Chapter 496 - Multi-colored Seats

A piece of classical music subdued the lively murmurs of the guests in the enormous luxury hall.

The mingling guests were of different races, speaking to one another in different languages, some using their learned language, the others had their translators by their sides.

Nevertheless, the faces of many of the personages could shock any industry insiders, as they could be seen in business and financial magazines, from a business tycoon famous in Sino-European trade, to the CEO of a famous conglomerate company in the southern continent, to groups of rising hegemons, among others.

People of dazzling statures interacted with one another, with tasteful elegance and hidden words. It was truly a sight of the epitome of the upper ranks of the society.

Xiong Zhi entered the hall quietly, alone.

However, she immediately drew the gazes of the nearby guests.

Her face was someone frequently seen in the elite magazines recently due to the consecutive successes of ArtWorld and IHZHI.

The hem of her elegant white cheongsam dress with blank ink paintings swayed gracefully with her subtle movements.

The tiny waist of her slender and perfect figure was accentuated. The long black hair was brought up by an ancient style white jade hairpin, showing off her slender white neck. The corners of her phoenix eyes appeared to be heavily lidded as they curved up, and her lips were stained with a cherry red tint.

The collision of black and white resulted to a stunning beauty that could bring chaos to a country.

The people who threw a random glance was immediately caught. Particularly the two tall men who noticed her from the crowd.

Xiong Zhi had only taken four steps inside the banquet hall when she found herself immediately surrounded by men, mostly from foreign countries.

"Miss Xiong Zhi, it's a great pleasure to see you here!"

"I didn't expect to see the heiress of the Xiong family here, I heard that you usually refrained from attending such events."

"Miss Xiong Zhi, congratulations to the success of ArtWorld. I wonder what IHZHI's next core project will be?"

"Lady Xiong Zhi, do you have any thoughts in extending IHZHI's activities to Middle East? How about the South?"

Soon, many people saw the little crowd that formed at the entrance and also took a look.

When they saw the young woman who had made a great name for herself recently, they immediately excused themselves from their engagements and walked to the growing group.

It was Xiong Zhi!

The youngest business icon who founded the miraculous IZHI Company, which had just started less than five years ago from her teenage years but was already very successful now. 

After the ArtWorld shook Country C and the news of its impending expansion in selected countries by next year spread out, various interested parties had already taken note of this talented and beautiful young woman.

After further checking and finding out that the company she had created had developed initially non-optimistic projects into miraculously blooming successes, IHZHI became known as a miracle company, the company that could bring miracles.

There was even a proverb that was circulating recently, that IZHI's initiative in investing on a project was a key indicator of the project's success.

Every businessman and investor in the hall had good eyes and could see the endless potential of IHZHI, so they naturally wanted to form good connections with IHZHI.

IHZHI was mainly an investment and development company, and their focus of attention was not in the main stream, thus, they have less competition in the domestic market, and did not truly hinder anyone's interests at the moment.

Compared to going against them, it was way more profitable to partner with them.

Xiong Zhi was slightly uncomfortable with the sudden crowd forming around her, but she quickly recovered. She was used to it.

After exchanging pleasantries and conversing with them for a while, she then realized that these people were coming to her, not because she was a Xiong, but because she was Xiong Zhi.

The woman behind ArtWorld and IHZHI.

Xiong Zhi's phoenix eyes glowed dazzlingly as her faint smile became more sincere.

Her heart was slowly filled with pride and satisfaction.

Could she consider it as making a name for herself?

Was it considered a 'win' in her bet with her grandfather?

It should be.

Xiong Zhi mixed with the personages, inwardly observing their status, personalities, and most of all, their capabilities.

She needed people who were strong and powerful, but had a moral bottom-line and principles to hold. Her ease of language, the graceful demeanor, and the confident aura charmed everyone.

Xiong Zhi's appearance made the two men situated in different areas eye her from time to time.

Finally, when the man who had kept moistening his throat excused himself from the group of girls surrounding him and decided to approach Xiong Zhi, the music faded, pausing everyone in their words and deeds.

The lights dimmed.

All the murmurs stopped.

This was a cue that the event was starting officially.

The sound of the door opening was loud and crisp.

It made the guests who were standing by the entrance make way for the incoming people.

Xiong Zhi gracefully moved aside.

She was now a guest, not the host.Her eyes though was directed at the doors.

Her Linfeng would come out at any moment.

Earlier, he had to leave her side and meet the five kings alone upstairs in the private resting area.

Xiong Zhi did not ask questions and said that she would wait for him in the hall.

Even if she had seen the handsome Linfeng earlier and even spent an intimate moment with him, she still anticipated his arrival.

She wanted to witness how he would amaze the whole crowd.

The door fully opened and two batches of elite attendants stood on either side.

A tall and gorgeous Asian man in white suit with silver cufflinks walked into the hall with a smile.

He was followed by four equally handsome men with distinctive features.

Clearly, they were from different races, yet their charisma and confidence did not lose out but fused harmoniously instead.

Each of them has a golden brooch on their left b.r.e.a.s.t pocket.

'K'

A symbol of their fraternity as the five kings.

The ladies immediately swooned at the sight of these five stunning men.

The men strode through the crowd and stood in front of the elaborate chairs in the elevated ground.

Each chair had a different color schematic.

Xiong Zhi's face was blank at the sight of the handsome men in front of their own colored chairs, no, couches.

She suddenly felt that these five kings, the new brotherhood Linfeng belonged to, might actually just be group of lonely kids.

This multi-colored scheme… reminded her of the second-grader syndrome brought by Power Rangers…

This made the five king's handsome and cool image crumble in Xiong Zhi's mind.

It turned out the other four was just like Uncle William.

Xiong Zhi threw a quick glance at the guests' reaction.

This kind of childish setting, surely, everyone else would find funny…

Her thoughts trailed off.

All of them held admiration on their faces.

The colored couches were filtered by their eyes into golden thrones shining resplendently.

Xiong Zhi: "..."

She drew her eyes back calmly.

Suddenly, she doubted life.

Could these people not see the rainbow couches?

"Pfft."

A small chuckle was heard from her side.

Xiong Zhi's eyes glanced sideways.

Standing beside her was Lu Yin Ze whose face appeared solemn, but his sapphire eyes were clearly amused.

Xiong Zhi was surprised.

How come Lu YinZe was here? He appeared out of nowhere.

Lu Yin Ze noticed her gaze.

His silvery head slightly tilted as he looked at her. His beautiful eyes turned wide for a moment. It looked like he was surprised as well to find Xiong Zhi near him.

"Young Master Lu Yin Ze." Xiong Zhi politely acknowledged his presence.

Even if they had a bit of a personal strife, they were still allies and friends in the eyes of the society.

She still had mixed feelings of anger and helplessness with this guy.

Although she knew that it was not her business to stop him from liking her, but she hoped that he would get over it soon. There was no good end result for his thoughts. She could actually just pretend as if he did not exist and not care for his feelings, however, she did not want him to get hurt.

The years of friendship was not a lie after all.

Xiong Zhi could only distance herself from Lu Yin Ze to make him give up.

Lu Yin Ze coughed.

He tried to act natural around her and showed a gentle smile.

"Young Miss Zhi, it is nice to see you here."

Xiong Zhi nodded her head, then went back to stare at the five men.

Where was her Linfeng?

The man in front, who introduced himself as Erich, already began talking.

Lu Yin Ze felt that everything was muted, except for his breathing and the loud thumping in his chest.

His eyes stared elsewhere, but it would inevitably land at the elegant woman beside him at times.

Xiong Zhi's swan neck was slender and smooth.

Lu Yin Ze quietly stared and looked away again.

"Today, we celebrate the success of our core investment with Sheng Cun Company, ZD Comprehensive Project, known for its ZD World."

"Our investment story with SC Company has a rather funny beginning…"

Lu Yin Ze's mind was not on the speech.

It was turning quickly as he thought of ways to break the ice with Xiong Zhi.

What could he say to ease the awkwardness?

He did not notice that Xiong Zhi's attention was not on him at all.

He only knew that this was an opportunity to mend things with Xiong Zhi and become her friend again.

Lu Yin Ze had been eyeing Xiong Zhi since earlier.

He was happy that he did not see the butler who always stuck to Xiong Zhi.

This was an opportunity that he could not let pass.

His eyes landed on chairs of different colors.

That's right, he was laughing at it earlier and Xiong Zhi's attention seemed to be caught.

A good window to open the conversation.

Lu Yin Ze leaned sideways, coughed, and said, "Don't you think they are a bit childish?"

Xiong Zhi silently glanced at Lu Yin Ze.

Lu Yin Ze sweated at Xiong Zhi's cold stare.

"T-their couches are of different colors, kind of reminds you of the old hero shows, don't you think? As if they are children," Lu Yin Ze forcefully chuckled, then regretted it.

Lu Yin Ze: Stupid head, rude, and impolite! It will surely make a bad impression on her…

Why say that of all things…

Xiong Zhi was distracted as her eyes glued back to the Power Rangers again.

That was exactly what she thought.

"…It's indeed weird and immature…" she unconsciously murmured. 

She thought of Linfeng.

Would Linfeng be fine with this group of… childish men?

Would he have a couch of his own color?

What color would it be?