Though a sum of one million five hundred thousand was not immense, neatly stacked on the gift table, it was still quite staggering.

Especially when two sharp, competent young women, dressed identically, deftly ran the stacks through a currency counter, the crisp whirring sound and the pleasant electronic chime drew even more attention.

“My sincerest apologies, Miss Qi.”

Cai Yuantu, whose bulk resembled a small mountain, chuckled heartily. “Truthfully, I had intended to present a jade piece, but then I realized you, Miss Qi, are the true expert in that field. I wouldn't dare show off my meager knowledge!”

Qi Fei maintained her smile. “Not at all, Boss Cai, you are far too modest.”

“I’m not being modest, Miss Qi. Your achievements in this industry are plain for all to see!” Cai Yuantu gave a thumbs-up. “Now, please carry on with your work; we’ll head inside and take a seat.”

Qi Fei arranged for staff to escort Cai Yuantu to the VIP lounge. Her gaze briefly met that of her cousin, Qi Ji, before she coolly retracted it.

Immediately, Qi Ji’s anger surged; he felt utterly disrespected!

At that moment, the sum of over 1.5 million on Qi Fei’s table had taken the lead, becoming the largest single contribution among all nine gift tables. Qi Ji’s own contribution of a few hundred thousand, which had initially seemed far ahead, only amounted to about four hundred thousand—roughly a quarter of Qi Fei’s total. By monetary value alone, Qi Ji had been utterly defeated in this bloodless contest.

But just then, his phone rang. The moment he saw the incoming caller ID, his eyes instantly shone brighter than light bulbs, filled with immense excitement!

“Little Qi, I’ll be there in five minutes. Just confirming—it’s the grand hall on the top floor of the Qingyuan Hotel, correct?”

“Yes, yes, absolutely correct!” Qi Ji boomed with laughter. “Mayor Yu honoring us with his presence! The Old Master will be overjoyed. I’ll go downstairs to welcome you immediately!”

A Mayor was coming?

The surroundings instantly hushed. Many turned to look at Qi Ji with a distinctly different gaze.

Although this Yu Zhifeng was only a Vice Mayor, he was still a leader at the Vice-Departmental level, one of the handful of significant figures in the entire city. His attendance at Elder Master Qi’s birthday banquet was clearly not due to the Old Master himself, but rather a gesture made out of consideration for Qi Ji.

There was much implied in this! While Qi Ji commanded tens of millions in assets, in this era where CPD was moving faster than a rocket, to put it bluntly, that money was merely equivalent to the steel and concrete piles for a few development projects. Moreover, Qi Ji was relatively young—politely termed "promisingly young," or more accurately, "immature." A Mayor maintains a certain decorum; if he weren't actively supporting Qi Ji, a congratulatory call would have sufficed as a polite nod; ignoring the event wouldn't have mattered.

Yet, Vice Mayor Yu was coming in person. This made everyone who heard the news look at Qi Ji with newfound respect. Qi Ji had instantly regained ground. Those guests who had just been regarding Qi Fei with higher esteem suddenly remembered that money wasn't everything; connections sometimes held greater weight.

Qi Ji gathered a few influential uncles and relatives, beaming with pride as he descended the stairs. During this interlude, Qi Fei hosted a few relatives who stopped by with modest gifts, amounting to only a few hundred yuan each.

There is a saying about attending funerals: never wander around aimlessly at the crematorium, or you’ll lose money. This joke isn't about thieves or ghosts stealing cash; it’s a warning. The crematorium is a hub for somber occasions, and if you mill about, you might run into acquaintances who expect a monetary gift!

This isn't just baseless talk. If you have many connections and bad luck, encountering two or three acquaintances who require you to present a gift is not uncommon. Wang Zhuo once heard Ding Ren recount a true experience: Ding Ren went to pay respects for a friend’s deceased father. As soon as he entered the compound, he ran into an acquaintance and they began talking. While they chatted, several other groups of friends arrived sequentially. After exchanging pleasantries, Ding Ren learned of two other events he hadn't known about.

Had he missed hearing about these events, so be it. But now that he knew, and since he was nearby, it would be improper not to make an appearance! As a result, Ding Ren, who had arrived intending to offer one gift, ended up presenting five.

The small sums Qi Fei had just accepted were a direct result of this phenomenon. Fortunately, while the amounts were small, they at least saved her from an awkward lull.

Vice Mayor Yu Zhifeng arrived, and the entire Qi family lined up to receive him, ushering him in amidst a flurry of escorting personnel.

Vice Mayor Yu was in his early forties, an age ripe for significant professional achievement. He was not tall, slightly receding at the crown, with a slight paunch whose origins were debatable—whether from repeated indulgence in alcohol or heredity.

When a high-ranking official stands in a crowd, he naturally exudes an aura, instantly signaling to observers that he is no ordinary person. Yu Zhifeng was just like that; despite his moderate height and unremarkable appearance, every movement carried an air of innate superiority, demanding respect.

As Qi Ji proudly escorted Mayor Yu toward the VIP section, they happened to cross paths with Qi Fei. A subtle, almost imperceptible smirk played on his lips, savoring a superior feeling of triumph.

“Oh?”

Vice Mayor Yu suddenly paused, turning to address Qi Fei, who was navigating through the edges of the crowd. “Excuse me… are you General Manager Qi of Shengshi Dynasty?” As the Vice Mayor overseeing Culture, Education, Science, and Health, Yu Zhifeng shouldn't typically interact with Qi Fei, whose business was jewelry. However, Qi Fei was a well-known powerhouse in the city, not only holding the title of the city’s richest woman but also managing a core business line for a publicly listed group. If Yu Zhifeng didn't know her, his tenure as Mayor would be dreadfully insulated.

Being on good terms with Qi Ji, Yu Zhifeng was certainly aware of his relationship with Qi Fei. In fact, half the reason Vice Mayor Yu made a special trip to this banquet was Qi Fei—his life goal was a career in politics, and forging some connection with her now could prove useful once he became Mayor.

“Ah, hello,” Qi Fei stopped, her eyes quickly sweeping over the shorter man addressing her and the entourage beside him. Recognizing him as a figure of considerable social standing, she offered a polite greeting.

“Haha, I was right to recognize you!” Yu Zhifeng first glanced sidelong at Qi Ji beside him with a smile, then turned enthusiastically to Qi Fei. “I’ve long admired the reputation of the formidable Miss Qi. Seeing you today, you truly live up to it.”

At the side, Qi Fei’s paternal uncle introduced, “Little Fei, this is Mayor Yu, who oversees the city’s departments of Education, Science, Culture, and Health.”

“So, Mayor Yu,” Qi Fei showed a brief flicker of surprise before extending a hand, withdrawing it quickly after a brief contact.

Just as Yu Zhifeng was about to speak again, Qi Fei smiled and said hurriedly, “My apologies, Mayor Yu, I must rush downstairs to receive a guest. Please excuse me for now!” With that, she offered an apologetic smile and quickly strode away!

Yu Zhifeng was left awkwardly hanging, and Qi Ji felt a pang of lost face, mixed with a schadenfreude that Qi Fei had faltered. What guest? That was just a flimsy excuse! he thought. She’s actually fleeing because she lost the contest!

“Uh… I’m truly sorry, Mayor Yu, my niece she…” Qi Zhigao started to offer an explanation but trailed off. After all, no matter how poorly Qi Fei acted, she was still a high-level executive of a listed group worth hundreds of millions. Despite being an elder, he could not openly criticize her in this setting.

“It seems Miss Qi truly has an important guest to greet; she is unavoidably detained,” Yu Zhifeng quickly smoothed things over for himself after a moment of surprise, letting out a chuckle before continuing onward.

To the onlookers, this appeared as the magnanimity of a leader, a chief capable of absorbing slights. However, someone at Yu Zhifeng’s level knew that while a Vice Mayor was a big deal to common citizens, Qi Fei’s own standing was far from negligible, and her foundation was not purely local. Never mind Yu Zhifeng; even if the city’s top leader had been snubbed by her, he wouldn't dare make an issue of it.

After Mayor Yu was settled into the head seat, guests of significant stature began approaching to exchange pleasantries. Qi Ji beamed with pride, hosting everyone by his side.

Elder Master Qi had been resting in a private room, attended by his children. Upon the arrival of a VIP of Mayor Yu’s caliber, he was also invited out to take the main seat.

However, the Old Master had long suffered from age-related deafness and had gone completely deaf in recent years, so his interaction with Mayor Yu was limited to a few perfunctory words, rendering him mostly decorative.

During the small talk, Yu Zhifeng asked, “Little Qi, do you know which esteemed guest Miss Qi Fei went to receive? I feel perhaps I shouldn't occupy this seat?”

“Not at all, not at all,” Qi Ji immediately waved his hand, smiling. “She’s been developing her career in other cities for years; she doesn't have many prominent friends in our city, and even if she does have highly placed friends, none could possibly rank higher than yourself!”

“Heh, that may be so…”

Yu Zhifeng’s sentence was cut short as a young man, perhaps eighteen or nineteen, rushed in breathlessly and approached Qi Zhigao, drawing his attention.

Qi Ji’s expression darkened, and he reprimanded, “Yang Shu, why the panic?” Yang Shu was the Old Master’s grandson by marriage and a cousin to Qi Ji. The young man had been busy handling logistics all day, which was proving to be a good trial run.

“There’s an Old Master surnamed Qin…” Yang Shu gasped heavily, managing to speak. “I saw police escorts!” Old Master surnamed Qin? Police escorts?

As Qi Ji tried to process this, Yu Zhifeng suddenly shot up from his seat! In the city’s roll of heroes, there were only two prominent figures surnamed Qin. Qin Xue was too young to be called an Old Master. Therefore, the answer became glaringly obvious: the guest Qi Fei rushed to meet was none other than Qin Jingzhong, the father of Qin Xue!

“Mayor Yu, what is it?” Qi Zhigao was highly surprised by Yu Zhifeng’s sudden agitation.

Yu Zhifeng had already pulled back the chair behind him, pushing aside Qi Ji who was blocking the way. “Old Master Qin has arrived! Quickly, let’s go out and welcome him!”