"This sky-high villa in Hexi Road is the home of superstar Li Wanrong. However, she hasn't returned yet. Mr. Ning, shall I call her and urge her to come back?"
A man in a suit and tie accompanied Ning Beichen respectfully.
"No need, let's wait for her," Ning Beichen said.
Coincidentally, there was a coffee and dessert shop across from her house. Ning Beichen went into the shop, ordered a cup of coffee, and waited patiently.
He didn't know Li Wanrong, nor did he have any acquaintance or relationship with her. He had paid someone to help him contact her this time.
However, Li Wanrong was a big star in Wangjiang, and meeting her was somewhat troublesome. After all, with her status as a celebrity, not just anyone who asked to see her could do so.
Ning Beichen also had connections in Wangjiang, both in the underworld and aboveboard, all of them major players. If Ning Beichen wanted to meet Li Wanrong, he only needed to give them a heads-up to arrange it immediately.
But he didn't seek them out. This time, his plan was only to meet Li Wanrong and then leave Wangjiang, with no intention of staying for too long.
However, Ning Beichen had underestimated the difficulty of ordinary people meeting a big star. Although he had arranged for someone to contact Li Wanrong's assistant, and the assistant had agreed, Ning Beichen had waited for several hours, but Li Wanrong still hadn't appeared.
"Mr. Ning, I'm sorry. Li Wanrong's assistant said that she has to attend Zhang Jinhong's banquet tonight and probably won't be able to meet you."
The man in the suit and tie said to Ning Beichen with an embarrassed expression.
"It doesn't matter. Since she's too busy to see me, I'll go see her myself. Do you know where Zhang Jinhong is holding the banquet?" Ning Beichen asked.
"Mr. Ning, Mr. Zhang Jinhong is a wealthy magnate in Wangjiang. You can't get in without an invitation," the man in the suit and tie said hastily.
"You don't need to worry about that. Just tell me where he's holding the banquet tonight," Ning Beichen said calmly, looking at him.
"At Wangjiang Imperial Garden." The man replied, though he didn't believe Ning Beichen could actually get into the banquet.
"Alright, then we'll go to the Imperial Garden to see her." Ning Beichen seemed unconcerned about whether he could get in.
"Mr. Ning, I don't think you heard me clearly. Mr. Zhang Jinhong is a wealthy magnate in Wangjiang." The man said helplessly.
"I know he's a wealthy magnate. What exactly are you trying to say?" Ning Beichen replied speechlessly.
"What I mean is, without an invitation, we can't get in." The man had to tell Ning Beichen directly, almost saying that someone of his status couldn't get in.
But Ning Beichen ignored his implication and simply told him to drive him to Wangjiang Imperial Garden.
The man had no choice but to drive Ning Beichen to the Imperial Garden, so that he would learn the lesson of not hitting the wall until he turned back. He only hoped that the scene wouldn't be too embarrassing when they were driven away by the security guards.
Before long, they arrived at the Imperial Garden.
The Imperial Garden was a former royal garden, later bought by a mysterious rich man and converted into a high-end resort club with beautiful surroundings and imperial-level service.
However, correspondingly, the consumption there was not something ordinary people could afford, so it gradually became a gathering place for the city's wealthy and famous.
"Mr. Ning, you're not actually going in, are you?" The man in the suit and tie asked worriedly as he saw Ning Beichen getting out of the car and heading towards the Imperial Garden.
"Alright, your job is done. You can leave now," Ning Beichen said to him.
However, the man in the suit and tie had his own principles. He felt he hadn't completed the task assigned by his employer and refused to leave, insisting on his professional ethics.
Ning Beichen, too lazy to bother with him, walked towards the entrance of the Imperial Garden. However, as the man in the suit and tie had said, the security guards at the entrance required him to show an invitation to enter.
It wasn't that an invitation was absolutely mandatory, but they hadn't received any instructions from important people today. Generally, if any special individuals were expected, they would be informed in advance, warned to be attentive, or shown portraits of these special individuals.
"I'm sorry, you cannot enter without an invitation." The security guard at the entrance stopped Ning Beichen and assumed a vigilant posture. Many important figures were attending tonight, and if any ill-intentioned person sneaked in and offended them, the guards would be in trouble.
"Excuse me, excuse me. We had an appointment to meet with Miss Li Wanrong. Please be accommodating," the man in the suit and tie quickly stepped forward and said to the security guards.
"Oh, it's you, Qi Dongcheng. If it were any other banquet, we might let you in, but not today. Today, Master Zhang is expecting to meet a distinguished guest. Only those who are invited can enter," the security guard at the entrance seemed to recognize the man in the suit and tie and explained.
Qi Dongcheng could only turn to Ning Beichen and say with a wry smile, "Mr. Ning, did you hear that? How about we arrange another time with Miss Li Wanrong's assistant?"
However, Ning Beichen didn't pay attention to him. Instead, he took out his phone and started making a call.
Just then, five or six young men arrived together. They saw Qi Dongcheng at the entrance and immediately stopped.
"Yo, isn't this young master Qi?"
"Is this the eccentric fellow who was kicked out of the Qi family for a mere piece of paper?"
"Isn't it him? Without the Qi family's money, he's now reduced to doing errands."
"So young master Qi is that pitiful!"
"Oh, speaking of which, young master Qi, I have a thousand yuan here."
One of the young men took out ten banknotes and offered them to Qi Dongcheng. Then, he let go, and the money fell to the ground.
"Young master Qi, if you squat down and bark a few times like a dog, I'll consider this money a reward from me."
Qi Dongcheng's face turned ashen. He recognized these people. When he was still "Young Master Qi," they had been his drinking buddies. Now that he had been disowned, these fellows immediately turned their backs on him. However, this also made Qi Dongcheng see reality and understand what true friends were.
Ning Beichen, who was on the phone, saw this scene and couldn't help but frown. Although Qi Dongcheng was only working for him and not exactly a friend, the saying "even if you beat a dog, you look at its master" applied. Seeing Qi Dongcheng being so humiliated made Ning Beichen uncomfortable.
"Get lost!" Ning Beichen pointed at the young lords and said.
"Who do you think you are, telling us to get lost? I think you're asking for death!" Ning Beichen's words immediately ignited the anger of these young lords.