The gathering took place on a cruise ship sailing on the river.
Many elegantly dressed people had already arrived. As soon as Song Jiaping boarded, the perfume from the ladies and socialites overwhelmed him, making him want to stand by the ship's railing, close to the water, to catch his breath.
However, Huangfu Mengqi held his arm, greeting everyone they knew.
Song Jiaping had no choice but to endure, hoping the party would end soon.
"Mengqi jie, why don't you introduce us? Your friend is so handsome." Two women in bright attire approached them.
"Oh, Song Jiaping." Huangfu Mengqi introduced him, noticing two handsome mixed-race male models following the women.
While they were pleasing to the eye, she didn't find them particularly charming or interesting.
The two beauties unreservedly placed their hands on Song Jiaping's shoulders, batting their eyelashes at him and asking, "Handsome, you look unfamiliar. Are you a celebrity or a model? What do you do?"
Song Jiaping couldn't believe these two women were socialites or ladies of high society; he found them utterly vulgar.
"Don't get so close to me. The perfume you're wearing is unbearable."
The two women immediately pulled their hands away. One of them said angrily, "I'm using the latest Chanel!"
"It doesn't even smell as good as disinfectant," Song Jiaping said, ignoring them. He turned to Huangfu Mengqi, "Let's go get some river breeze. The smell here is too pungent."
Then, he and Huangfu Mengqi walked directly to the stern of the ship.
The two women watched their retreating backs, stamping their feet. One said, "Huangfu Mengqi, that old woman, that tomboy, how did she find a man like this? Is he also from a prominent family?"
"Who knows? Look at her proud expression just now, as if she'd found a treasure," the other woman replied.
Beside them, a male model put his arm around one of the women, sniffing her neck and saying, "Baby, don't be angry. You smell so good."
The woman pushed the male model away, saying, "You useless thing. Why didn't I hear you speak up earlier? Go away."
The woman had lost interest and said sullenly to her friend, "Let's go wash this scent off and try a different perfume."
In the past, when attending such events, the male companions Huangfu Mengqi brought could only serve as decorative pieces. Seeing the socialites trying to curry favor and flatter made her feel utterly humiliated.
Therefore, she never brought a regular male companion. As long as she could find a man who was somewhat presentable, it was better than being alone and awkward.
Unexpectedly, Song Jiaping, upon his arrival, had managed to make the two women she disliked the most turn green with anger. She was inwardly delighted.
Upon reaching the stern, Song Jiaping saw there were few people around. He withdrew his arm and said, "Seeing how you're usually focused only on work and quite dedicated, why waste your time at such a boring party?"
Huangfu Mengqi didn't mind his arrogant demeanor. "Do you think I came here to compete with those boring socialites in showing off? I'm not in the mood. Those two are just women who are rich and brainless because of their families."
Song Jiaping looked at her strangely and said, "You see through them so clearly, so why did you dress me up so pretentiously to come to a place like this?"
Hearing the word "pretentious," Huangfu Mengqi chuckled.
Looking at his current hairstyle, which indeed made him look like a pretty boy, she couldn't help but laugh even harder.
"Are you satisfied with making fun of me? If you are, can I have tomorrow off?" Song Jiaping, however, couldn't laugh.
Huangfu Mengqi said deliberately, "So far, I'm quite satisfied..."
Before she could finish, she saw a middle-aged noblewoman and a teenage girl emerge from the cabin.
Huangfu Mengqi immediately pointed them out to Song Jiaping and said, "I have to attend these gatherings because I need to meet Mrs. Lu. She's a strong businesswoman who can bring major projects to our group."
Song Jiaping grunted.
Huangfu Mengqi intentionally instructed him, "What does our financial information department do? It's about finding financing and investment... the best channels for money to make money. And what are channels? They are the people you know, your circle. To do well in this line of work, you need to get to know these people so you can find ways for money to generate more money."
Song Jiaping understood her meaning and said, "You go and build rapport with the people you want to get to know. I really can't stand that perfume. Call me if you need any cooperation."
With that, Song Jiaping turned to look at the river again, his heart filled with worry for Mengyao.
He really wanted to ask Mengqi directly if her family knew she had gone to a dangerous place.
But he knew he couldn't ask. Asking would only make the Huangfu family suspect he had ulterior motives regarding Mengyao.
Now that Mengyao had amnesia, she couldn't have gone to such a chaotic place abroad without her family's permission.
Huangfu Mengqi had intended to approach Mrs. Lu herself, but she saw Mrs. Lu and her daughter walking towards them.
"Hello, Mrs. Lu," Huangfu Mengqi greeted her warmly. "It's been a long time."
Mrs. Lu smiled at her, then looked closely at Song Jiaping beside her. Confirming it was indeed him, she happily said to Song Jiaping, "Dr. Song, it's you!"
Song Jiaping, seeing that the middle-aged woman recognized him, could only respond, "Hello."
"Dr. Song, don't you remember me?" Mrs. Lu said. "More than a year ago, thanks to you, I was able to successfully give birth to my youngest son. He's one year old now."
Song Jiaping realized she was a former patient and asked with a smile, "Is the child doing well? Actually, it was your maternal love and persistence."
"Yes, they are all doing well, healthy in every aspect." Mrs. Lu had endless stories to tell about her youngest son, whom she had given birth to under challenging circumstances.
Huangfu Mengqi and Song Jiaping listened to her, nodding occasionally.
"By the way, Dr. Song, why are you here? I went to that private hospital again to give them a banner, but they said you had resigned." Mrs. Lu continued, "All the obstetricians I saw before said the baby in my womb had a congenital defect and advised me not to have it. But I got pregnant again at my age and really wanted this child. Fortunately, I met you."
"You don't need to be so polite. It was just part of my job. Sometimes, judging whether a fetus is healthy can't rely solely on instrument checks; I made a comprehensive diagnosis."
Mrs. Lu smiled and said, "You talk professionally, and I don't understand these things. I only know that you saved my child. By the way, which hospital are you working at now?"
"I'm not a doctor anymore," Song Jiaping replied.
Mrs. Lu said regretfully, "That's a pity. Isn't your excellent medical skill going to waste?"
"He is also doing very well in our Huangfu Group's financial information department. He's now a capable subordinate under me," Huangfu Mengqi said.
Mrs. Lu exclaimed in surprise, "Dr. Song, you changed careers? But with your abilities, you can succeed in anything."
"You flatter me," Song Jiaping said with a modest smile.