134 The Mystery of the End times
After taking the photos, Yao Qianjiang arranged for everyone to take their seats. He gestured invitingly to Cong Xia, “Cong Xia, come sit with me at the main table. We can have a good chat…”
Before he finished speaking, Cheng Tianbi placed his hand on Cong Xia’s lower back, gently guiding him away.
Yao Qianjiang was left empty-handed again, staring at the two’s retreating figures with an unhappy expression.
Suddenly, Cheng Tianbi turned his head back, giving Yao Qianjiang a fierce look, full of warning.
Yao Qianjiang squinted his eyes in surprise, understanding what was going on. He mumbled to himself, “So that’s how it is, interesting…”
Only two members of the Dragonblood Clan had come, and they were seated at the same table as them. Members of the Fenglan Society and the Liudao Huangquan were seated at the adjacent table, all close to the main table, creating a somewhat tense atmosphere.
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Although the others weren’t as exaggerated as Deng Xiao, their mouths were also kept busy. Unlike those who had been staying in Beijing for a long time and had already eaten plenty of good food, this group had been traveling all the way and had been eating whatever they could find, even bugs and mice. Even after staying in the Academy for more than half a month, they still hadn’t fully recovered.
Cheng Tianbi could hardly eat anything because Zhou Fenglan at the opposite table kept provoking him with occasional glances.
Cong Xia naturally picked a shrimp for Cheng Tianbi and said, “Tianbi, have some.”
“Sure.” Cheng Tianbi picked up a shrimp and put it in his mouth.
Cong Xia followed his gaze and coincidentally met Zhou Fenglan’s malicious eyes. He didn’t have the courage to glare at Zhou Fenglan like Cheng Tianbi did. In fact, when he heard the crackling sound coming from Zhou Fenglan’s body earlier, his scalp went numb, and images of charred bodies struck by lightning kept flashing in his mind. He quickly lowered his head and focused on peeling the shrimp for Cheng Tianbi.
Al Moray raised his wine glass and smiled, “Come, I propose a toast to everyone. We’ll have plenty of opportunities for cooperation in the future, so let’s take photos together.”
Everyone raised their glasses and clinked.
Zhou Fenglan called out to the adjacent table, “Al, won’t you come over and have a drink with us?”
Al Moray revealed a cold smile and then turned away, raising his glass. “Chairman Zhou, cheers.”
“Cheers!” Zhou Fenglan drank his glass of wine heartily and then laughed, “What kind of banquet is this? Not even a drop of potent liquor.”
Beside Li Dao’ai, a young man sarcastically said, “Diluted alcohol is the most potent and won’t go bad.”
Zhou Fenglan turned to look at him, “Are we talking to you? Interfering in our conversation?”
The young man’s face changed, and Li Dao’ai tapped the bowl with his chopsticks, whispering, “Mind your own business and eat your food.” He picked up a piece of tofu and ate quietly, as if he were at home, isolating himself from the gazes and discussions around him.
Cong Xia looked at the young man and felt somewhat familiar. After thinking for a while, he realized that the handsome young man bore a striking resemblance to Aqing. Could he be Aqing’s younger brother? Although their features were extremely similar, the two brothers had entirely different temperaments. This young man didn’t have a hint of effeminacy.
Zhuang Yao smiled and remained silent, sipping his wine while keeping an eye on the situation at both tables.
Although no one was making any rash moves at the moment, everyone was observing each other’s actions, including Li Dao’ai, who appeared to be detached from the situation. Of course, what Zhuang Yao was most curious about was what Zhuang Yu was planning to do.
These two tables were silently vying against each other, and the onlookers were also filled with suspicion.
The group led by Cheng Tianbi had killed a squad leader of the Fenglan Society in Luoyang and taken away the puppet jade that the Fenglan Society had already acquired. Many people knew about this, and Zhou Fenglan was a narrow-minded person who sought revenge for the slightest offense.
He didn’t have long-term considerations and acted solely based on his likes and dislikes, a typical case of courage without strategy. He would never let Cheng Tianbi’s group off easily, but no one knew what kind of retaliation he was planning. Thinking about the possible spectacle, everyone couldn’t bear to miss even the slightest bit of the drama and kept secretly observing them.
Yao Qianjiang’s gaze fell on Cong Xia, and from this angle, he could clearly see Cong Xia serving Cheng Tianbi while eating himself. He peeled shrimp, picked dishes, poured soup, and added rice, all with natural and effortless movements and expressions, as if he had practiced it countless times before. Yao Qianjiang’s eyebrows furrowed deeper the more he observed.
Of course, if Yao Qianjiang had paid closer attention, he would have noticed that Cong Xia wasn’t just serving Cheng Tianbi. He served everyone around him who was within reach. However, in Yao Qianjiang’s eyes, only the interaction between these two seemed out of the ordinary.
Halfway through the meal, Qiao Jian, uninvited, sat down next to Cong Xia with a smiling face and said, “Mr. Cong, may I interview you?”
Thinking of what Liu Yan had said, Cong Xia quickly replied, “I’m sorry, I…”
“You only need to answer a few simple questions, just two minutes, it’ll only take up two minutes of your time.”
Cong Xia hesitated for a moment, thinking that this woman was quite impressive. She immediately singled him out from a whole table of people and identified him as the easiest to approach. He wasn’t good at refusing women.
Cheng Tianbi was about to speak, but Liu Fengyu gave him a look and then patted Qiao Jian’s shoulder with a charming smile. “Miss Qiao, how about interviewing me instead? They aren’t used to this kind of situation, and you might have frightened them.”
As Qiao Jian turned her head, she found Liu Fengyu’s handsome face right in front of her. Her face slightly reddened, and she stammered, “Liu… Liu Fengyu, um, hello. I interviewed you when I was an intern journalist, but you probably don’t remember.”
“I remember, it was at a charity gala, right?”
Qiao Jian widened her eyes, “You still remember?”
Liu Fengyu blinked and replied, “Miss Qiao is a memorable beauty, it’s only been a year, my memory isn’t that bad.”
Qiao Jian looked flattered, “Can I interview you for a few questions?”
“Of course.”
Tang Yanqiu looked at Liu Fengyu, who dealt with women so skillfully, and couldn’t help but frown, slowly turning his head away.
Liu Fengyu was indeed a professional celebrity. While answering Qiao Jian’s questions, the two of them seemed to be engaged in a Tai Chi dance. Qiao Jian was a smart woman and wasn’t swayed by Liu Fengyu’s praises. She stuck to her purpose, but Liu Fengyu’s responses were immaculate. Although he answered each question, he didn’t reveal any substantial information. This skill had been honed through countless encounters with journalists.
After asking questions for a long time, Qiao Jian couldn’t get any important information and felt quite disappointed. In the end, she reluctantly took several photos around the table before leaving.
Cong Xia gave Liu Fengyu a thumbs-up. “Brother Liu, you’re amazing! I never realized you were so eloquent.”
Liu Fengyu coolly adjusted his semi-long hair. “There are many impressive things about Brother Liu. Learn from me in the future and don’t be at a loss for words in front of pretty women.”
Cong Xia felt downcast. “When did I… It’s not because she’s pretty, I’m just afraid of saying the wrong thing.”
Zhuang Yao smiled as he looked at Liu Fengyu. “If they found out that the ability of the highly anticipated superstar is to release special gas, that news would definitely make headlines.”
Liu Fengyu glared at him. “You little brat, looking for trouble, huh?”
“Sooner or later, they will find out,” Tang Yanqiu said coldly.
Liu Fengyu stared at him. “What did you say?”
Tang Yanqiu looked back at him. “Sooner or later, they will know about your ability. Do you plan to hide it for your whole life just to maintain your image?”
Liu Fengyu felt a bit embarrassed. “It’s none of your business.”
Tang Yanqiu’s chest rose and fell. He spoke in a low voice, “Right, your ability isn’t written on your face. As a man who relies on appearances, you can just deceive women by grooming yourself.”
Liu Fengyu cursed under his breath, “Tang Yanqiu, did you take the wrong medicine today?”
Tang Yanqiu’s face turned slightly pale. He stood up and said in a low voice, “I’ll go to the restroom.”
Everyone watched Tang Yanqiu stand up and leave, puzzled by his sudden change in temperament. Liu Fengyu was particularly annoyed by the unprovoked taunts and drank his frustrations away.
Zhuang Yao rolled his eyes. “Each one is more embarrassing than the other.”
Deng Xiao raised his head with a bewildered look. “Where’s Tang ge?”
Cong Xia poured a drink for him. “Don’t worry about it, just keep eating.”
Cheng Tianbi said, “Liu Fengyu, go check on him. Don’t let him go alone.”
Liu Fengyu, still sulking, said, “Damn it, I won’t go. He’s always sulking, ready to pick a fight with me whenever he speaks, so irritating.”
Cong Xia said, “I’ll go.”
Cheng Tianbi put a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll go.” He stood up and thought for a moment before lowering his head again. “You sit here honestly. Don’t let anyone leave, get it?”
Cong Xia nodded.
Zhuang Yao glanced at Zhou Fenglan, who was spectating nearby, and his mind raced as he thought about how to provoke Zhou Fenglan. With Zhuang Yu present, he might not let Zhou Fenglan and Cheng Tianbi clash, but Zhuang Yao wanted to create some conflict and make Zhou Fenglan make the first move.
After a while, Cheng Tianbi and Tang Yanqiu returned. Zhuang Yao turned his head and made a gesture towards Cheng Tianbi.
Cheng Tianbi nodded slightly in response.
Zhuang Yao got off his chair, picked up a glass of juice, and walked over to Zhou Fenglan’s table. Zhou Fenglan raised an eyebrow, thinking that Zhuang Yao was coming for him. However, to Zhou Fenglan’s surprise, Zhuang Yao passed by him without even looking at him, and instead walked straight to Li Dao’ai. With a smile, he raised his glass to Li Dao’ai and said, “Officer Li, I propose a toast to you.”
Zhou Fenglan’s expression changed, and being ignored repeatedly made him angry.
Li Dao’ai turned around and looked at Zhuang Yao, who was almost as tall as him, holding a glass of orange juice. Li Dao’ai asked, “You’re toasting me with juice?”
“I’m underage.”
Li Dao’ai said, “Your genes come from Dr. Zhuang. I don’t understand complicated science, but your somatic cells should be around the same age as his, right?”
Zhuang Yao smiled, “That’s right, my somatic cells are over thirty years old, but I’m still not suitable for drinking.”
Li Dao’ai nodded, “Have a drink, little adult.”
Zhuang Yao clinked glasses with him.
Zhuang Yu watched with interest.
Unable to resist the urge to mock, Zhou Fenglan said, “Just a replacement for Dr. Zhuang, but I heard clones don’t live long, right?”
Zhuang Yao turned his head, wearing a sneering smile, “At least I won’t die before you do.”
Zhou Fenglan had disliked Zhuang Yao for a long time. A child of eleven or twelve, always wearing a sarcastic smile, as if everyone was an idiot. For someone as proud as Zhou Fenglan, Zhuang Yao was truly irritating. He stood up in anger, kicked the chair away, and said, “Brat, I could turn you into charcoal right now. Who do you think will die before whom?”
The venue fell silent, and everyone’s attention was on them.
Zhuang Yu took a sip of tea, and his tone turned cold, “Fenglan, sit down.”
Zhou Fenglan ignored him and electricity crackled in his hand again.
Li Dao’ai stood up and took a few steps back, clearly not intending to get involved in any conflict. He knew that this young boy, like Zhuang Yu, was a cerebral evolver, and everything he did had a purpose. It was evident that Zhou Fenglan was deliberately provoked by Zhuang Yao, and the reason for this would soon become clear.
Zhuang Yao wore a provocative smile, “Come on.”
Zhou Fenglan shouted angrily and fiercely swung his hand, sending a streak of lightning with fiery sparks towards Zhuang Yao.
Zhuang Yao remained unfazed, watching him intently.
Cheng Tianbi was standing next to Zhuang Yao. In the instant Zhou Fenglan made his move, Cheng Tianbi also acted. He manipulated the flow of air in the atmosphere, creating a special path just as the lightning was about to strike the two. The blinding electric light curved and passed by them, splitting a nearby wooden chair in half.
Zhou Fenglan showed a look of surprise on his face. He started to gather more lightning in his hand, but Zhuang Yu shouted, “Zhou Fenglan!”
Taking advantage of Zhou Fenglan’s momentary distraction, Cheng Tianbi lightly waved his hand, and a gust of wind hit Zhou Fenglan’s chest. Cheng Tianbi didn’t use much force, and Zhou Fenglan took a few steps back but managed to stabilize himself.
Cheng Tianbi stared at him, his eyes cold. The venue fell into silence, and you could hear a pin drop.
************
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