luo Dachanzi, Li Qingshan, and Xiao Guohua were considered figures of the underworld. In their youth, they had all built their careers on bravery and ruthlessness, each establishing their own ventures. But Gui Er was different.

In his early years, he was a pimp—a profession not particularly respected by the fraternity, essentially living off a group of women he controlled. Back then, upon seeing the likes of Luo Dachanzi or Li Qingshan, Gui Er would have been all bows and nods.

Lately, word was he’d gotten into the business of providing "companions for entertainment." This so-called companion business involved fawning over and serving a group of rich young masters, indulging their every vice. Essentially, it meant being a lapdog, arranging amusements for those wealthy youngsters.

However, Gui Er was shrewd and cunning. After cozying up to several rich heirs, he used his connections to set up profitable projects, skimming off a considerable share for himself. He now owned multiple project companies. Naturally, his most successful venture was an entertainment company—in underworld parlance, Gui Er’s personal harem for the young masters. Relying on these connections, borrowing power from his influential patrons, he’d really started to swagger.

Luo Dachanzi took a couple of puffs from his cigarette. Seeing that the card game had paused, he asked with a smile, "So, what’s the occasion tonight?"

"Just catching up," Li Qingshan said with a smile, putting down his cigar.

Luo Dachanzi gave Li Qingshan a searching look, then smiled. "Just the four of us? Anyone else coming?" As he spoke, he glanced at the large round table. Six places were set.

Grinning, Li Qingshan got up and sat next to Luo Dachanzi. "There’s one more... Today I’ll introduce you to a friend. Well, he’s also Gui Er’s boss."

"Gui Er’s boss? He has many bosses; I wonder which one?" Luo Dachanzi shook his head. "Don’t tell me it’s some young scion barely older than my son. We’d all have to spend the night putting on a smile for him. I’m not interested in that sort of nonsense."

Gui Er’s expression turned slightly unnatural. He coughed once and said, "No, no, this time I’m introducing you to a big boss from out of town, a real heavyweight."

Luo Dachanzi frowned upon hearing this. He carefully looked Li Qingshan over and said nothing, but his guard was already up.

Shortly after, the private room door was pushed open by the hostess. The beautiful girl in the high-slit cheongsam bowed and ushered in two people: one man and one woman.

The woman was exceptionally stunning and captivating. She was young, and her attire was tasteful, not cheap or vulgar. One could tell at a glance she was wearing designer brands, yet without ostentatious logos. She looked very much like a professional woman in a business suit with a pencil skirt. The only piece of jewelry she wore was a white gold bracelet on her wrist.

Luo Dachanzi immediately recognized it as a Cartier bracelet. This brand wasn’t even sold in Jinling. He only knew it because a few months ago, Boss Luo had met a young starlet, and to win her favor, he’d had someone buy one from Hong Kong.

The key figure was the man. He looked quite young, though his age was somewhat ambiguous. You could say he was in his twenties and it would fit, or in his thirties and it wouldn’t be jarring. He was very well-maintained, clearly a product of an affluent and privileged upbringing. He wore casual attire, neither too frivolous nor too formal, and a pair of rimless glasses rested on his nose. His appearance was ordinary, quite unremarkable, but the subtle smile lingering at the corners of his mouth was somehow unsettling. It was the kind of smile a master gives a servant—seemingly mild and friendly, but with an undercurrent of condescension.

"Director Gai!" Gui Er was the first to rise and greet him, nodding obsequiously to the man, then politely greeted the stunning woman, "Assistant Lu, good evening."

The stunning woman wasn’t flamboyant. She smiled and nodded before quietly standing beside Director Gai.

"Hall Master Li, Boss Xiao, long time no see," Director Gai said with a smile as he came over to shake hands with each of them, finally turning his smiling gaze to Luo Dachanzi. "This must be Boss Luo. I’ve heard so much about you."

Luo Dachanzi maintained a neutral expression, shook hands with the man, then turned to those nearby. "And this Director Gai is?"

Director Gai waved his hand, stopping Gui Er from making an introduction, and looked at Luo Dachanzi with amusement. "Boss Luo, actually, we’ve met once before. Last month, at the investment attraction meeting, I saw you from afar."

Luo Dachanzi’s brow furrowed. Last month’s investment attraction meeting? I did attend... but I don’t recall ever meeting this person.

"Ah, I was accompanying Secretary Fang to discuss some matters at the time, so I didn’t attend the main conference. But during the banquet, I did witness Boss Luo’s impressive capacity as he outdrank everyone," Director Gai said.

Luo Dachanzi’s expression turned grave. Secretary Fang! The Secretary Fang this man mentioned was a VIP at the investment attraction meeting, one of the high-ranking officials who had come down to inspect and oversee the event. Anyone who could accompany Secretary Fang for a discussion clearly wasn’t a minor figure.

And that banquet... Yes, I drank quite a bit with several real estate developers that night. But I don’t remember this man... Thinking back carefully, I do have a vague recollection from that banquet...

"As soon as Secretary Fang finished his toast, I left with him," Director Gai said with restraint, adding with a smile, "But we meet tonight, so I can finally make up for not getting to know Boss Luo that day."

Then, this man called Director Gai casually raised his hand. Assistant Lu immediately stepped forward, quickly retrieved a card from a case, and handed it to Director Gai.

Director Gai, appearing quite casual, laughed and handed the business card to Luo Dachanzi. "Later, I look forward to having a good drink with Boss Luo."

Luo Dachanzi took the business card and glanced at it. The title was Chairman of some investment management company. The company’s name was unfamiliar, not some renowned enterprise. Director Gai’s name was also easy to remember: Gai Bin.

While he was pondering this, Director Gai gestured. "Everyone’s here. Let’s take our seats." Without hesitation, Director Gai took the head seat, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Li Qingshan and Xiao Guohua said nothing. Director Gai, however, seemed very enthusiastic and invited Luo Dachanzi to sit at his right hand.

After Luo Dachanzi politely demurred, he became acutely aware. So, I’m the guest of honor, huh? Then Director Gai had his Assistant Lu sit beside Luo Dachanzi.

Sitting between Director Gai and his female assistant, Boss Luo smiled on the surface, but he was growing increasingly vigilant. Clearly, everyone in the room, apart from himself—that old fox Li Qingshan and that fellow Xiao Guohua—knew this Director Gai. Was this dinner specially arranged to introduce me? Could it be... a powerful outsider looking to establish himself?

The drink was Maotai. The main dish was hot pot. The large copper pot in the middle was already boiling, and servers brought a steady stream of various hot pot ingredients. The main ingredient was lamb.

"Boss Xiao, if you ask me, forget your other businesses; this hot pot restaurant is truly outstanding," Director Gai said, beaming at Xiao Guohua. "It’s been ages since I’ve tasted such authentic mutton from beyond the northern passes. I remember, back in the Capital City, only a place opposite the Indian Embassy served lamb this good."

Xiao Guohua smiled and accepted the compliment, then ordered some fruit juices and other soft drinks. Luo Dachanzi, upon hearing this, had a thought. Could this Director Gai have a Capital City background? And that remark... it sounded deliberate, didn’t it?

In the first half of the dinner, there wasn’t much serious conversation, just idle chit-chat: discussing everything under the sun, underworld gossip, reminiscing about past glories... a typical gathering of middle-aged and older men.

Director Gai’s demeanor at the table was impeccable. He wasn’t ostentatious, nor did he put on airs. No matter who the topic turned to, he would smile and play along, occasionally chiming in with a word of praise that was pleasant to hear. However, it was praise, not flattery. It was the condescending, subtle kind of "Hmm, you’re quite good," not the admiring or fawning "Wow, you’re amazing!"

Even the female assistant he brought wasn’t the typical pretty face at dinner parties, whose job is to encourage drinking. She didn’t coquettishly urge anyone to drink, nor did she act coy or pout. She simply made polite small talk with Luo Dachanzi and didn’t even drink alcohol, having only a glass of juice in front of her.

After three rounds of drinks, Director Gai also raised his glass and toasted Luo Dachanzi—just once. By this point in the meal, Luo Dachanzi had noticed that Director Gai had only initiated a toast once. The rest of the time, others toasted him. He wasn’t coy about it, accepting all toasts with a smile and downing the drink in one go. But he had only initiated a toast to Luo Dachanzi, and always while seated.

Five men, two bottles of Maotai emptied. Director Gai’s alcohol tolerance was unknown, but men like Boss Luo and other jianghu figures were heavy drinkers. This amount of alcohol was trivial to them; by their usual standards, the drinking session had barely passed the halfway mark.

Xiao Guohua, the owner of the restaurant, had someone bring hot towels for them to wipe their faces, and the room quieted down for a moment. At that moment, Gui Zhaoneng, after pretending to take a bite of mutton, casually started a new topic. "Boss Luo, I heard you recently landed a big project. You must be about to make a fortune. If there’s an opportunity, I wonder if you could let your brother here get a taste of the soup?"

Luo Dachanzi’s heart tightened. He slowly put down his cup and squinted at Gui Zhaoneng. "Nonsense. Where did you hear that?"

Gui Zhaoneng smiled and didn’t argue, but glanced at Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan, puffing on his large cigar, laughed. "It’s not nonsense, is it? The XX Street commercial renovation project! Luo Dachanzi, didn’t you get in on it?"

"The bidding hasn’t even started yet. Who knows who will win? It’s a bit premature to talk about this now," Luo Dachanzi said, shaking his head and firmly closing the topic.

"I’ve also heard about that commercial street renovation project and am somewhat interested. Boss Luo, perhaps you could tell us about it?" Director Gai said with a smile, looking at Boss Luo.

Boss Luo hesitated for a moment, then frowned. "It’s a public tender; all the project details are publicly available, so I don’t really have much to add. As for me, I’m just preparing the bid documents..."

"Who are you partnering with for the bid?" Director Gai asked casually. "I’ve heard the project has quite high qualification requirements for bidders, and the asset requirements aren’t low either. Your company is undoubtedly strong, Boss Luo, but you might not have obtained some of the official qualifications yet."

That wasn’t a secret. Luo Dachanzi thought for a moment. "I was originally in earthworks, sand, and building materials. It’s only in the last two years that I’ve started developing entire projects. The company hasn’t been around for long, so our qualifications are indeed insufficient. However, joint bidding is allowed, isn’t it? We found a strong company to provide the capital and qualifications, while I handle the construction and supply of building materials."

"XX? XX? Or XXX?" Director Gai smiled, naming three companies. "Which one of these are you working with, Boss Luo?"

The smile faded from Luo Dachanzi’s face. Indeed, these three were local companies with the necessary qualifications, strength, and finances. Moreover... the name of his partner company was indeed among the three Director Gai had mentioned. But...

Actually, Boss Luo, given his temperament, wanted to snap back: What’s it to you asking so many questions? Is it any of your damn business? But noticing the respectful demeanor of Li Qingshan and the others toward Director Gai, Boss Luo knew it wouldn’t be wise to lose his temper. He suppressed his irritation and slowly mentioned one of the company names.

"Oh, them. They do have some strength," Director Gai set down his chopsticks, thought for a moment, then turned to face Boss Luo and revealed his true intentions. "I’m interested in this project too, Boss Luo. Is there any chance we could collaborate to win it? It would be the same model you mentioned. I provide the capital and qualifications, and you handle construction and material supply. I won’t touch your share of the profits. Whatever deal you’ve negotiated with your current partner, I won’t interfere with the terms. In fact, I’ll add two percentage points on top of what they’re offering you."

Luo Dachanzi fell silent. I get it now! This is the real reason for tonight’s dinner! Looking at Director Gai, who was still smiling courteously at him, he couldn’t help but feel a certain sharpness behind that smile.

Li Qingshan and Xiao Guohua exchanged glances. Li Qingshan spoke first, "Old Luo, this is a great opportunity! Director Gai’s company is top-notch!" He gave a thumbs-up before continuing, "With him in the game, this project is a sure thing! Besides, you’ll earn more money. When the time comes, we old brothers can also get a piece of the action and make money together."

Boss Luo was wary of this mysterious Director Gai. He had been in business for several years, after all, and was no longer the reckless Luo Dachanzi of the past. But when it came to rebuffing Li Qingshan, Boss Luo had no such qualms. With a sneer, he picked up a piece of mutton with his chopsticks, popped it into his mouth, and said while chewing, "What’s the matter, Li Qingshan? Jealous that I’m eating meat?"

Before Li Qingshan could reply, Boss Luo had already ignored him and turned back to Director Gai. "Sorry, Director Gai, but I’ve already finalized things with XX company, and the bid documents are being prepared. Whether we’re talking business ethics or jianghu rules, it wouldn’t be right for me to ditch my partner at this stage for someone else. That’s just not how things are done."

Director Gai’s smile remained unchanged. Suddenly, the beautiful Assistant Lu, who was seated next to Boss Luo, spoke up, holding her glass and smiling. "Boss Luo, may I say a few words?"

"My dear, you’ve already spoken up. How could I not let you continue?" Boss Luo replied with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

"Boss Luo, I’m well aware of your company’s strength; you’re one of the top local suppliers of building materials. Although you don’t have extensive experience in construction, you’ve participated in some projects over the years, and we trust your construction capabilities. You’re cooperating with that firm simply because, qualification-wise, they have what you don’t. And then there’s the capital. Boss Luo, to undertake such a large project, your company’s capital reserves are insufficient. This means most of the money will come from others, and when it’s time to divide the profits, the lion’s share will also go to others. Under this cooperation model, once the project is completed, sales will be controlled by others. I’ve estimated that even if this project succeeds, you’ll receive at most thirty percent of the profits."

Boss Luo’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Assistant Lu, you’re very professional."

"You’re too kind. I’ve managed two or three similar projects," the woman smiled. "Speaking strictly business, we have the qualifications. As for capital, we have more than they do. Regarding profit distribution, my boss just said we can offer you an additional two points. Of course, Boss Luo, with your vast enterprise, you might not care about those two points, but it’s a gesture of our sincerity in wanting to be friends. Boss Luo, I toast to you!"

As she spoke, the woman poured out the juice in her glass, replaced it with white liquor, and smiled as she raised her glass to Boss Luo.

Boss Luo’s eyes narrowed to slits! Slowly, he muttered to himself, "This meal... certainly has a different flavor to it..."

Ignoring Assistant Lu’s toast, Boss Luo turned his head to look at Director Gai. "Director Gai, I think I understand. You want in on this project, but... it looks like you’re planning to use me, Old Luo, as your way in?"

Director Gai smiled but said nothing.

"Hmm, that makes sense. The company I’m partnering with is also quite solid... I’m actually a minor player. If you really want to make a move, I wouldn’t even qualify as your competitor. Your real competitor is my partner. They have funds and qualifications; you also have funds and qualifications. But you’re outsiders... you lack local construction resources and building material supply channels. So, in my relationship with my partner, they’re the primary, and I’m secondary. You can’t deal with them directly, so you want to pull me over to your side. Is that it?"

Hearing this, Director Gai sighed softly. "Boss Luo... if there’s money to be made, why not make it?"

"Everyone wants to make money, but some money brings trouble if you earn it," Boss Luo said bluntly. "Director Gai, I’m just a country bumpkin. They all know my nickname is Luo Dachanzi. I used to be a laborer, shoveling sand on the front lines. My company has building material supply channels and has been around for years. But for a project like this, I’m not qualified to be a major player. To be frank, my partnership with them came about because I, Old Luo, leveraged my local influence and a bit of flattery. They’re high and mighty, and I, a humble man, am just trying to get a sip of the soup. Honestly, I dare not offend them. If I ditch them midway for this project, you guys are outsiders. You have backing, qualifications, and funds. You can make your profit and just pack up and leave. But they’ll take their anger out on me... How would I survive in this place after that? Offend a large local company with official backing? This is money I dare not earn!"

Saying this, Boss Luo finally turned his head, casually picked up his glass, and clinked it against Assistant Lu’s, who was still holding hers up. He then drained his glass. "Making friends, that’s something I, Luo, am always willing to do. But they have to be true friends. Those who try to push me into the fire are no friends of mine. Director Gai, Assistant Lu, what I’m saying is... if you really want to get in on this. It’s simple. If you can get my partner to withdraw voluntarily... then say no more. I’ll pack my bags and join you immediately. Never mind thirty percent, never mind an extra two points. I’ll take whatever you give me! But right now, my partner hasn’t backed out. If I abandon them first... I can’t afford to offend them!"

Having said this, Boss Luo put down his glass and stood up. "Everyone, my good-for-nothing son has been wasting money lately. I need to go home and teach him a lesson tonight. Let’s call it a night for the drinks! I’ll return the hospitality another day!"

With that, Boss Luo left his seat, picked up his bag, and walked out of the private room.

The room fell into a profound silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Li Qingshan, Xiao Guohua, and Gui Zhaoneng all looked at Director Gai with complex expressions.

Director Gai’s expression was calm. Then, slowly, a smile spread across his face.

"Interesting. This man... is really quite interesting," he said, picking up a piece of food with his chopsticks and eating it.

Li Qingshan frowned thoughtfully. "That’s just how Old Luo is... and he does have his difficulties. Perhaps Xiao Guohua and I can talk to him privately later."

"That won’t be necessary," Director Gai said calmly, chewing his food slowly. "He’s right about one thing: my competitor isn’t him, but his partner. And it’s true, I can’t easily make a move against his partner. But... if I can’t touch the Buddha, can’t I still deal with a minor monk? He... will change his mind."