The newcomer was a young man, appearing to be in his early twenties. However, his attire and bearing clearly indicated he was also from a wealthy background.
He wore a khaki watch and a string of brown prayer beads. Li Zhonglou, whose former profession involved appraising antiques, recognized its value instantly – it was worth no less than seven figures!
Furthermore, judging by its quality, it didn't seem to be a fake.
This suggested he was a scion of either the Eight Great Families or the Sixteen Prominent Families.
He was also handsome, tall, fair-skinned, and wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, giving him a scholarly appearance. However, the first words out of his mouth were confrontational.
"Qiqi, I heard you brought a strange man in? There are too many con artists these days. Don't get taken advantage of."
Mu Qi's expression froze for half a second before she quickly replied, "Young Master Du, please don't misunderstand. This is my, male escort. He specially accompanied me to attend the event today."
"Male escort?"
The moment those words were uttered, not only Young Master Du but also Li Zhonglou was taken aback. A familiar feeling suddenly welled up in his heart.
Could it be...
As Li Zhonglou pondered, Young Master Du spoke first, with a tone of doubt, "Qiqi, I heard your father arranged for you to come, but surely you wouldn't just grab a random stranger off the street to deceive people?"
Saying this, the Young Master Du, completely disregarding Li Zhonglou's feelings, shamelessly scrutinized him from head to toe. He then continued, "Qiqi, look at what he's wearing. How could someone so questionable possibly be worthy of you!"
Li Zhonglou immediately took offense, feeling utterly displeased at being judged so casually in public.
"Hey, what are you talking about? What do you mean 'questionable'?"
The man directly ignored him and continued speaking to Mu Qi, "Qiqi, why don't I be your male escort? I know your uncle too, wouldn't that be easier for you?"
A flicker of struggle crossed Mu Qi's face. At that moment, Li Zhonglou, with a sudden idea, leaned closer to Mu Qi.
"Ahem, excuse me, but there's always a first come, first served basis. I haven't said I refused yet."
Mu Qi was initially stunned, then her eyes lit up.
"So, you're agreeing?"
Li Zhonglou smiled and nodded.
Now it was the man's turn to be displeased. "Qiqi! Don't listen to him. You weren't agreeing just now; this is clearly him playing hard to get!"
Li Zhonglou rolled his eyes. "Stop judging people with your petty mind. You look like a decent person, but you have no manners at all. Who are you being so sarcastic to here?"
The man immediately became enraged and pointed directly at him, "What is my status? Do I need to be sarcastic to you?"
"Oh, such arrogance. Someone who doesn't know might think this Feng Tian belongs to you. What, not happy? Come and hit me then."
Li Zhonglou's voice grew louder as he spoke. By now, quite a few people were casting curious glances, which was exactly what Li Zhonglou wanted.
Just then, a security guard, sensing the situation escalating, quickly approached. Seeing that the matter was getting out of hand, and remembering she had asked Li Zhonglou for help in the first place, Mu Qi quickly tried to de-escalate. "Alright, Young Master Du, I'll handle my own affairs. Thank you for your concern. If there's nothing else, I'll head into the banquet."
With that, she pulled Li Zhonglou and continued walking inside. The man watched their intimate gesture with a cloud of gloom forming in his eyes. However, they were no longer paying him any attention, and the security guard had also arrived.
"Young Master Du? What's wrong?"
The man said in a deep voice, "Nothing. Just encountered some impolite people."
With that, he let out a cold snort and turned to leave.
However, as he reached the hotel entrance, he couldn't resist taking out his phone and making a call.
"Tell Xiao Mian to come see me immediately! Make sure he brings more people!"
Meanwhile.
Mu Qi led Li Zhonglou around to the back of the lobby. It was then that he discovered there was indeed more to the hotel than met the eye.
Similar to Mei Cheng, while the front was a hotel, there were several high-rise buildings behind it, essentially dividing the complex into different zones. Li Zhonglou took a rough look; they were all high-end entertainment venues.
And all of them were branded under Feng Tian.
Seeing Li Zhonglou looking around, Mu Qi took the initiative to explain, "Feng Tian is the top-tier establishment in the eastern district. It encompasses all high-end clubs and facilities, providing a one-stop service.
This place is where Feng Tian gained its fame, so the exterior remains the facade of the hotel. Many first-time visitors don't realize that the real Feng Tian is inside."
Li Zhonglou nodded, gaining a general understanding of Feng Tian's status. Mu Qi suddenly stopped.
"Um, I still don't know your name."
Li Zhonglou was taken aback. He saw Mu Qi suddenly take off her sunglasses. As expected, she was a stunning beauty. More importantly, she was young, with a face full of natural beauty. Even with just light makeup, she could outshine most so-called celebrities.
However, his gaze only lingered on her face for a second or two before he withdrew it and said with a faint smile, "Li Zhonglou. You can call me Brother Li."
In terms of age, he was several years older than Mu Qi. Calling him Brother Li wasn't him trying to act mature.
Mu Qi's temperament, as displayed earlier, was very easy-going. She naturally called out, "Hello, Brother Li."
As she spoke, she smiled sweetly and extended her right hand.
Li Zhonglou lightly shook it and then released it, proactively asking, "So, where are we going now?"
Mu Qi didn't answer immediately but instead asked, "Brother Li, what is Feng Tian for? If you have urgent matters..."
"I don't have any urgent matters for now. Tell me about your business first."
Mu Qi paused and then smiled, "Alright. You heard about the favor I need from Brother Li, right? Mainly, my father asked me to attend a banquet and needs a male escort."
"Then why did you choose me?"
Mu Qi smiled, "There's someone at this banquet I don't like. If you accompany me, he probably won't bother me."
"A suitor?"
Mu Qi didn't deny it and nodded.
Li Zhonglou was puzzled, "But why would you choose someone you don't know?"
"Of course, it has to be someone I don't know. Oh, and by the way, it would be best if you pretend you just returned from abroad. But it's okay, I'll help with the conversation. Just go along with me."
"Then what about our identities?"
Mu Qi froze. She hadn't really thought about this. When she came, she was only focused on finding a male escort to be by her side so that those people would back off and stop bothering her. Identities, she really hadn't considered...
For some reason, Li Zhonglou suddenly thought of Ya Lili. The two of them were so similar, making decisions on the fly and never considering the consequences.
Thinking of this, Li Zhonglou couldn't help but sigh and proactively said, "I understand. So, you just need me to handle the banquet for you, right?"