After smoking a cigarette in the bathroom and taking a break, Chu Ge saw it was already half past five, so he returned to the venue of the cocktail party.

The moment he entered the door, Chu Ge noticed that the atmosphere in the room had changed.

Previously scattered groups of people had mostly gathered together. Qin Ruojing was still standing in the same place, but now it was empty around her, and her expression had become somewhat unpleasant.

"Has that big shot arrived?" Returning to Qin Ruojing's side, Chu Ge asked.

"Yes." Staring in the direction of the big shot, which was blocked by a series of backs, Qin Ruojing nodded slightly with a worried expression.

"You don't look well. Surely nothing happened to you while I went for a smoke, right?"

"No, nothing like that, but it's worse than you said. Anyway, there's nothing to be gained by telling you. Today, I'll just do what I can and leave the rest to fate. Even if we can't solve the problems of Tianjiao Film and Television, at least witnessing the beauty of the number one beauty in China makes it not a wasted trip. Let's go, take a look."

With a resigned, self-mocking smile, Qin Ruojing linked her arm with Chu Ge's and started moving in the direction of the gathering crowd.

Hearing Qin Ruojing say this, Chu Ge was a bit surprised. He originally thought that the so-called big shot, if not an old lady, must at least be a woman over forty. After all, in China, those who hold high positions usually aren't too young.

"Huh? The number one beauty in China? She can't be the big shot you're talking about, can she?"

"Yes, it's her."

Chu Ge found it increasingly amusing and slightly lifted the corners of his mouth, saying, "Ha, such a big name. Is it really that exaggerated? Could this person be an egotistical maniac who coined this title herself?"

Even though Chu Ge's voice wasn't loud, Qin Ruojing suddenly paused, showing a very nervous expression like a guilty thief, furtively glancing around. Seeing no one paying attention to her and Chu Ge, she patted her ample chest and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Chu Ge, you mustn't say things like that carelessly. If someone hears it, it could be disastrous. Besides, the title of the number one beauty in China is well-deserved. You'll understand when you see her."

Seeing Qin Ruojing say this, Chu Ge didn't argue further, nodded with a smile, though he was somewhat unconvinced in his heart.

In his view, although the beauty of a person isn't very hard to define, everyone has their aesthetic preferences. With so many beautiful women in China, it's virtually impossible for one woman, no matter how stunning, to be universally recognized as the number one beauty.

With a bit of amusement, Chu Ge and Qin Ruojing reached the fringes of the crowd and looked inside.

At the center of everyone's focus stood a young woman, everyone's gaze fixed on her. From the current setup, it was clear that even without explanation, any observer would recognize that tonight's cocktail party was held in her honor.

The woman was truly beautiful, with a sort of breathtaking beauty that seemed otherworldly, not meant for the mundane.

An eyebrow like a distant mountain, eyes like an unstained autumn wave, hands as delicate as soft grass, skin like congealed cream, it seemed that all adjectives used to describe a woman's beauty wouldn't be out of place on her.

Compared to the other women present, her dress was somewhat casual. Her jet-black hair was casually tied into a simple bun at the back of her head. She wore a cream-white casual suit over her graceful, curvy figure, with no opulent jewelry on her white neck and wrists.

But she stood there plainly, like a bright lamp in boundless darkness, enough to dim the prominence of all the socialites and wealthy women around.

Moreover, more striking than her appearance was her unique aura, seemingly emanating involuntarily from within.

Amidst her noble grace was a touch of liveliness; in her poise, one sensed hidden shrewdness, the kind that feels like an unsolvable riddle, making one more intrigued the harder it is to decipher.

Curiously, the men closest to her seemed to be under some invisible pressure, so much so that under the influence of her unique aura, they didn't dare to look her in the eyes.

Seeing this woman, Chu Ge couldn't help being momentarily stunned, his pupils briefly contracting.

It wasn't that he was overwhelmed by her charm, but because the big shot Qin Ruojing mentioned was indeed someone extraordinary.

More importantly, for Chu Ge, this woman turned out to be an acquaintance, someone he had once protected,

Just a glance, and Chu Ge immediately stepped back half a step, using the body of the person in front of him to obscure his face, while inwardly sweating a little. How did she end up here?

If he had known the big shot Qin Ruojing referred to was her, he wouldn't have accompanied Qin Ruojing to this cocktail party today, no matter what.

"So, now that you've seen Miss He Qing's beauty, you realize I wasn't wrong, right?" Unaware of the fleeting change in Chu Ge's expression, Qin Ruojing asked softly.

With a bitter smile in his heart and a slight "hmm," Chu Ge began to ponder whether to slip away early.

Little did he know, at the same time he saw He Qing, she also noticed him as if they were telepathically connected, though she showed no obvious reaction.

With a slight curl of her lips, He Qing redirected her gaze to the people around her.

"Mayor Li, let's continue talking about the investment issues. You just mentioned that our Lidu City has a total of two film companies, right? One is Han Court Film and Television, and the other is..."

"Miss He, the other is Tianjiao Film and Television." Vice Mayor Li, who was in charge of economic affairs, immediately replied.

"Tianjiao Film and Television? That's a good name. How is this company's strength?" He Qing smiled elegantly, seemingly asking casually.

Upon hearing this, a man in the crowd with slicked-back hair and a crisp suit couldn't help but frown slightly.

As the chairman of Liger Group, Long Tao did not want He Qing to develop any interest in Tianjiao Film and Television, as he was still considering having Qin Ruojing marry into their Long Family, then swallow up Tianjiao Group entirely.

If Tianjiao Film and Television, or rather Qin Ruojing, had any connection with He Qing, it would surely elevate their status, which would be a real trouble for him.

The same words in Qin Ruojing's ears, on the other hand, lifted her spirits, causing her heart to race.

She was vexed by not knowing how to establish a connection with He Qing, but from the sound of He Qing's words, it seemed she had a slight interest in Tianjiao Film and Television?

While Qin Ruojing was eager for He Qing to take this cue and talk more about Tianjiao Film and Television, Long Tao, the chairman of Liger Group, glanced at the head of the Investment Promotion Bureau and discreetly signaled him.

"Miss He, the name Tianjiao is indeed nice, but it's just starting and still a small company, having not produced any films yet. Objectively speaking, if Miss He really wants to invest in film companies in Lidu City, an established company with solid foundations like Han Court Film and Television would be more suitable."

Upon hearing these words from the head of the Investment Promotion Bureau, a tinge of satisfaction appeared on Long Tao's face. Just with these words, the money spent on the head of the bureau was not wasted, as he believed that no matter how rich or capable He Qing was, she would not want to enter a loss-making deal.

In contrast, a surge of anger rose within Qin Ruojing, yet she could say nothing at such an occasion. Otherwise, she would fall into a disadvantage, possibly even provoking He Qing's displeasure.

What chilled Qin Ruojing's heart further, and deepened the satisfaction on Long Tao's face, was when, after hearing the Investment Promotion Bureau's words, He Qing smoothly shifted the topic elsewhere.

It seemed that mentioning Tianjiao Film and Television was just an offhand comment from He Qing, and her slight interest in it had completely vanished.

However, in reality, neither Long Tao, the chairman of Liger Group, nor Qin Ruojing, the chairman of Tianjiao Group, nor anyone present knew He Qing's real thoughts.

No interest in Tianjiao Film and Television? What a joke!

Not only was she interested in Tianjiao Film and Television, but she was hugely interested. Only after secretly weighing it did she temporarily set aside the topic.

To be precise, she wasn't interested in Tianjiao Film and Television, but in Chu Ge. Her sole purpose for coming to Lidu this time was to capture Chu Ge's heart, to make the man once code-named "霸王" the master of her heart.

Under the influence of loving someone and everything related, she had already secretly investigated Tianjiao Film and Television, even aware of the current difficulties it faced, and she intended to extend a helping hand at this critical moment.

Of course, it wasn't for Tianjiao Film and Television, but for the person who, for a month, guarded her closely around the clock, saving her life multiple times, making her deeply infatuated and forever mindful of "霸王" Chu Ge.

Ever since coming to Lidu, aside from visiting her brother He Junming, nearly all He Qing's thoughts were on Chu Ge, but she acted very discreetly and clandestinely, without having anyone follow Chu Ge, instead collecting any information about him through various channels.

In this regard, except for a few absolute confidants around her, even her brother He Junming was unaware.

After all, she understood that, no matter how skilled her bodyguards were, they could never surpass Chu Ge. If he discovered experts of that level investigating him, it would certainly backfire, attracting his aversion.

At this moment, she really wanted to go and greet Chu Ge, catch up like friends and talk about those past days.

But she knew very well that since Chu Ge had chosen to become a low-key individual, it meant he wanted to completely leave the past behind and live this quiet, leisurely life.

Therefore, she could only restrain herself, again and again.

After all, she was already here; how could she not have the chance?

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