Only Han Xiaoyu is missing

Meng Qianyu played two or three songs in a row, and everyone then urged Tang Ziyun to join in with some accompaniment. Time passed amid laughter and cheer.

By 8 PM, the banquet officially began.

Two more of Meng Qianyu's friends, a guy and a girl, arrived midway.

The gathering now totaled 17 people.

Those who came were mostly close friends of Meng Wenzhou and Meng Qianyu.

Though Meng Wenzhou had many acquaintances, most were fair-weather friends or business associates—none of whom he had invited tonight.

This evening was simply a lively gathering of close young friends to celebrate Meng Qianyu's return to China, not some high-profile, business-oriented dinner filled with industry elites.

By now, night had fully fallen, and the city lights shimmered.

On the rooftop garden of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, slender strips of hanging lights illuminated the space, blending with the serene ambiance to create an almost dreamlike atmosphere.

After exchanging a few words with Meng Wenzhou, Meng Qianyu took the microphone and stepped onto the stage.

Everyone turned their attention toward her as she cleared her throat and said, "Could I have two minutes of your time, please?"

The room fell silent in anticipation.

Meng Qianyu smiled and continued, "Since everyone here is a close friend of my brother or me, I won’t bother with a formal speech."

"Just a few quick words—I’ve spent most of my life abroad, but now that I’ve graduated, I’m back in my homeland for good. I’d really appreciate your support moving forward. And thank you all for coming to this little welcome party—or as I prefer to call it, a 'party.'"

"Many of you here are new faces to me, but after tonight, we’re all friends! Feel free to reach out anytime—I’m pretty easygoing."

"Alright, that’s all from me. Let the party begin!"

"Bravo! Well said!" Liu Bo stood up, leading the applause.

The others followed with warm smiles and clapping.

Zhang Ziming chimed in, "I like Qianyu’s attitude! We should definitely hang out more often—that’s how friendships last."

Indeed, having grown up mostly overseas, Meng Qianyu carried herself with an effortless confidence, speaking on stage without a hint of shyness.

This stood in contrast to many girls raised domestically, who, while no less wonderful, tended to be more reserved in such settings.

Meng Wenzhou grinned at the group. "Alright, let’s get the food served! After dinner, we’ll drink and dance."

"Can’t wait to see Yasuo and Yone waltzing!" someone teased.

Meng Wenzhou turned to Su Yang. "Damn, I totally forgot about that."

"Please tell me you brought the outfit?"

"Of course I did. After dinner, I’ll change. A bet’s a bet—no backing out."

Su Yang gave a thumbs-up. "Now that’s a real man!"

Soft, melodic music played in the background as staff began serving an array of exquisite dishes on the long dining tables by the pool.

The rooftop garden, bathed in gentle lighting—neither too bright nor too dim—exuded an elegant, romantic charm.

A cool breeze carried the fragrance of the garden’s plants, adding to the relaxed atmosphere.

This would be an ideal spot for a romantic dinner and confession.

[Ding. Host’s mood detected as "joyful." Reward: 600,000.]

Everyone took their seats at three appropriately sized tables.

Su Yang, Meng Wenzhou, Liu Bo, Zhang Ziming, and Ji Bo sat together.

Pan Ning, Lu Yun, Tang Ziyun, Shen Yixue, Han Xiaoyu, and Xia Keke shared another.

Meng Qianyu, Ye Wan, Qiao Xiyue, Xiao Liang, and the two latecomers occupied the third.

Each table received the same courses, regardless of headcount.

As the refined Western dishes were served, the group dug in.

The table with Ye Wan and Meng Qianyu’s friends ate with the most "grace"—particularly the latter.

They held forks in their left hands and knives in their right, meticulously cutting small pieces of steak before daintily lifting them to their mouths.

Meng Qianyu and Ye Wan were more relaxed, eating without such precision.

In stark contrast, Su Yang’s table was full of rough-around-the-edges guys.

Despite Meng Wenzhou’s usual stylish flair, he wasn’t fussy about food, especially among friends.

They ate freely, unconcerned with appearances.

"Come on, let’s have a drink!" Zhang Ziming cheerfully poured wine for the table.

Liu Bo mumbled between bites, "Shouldn’t you decant it first?"

Zhang Ziming waved him off. "Decant my ass. Straight up."

Su Yang smirked. "Honestly, I can’t tell the difference either."

"Liu Bo’s just showing off. Ignore him."

Liu Bo rolled his eyes and kept eating.

They clinked glasses and downed their wine in one go.

"Good stuff!" Ji Bo grinned.

"Top us up, top us up!"

Between bites, Su Yang occasionally glanced at Pan Ning’s table.

This one was interesting—of the six women, he’d already conquered half.

Aside from Shen Yixue and Xia Keke, only Han Xiaoyu remained.

Shen Yixue was Zhang Ziming’s girlfriend, and Su Yang had his principles.

As the saying goes, "Don’t covet your friend’s wife"—some lines shouldn’t be crossed.

Xia Keke was also Meng Wenzhou’s occasional fling, making her off-limits.

That left Han Xiaoyu. Though she didn’t meet his usual "85-point" standard for commitment, her stunning figure and pretty face made her a solid backup option.

Su Yang mused, Let’s play it by ear. If the chance comes, I’ll take it.

The women chatted over their meal. Pan Ning poured wine and asked, "Are you all free soon?"

Shen Yixue looked up. "Why?"

"I’m planning a road trip and camping getaway. Interested?"

Tang Ziyun’s eyes lit up. "I’m in!"

"That’s one. What about the rest?"

Han Xiaoyu hesitated. "I love camping, but work’s tight. How many days are we talking?"

Pan Ning swirled her glass. "At least five."

"Ah... that might be tough."

"Same here," Xia Keke sighed.

"Try to make it happen. If not, we’ll plan another time."

"Guess that’s the way to go."

"What about you?" Pan Ning turned to Shen Yixue.

"You know me—I'm free anytime as long as there's nothing going on at home."

Han Xiaoyu and Xia Keke exchanged envious glances at her words.

"Then you're in too. What about you, Lu Yun?" Pan Ning then looked at Lu Yun.

After a brief pause, Lu Yun replied, "I have work too. I'm currently working at Su Yang's restaurant."

"You're at Su Yang's place? That Moonlight Bistro?" Pan Ning asked.

"Yeah~" Lu Yun nodded.

"Well, that makes it easy. He's the boss—just ask for as much time off as you need. We’ll mention it to him later."

"Alright~"

"Then you're in. That makes four of us so far." Pan Ning picked up her glass of wine and took a sip.

......