pertwk Chapter 48 The Banquet in Progress
Chapter 48 The Banquet in Progress
A few suppressed laughs rang out from the surrounding area.
The tense atmosphere eased slightly.
Caesar smiled, shook his head, then stepped aside and gestured for them to enter: "Please come in, gentlemen. The banquet is about to begin."
Nono nodded, took Lu Mingfei and Finger's hands, walked past Caesar, and stepped onto the steps of the Amber Pavilion.
As Lu Mingfei passed by Caesar, he heard him whisper in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"Take good care of her."
Lu Mingfei paused for a moment.
He turned to look at Caesar.
Caesar did not look at him, his gaze fixed on the distance, his profile outlined in the setting sun.
At that moment, Lu Mingfei suddenly felt... that this man might not be so annoying after all.
In fact, it's a bit pitiful.
"I will," Lu Mingfei said softly, then turned and followed Nuonuo into the Amber Pavilion.
Behind them, Caesar stood still, watching the three figures disappear through the door, remaining motionless for a long time.
The sun had completely sunk behind the mountains, and night fell.
The lights of the Amber Pavilion illuminated one after another, transforming the ancient building into a palace.
The banquet has officially begun.
Inside the Golden Screen: The Future World - Amber Pavilion Main Banquet Hall
The banquet hall was even more luxurious than Lu Mingfei had imagined.
A huge crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling, which is at least ten meters high, each crystal refracting a dazzling light under the illumination. Huge oil paintings adorn the walls, not landscapes or portraits, but epic scenes from the dragon war—dragons coiling in flames, knights charging with swords drawn, the scene both bloody and magnificent.
In the center of the hall was a huge dance floor, the gleaming marble floor reflecting the light and shadow of the chandeliers. Long dining tables were arranged around the perimeter, covered with pristine white tablecloths and laden with a variety of exquisite dishes: golden-brown roast suckling pig, sashimi arranged in the shape of flower petals, mountains of caviar, and all sorts of other dishes that I couldn't name and that looked outrageously expensive.
Waiters carried silver trays among the guests, on which were crystal-clear champagne glasses, the golden liquid flowing with an alluring luster under the lights.
The air was filled with a complex blend of smells of food, perfume, and cigars, along with elegant piano music—a musician in a tuxedo was playing at a grand piano in the corner, the notes flowing like water through the banquet hall.
Lu Mingfei stood at the door, feeling as if he had stumbled into another world.
A world that was completely out of place for him, a world belonging to the elite and the aristocracy.
"Relax," Nono squeezed his hand and whispered, "Just think of it as a buffet. See that lobster over there? It costs five hundred dollars a piece. Let's eat a few more and get our money's worth."
Lu Mingfei was amused by her, and his tension eased a little.
"Senior sister," he asked softly, "why are you wearing purple today?"
Nono glanced at him, her expression complex: "You noticed?"
Lu Mingfei nodded.
"Purple is the color of farewell," Nono said softly. "I'm saying goodbye to the past, and I'm also letting Caesar... say goodbye to the past."
She paused, then added, "This is better for everyone."
Lu Mingfei understood.
Nono was using this method to give Caesar a dignified way out and to give their relationship a formal end.
She is really gentle.
Even though she appears arrogant and domineering on the surface, and even though she is called the "Red-haired Priestess," she is actually more sensitive and considerate of others' feelings than anyone else.
"Thank you," Lu Mingfei said.
"What are you thanking me for?"
"Thank you... for choosing me." Lu Mingfei's voice was soft but earnest. "I know I'm not good enough for you, I know I..."
"Shut up," Nono interrupted him, but her tone wasn't harsh. "Ricardo, I chose you not because you're worthy of me, nor because Caesar isn't. I chose you because... I wanted to choose you. That's all."
She looked at Lu Mingfei, her dark eyes gleaming with a hidden light that Lu Mingfei couldn't decipher:
So stop talking about whether we're good enough for each other. I like you, that's all. Even if you're a loser, even if you're wearing a cheap rented suit, even if your palms are sweating from nervousness—I still like you.
Lu Mingfei stared blankly at her, feeling his heart filled with a warm yet bittersweet emotion.
He wanted to say something, but his throat felt like it was blocked by something, and he couldn't utter a single word.
"Alright, stop making that face." Nono patted his cheek. "Let's go get something to eat. I'll go say hello to a few acquaintances."
She released Lu Mingfei's hand and walked to the other side of the banquet hall.
Lu Mingfei stood there, watching her departing figure, watching her purple suit gleam mysteriously under the light, watching her long red hair sway gently over her shoulders.
Then, he took a deep breath and turned to walk towards the dining table.
Now that he's here, since Nono wanted him to come, and since Caesar greeted him with such courtesy—
Then he should act like a man and finish his meal properly.
Even if the meal isn't very tasty.
Lu Mingfei walked to the dining table, picked up a plate, and began to eat.
He tried to appear natural, but his movements still seemed a bit clumsy. He had actually learned how to use a knife and fork—Nono had taught him at that restaurant in Chicago. But that was months ago, and he was too nervous to remember much of it.
"Hey, isn't this our S-class freshman?"
A slightly mocking voice came from the side.
Lu Mingfei turned his head and saw a blond boy holding a champagne glass, looking at him with a half-smile. The boy was probably around twenty years old, tall, and handsome, but his eyes held a condescending disdain.
Lu Mingfei didn't know him, but he could guess that he was probably a minister in the student council or a friend of Caesar.
"Hello." Lu Mingfei nodded politely.
"I'm Frank, the head of the student council's discipline department." The boy introduced himself, then looked Lu Mingfei up and down. "Your suit... is quite unique. Which store did you rent it from? It looks... very economical."
A few suppressed laughs rang out from the surrounding area.
Lu Mingfei blushed, but tried to remain calm: "The 'Gentlemen's House' near the college. One hundred US dollars a day, it's really a good deal."
"One hundred US dollars?" Frank raised an eyebrow. "That's certainly cheap. But did you know that the suit President Caesar wore today was custom-made by an Italian master craftsman? It costs fifty thousand US dollars a set. And Senior Nono's purple suit is a haute couture piece from Chanel, costing at least thirty thousand US dollars."
He paused, his smile turning somewhat malicious:
"Don't you feel... a bit out of place standing next to them?"
Louder laughter.