Truly a Worthy Rival

Of course, Su Yaya knew what kind of person Xu Mu was.

But as the saying goes, you don't strike someone who greets you with a smile. Since he had offered his congratulations with a smile, she couldn't treat him coldly.

So, Su Yaya showed a faint smile and said, "Thank you."

"Yaya, let's go. Uncle is here."

Mu Qingying couldn't be bothered to give Xu Mu another glance.

In her view, Xu Mu must have realized he couldn't pursue her anymore.

Now he was playing hard to get.

Getting close to Su Yaya deliberately, just to make her jealous.

But he was overthinking it.

Mu Qingying couldn't wait for Xu Mu to disappear from her world.

From a distance, a middle-aged man with slicked-back hair approached. He was wearing a suit and had deep crow's feet around his eyes.

This was Su Yaya's father, Su Weiye.

"Hahaha! Mr. Su has arrived, congratulations!"

"Now that Yaya has become the master's disciple, her future prospects are limitless!"

"I can already see the Su family rising as a new power!"

...

As soon as Su Weiye appeared, many people around started flattering him with smiles.

They weren't wrong - his daughter was now Zhou Hening's student.

Consequently, Su Weiye had naturally established a connection with Zhou Hening.

Su Weiye smiled and cupped his hands, then turned his gaze to Xu Mu. He hadn't expected the Xu family to really want this contract.

If Xu Shou had come personally, he might have shown some respect.

But to have this good-for-nothing Xu Mu come and expect to get his family's contract?

Of course, Su Weiye knew that Xu Shou wouldn't come.

Because this banquet was held in his daughter's name.

A big shot like Xu Shou, who was already above him in status, wouldn't specially come to congratulate his daughter.

If it had been in his own name, Xu Shou might have come.

Just like Mu Qingying's father, Mu Yuansheng, who hadn't come either.

"Mr. Zhou, I apologize. I just had to take an urgent call."

Su Weiye walked toward Zhou Hening with an apologetic expression.

"It's fine. I must congratulate you on having such an excellent daughter."

Zhou Hening smiled and said, "Yaya is still young, but her future achievements will definitely be extraordinary."

"Hahaha! Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Zhou."

Su Weiye smiled and cupped his hands, then looked around at the crowd. "I imagine everyone here today has come not just to offer congratulations, but for other matters as well?"

The many businesspeople around remained silent but smiling.

"Our Su family's food business has been operating in Jiangbei for twenty years and has become deeply rooted in people's hearts. Recently, we're planning to open a new production line, but haven't yet determined the raw material processing partner."

Su Weiye paused slightly at this point and continued, "There are too many excellent processing enterprises in our city to choose from."

At this point, many people in the crowd looked toward Xu Mu.

Everyone present was an old fox who had been navigating the business world for many years.

They knew that the main competition was only between the Xu family and the Mu family.

Su Weiye definitely wanted to go with the Mu family, but doing so would indirectly offend the Xu family.

The Xu family's business dominated the city, and even a small obstacle from them could cause the Zhou family considerable trouble.

Their main purpose in coming this time was to get acquainted with Zhou Hening.

Secondarily, they were betting on the tiny chance.

Perhaps this contract might fall into their hands.

"This time, I plan to let Mr. Zhou decide our partnership."

Su Weiye pointed at Zhou Hening, "Each family will send one person to play the piano, and Mr. Zhou will judge. Whoever plays the best will get our business."

Hearing this, the crowd began whispering among themselves.

They hadn't expected Su Weiye to come up with this solution, which would allow him to choose the Mu family without offending the Xu family.

The Xu family only sent Xu Mu, this good-for-nothing. What could he possibly know?

If they didn't get the contract, they could only say they weren't skilled enough.

At this moment, Mu Qingying showed a confident expression. Her piano skills had already reached performance level.

She had just played for Zhou Hening earlier.

Zhou Hening's evaluation was that her technical skills were extremely strong, among the best in the country.

Compared to Su Yaya, the only thing she lacked was some spirituality.

Mu Qingying was very pleased. Since Su Yaya was from the Su family, she naturally wouldn't compete with her.

So among those present, or even in all of Jiangbei,

How many could compare to her?

Mu Qingying didn't know that there was one person here who, like her,

Also wore a confident smile.

It wasn't Xu Mu, but Lin Yang.

As a foreign mercenary, Lin Yang had to play various roles during missions.

So he had to learn various skills.

He had also learned piano, and his teacher was a world-class pianist hired by a Middle Eastern tycoon for a hefty sum.

The teacher had said that he had good talent, and ordinary people were no match for him.

"Great! I think Mr. Su's suggestion makes sense! Since Mr. Zhou is here, let's decide by piano performance!"

Lin Yang called out loudly.

The crowd turned to look at this young man, who appeared to be only around twenty years old.

But no one knew his identity.

Only Su Yaya slightly furrowed her brow, suddenly feeling that this person seemed somewhat familiar.

"But I have one condition - no outside help, it must be someone from your own family."

Su Weiye smiled and said, "Given everyone's wealth here, spending a few hundred thousand to hire an expert would defeat the purpose."

His words essentially locked in the Mu family's victory.

Without outside help, who among the businesspeople present could compete with Mu Qingying?

At this moment, at a round table, Li Feipeng sat beside Lin Yang and asked in a low voice, "Mr. Lin, what should we do?"

"I'm your distant cousin, so I'm family too."

Lin Yang maintained his smile.

Any hired experts would be famous, and a simple investigation would reveal them.

But he had never shown his piano skills in the country.

"Young Master Xu, I'm sorry."

Su Ruiming, sitting beside Xu Mu, looked helpless.

"It's fine, I know a bit about piano too," Xu Mu said with a smile.

His words made Lin Yang, sitting at the next table, laugh.

Lin Yang's expression was condescending and frivolous.

He looked as if he was dealing with an idiot.

"Young Master Xu, you know piano too?"

Lin Yang spoke loudly, intending for everyone to hear, wanting to embarrass Xu Mu.

"Just a little," Xu Mu said calmly.

Hearing this, many people in the crowd laughed.

This good-for-nothing knows piano?

Who in the city's entertainment venues didn't know him?

He was a regular, always shouting that Young Master Xu would pay for everyone.

"Just a little? I know a little too, let's both participate."

Lin Yang felt like he was toying with an idiot.

"Sure."

Xu Mu nodded.

Lin Yang laughed coldly inside, thinking about how this person had tried to flirt with his true love earlier.

He would have plenty of time to destroy him later.

"Alright then, let's begin now. Who wants to go first?"

Su Weiye just considered Xu Mu a joke.

"We'll go first!"

A young man wearing black-framed glasses had his elementary school daughter walk toward the distant piano.

All the wealthy people present had cultivated their children from a young age.

His family happened to teach piano.

The girl looked about ten years old, wearing a black dress and looking adorable.

She sat at the piano and began placing her fingers on the keys.

This was a rather famous piece, "Wedding in Dreams."

When the music ended, many people in the crowd applauded.

"Not bad. Although you missed a few notes and had some rhythm issues, this is a level four piece, and being able to play it through is already quite impressive."

Zhou Hening sat in his place, smiling as he spoke.

Today was Saturday, so there were many children present.

As for the adults here, most of them didn't understand music because their families couldn't afford lessons when they were young.

After several children who knew piano had finished playing, no one else in attendance was willing to perform.

At this moment, Lin Yang looked at Xu Mu with a smile, wanting to embarrass him, "Young Master Xu, why aren't you playing?"

With these words, many people around couldn't help but smile again.

They all guessed the reason.

What was there to play?

Xu Mu probably knew himself that he wasn't even as good as these children. Wouldn't going up there just humiliate himself?

"Someone as skilled as me should obviously be the finale," Xu Mu said with a calm expression, though he felt very annoyed inside.

This was truly his nemesis. Even though he hadn't provoked him, and Lin Yang had even helped him save face at the door, he still constantly tried to embarrass him. Well, he shouldn't blame Xu Mu for showing no mercy now.

"Let me play instead," Mu Qingying rose from her chair.

Seeing this, everyone around stopped what they were doing. The true expert had arrived.