Into the Night, Jiao Jiao Gets Kissed by a Business Tycoon-Chapter 45 - The Banquet

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: The Banquet

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Chapter 45 -45: The Banquet

Cheng Yi was with another woman? Xinan’s heart clenched suddenly.

In their social circle, it was quite common for men to have mistresses, or to keep lovers.

And now, did Cheng Yi have someone else too?

All along, she had tried her best to maintain this relationship. Even if Cheng Yi did not like her, she always tried to be a good wife to him.

So… had he already grown tired of her, this mere vase?

What should she do then? Would Cheng Yi divorce her?

No, they couldn’t divorce. Tianyi Group was only hanging on by a thread thanks to Cheng Yi. Many companies only collaborated with Tianyi out of respect for him. If they divorced now, the situation at Tianyi Group might revert to what it once was or even worsen.

Xinan clenched her fists, her eyes rimmed with redness.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her emotions.

That woman said Cheng Yi was busy at the moment. Presumably, he must be with her, which meant Cheng Yi wouldn’t be coming home tonight.

She had already reheated the dishes on the table once, and now they were cold again, but Xinan no longer felt like heating them up a second time and started eating as they were.

For the first time, Xinan experienced what it felt like to chew wax…

–

The company had just negotiated a new partnership, and President Zhang had long wanted to invite Cheng Yi for a meal. So, taking this opportunity, he arranged a dinner with business and social elite, most of whom were prominent figures.

Such a dinner was typically for socializing and networking. It was utterly normal for the men to have a few women accompany them.

After a few rounds of alcohol and an array of dishes, the guests were all tipsy, laughing and teasing one another.

Usually, Cheng Yi, though always stern-faced, would still exchange pleasantries with others. However, today he was silent, focusing solely on drinking his sorrows away, which everyone found peculiar.

Sitting on the sofa, he was expressionless, with a gloomy look in his eyes, exuding an intimidating aura that made others wary.

Someone even cautiously asked, “Mr. Yi, what’s wrong with you today? Why are you drowning yourself in drink?”

Cheng Yi didn’t reply, instead gesturing for the waiter to pour him more alcohol, and then excused himself to the restroom.

Cheng Yi had always believed he wasn’t one to drown his sorrows in alcohol, but it seemed that every time something about Xinan came up, he could only numb himself with alcohol.

Sometimes alcohol really is a useful thing, as it can temporarily suppress the heaviness and turmoil inside him.

When Cheng Yi returned from the restroom, the others began steering the conversation towards business matters.

“Mr. Yi, I heard that Yifeng Group recently acquired the C plot in Hainan to develop an eco-friendly tourism project?”

“Hm,” Cheng Yi replied lazily.

At the start of the bidding, not only companies from Jing City wanted it, but Hainan’s local enterprises were also keen. In the end, Yifeng Group surprisingly secured the deal.

“Young and capable indeed, Mr. Yi. Yifeng Group has been thriving under your leadership these past few years.” The man across him wore a smile, but his eyes shone with astuteness as he looked at Cheng Yi.

Cheng Yi just smiled faintly: “I’ve just been lucky.”

Even though he spoke modestly, the underlying arrogance in his tone betrayed his disdain and self-pride.

After hearing this, the man laughed and said, “You’re too modest, Mr. Yi.”

Others at the table also joined in with laughter as their glasses were filled once again.

Later in the conversation, one of the presidents’ cell phones rang out abruptly in the private room; a call from his wife to check in on him. He signaled everyone to keep quiet.

“Hello?” The president answered the call, “Dear, I’m still entertaining clients.”

“About another hour.”

“No, no, no, it’s all men here; you think I’d dare?”

“Alright, alright, I’ll come home right now.”

Cheng Yi sipped his drink, quietly listening to the president’s conversation with his wife.

After the call, everyone started to tease him for being henpecked.

But the president laughed it off: “What do you guys know? Alright, enough talk, I need to go home to my wife.”

Someone gave him a thumbs up: “It’s rare to find a family man like President Liu these days.”

This president was Liu Liwen, around forty years old, but had been childless throughout his marriage.

Cheng Yi once heard about him at a dinner party, saying that he too was a man of deep affection…

Liu Liwen started from scratch, didn’t attend much school, and began working after middle school.

During the rise of the real estate market, Liu Liwen saw an opportunity. He borrowed money from relatives and friends in his hometown and added some of his own to buy a property in Shenzhen. Subsequently, property prices soared, and he became a millionaire overnight.

It was also during this time that Liu Liwen met his future wife.

His wife was the daughter of a local wealthy businessman, and it was love at first sight for Liu Liwen.

At that time, his wife had just divorced and had a five-year-old child, not in the least interested in starting another relationship.

However, Liu Liwen persistently pursued her, and after two years, she finally agreed.

Later on, as Liu Liwen’s business expanded, the family moved to Jing City.

For many years, Liu Liwen treated his wife’s child from her previous marriage as his own and didn’t have any children with his wife.

Although Liu Liwen became successful in Jing City, many in their circles looked down on him, treating him as a joke.

But Cheng Yi admired him for his magnanimity towards his wife and her child.

Occasionally Cheng Yi would wonder, what if Xinan had already been married when he returned to the country? Would he have the generosity of President Liu? Would he accept her marital history and the child she had with another man?

The answer was yes; as long as there was a bit… just a little bit of fondness for him in Xinan’s heart, he would snatch her away from anyone else, no matter if she had been married a hundred times.

Because the person to be buried in the ground with her must only be him, Cheng Yi.

After Liu Liwen left, Cheng Yi overheard someone saying, “Sometimes I’m quite envious of him. At least his wife checks up on him. Unlike me, I don’t even get a phone call.”

People like them would inevitably marry a daughter from a noble family or a prestigious clan.

Since it was a marriage arranged by their families, the couple would have almost no affection for each other; apart from appearing together at significant events, they generally did their own thing, so why would they call to check in?

This was precisely the marital situation between Cheng Yi and Xinan that he feared the most. He wanted Xinan to stay by his side but also feared they would become mutually respectful yet cold as “ice.”