The Birthday Banquet

The next day

Today was the day of the banquet, or more precisely the banquet of Elder Li's 77th birthday. Elder Li or Li Zixin.

Li Zixin was once the youngest and later the greatest major general in the military and had acquired the best of the power and connections all over the country. He was married to the eldest miss of the Mo family, an army family just like the then Li family. This arrangement of the two most powerful families were blessed by a male child later named Li Qiang. When he grew up instead of going to the army he decided to lead his family into a new road called the business by the leader named Li Enterprise. Li Qiang developed this Li Empire from scratch which later built into a huge and one amongst the most powerful company in the Country.

Having the most influential business empire, the Li family became one of the most powerful families in the country. The Li family had financial banks all over the country. But unlike his father Li Qiang found the love of his life in the young miss of the royal family from the Han Dynasty, Liu Roulan, who was a simple woman. Now that's when Young master Li came into the picture. As the only grandson of his grandparents and the only child of his parents all the Li family's wealth was transferred to his hands. Pampered beyond means, Not only because he was the only male heir of the family but also because from behind the scenes he made the Li Enterprise the biggest in the country. And so our Young Master Li or Li Wei was a gem of the family.

But no one is perfect, so here is the hitch. The extra care made him rude, extravagant, loud and ill-tempered. He was regarded as a playboy in a rich class society but a unique one. Um, but have you seen a playboy who expanded his family wealth instead of spending it, and has been ranked as the top five richest young people in the country?

Well, as the CEO of the biggest entertainment company he attracted way too many flies and so he went through women faster than he changed his shirts. Maybe because he had too much money, he thought that nothing can be brought without money. Therefore though handsome, he regarded women just as a tool to suppress his physical desires and then to compensate them with money as know by the rumors. Every night he was either found hanging out in clubs or with his so-called friends.

.....

The Banquet was held in the most famous and wealthy hotel owned by the Li Enterprise, THE CLINCH. It was regarded as the top five highest skyscrapers in the world. Also, it had a special trend that is the older you are, the higher is the floor. So today the banquet was held in the seventy-seventh floor. Exavergrant as ever the invites were send to all the business partners, the family friends and also to some celebrities, all in one to all the rich people in the society.

As organized by his one and only grandson, Li Zixin did not fail to brag it to the whole country. Elder Li though was old, but as we say age is just a number, due to his army exposure he was still an upright man. Surrounded by all the rich socialites and the friends of his time he did not get time to shift even by his hair's length. To his surprise all his old friends were laying the achievements of their grandsons so that they would befriend young master Li and then granddaughters so that by chance Elder Li would ask Li Wei to attend a marriage meet. In the midst of all this one of them asked " But elder Li where is young master Li ?"

" Oh he must be on his way," answered Li Zixin eagerly waiting for the wishes of his grandson.

Wen Peng came together with Wen Mei. Wen Peng was wearing a dark blue three-piece suit in which he looked somewhat young whereas Wen Mei was wearing a red tulle sweetheart neckline and sequin beaded waistline ruffled floor length long dress. She applied makeup not too dense and too light, perfect for a party and her hair was made into a sideways fishtail style braid. She was looking elegant and beautiful.

The Wens, the Lis and the Caos were friends that had started from the times of their elders. Elder Li, Elder Wen and Elder Cao were classmates and so their friendship was carried by their children so accordingly, the current patriarchs of the three families were also friendship. But due to their growing business they did not meet too frequently and so their children grew apart. But as a coincidence Li Wei and Cao Guang ended in the same class and they grew up as friends.

Wen Peng together with Wen Mei entered the banquet and went to Elder Li. Elder Li treated Wen Peng as his son and so he was delighted to see him. Wen Peng said "Elder Li I wish you a very prosperous birthday."

Wen Mei followed him and she said " Many Many happy returns of the day Grandpa Li."

Elder Li squealed in delight " Thank you both of you." After exchanging greetings Wen Peng and Elder Li talked for sometime when Wen Peng excused himself to meet the others. Whereas Wen Mei was left behind.

" When Mei" a voice called her. Wen Mei turned to the source and saw Cao Guang standing. He was wearing a dark maroon tuxedo that coincidentally matched the color of Wen Mei's dress. When Wen Mei realized this she blushed. Her cheeks were as red as tomatoes.

As Wen Mei saw Cao Guang walking to her she felt her legs going weak but she composed herself quickly. " Hi Cao Guang. I think that we are wearing the same colored outfits" and then she showed an awkward laugh.

"Oh I think so too" said Cao Guang with a smile on his face. He was always polite to the people he knew thought Wen Mei.

Just then someone said from among the crowd " Young Master Li is here." All the faces turned towards the door, all the ladies gasped in awe.

A man in black tuxedo came in. He was looking like a male model but he wasn't. He was the most handsome man that nearly every woman would throw herself at his feet. The lush, mother jade hair he groomed so carefully had a rippling quality, a sign of his rude wealth. His only blemish was that he was beetle-browed and they knitted sometimes in frustration seeing all the people around him.

The aquiline nose he supported complemented his prominent cheekbones. Handsome in an understated way, his basalt jaw and Spartan shoulders spoke of strength. He possessed a latent leonine power and walked with power and authority.

People remarked that his best feature was his entrancing as he walked by, Wayfarer-dark black eyes, they were deep and never-ending. Flamboyant of character, the room was filled with his sonorous, rumbling voice.

" Grandfather I hope you are enjoying your birthday" Li Wei said as he walked to Elder Li with his hands shoved into his pockets.

" Brat, of course I am enjoying it. Why are you so late?" laughed Elder Li as he patted Li Wei's shoulders.

" I was having a meeting" said Li Wei his voice so alluring and charming that every lady there blushed. After some more talks with his grandfather, he spotted Cao Guang. Cao Guang was standing with Wen Mei as they were looking like a couple wearing the same colored outfit.

Cao Guang also seemed to have noticed Li Wei and he excused himself from Wen Mei. Now Wen Mei was again left alone. She wished that if Wang Yu Yan was here. She sighed as she took a glass of red wine and after sometime when she came to her senses, she saw that she had drunk three glasses of red wine and so as a result she started feeling very tipsy.

Wen Mei made her way to the restroom and washed her face with water but it seemed like nothing was working. She decided to call Wen Peng but to her dismay he was not picking it up. She also cannot ask Cao Guang to drop her and the taxi was not a good idea. And now her only hope was Wang Yu Yan. She dialed Wang Yu Yan's number and fortunately the heavens were by her side, the call was connected. "Hello Yan Yan…could you pick me up?" she said in a drunken voice.