The 70th Birthday Banquet – Slap Them in the Face

At this moment, the ground-level parking lot of the Yunding Grand Hotel was packed with luxury cars.

A sweeping glance revealed an array of custom-made, limited-edition vehicles worth tens of millions. Meanwhile, the more modest Mercedes-Benz and BMW models were relegated to inconspicuous corners, barely noticeable.

Guests, draped in the finest designer clothes and adorned with dazzling jewelry, ascended the hotel's eighty-eight-story glass elevators. As they rose, the panoramic view of Haicheng unfolded below, making them feel as though the stars were within reach.

The banquet hall, located on the top floor, was guarded by a line of security personnel stationed at its grand entrance.

The hotel manager stood by the doors, meticulously verifying each guest's invitation before granting entry. There was no tolerance for uninvited opportunists.

"Mr. Liu, please proceed."

"Mr. Su, welcome."

"Mr. Ye, we're honored to have you."

Every guest was assigned a personal attendant to guide and cater to them.

The banquet hall itself was a marvel of opulence. Its towering doors opened into a space with a near-ten-meter ceiling, crowned by elaborate Italian-style crystal chandeliers. The air was thick with the rich aroma of perfumes, gourmet delicacies, and vintage wines, intoxicating enough to make one feel both drowsy and euphoric.

It was said that the head branch of the Huo family had spared no expense, pouring two hundred million yuan into this celebration for Old Master Huo's 70th birthday.

All four of Haicheng's most prominent families—the Lius, the Yes, and the Yangs—had sent representatives. Even the city's rising elites were in attendance.

Inside the inner hall, Old Master Huo enjoyed tea and conversation with his old friends, leaving the outer hall and guest reception to the head family: Huo Jianjun, his wife Wang Fengxian, and their son, Huo Beiting.

Standing at the entrance to the banquet hall, Huo Jianjun and Wang Fengxian beamed with pride, their smiles stretching to the corners of their eyes.

"Congratulations, truly! You're such a loving couple, and your son is a shining star—young, talented, and promising," praised one of the guests.

"Thanks to the guidance and support of respected elders," Huo Beiting responded, exuding elegance and composure. With his gold-rimmed glasses, he looked every bit the suave gentleman, though the shrewd glint in his eyes betrayed his calculating nature.

"Beiting, you're truly remarkable!"

"Thank you, Uncle Ye," he replied with polished charm.

A crowd of guests swarmed around them, exchanging pleasantries. Those of lesser social standing could only watch from a distance, unable to get a word in. Still, merely attending the Huo family's banquet was a brag-worthy feat in itself.

Amid the throng, Huo Beiting's vanity swelled. Turning to his father, he remarked, "Even the Ye and Yang families are here tonight. Grandfather's reputation is truly unmatched!"

Huo Jianjun, however, maintained a cooler head, his voice lowering as he said, "They're not here just for your grandfather. Half the people tonight are here for the founder of Tianyuan Group!"

It was clear to anyone with insight: the winds of change were sweeping through Haicheng.

"Beiting, are you sure he'll come?"

"Of course! He accepted my invitation," Huo Beiting affirmed with conviction.

Huo Jianjun chuckled, patting his son on the back. "You've done well buttering him up! Make sure to solidify this relationship. Losing 20% of Huo Corporation's shares might end up being a blessing in disguise."

"I will!"

Huo Beiting had already strategized how to win over the Tianyuan Group's enigmatic founder. If the man enjoyed flattery, then flattery he would get in abundance.

On the opposite side of the hall, clusters of elegantly dressed women were gathered in conversation.

Su Weiwei, adorned in a custom gown, carried herself with the air of a Huo family matriarch. Her hands occasionally brushed her stomach in a deliberate, shy gesture, as if waiting for someone to inquire.

"Are you pregnant?" asked her friend, Fang Anni.

Su Weiwei lowered her gaze, her cheeks tinged with bashful delight. "Yes, I am."

While most women would keep such news discreet in the first trimester, Su Weiwei couldn't wait to broadcast it across the city.

Fang Anni's expression soured slightly, though she managed a curt, "Congratulations."

They had shared a similar encounter with Huo Beiting, yet Su Weiwei had been the one to conceive.

"This child couldn't have come at a better time! Beiting said it's the perfect birthday gift for Grandfather," Su Weiwei gushed, her face glowing with satisfaction.

The women surrounding her chimed in with compliments.

"Miss Su, you're so fortunate. Tonight must feel like a quadruple blessing—your engagement, your pregnancy, the family legacy, and the attendance of Tianyuan's founder!"

Su Weiwei beamed, her gaze drifting across the room before landing on Zhao Yuzhen.

"Stepmother, I need to visit the restroom. Come hold my bag."

Zhao Yuzhen, clad in garish jewelry and lacking in taste, obediently took the bag. Her envious gaze lingered briefly on Su Weiwei's belly.

Su Weiwei smirked and, catching the look, sneered. "Keep staring all you want, but it won't change the fact that you're nothing but a hen that doesn't lay eggs. If I have a son, he'll inherit not just the Huo family's fortune but the Su family's as well."

Zhao Yuzhen's face turned pale. "I have no intention of fighting over the inheritance."

"You'd better not," Su Weiwei replied with a cold laugh, casually touching up her lipstick.

Her voice dropped as she continued, "Did you see the He family here tonight? Yesterday, Huo Xingzhou's men severely injured He Xuan. They're preparing to press charges right after the banquet. Soon enough, Huo Xingzhou will be behind bars, and that village girl you call a daughter will be the wife of a convict."

Hearing the name "Qiao Xi," Zhao Yuzhen quickly disavowed any connection. "Her life or death is none of my concern. I'd be happy to see that jinx suffer."

Su Weiwei's lips curled into a satisfied smile.

"That's more like it. Once Huo Xingzhou is out of the picture, make sure that little country bumpkin is sent back to her village."

"Of course," Zhao Yuzhen agreed without hesitation.

Su Weiwei, pleased, snapped her bag shut and headed back to the banquet hall. "Let's go. It's about time to meet this mysterious founder of Tianyuan Group."

In the front hall, the banquet entrance was abuzz with activity.

The hotel manager carefully scrutinized an invitation before raising his eyes to the mother and son before him.

Though dressed expensively, there was something peculiar about them.

After a moment's hesitation, he allowed them entry. "Mrs. Sun, Mr. Sun, please."

Mrs. Sun, draped in opulent attire, glared at her son, Sun Weimeng, who stood beside her with a black eye and his arm in a sling.

"You dragged me here just to watch them flaunt their success? Watching the Huo family bask in glory is more painful than death! We've already offended them!" she scolded.

"Trust me, Mom. Huo Xingzhou wouldn't miss this for the world!" Sun Weimeng replied with conviction, despite his battered appearance.

Mrs. Sun rolled her eyes. "Why would he come? To be humiliated and thrown out the door?"

"You don't get it. Yesterday, as soon as Huo Xingzhou returned to Haicheng, he sent someone to attack He Xuan!"

Their argument was cut short by a sudden wave of excitement sweeping through the hall.

"Tianyuan Group's car has arrived!"

The crowd shifted, all eyes turning toward the entrance.

"Ladies and gentlemen, they're coming up!"

The Huo family patriarch, leaning on his cane, straightened and barked orders. "Quick, go greet them!"

"Hurry, Beiting!"

Leading the charge, the elder Huo and the head family strode toward the towering banquet doors, followed by a throng of eager attendees.

Their anticipation surged. This was the moment everyone had been waiting for.