It wasn't exactly a slight for Old Li to barge in like that; the Collectors' Association gatherings were, to a large extent, thinly veiled showcases and trade fairs, with deals being struck at every meeting.

Though jade was a high-end commodity, it was much like other collectibles; buying, selling, or trading was common practice when enthusiasts gathered. The same held true for jade collectors’ meetings: some came to show off their treasures, others to hunt for bargains, sell pieces, or make purchases.

Old Li was somewhat dense, to put it plainly, lacking social grace. Seeing as many merchants took advantage of these gatherings to display their prized possessions and wait for the right offer, he naturally assumed Wang Zhuo was one of them, blurting out, "Are you selling?" before even knowing Wang Zhuo's identity.

"Come, come, Wang Zhuo, let me introduce you."

Seeing Old Li’s awkwardness, Jia Weimin chuckled, smoothing things over as he gestured toward Li Guangyi to Wang Zhuo. "This is Li Guangyi, Chairman of Guangyi Pharmaceuticals. He has countless pieces in his private collection and is a seasoned jade enthusiast."

As Jia Weimin was about to introduce Wang Zhuo, Li Guangyi quickly smiled, "I know Mr. Wang of Shengshi Dynasty; President Jia needn't bother with an introduction."

Wang Zhuo shook his hand and asked with a smile, "Mr. Li’s 'Good Faith Hangover Tea'—I’ve tried it. How are sales doing?"

"You know our company’s hangover tea?" Li Guangyi was genuinely surprised, speaking enthusiastically, "Among similar products, we only rank in the top five; we’re far behind giants like 'King of Liquor Golden Goblet.'"

Wang Zhuo smiled faintly, "Replacing 'Soup' with 'Tea' in the name—your company’s marketing approach is uniquely ingenious and quite skillful!"

Li Guangyi immediately felt the thrill of finding a kindred spirit. The "Good Faith Hangover Tea" was originally called "Good Faith Hangover Soup," packaged in plastic bottles with rotating caps, resembling cough syrup. Sales were sluggish until, somehow, he thought of the promotional strategy behind Wanglaoji herbal tea. Unconventionally, he repackaged the hangover soup into aluminum cans, changing soup to tea.

The contents were identical, completely unchanged, but by substituting one character, it transformed from a traditional Chinese medicinal decoction into a functional beverage. Furthermore, this move opened up markets in supermarkets, convenience stores, and hotels. This was one of the most brilliant decisions of Li Guangyi's life, and hearing Wang Zhuo’s praise made his smile stretch ear to ear.

Siyuan chimed in sweetly from the side, "Brother Wang Zhuo has three cans of Good Faith Hangover Tea sitting right on his desk."

Hearing this, Li Guangyi burst into loud laughter, "It is my honor to have a high-end client like Boss Wang!"

Siyuan also smiled, but the playful glint hidden deep within her smile was visible only to Wang Zhuo.

Indeed. Li Guangyi mistakenly thought Wang Zhuo was one of his customers who drank his hangover tea regularly. Little did he know that Wang Zhuo’s desk held not only his Good Faith Hangover Tea but also competing products like King of Liquor Golden Goblet, Liquor King Kong, and Laughing Drunkard. Moreover, Wang Zhuo bought these items not for personal use, but for developing rival products to compete with them!

Li Guangyi was oblivious to Wang Zhuo’s true intentions. He imagined this exchange had already established a rapport—they were both jade friends, adding another layer of shared interest. Isn't that how friendships begin?

The formal event hadn't begun yet, and the venue was already buzzing with activity. People were sipping drinks and chatting; some clustered in small groups, others milled about. In some spots, groups of ten or twenty were gathered around a specific collectible brought in by its owner for appraisal.

Wang Zhuo led Siyuan into the hall, and they first made their way to the freshly squeezed juice bar, ordering a coconut juice and a papaya juice, respectively.

Coconut is perhaps the healthiest fruit—it grows by the sea, encountering little pollution or harmful agents, requiring no fertilizer or pesticides. Its thick shell also wards off pests, making it Wang Zhuo's first choice.

As for why Siyuan insisted on the rather unappetizing papaya juice? Naturally, it was because she wished for a pair of papaya-shaped breasts.

Just as they received their juices, Siyuan, standing next to Wang Zhuo, suddenly gasped and asked a woman who was ordering a drink from the waiter, "Excuse me, aren't you the one who played Bai Hong, that, that…"

She paused with an "that" twice, unable to recall the woman's actual name, and laughed sheepishly, sticking out her tongue. "I'm sorry, I only remember the character's name; I don't know your real one."

Wang Zhuo turned to look. It was a beautiful woman, appearing to be around thirty years old. Her light makeup accentuated flawless, delicate features; she had thin lips and a lean figure, yet her curves were perfectly C-shaped—full but not exaggerated breasts and hips. She exuded an alluring, subtle fragrance, likely an expensive perfume. Her smooth, long hair was styled in a few simple waves. The form-fitting, deep-red qipao was impeccably tailored, making her look like a red rose blooming in the night.

The woman paused, seemingly encountering this charmingly forward approach for the first time. She smiled gently, her voice carrying a unique, lingering quality. "My name is Ning Yao."

"Oh, oh, so your name is Ning Yao," Siyuan giggled, raising her papaya juice toward her. "You should drink this too; it tastes great."

Siyuan’s immediate familiarity made Ning Yao smile again. Wang Zhuo could only offer a wry, silent smile. Ning Yao was the type of celebrity who achieved success later in life; her drama Divorce to the Bitter End was a massive hit for six months last year, propelling her into the ranks of A-list stars. He was surprised Siyuan had only watched the show and didn't even know Ning Yao's famous name.

Thinking about it, wasn't Ning Yao actually thirty-six this year? How could she look barely thirty? Wang Zhuo glanced at her a few more times, finding himself intrigued by how well she maintained herself.

Just then, two separate groups approached simultaneously. Judging by their expressions, one group—two men and a woman—was heading toward Ning Yao, while the other group—one woman and three men—was headed toward Wang Zhuo.

Those who could afford to collect jade were invariably wealthy and influential. Jiangzhou was one of the nation's economic hubs, and today's gathering was essentially an upper-crust social circle; seeing anyone here was no surprise.

For nouveau riche like Wang Zhuo, despite having billions in assets, it was all paper wealth. He could use means to keep himself off various rich lists and top-hundred rankings, though many others could do the same, especially those from second- or third-generation wealthy families whose fortunes had been accumulating for decades under the shadow of their ancestors. Their hidden strength far surpassed Wang Zhuo’s by ten thousand miles.

For a celebrity like Ning Yao, beautiful and famous though she was, to those with exceptionally high standards, she was merely an actress—much like famous Peking Opera stars in the old society who might be flattered and adored, appearing to stand above others, yet could easily be toyed with by any washed-up warlord or police captain.

Watching Ning Yao being drawn away by the two men and one woman to chat and toast some important figure, Wang Zhuo was inexplicably reminded of leaked online photos showing major actresses at social functions, hugging and being force-fed drinks by slovenly men, all while forcing cheerful smiles. Ning Yao's slightly desolate expression as she left formed a stark contrast to those pictures.

Siyuan seemed to notice the subtle shift in Ning Yao’s expression and was about to ask Wang Zhuo something when the group of one woman and three men arrived nearby.

"Boss Wang, long time no see."

A tall young man spoke first, greeting Wang Zhuo with a hint of disrespect in his tone.

"Boss Zong, still well, I trust?"

Wang Zhuo replied with a semi-smile, using a rhetorical question, though his tone sounded as if he were genuinely curious why Boss Zong hadn't fallen ill.

The young man called Boss Zong immediately looked displeased. Another youth beside him smiled faintly, "Zong Xuefeng, shall we introduce everyone?"

"This," Zong Xuefeng pointed at Wang Zhuo, "is Wang Zhuo, the boss of Shengshi Dynasty."

"Ah, Chairman Wang, hello, hello!" The youth immediately extended his right hand with a smile. "I am Liu Zhen from Huatai Jewelry."

Wang Zhuo gave a slight smile, lightly brushing his fingers against Liu Zhen's hand during the shake, only touching it briefly before pulling back. These people clearly came for him, yet this smooth-faced fellow named Liu Zhen pretended to have just learned his identity—how hypocritical!

Liu Zhen seemed completely unfazed by Wang Zhuo’s coldness. He shifted slightly, taking Zong Xuefeng’s place, and continued introducing, "Chairman Wang, this is Miss Luo Lan, daughter of Boss Luo from Shunfeng Jewelry, and this is Jing Yunquan, son of President Jing of our Collectors' Association."

Jing Tianhui’s son? Wang Zhuo deliberately gave Jing Yunquan a second look. This unimpressive, shorter man, looking about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, wore an expensive suit and possessed a detached, unsmiling demeanor that seemed cut from the same mold as his father, Jing Tianhui.

According to Qi Fei's analysis, there was an eighty percent chance that this 'Hongmen Banquet' was orchestrated by Jing Tianhui. As the commercial faction's representative within the association, Vice President Jing often spearheaded business-related events. Since Shengshi Dynasty had become the lever shifting the entire industry, Jing Yunquan’s interests were undoubtedly harmed, meaning he had every reason to be at the forefront of opposing Shengshi Dynasty.

Jing Yunquan wasn't just the Vice President of the Jade Collectors' Association; he had also been the head of the Jiangzhou City Jade Inspection Bureau. Even in retirement, he maintained powerful connections in that field. There were often under-the-table dealings in jade inspection; jewelry companies needed good relations with the inspection bureaus to prosper.

These people naturally stood centered around Jing Yunquan. Wang Zhuo mused, No wonder; Jing Tianhui's son is certainly someone worth currying favor with!

However, Wang Zhuo didn't need to butter up Jing Yunquan. Only a small portion of Shengshi Dynasty's jade was inspected locally in Jiangzhou; the majority was inspected where it was processed—in Beijing, Yunnan, or Hong Kong. Furthermore, no matter how powerful the quality inspection department or the Jade Inspection Bureau was, they wouldn't dare offend Shengshi Dynasty, which had the city's top figure as its backer, just for the sake of a retired former leader, would they?