"Who's looking for my son?" Lin Shoucheng stood up and asked, pondering in his heart.
He confirmed that all the relatives who should be present were indeed there, with no one left out.
Could it be some relative who decided to come over on a whim without saying anything beforehand? He couldn't help but feel suspicious.
"It's Mr. Chu," the staff member replied, visibly relieved.
There was no other way; the Chu Group had been partners with Starry for a long time.
Earlier, the founder of the Chu Group had personally come to the door, asking to see Mr. Lin Yuan, which had quite startled her.
Luckily, it turned out that he was indeed there.
"Mr. Chu?" Everyone at the family banquet was a bit surprised.
A surname like Chu wasn't from the Lin family, was it? As everyone began to discuss quietly among themselves, a bearded man entered with a young man about seventeen or eighteen years old.
Though the bearded man was dressed plainly, his demeanor and aura were something uncommon, akin to those who wielded real power.
"Is he the founder of the Chu Group?" Someone suddenly exclaimed, as if they had pieced things together.
In the interstellar age with its advanced network, even a little-known citizen's photo could circulate online.
The Chu Group being ranked top fifty in East Ning City had significant fame.
Regardless of how low-key its founder was, there were still people who would recognize him.
"The founder of the Chu Group? My heavens! This is a big shot in East Ning City," people began whispering excitedly.
Some even instantly connected to the network to compare the bearded man's face with photos found online.
"Chairman Chu," Lin Jiye quickly walked over, standing excitedly before the bearded man.
"We met six years ago. It was your group that bought that land in the suburbs."
"Uh-huh."
The bearded man replied absentmindedly, not remembering Lin Jiye at all.
"Secretary Lin is here too?" The bearded man glanced around the room, nodding slightly towards Lin Hao, who was sitting at the main seat.
Then, pulling along the young man behind him, Chu Shiyu, he hurriedly approached Lin Yuan.
"Mr. Lin, my young relative here was foolish. I hope you won't hold it against him."
The bearded man's posture was incredibly low, showing none of the airs of an elder.
"No problem," Lin Yuan replied, glancing at Chu Shiyu, recalling their unexpected meeting at a café not too long ago.
Shaking his head, he added, "How did you find this place?"
"I intended to bring Shiyu to visit Mr. Lin personally at home today, but after heading over, I heard from others that Mr. Lin's family was hosting a banquet here at the Starry Hotel, so we came over," the bearded man explained honestly.
"I see," Lin Yuan nodded slightly.
The family banquet hosted by his father, Lin Shouye, wasn't secretive.
Six or seven out of ten neighbors knew about it.
"This is just a small token to congratulate Mr. Lin on becoming an evolver," the bearded man said, handing over an envelope with a respectful demeanor.
What he respected wasn't Lin Yuan's identity as an evolver.
Evolvers were rare but not nonexistent, and their Chu Group actually had a team of evolvers.
What the bearded man truly feared was the bias the Goddess of Wisdom showed towards Lin Yuan, to the point of where searching for related information would trigger warnings from the goddess herself.
Everyone knew Lin Yuan wasn't simple, and this distinction certainly wasn't there when others searched for the group's founder.
"I understand," Lin Yuan replied nonchalantly, not giving much thought to what had happened at the café; in fact, nothing had actually occurred.
What Lin Yuan didn't realize was how those around him, including relatives, were affected by witnessing his conversation with the bearded man.
At first, some doubted whether the bearded man had confused Lin Yuan with someone else, possibly someone with the same name.
After all, Lin Yuan had only just become an evolver and couldn't possibly have networks broad enough to involve such significant figures as the bearded man.
But when the bearded man personally walked up to Lin Yuan and the two had a conversation, everyone realized there had been no mistake in identity.
The founder of the Chu Group had indeed come for Lin Yuan.
"Lin Yuan..."
Lin Jiye's expression shifted between surprise and disbelief.
He had considered offering Lin Yuan a chance to work under him, even proposing a salary of twenty thousand a month.
But before long, the Chu Group's founder, someone Lin Jiye had never dared to dream of approaching, stood humbly before Lin Yuan.
"My nephew..."
Lin Hao, sitting at the main seat, was deep in thought.
While others saw the bearded man as a big shot, to Lin Hao, he was merely a businessman, albeit a very successful one.
The surprising part, however, was why such a wealthy man would display this tone towards Lin Yuan.
Knock, knock, knock.
The door of the private room was knocked upon again.
"Is this Mr. Lin Yuan's private room?" A powerful voice called out.
Huh? Someone else was looking for Lin Yuan? After the bearded man's example, everyone present didn't dare overlook it.
Lin Shoucheng promptly got up and opened the door himself.
Under everyone's gaze, a man with a straight posture walked in, followed by a young man around seventeen or eighteen, none other than Huo Qingyao.
"Who is this?" the guests at the banquet whispered among themselves, finding no related information online.
"This one probably isn't someone important, right?" Everyone sighed in relief.
The previous encounter with the bearded man had everyone tense, thinking Lin Yuan had some terrifying connections.
Now, it seemed they might have overthought, assuming the bearded man's revere towards Lin Yuan was just a coincidence.
Just as everyone let out a breath of relief, Lin Hao, who had wielded a presence commanding even the bearded man's respect, suddenly stood up.
"Major Huo?" Lin Hao exclaimed in disbelief.
Military information was always confidential, and ordinary people couldn't easily search it online without proper clearance.
But Lin Hao was different; as a secretary to one of the higher-ups, he had greater access and knew much more.
"Secretary Lin?" Major Huo glanced at Lin Hao, nodding in acknowledgment.
As he made way, another figure walked in leisurely.
"President Liao?" If seeing Major Huo had only shocked Lin Hao—since the military and government were separate systems—putting them on par in terms of influence, witnessing the individual following Huo waltzing in left Lin Hao utterly flabbergasted.
President Liao.
The president of East Ning City’s Evolvers Association.
A second-class citizen and someone who ranked among the top five in terms of status in East Ning City.
Even Lin Hao’s superior himself would greet him meticulously.
"Could it be... President Liao is also here for Xiao Yuan?" Such a thought struck Lin Hao’s mind, leaving him in awe.