Chapter 493 - 275: An Incredibly Extravagant Coming-of-Age Ceremony

Outside the Banyan Tree Hotel.

Well-informed fans and paparazzi had already gathered early, lying in wait.

"It’s Reba and Sister Mi!"

"Our hearts for Di, never to part! No matter where, our Di is the prettiest by far!"

"Seeking Mi Mi, never to abandon! If Mi is well, it’s a sunny day; if Mi is happy, it’s the perfect ending!"

The two had just stepped out of a Ghost when they were met with the sight of numerous fans chanting their respective slogans.

Judging by the scene, it was hardly less grand than an awards ceremony.

"Miss Reba, Miss Yang Mi, this way, please."

Gu Feng and his team had taken over security for the entire hotel.

They were there to ensure the safety and privacy of the guests attending the birthday banquet, protecting them from the paparazzi and fans.

The fans were thrilled to get pictures of their favorite celebrities.

"Whose daughter is this? To get so many A-list stars for a birthday party, the appearance fees alone must be 50 million, right?"

"Probably not that exaggerated, but it has to be at least 30 million."

"Some people are just born lucky. We can only chase stars from the outside, while this young lady gets to take close-up photos with them and even chat happily."

"I heard the birthday girl is the campus belle of the Shanghai Theatre Academy and even prettier than Reba."

"No way! Our Reba is the most beautiful."

"..."

Following Gu Feng, Yang Mi and Reba walked into the hotel.

They were no strangers to the Banyan Tree.

They had stayed here once or twice when they came to Shanghai to film shows.

But that was a long time ago.

Ever since the Banyan Tree raised its prices, it had become even harder to get a room.

The average occupancy rate was absurdly high.

If you didn’t book a week in advance, you couldn’t get a room.

True, they themselves were worth a fortune.

But faced with such a lavish display—booking out the entire hotel for a birthday.

Even they, as famous actresses, were stunned.

The sides of the corridor leading to the venue were surrounded by a kaleidoscope of fresh flowers and greenery.

The banquet hall was decorated with bouquets everywhere, and even the suspended ceiling was covered in vines.

Exquisite candelabras and tableware sparkled on emerald green dining tables.

"Damn, Sister Mi, are you sure this isn’t a marriage proposal?"

In that moment, Reba turned green with envy.

’If a tall, rich, and handsome man were to propose to me here, I would definitely give it serious consideration.’

No girl could refuse such a romantic scene.

At the very least, she would find it hard to.

"So easily amazed."

Yang Mi was also a bit stunned, but she quickly composed herself.

"It’s great to be rich!"

Reba said wistfully, her eyes fixed on the nine-tiered cake that was so tall it intertwined with the vines on the ceiling.

It looked like it had grown there naturally; she didn’t even know how to describe it.

She knew without a doubt that the cake must have cost at least 100,000.

’So what if we’re big stars?’

’Faced with a scene of this magnitude, all we can do is stare, dumbfounded.’

Compared to someone casually dropping a hundred million on a birthday party for his young girlfriend, their own savings from years of hard work seemed utterly insignificant.

Before arriving, all the invited celebrities had been repeatedly reminded by their companies and managers.

Given Universal Entertainment’s growth momentum, Qi Sheng’s terrifying financial power, and his unknown, mysterious background, while they didn’t have to build a relationship, they absolutely could not afford to offend him.

She saw He Jiong, also dressed smartly in a suit, coordinating the schedule with the hotel staff.

"Teacher He, you’re here too?"

Reba found a chance to go up and greet him.

He Jiong smiled and nodded at Reba.

"Ah, Reba. You look beautiful today. I’m the host for this coming-of-age ceremony."

"Tsk, this whole scene today is just spectacular. You’re the host, and there are so many A-list stars here."

"It’s a good thing no reporters can get in, or they’d crash the Weibo servers for sure."

Reba remarked, but seeing a staff member looking anxious, she tactfully excused herself.

"Well, I’ll let you get back to it. I’m going to say hi to some other people."

"Alright, we’ll talk later when there’s time."

He Jiong didn’t dare to delay and continued to go over the script and schedule.

By 5:00 PM sharp, all the lights and sound systems had been tested and confirmed to be working perfectly.

The celebrities attending the banquet, having meticulously gotten ready in their rooms, also made their way to the first-floor banquet hall.

At 5:20 PM, the coming-of-age banquet for Zong Lin, which had been in preparation all day, officially began.

The choice of time was already a declaration in itself.

No one who makes it as an A-list star is a fool.

They all understood when they saw Zong Lin, dressed in a blue princess gown, slowly walking in from the entrance of the banquet hall.

Even the celebrities, who had seen their fair share of beautiful women, couldn’t help but be stunned by Zong Lin’s beauty.

"Sister Mi, this girl is gorgeous! Her figure is even more killer than yours."

Reba’s eyes were drawn to the dazzlingly fair skin revealed by Zong Lin’s deep V-neckline, sparkling under the bling of diamonds, making her a little dizzy.

"You talk too much!"

Yang Mi shot Reba a glare and then quietly turned her gaze to Zong Lin.

’She had to admit, this girl’s beauty and figure...’

’...were unparalleled in the entertainment industry.’

’To have such assets at such a young age... ’

’If she’s like this now, what will she be like when she reaches my age? Incredible.’

...

"Thank you to all our guests for attending our Linlin’s 18th coming-of-age banquet. Everyone’s 18th birthday is a wonderful milestone, a transition from youth to maturity..."

As the industry’s ace host, He Jiong’s ability to command a room was, of course, beyond question.

Meanwhile, Zong Lin, the star of the coming-of-age ceremony...

...though happy, couldn’t help but look around,

...searching the crowd for the one person she wanted to see most.

Seeing Zong Lin’s expression, He Jiong couldn’t help but chuckle to himself.

"Next, let’s have Linlin return backstage to change into her gown for the ball."

By the time the entire opening segment was over, Zong Lin still hadn’t seen Qi Sheng.

Her initially good mood soured a little.

She thought that Qi Sheng might have had something urgent come up and couldn’t make it to her ceremony.

Although the surprises Qi Sheng had given her today were already more than enough,

...she couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment.

The stylists bustled around her during the entire outfit change.

Until she had changed into a magnificent red gown.

Zong Lin’s originally pure and innocent aura suddenly gained a touch of alluring charm.

When she returned to the hall, He Jiong’s eyes lit up at the sight of the transformed Zong Lin.

’I heard that she’s a newcomer being heavily promoted by Universal Entertainment.’

’She has the looks, the body, and a billionaire boyfriend.’

’Looking at all the female stars in the industry, who could possibly compare?’

’Even if she wanted to avoid becoming famous, it would probably be difficult.’

"Alright, we will now begin the ball! Linlin, as the guest of honor today, is there a dance partner you’d like to invite? We have quite a few famous male stars here, you know!"

He Jiong was just making a joke.

The male stars in the audience, however, waved their hands in panic.

’If we incurred the wrath of that super-rich tycoon just for a dance, that would be a terrible injustice!’

"I do, but it seems he isn’t here today."

Zong Lin forced a smile, but her unhappiness was written all over her face.

"That’s not necessarily true!"

He Jiong smiled faintly. "And now, please welcome our mysterious guest."

When the melody of "My Love" began to play...

Zong Lin froze for a moment, her gaze instinctively turning toward the backstage area.

Qi Sheng, dressed in a black suit and holding a bouquet of roses, walked onto the stage with a smile.

What surprised her even more was that Qi Sheng was the one singing.

No wonder it sounded different from the CD version—it was even better than the original.

This wasn’t just a case of beauty being in the eye of the beholder.

Many guests at the scene, including several of the more popular celebrities, felt the same way.

"Sister Mi, don’t tell me this handsome guy is the super-rich tycoon who invited us?"

Reba’s eyes lit up, and she felt as if she’d been struck by Cupid’s arrow.

Top-tier looks, top-tier height, top-tier wealth...

What girl could remain calm when faced with a man holding roses and singing a love song to confess his feelings?

She certainly couldn’t, and neither could Zong Lin on the stage.

"I thought you weren’t coming."

Zong Lin looked at the scene, which was like something out of a dream, and her tears turned to a smile.

"I promised you an unforgettable coming-of-age ceremony. How could I possibly be absent?"

Qi Sheng smiled and handed the roses to Zong Lin.

"Happy birthday. From today on, you’re a true adult."

"Thank you."

Zong Lin happily accepted the roses and glanced at her older sister, who was smiling and clapping in the audience.

Gritting her teeth, she leaned in and kissed him.

’It’s my birthday, after all. I have a birthday-girl immunity card.’

’At worst, I’ll just get chewed out tomorrow!’

Qi Sheng was startled for a moment, then wrapped a gentlemanly arm around Zong Lin’s slender waist.

Under the envious gazes of many men, he savored the young woman’s innocent yet passionate first kiss as an adult.

"Ahem! We will now proceed with the ball. Everyone is free to invite a member of the opposite sex who interests them to dance."

After saying this, He Jiong immediately ducked backstage.

During the entire ball, aside from a few couples who were dancing,

...everyone else was watching the young couple on stage’s public display of affection.

The handsome man and beautiful woman were almost too pleasant to look at.

Even Yang Mi, who hadn’t been in the best of moods,

...couldn’t help but smile at the scene before her.

’Love really is sweet, but it’s better to watch others be in it.’

’When you’re in it yourself, there are too many troubles.’

"Sister Mi, why do you think a man that handsome wouldn’t chase after me?"

Reba said, watching Zong Lin, who was nestled in Qi Sheng’s arms with a look of sweet bliss on her face.

It was impossible to say how envious she was.

After all, wasn’t marrying into a rich family the ultimate dream for a female celebrity?

This girl in front of them had achieved their ultimate dream before she had even become famous.

"Life after marrying into a wealthy family isn’t necessarily as good as you imagine."

Yang Mi was more rational and not particularly envious.

After so many years in the entertainment industry, her own net worth was around seven or eight hundred million.

As for the rumors of several billion circulating online, that was all nonsense.

It had only been seven or eight years since she truly blew up.

Averaging a hundred million a year already put her among the top-earning female celebrities.

It was precisely because she had this financial power that she didn’t envy those female stars who married into wealthy families.

Rather than marry in and be subservient, she’d rather find a boy toy to keep her happy.

"But if someone really spent a hundred million to confess his love to me so lavishly, I wouldn’t want to struggle anymore either. Wouldn’t it be nice to just give up the rat race and relax?"

Reba had certainly earned a lot of money in recent years, but she basically had no time to rest.

The thought that the money she worked hard to earn in a year was just the cost of someone else’s coming-of-age ceremony...

This huge disparity made her instinctively long for that kind of life.

Besides, the male lead in this story was a top-tier handsome, rich man.

Who wouldn’t be envious?

Even a certain senior actress, famous for supporting five elders, had eyes red with envy.